Daern
Explorer
Great game this afternoon: the players followed up on old campaign drama, taking care of one old nemesis and encountering another old foe/ally anew. This brings up an issue I have been avoiding, the Horned Helm of the Beast Lord.
This is an artifact that I introduced long ago as an evil corrupting thing based on the Frazetta paintings of the Deathdealer, set in a campaign making extensive reference to Danzig and Misfits songs. Of course the fighter promptly put it on and was possessed and eventually the player made a new character. But the character survived, and is now being encountered as a most hated villain once again.
This started before the latest edition. I like the 4e artifact rules quite a bit and would like to rejigger the Helm so that it is an artifact with stages of "concordance". I have some basic ideas for powers, but I am stuck on how to work in the corrupting/raging influence on the owner of the helm.
Perhaps the good people of Enworld can help. Below is what I have so far. Thanks in advance!
The Horned Helm of the Beast Lord
This savagely horned helmet is wrought of a dark metal that seems to absorb light. A veil of chains hangs from the visor.
This is the “Deathdealer’s Helm” sacred to Danzig, said to possess a small spark of the demon lord’s primal savagery. The wearer of this helm is besieged from within by the rumblings of his darkest, most destructive impulses. It is so easy to give into the surge of melee… The Deathdealer grows stronger when he follows his urgings, making him a fearsome though indiscriminate combatant, destined for the halls of glory. Deny the bloodlust too often, and the Horned Helm will turn on its wearer, eventually abandoning him to his fate.
With a savage roar the Deathdealer lays about him with a sweeping stroke. None are spared from this pitilous attack.
Potential Powers:
This is an artifact that I introduced long ago as an evil corrupting thing based on the Frazetta paintings of the Deathdealer, set in a campaign making extensive reference to Danzig and Misfits songs. Of course the fighter promptly put it on and was possessed and eventually the player made a new character. But the character survived, and is now being encountered as a most hated villain once again.
This started before the latest edition. I like the 4e artifact rules quite a bit and would like to rejigger the Helm so that it is an artifact with stages of "concordance". I have some basic ideas for powers, but I am stuck on how to work in the corrupting/raging influence on the owner of the helm.
Perhaps the good people of Enworld can help. Below is what I have so far. Thanks in advance!
The Horned Helm of the Beast Lord
This savagely horned helmet is wrought of a dark metal that seems to absorb light. A veil of chains hangs from the visor.
This is the “Deathdealer’s Helm” sacred to Danzig, said to possess a small spark of the demon lord’s primal savagery. The wearer of this helm is besieged from within by the rumblings of his darkest, most destructive impulses. It is so easy to give into the surge of melee… The Deathdealer grows stronger when he follows his urgings, making him a fearsome though indiscriminate combatant, destined for the halls of glory. Deny the bloodlust too often, and the Horned Helm will turn on its wearer, eventually abandoning him to his fate.
With a savage roar the Deathdealer lays about him with a sweeping stroke. None are spared from this pitilous attack.
- Savage Sweep (Encounter • Fear): Minor Action. Gain a +2 power bonus to your next attack roll this turn. If that attack hits, it deals an extra 1d12 Fear damage in a 1’ Close Burst.
- Lure of the Beast (Daily • Psychic): No action. The helm “tests” its wearer daily by making an attack (wearer’s level + 3 vs. wearer’s Will defense) at the start of the wearer’s turn. If it hits, the wearer is dominated by the helm until the end of the turn, which the helm uses to sow chaos as destructively as it can. If the helm misses with this attack, its concordance drops by one, so the owner can choose to allow it to hit.
Potential Powers:
- Bloodlust is infectious (Daily – Pyschic): On a successful hit a target convulses with rage and lashes out at an adjacent ally.
- Whirlwind of Death (Daily – Weapon) Standard Action Close burst 1
- Target: Each enemy in burst you can see
- Attack: Strength vs. AC
- Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage. You push the target(s) 1 square.
