Immortals Handbook Epic Bestiary (now available)

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

U_K!
Just a quick question. (It may have been answered much earlier, but I dont remember seeing it) An Immortal is limited to 4 artifacts at once (possibly more, but with downgraded powerlevels) does this mean the Immortal can have/wield/use 4 artifacts or that he or she can create 4? Is there anything preventing a deity from having 5+ artifacts at once (possibly creating some/all of them himself) but leaving some 'at home' or simply keeping them on his person but not used? (Like keeping a magic sword at your side, or having a ring of total-damage-reflection in your pocket while your wear your four rings of Omni-death)

Its an interesting question and one with no easy answer.

If Thor (in possession of 4 artifacts) slays Odin (who also has four artifacts), can Thor not just lift Odin's artifacts and use them? Or can he use 2 of Odins artifacts and 2 of his own?

My take on it is this:

Using someone else's artifacts is limited by your portfolios and/or alignment, because artifacts are an extension of the deity.

These need to be compatible otherwise in your hands the artifact will

A) allow you to wield it but only at your power level.
B) allow you to wield it but only act as a non-epic item.
C) not allow you to wield it.
D) not allow you to wield it and injure you if you try to do so.

So you can see how the deviations are set up.

Possible 2 portfolios, possible 2 alignments.

Incidently, mortals get by the lack of portfolios by using the artifact for a special purpose.

So say a Priest of Orcus is lent the Wand of Orcus. While in his possession its treated as a non-epic item (drop two steps to B since the priest has no portfolios). But if the Priets uses the artifact for the specific purpose of advancing the gods portfolios he could gain its full power for a limited space of time.

Does that make sense, what do you all think of that mechanic?

 

[Alzrius]

Does that make sense, what do you all think of that mechanic?

I like it a lot, but I see PC's trying to abuse the system by arguing that what they're doing advances a deity's cause, even though it doesn't really. A lot of DM smack-downs will be the result.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!
Awesome.
Do the artifacts in question need to be directly related with the gods portfolios? Or simply loosly related? My namesake mage is probobly going to take either Double Revenge, Double Magic, or Revenge/Magic portfolios (Being the angry, spiteful archwizard that he is) (His whole family was killed permenently. Twice. Spent the whole game seeking revenge). If I had double revenge, could I still make say 3 spellcasting related items, and one defensive item. I planned on Headband/crown (Int increasing), Ring (Enhancing spellcasting in some way), Staff (With Supremacy power if I Qualify, or the biggest Divine Blast power I can get), and a Robe (Possibly like something that grants a flat unmitigatable miss change).
Is this too far out of guidelines?

 

[Chosen01]

hi Krust

I have about a half dozen other ideas...

What are the alternatives?

Fate/Space (I'm sort of confusing myself whether it should be Space or Fate)

What Transcendental power would the First One of Space have?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

I like it a lot, but I see PC's trying to abuse the system by arguing that what they're doing advances a deity's cause, even though it doesn't really. A lot of DM smack-downs will be the result.

You could easily tie it to the opposed portfolios I have set up. So you might get the full power of the artifact against creatures with certain subtypes.

Incidently I should just point out that I think my website is down, I don't know if its the webspace provider switching me off again or not.

I posted them the cheque in June, so something must have happened to it in transit (which is actually the second time I have sent them a cheque and its not been received).

To compound the problem the company have not emailed me in 9 months. So I don't know what the heck is going on.

So I may have to sort out another webspace provider, which is a hassle I didn't need at the moment.

Does anyone know any relatively inexpensive webhosts? Preferably (but not necessarily) UK based, posting cheques to America is just an annoyance because you have to pay for the conversion extra postage and it takes far longer. It would also be a plus if I could find one that could be sorted via paypal.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey dude!

U_K!
Awesome.
Do the artifacts in question need to be directly related with the gods portfolios? Or simply loosly related?

They only need be superficially related.

Provided they are not overtly affiliated to opposed portfolios. For instance Thor couldn't have an icy blast hammer (since he has the Thunder and Strength portfolios).

I mean I don't think you need to have the Strength portfolio to have a belt of strength artifact for instance. But it wouldn't make sense if you were the god of fear/weakness.

My namesake mage is probobly going to take either Double Revenge, Double Magic, or Revenge/Magic portfolios (Being the angry, spiteful archwizard that he is) (His whole family was killed permenently. Twice. Spent the whole game seeking revenge). If I had double revenge, could I still make say 3 spellcasting related items, and one defensive item. I planned on Headband/crown (Int increasing), Ring (Enhancing spellcasting in some way), Staff (With Supremacy power if I Qualify, or the biggest Divine Blast power I can get), and a Robe (Possibly like something that grants a flat unmitigatable miss change).
Is this too far out of guidelines?

No I don't think so. I don't see any penalties for generic powers.

 

[Upper_Krust]

hi Krust

Hiya mate!

What are the alternatives?

Most of them I think were already mentioned.

What Transcendental power would the First One of Space have?

Transdimensional - keeps growing from the start of a fight.

Transversal - infinite reach

 

[historian]

Hey U_K!

Transdimensional - keeps growing from the start of a fight.

I had been meaning to ask you about this one ever since I began testing the Nexus Dragon. Once it starts shifting size categories (effectively doubling hit dice each round) would it also receive "non-size" bonuses as well, i.e. better saves, higher DCs for abilities, etc.?

 

[Alzrius]

I just received chapter two of Ascension for editing about an hour ago.

I gotta say, like a lot of people, I get frustrated when it takes U_K a while to release something - but everytime I look his work over, it gives me a rush of sympathy for him. It's easy to forget that he's really pushing the envelope on what the d20 system can do, and he's making it all up as he goes along by himself. When you really stop and think about that, it's amazing he gets these done as fast as he does.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey U_K!

Hey historian matey!

I had been meaning to ask you about this one ever since I began testing the Nexus Dragon. Once it starts shifting size categories (effectively doubling hit dice each round) would it also receive "non-size" bonuses as well, i.e. better saves, higher DCs for abilities, etc.?

Whichever works best for you.

Though personally I wouldn't necessarily double its Hit Dice, I'd just add a virtual size category since its more of a 'virtual'* size change.

*Or at least surreal.