magic items in a no-magic world?

[Terraism]

How about symbionts, grafts, and other such (basically) permanent enhancements?

That's a wonderful idea, Nifft. Yoink!

 

[Andor]

How about symbionts, grafts, and other such (basically) permanent enhancements?

For example, instead of a +1 flaming sword, the PC finds a fire elemental symbiont that inhabits his body, granting the following:
-1 Con: The symbiont feeds on the PC's blood, taking one point of Con every day. The PC recovers one point of Con every day, so it balances out as net -1 Con.
Fire Resistance 10
Flame Blade at will (caster level = total HD)
Flaming Strike -- as a standard action, the PC can cause his unarmed strike or whatever weapon he is holding to be wreathed in flames. If holding a weapon, that weapon deals +1d6 Fire damage while it remains within his grasp. If unarmed, the PC is treated as armed, and his attacks deal 1d6 Fire damage.

-- N

Interestingly enough almost this exact graft was just published in Magic of Eberron. They just use a flat one time permanent cost though. Which is good because that symbiont would have the horrid side effect of stopping you from ever healing other con damage. Try to avoid colds.

Edit: Actually I think that graft just gave you what you call the flaming strike power.

 

[DMH]

Since you are using psychics, I would disallow many psionic items. I would go with intelligent items that have a set of mental scores (int, wis and chr) and whatever psychic powers you want. There was an old Dragon issue (190) with 2nd. ed. psionic items that were unique. A heart of a psionic barbarian king, an alien stone, an incense container that allowed the user to enter dreams, an immortal hawk, and a staff that was both psionic and magical are the ones I remember. I think it would spice up your campaign by having similar themed items.

 

[Nifft]

that symbiont would have the horrid side effect of stopping you from ever healing other con damage. Try to avoid colds.

Colds inflict Con damage?!? Woah...

In a normal campaign world (where lesser restoration is common, and wands are cheap) it's not a burden. In a zero-magic world, I'd change it.

-- N

 

[Terraism]

Which is good because that symbiont would have the horrid side effect of stopping you from ever healing other con damage. Try to avoid colds.

That's not entirely true. Under the care of a skilled healer, you recover twice the normal amount of ability points/day (meaning, two.) So you could still heal, even without magic... just not as easily. And that seems reasonable to me.

 

[Tonguez]

Another idea I just thought of is what about a -psionic environment

sentient plants with psychic abilities, perhaps magic mushrooms that give a temporary pp boost

 

[Nifft]

... on the subject of "magic mushrooms" how about a darker version -- drugs that give some sort of (super / super-natural) power, but are otherwise normal drugs (addictive, debilitating, etc.). Shades of Akira, Illuminatus!, and William S. Burroughs.

"So, you want a gram of crystal haste? It'll make you real speedy, son."

-- N

 

[DMH]

... on the subject of "magic mushrooms" how about a darker version -- drugs that give some sort of (super / super-natural) power, but are otherwise normal drugs (addictive, debilitating, etc.).

He is using the Psychic's Handbook and it has a wide assortment of alchemical creations for psychic enhancement. In fact the items in it are simply drugs and crystals and nothing else which is a possible reason why he is asking for others. It is also why I suggested little or no psionic items since the powers are very different from psychic powers.

GK, how do priests get their powers in your setting? If they are psychics, they not have intelligent holy symbols? Ones that test the faith of the priest and only lend their powers to the pious.

Police use items that "talk" to the body of a murdered person and find out details of the killer. It simply uses postcognition but with a bit more flavor.

A bandit group in a moors, swamp, craggy hills or some other dangerous terrain uses items to project illusions to lure people into ambushes.