Fieari
Explorer
As I'm about to give my players an artifact level cursed item, I thought a thread would be neat to see if anyone else has made anything similar for their players... something that they really want to use, may actually be very useful and powerful indeed, but more often than not hurts the players more than the players hurt whatever problem they are facing. An imbalanced trade, if you will, but still a trade.
Here's mine for starters... there's still a few hours before the session starts, so if anyone has any suggestions on it, they'd also be welcome. Current party is ECL8.
The BLACK FLUTE
This instrument was crafted by a Phoenix for use while in human form, however, recent activities by the PCs which have been exaggerated by an evil cult has twisted this once benevolant artifact that granted wishes. It still grants wishes... but those wishes hurt.
(Note: When I say "player" in the following text, I mean "Player of the musical instrument" not "Player of the game")
Game Effects: The player of this flute can cast LIMITED WISH as a spell like ability by making a DC 17 perform check.
After the spell is cast, the following additional events ocure:
If the casting of limited wish is used to duplicate an area effect spell, that spell is created as a LIVING SPELL. This living spell will go out of its way to inconvenience the player of the flute. If the nature of the spell does not allow the spell to be harmful to the player or to the player's goals and desires, the spell will be twisted... for example, instead of creating a living Holy Word, it might create a living Blasphemy instead.
"Going out of its way to hinder the player" does not neccessarily mean attacking the player. It may instead seek after those the caster loves or needs for whatever reason. It may seek to create political instability in the country he lives in. Creative methods of hindrance are encouraged.
If the casting of limited wish is used to duplicate any other spell, it grants the flute the ability to cast the logically opposite spell at any future time it wishes, without requiring an Ego check. (For the purposes of casting this spell against the player's wishes, treat ego as if it were infinite) For example: using the flute to create a fireball grants the flute the right to cast Iceball at any target it desires in the future.
Furthermore: This flute is addictive and dangerous...
After each use, the player must make a WILL save DC 10+imitated spell level or take a permanent -1 penalty to one of the following (whichever is currently the highest, numerically): BAB, Fort save, Will save, Ref save, STR mod (may require a -2 to STR), DEX mod, CON mod, WIS mod, INT mod, CHA mod, or any skill (a negative rank).
If the flute is ever seperated from the player, he must make a WILL save DC: (times flute has been played) each week or take a cumulative -2 penalty to all ability scores. If the flute is returned to the player, this penalty is removed but he will take one point of permanent ability damage to the stat of his choice. Additionally, restoration may be cast while the flute is still missing, but the permanent ability loss must still be encountered, and if the flute is still gone, the will save must be made again the next week. If the save is never failed, the player will not suffer permanent ability loss.
This addiction can be broken only when the flute is either destroyed or restored. The flute can only be destroyed by making a perform check DC: 50 with the intent to destroy it, and it can be restored with a perform check DC: 75. (This is fair in my campaign... the bard currently has some magic items and such that make his CURRENT perform skill gives him a plus 25. Additionally, I use the NAT20 = 30, NAT1 = -10 rule)
What do you think?
Here's mine for starters... there's still a few hours before the session starts, so if anyone has any suggestions on it, they'd also be welcome. Current party is ECL8.
The BLACK FLUTE
This instrument was crafted by a Phoenix for use while in human form, however, recent activities by the PCs which have been exaggerated by an evil cult has twisted this once benevolant artifact that granted wishes. It still grants wishes... but those wishes hurt.
(Note: When I say "player" in the following text, I mean "Player of the musical instrument" not "Player of the game")
Game Effects: The player of this flute can cast LIMITED WISH as a spell like ability by making a DC 17 perform check.
After the spell is cast, the following additional events ocure:
If the casting of limited wish is used to duplicate an area effect spell, that spell is created as a LIVING SPELL. This living spell will go out of its way to inconvenience the player of the flute. If the nature of the spell does not allow the spell to be harmful to the player or to the player's goals and desires, the spell will be twisted... for example, instead of creating a living Holy Word, it might create a living Blasphemy instead.
"Going out of its way to hinder the player" does not neccessarily mean attacking the player. It may instead seek after those the caster loves or needs for whatever reason. It may seek to create political instability in the country he lives in. Creative methods of hindrance are encouraged.
If the casting of limited wish is used to duplicate any other spell, it grants the flute the ability to cast the logically opposite spell at any future time it wishes, without requiring an Ego check. (For the purposes of casting this spell against the player's wishes, treat ego as if it were infinite) For example: using the flute to create a fireball grants the flute the right to cast Iceball at any target it desires in the future.
Furthermore: This flute is addictive and dangerous...
After each use, the player must make a WILL save DC 10+imitated spell level or take a permanent -1 penalty to one of the following (whichever is currently the highest, numerically): BAB, Fort save, Will save, Ref save, STR mod (may require a -2 to STR), DEX mod, CON mod, WIS mod, INT mod, CHA mod, or any skill (a negative rank).
If the flute is ever seperated from the player, he must make a WILL save DC: (times flute has been played) each week or take a cumulative -2 penalty to all ability scores. If the flute is returned to the player, this penalty is removed but he will take one point of permanent ability damage to the stat of his choice. Additionally, restoration may be cast while the flute is still missing, but the permanent ability loss must still be encountered, and if the flute is still gone, the will save must be made again the next week. If the save is never failed, the player will not suffer permanent ability loss.
This addiction can be broken only when the flute is either destroyed or restored. The flute can only be destroyed by making a perform check DC: 50 with the intent to destroy it, and it can be restored with a perform check DC: 75. (This is fair in my campaign... the bard currently has some magic items and such that make his CURRENT perform skill gives him a plus 25. Additionally, I use the NAT20 = 30, NAT1 = -10 rule)
What do you think?
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