Intelligent item with character class ?

[Aloïsius]

I'm currently toying with this idea : giving character level to an intelligent object (a sword in this case, who will have the power to shapechange in a human or panther fom).

Is this really a good idea ? Hit dice for a sword ? Does such an item belong to the "construct" type of creature ? Does it have the "mindless" special quality ? Could it be a cohort chosen with the leadership feat ? What would be its level adjustment ? The fact that this particular item may take an animated form allow it to choose any class, but what for an object who doesn't have this power ? Psion only ?
More generaly, what are the other problems and pitfall I did not see with such an idea ?

 

[Darklone]

Quintessential Paladin had several "prestige classes" for paladin swords. Might be what you are looking for.

 

[UltimaGabe]

A while ago, I had a human Barbarian with an intelligent Katana. I wanted to eventually allow it to turn into a pseudodragon or something, and possibly take levels, like with your example- but we ended up retiring the characters before that point.

 

[jgsugden]

This type of thing is generally a bad idea. It tends to upstage the PCs. The PCs are the stars of the game. Anything run by the DM is a minor character. If you begin to make the minor characters too special, they stop being minor and upstage the PCs.

An intelligent item should be a minor character, adding brief help, occasional comic relief, or similar short term minor input. It is entirely possible for a weapon to assume a living form and not be too prominant in a game. Unfortunately, most of the time something like this is attempted, it is an indication that the DM doesn't have a 'PCs first' mentality and is running the game primarily for his own pleasure, not the pleasure of his players.

If you're dead set on doing it, remember to make sure the PC remains the dominant figure in the relationship. This doesn't mean that there can't be conflict between the weapon and the wielder, it just means that if you were to retell the story of the adventure, you'd spend almost all your time talking about the PC and only a few sentences referencing the weapon.

 

[CRGreathouse]

The Complete Book of Eldritch Might has rules for this, along with item-only feats and the like. It has price guidelines as well.

 

[Piratecat]

A sword in my game has a selection of paladin abilities that it uses at its owner's request. It can "lay on hilt" for emergency healing.

 

[RuminDange]

I actually have an intelligent ring that contains remnants of a Archmage that served as a High Magister (top of 10 Chosens for the god of magic). He is known for giving advice to leaders and such.
Basically the ring is a minor artifact:
Ring of Protection +5
+5 Deflection
+5 Resistance
+10 Sacred Bonus to Knowledge checks.
Spell Resistance: 30
Tells them stories of the past
Can augment spells cast by the wearer with metamagic feats on the fly as they are casting them. Using recovering charges each day. Metamagic feats cost 1 to 4 charges depending. He chooses when to add them, unless the wearer asks.
A few other powers that have not been declared to the players.
Has an Ego of around 78 and a Lawful Good alignment.

Since the party is between 33-36 level in a very high magic world, this hasn't proven too difficult and since the party has come at odds in a way against the God of Magic, the ring is currently locked away in safe keeping until matters is resolved.
Hasn't upstaged the players at all with this one. Most of the players are NG to CN and they completely forgot about the ring since it was intelligent and didn't want to deal with it, except the Ranger/Druid who loves talking more than fighting. The others had a bad run in with an intelligent sword early in the campaign that didn't care who it killed as long as it killed someone. Drove them crazy with that one, and it was such a good sword, hopefully the celestrials will find a good home for it

Anyway, just be careful as others suggested, use wisely and don't over do it. Augment the players not overshadow them.

RD

 

[Conaill]

How about an intelligent sword with the Leadership feat... wielded by it's cohort!

Edit: Hm... really not that much different from the awakened warhorse I thought up a few days ago... ridden by it's own cohort, to get benefits from Mounted Combat and to feed it the occasional healing potion...

 

[Evilhalfling]

Edit: Hm... really not that much different from the awakened warhorse I thought up a few days ago... ridden by it's own cohort, to get benefits from Mounted Combat and to feed it the occasional healing potion...

lol
*yoink*

 

[Conaill]

FYI, an Awakened Heavy Warhorse would have a +3 Level Adjustment, for a total ECL of 9 (see the link in my sig). Add 6 character levels to that to get Leadership, and you've got yourself a 15th lvl character!

Hmm... if you made an Awakened Warhorse Paladin, I guess it'd be no more than fair to give him a Special Rider instead of a Special Mount at Pal5.

Back to intelligent swords... Why not just Animate one, and then Awaken it? It'll have it's own 30' speed and everything. Heck, if it's being wielded by someone else, it can even take the Aid Another action to give a +2 bonus to attack!

[Edit: oops... now you can see the link in my sig!]