Immortals Handbook - Grimoire (Artifacts, Epic Magic discussion)

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

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Throne- Sounds like a comfy place to sit. Does it act like a recliner?
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IIRC, the Throne of the Gods was an artifact in 2E(Possibly earlier, discounting possible occult lore) that grants the desires of those who sit upon it. Most simply, it would grant Wish at Will (or alter reality). I don't remember if it had any drawbacks, other than having the gods themselves come knocking because you are abusing power that doesn't belong to you.

Since Wish can duplicate 8th level wizard spells, and Polymorph any Object is 8th level, it could most easily turn itself into a Recliner, a couch, or even a Lawnchair. (Complete with attached weather balloons, a pellet gun, and a 6 pack )

 

[Cdawg]

Hah, its been at least 10 years since I've looked at it last but in fact I remember the Throne quite well. It appeared in Eldritch Wizardry and then the Book of Artifacts. As I recall the EW one could create magic items and had a number of powers, but the one thing they both had in common was that any (mortal) character could invoke its buff or magic item abilities only once. the Book of Artifacts writeup IIRC would curse the character if they attempted a second try and on the third they got booted to some god's home plane for a little session of divine wrath. It also had some percentage of failure, even for the first attempt, 10 or 15%, the memory is a little musty there. Oh, and unreasonably avaricious requests got the curse too. Supposed to be huge though .

Gee now I'm getting all misty. I have no idea where I still have the Book of Artifacts but I want to give it another read through for old times sake.

 

[dante58701]

Only one problem with your four item limit Krusty...

Three-Weapon Fighting, you can wield six swords simultaneously. Alabaster has 6 artifacts.

Unless this get changed somehow...that wont make sense.

Or...you could just add a feat or divine ability that allows gods to exceed this limitation.

I also see a problem with it in the case of wizards...many of which are well known for their magic item hoggery. You could revise it to allow the maximum capacity of magic items. One helm, two rings, and so on.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi dante mate!

Only one problem with your four item limit Krusty...

Three-Weapon Fighting, you can wield six swords simultaneously. Alabaster has 6 artifacts.

Unless this get changed somehow...that wont make sense.

I was thinking that one of his swords would split into three as one of its innate properties.

Technically that is one of the properties in the Grimoire called "Dividing".

Or...you could just add a feat or divine ability that allows gods to exceed this limitation.

No, but soniferous lets you double the power of one item.

I also see a problem with it in the case of wizards...many of which are well known for their magic item hoggery. You could revise it to allow the maximum capacity of magic items. One helm, two rings, and so on.

Maximum capacity is four. Period.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

As regards artifacts I plan to have multiple artifacts detailed as well as a sort of artifact construction kit (like the 1st Ed. DMG and the Book of Artifacts).

I also like the idea of curses, unfortunately it wasn't something I was able to add to the Bestiary due to space constraints. But I'll have those in the Grimoire.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

Cool, artifacts need to be a bit "unique". While I haven't read the first BoA, I read the 2E one. I wasn't too terribly keen on the random powers tables. They were cool, but they had a kind of "swiss army knife" feel to them. (Made me think of a car salesman: "and with this severed hand, you can stop time, cast Commune once a day, and it conjures an invisible servant to scratch your back!")

As for curses: Sounds cool.

Hey, here's a Ascension/Grimoire Question: Does a "cursed", say, sword (one that carries a penalty to attack and damage) count on equal footing with an Benignly enchanted one? IE Does a Deity get a sword with the same +/- based on his level, or are they weighted differently? (In other words, If I am entitled to a +9999 Weapon, could I also take a -9999 weapon? Could I get an even 'worse' one, like -9999999?) This might matter with Malaclypse, Vexing stuff, etc.

 

[Kerrick]

IIRC, the Throne of the Gods was an artifact in 2E(Possibly earlier, discounting possible occult lore) that grants the desires of those who sit upon it. Most simply, it would grant Wish at Will (or alter reality). I don't remember if it had any drawbacks, other than having the gods themselves come knocking because you are abusing power that doesn't belong to you.

The throne of the gods first appeared in the 1E DMG, and it was badass. Here, check this out:

It is said that somewhere there is carven from the heart of a majestic mountain a massive stone chair, inlaid with mosaics of ivory and precious metals and set about with gems, a throne upon which certain gods actually sat when they walked the world. The Throne is supposedly set within a great cavern, a part of the moutain's core, so as to be immoible and immovable. Anyone daring to seat himself or herself upon this chair is subject to the effects, and may gain benefits from the Throne's magic. It is certain, according to the fables, that the character will gain a magic item, but in doing so he or she will also be subject to malevolent effect. The same character cannot again gain any magica item, but he orshe can heave the Throne affect him or her if the proper words and gestures are known and followed.

It goes on to state that you get 3 minor/major benign, 2 minor/major malevolent, 2 prime powers, and 2 side effects.

As regards artifacts I plan to have multiple artifacts detailed as well as a sort of artifact construction kit (like the 1st Ed. DMG and the Book of Artifacts).

So are you going to have something like the throne listed above? That would be cool, if so. I came up with my own artifact creation rules sometime back, based on the 1E DMG rules, but everyone totally misunderstood my intent and said, "You can't make artifacts!" It was intended for the DM to make them, NOT the players, but no one got that part.

I was thinking that one of his swords would split into three as one of its innate properties.

Technically that is one of the properties in the Grimoire called "Dividing".

Umm... isn't this technically circumventing your "Maximum capacity is four. Period." rule?

 

[Pssthpok]

Sounds like it.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Kerrick mate!

The throne of the gods first appeared in the 1E DMG, and it was badass. Here, check this out:

I always wanted it in S'mon's campaign, however, Doomstar lives on the mountain where the Throne of the Gods is.

It goes on to state that you get 3 minor/major benign, 2 minor/major malevolent, 2 prime powers, and 2 side effects.

I have all those somewhere (although I don't possess a 1st Ed. DMG myself unfortunately).

Did the Throne have the most abilities of any artifact?

So are you going to have something like the throne listed above? That would be cool, if so.

I'll have the Throne of the Ram in my Grimoire (those with the Bestiary will know that it is mentioned in Sandalphon's entry), I would only be guessing but I assume that is the occult artifact on which the Throne of the Gods was based.

I came up with my own artifact creation rules sometime back, based on the 1E DMG rules, but everyone totally misunderstood my intent and said, "You can't make artifacts!" It was intended for the DM to make them, NOT the players, but no one got that part.

Part of the allure of 1e artifacts was that you couldn't make them and they were something totally new.

Of course that dynamic changes when you allow immortal (and to a lesser extent epic) PCs.

Umm... isn't this technically circumventing your "Maximum capacity is four. Period." rule?

Not if the "Dividing" Weapon Special Ability was already factored into the weapon.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Ltheb dude!

Hey, here's a Ascension/Grimoire Question: Does a "cursed", say, sword (one that carries a penalty to attack and damage) count on equal footing with an Benignly enchanted one? IE Does a Deity get a sword with the same +/- based on his level, or are they weighted differently? (In other words, If I am entitled to a +9999 Weapon, could I also take a -9999 weapon? Could I get an even 'worse' one, like -9999999?) This might matter with Malaclypse, Vexing stuff, etc.

I'd say if your divine rank was greater than the weapon's enhancement penalty, that it probably wouldn't affect the deity.

Otherwise the curse would be stronger - up to the power of the one who created the artifact in the first place.