robus
Lowcountry Low Roller
Were I a more experienced DM and were the player more open to grappling with this item, I think this would be awesome to explore in such a manner.
D&D 5E Realigning a magic item
- Thread starter robus
- Start date
Were I a more experienced DM and were the player more open to grappling with this item, I think this would be awesome to explore in such a manner.
The Crimson Binome
Hero
When the party I ran for came across a magical eye with tremendous power, having liberated it from a legendary immortal dark wizard, they eventually decided to just sell it rather than risk it corrupting them.Which in my experience with the murderhobos I seem to get, would cause them to chuck the thing in a bin, sell it, or deal with the discomfort of being a good character attuned to an evil item.
They put it up for auction in the established major trade city of the world, and although they did end up making more money than they knew what to do with, it also nearly destroyed the world as it allowed an otherwise-insignificant villain to set up a cycle of infinite Wish spells. Resolving the fallout took most of the rest of the campaign.
robus
Lowcountry Low Roller
And I want to give XP too - great story!
merwins
Explorer
Something very similar in my campaign -- one of the characters gave up a world-changing ability (boon) to an evil NPC because either the player or the character didn't understand it's potential, didn't want to deal with it, or didn't care.
As far as the original topic, I don't think I would allow a magic item's nature to be altered so casually. "I drop it off and pay XYZ gold to get it's alignment changed. I'll pick it up in a week." Yuk.
In my world, there are very few, if any, "easy" magic items. No +1 weapons, for example. Items have stories -- histories. They have COSTS. The cost of wielding a powerful item is significant, so there's a tradeoff -- are you willing to pay the cost to wield it? For some, the compatibility between wielder and item is straightforward, and for others, not so much.
If you have a werewolf that wants to wield a silver weapon, something's gotta give. Either you're not going to be a werewolf, they item isn't going to have the benefits of being silver, or you're going to get hurt every time you wield it.
I guess I'm in the camp of "You can't always get what you want. The end."
akr71
Hero
My gut reaction is that it would not be easy or quick. Almost akin to raising a baby black dragon from a hatchling and hoping that it doesn't disembowel you in the middle of the night just to see what you look like on the inside.
In fact I would say that the person who intends to change the alignment and/or personality of the sword must do the 'heavy lifting.' Maybe the Arcane Brotherhood can advise on a plan of action (such as the pocket dimension idea), but if they were to do the work themselves, then the end result would be more in line with those Brotherhood members who conducted the ritual cleansing. Its new ideals and goals closer to the Arcane Brotherhood's than the character's. On top of all that, I would introduce very strong a chance that the sword become mundane or just an ordinary magical +1 sword.
In fact I would say that the person who intends to change the alignment and/or personality of the sword must do the 'heavy lifting.' Maybe the Arcane Brotherhood can advise on a plan of action (such as the pocket dimension idea), but if they were to do the work themselves, then the end result would be more in line with those Brotherhood members who conducted the ritual cleansing. Its new ideals and goals closer to the Arcane Brotherhood's than the character's. On top of all that, I would introduce very strong a chance that the sword become mundane or just an ordinary magical +1 sword.
Greenstone.Walker
Adventurer
It is an intelligent being. Realigning it should be the same as realigning a person.
A long and drawn out process, traumatic on all involved. It is sometimes termed "deprogramming" but more commonly termed "brainwashing".
merwins
Explorer
Wow. Think about it. If the intelligence is strong enough, and clever enough, it might be able to subvert the programming, leading to later complications with the Brotherhood (I'm not familiar with the organization at all). Or it could mask itself with a surface personality that pretends to be one alignment until it arrives at an opportunity where it's true alignment can come to the forefront.
That could be fun. A distraction if you're already on a campaign, but the main personality can remain dormant until the climactic encounter, or a later adventure.
robus
Lowcountry Low Roller
Or she can just kill it - like all the other intelligent beings they encounter
More options:
1) This calls for a trip to the Mirror Dimension so you can make a trade with your goatee'd counterpart!
2) You can't change Haziwran's alignment, but there is a mad gnomish alchemist who can do a soul transference and cause it to "trade personalities" with that of another sentient weapon. Perhaps with the good aligned Pisceus, the Trident of Fish Slaying. (Weapons keep their abilities, just trade personalities and memories. Properties may be adjusted slightly to fit their new outlook on life - bonus necrotic damage becoming bonus radiant, etc.)
1) This calls for a trip to the Mirror Dimension so you can make a trade with your goatee'd counterpart!
2) You can't change Haziwran's alignment, but there is a mad gnomish alchemist who can do a soul transference and cause it to "trade personalities" with that of another sentient weapon. Perhaps with the good aligned Pisceus, the Trident of Fish Slaying. (Weapons keep their abilities, just trade personalities and memories. Properties may be adjusted slightly to fit their new outlook on life - bonus necrotic damage becoming bonus radiant, etc.)
Greenstone.Walker
Adventurer
That is a great plot hook!
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