Rough Idea for Undead Artifact

[KrazyHades]

Note: I have not yet fleshed out this artifact. What I am posting here is only a collection of ROUGH ideas I had so that you could all comment on them, as in what's good and bad, and if you have any other suggestions or tweaks.

The base weapon is a Ritual Sword (slightly modified version of a longsword, used in certain rituals for some powerful spells)

Name: The Deathblade
Neutral (on good/evil axis) characters using The Deathblade gain 5 negative levels (cannot be reversed while wielding deathblade, effect stops as soon as the Deathblade is no longer in use)
Good characters using The Deathblade must make a DC 20 Fort save or die instantly. If they survive, they get 8 non-reversible neg. lvls while wielding the artifact
Some possible ideas for abilities:
Greater Lifebane: (double the effect of the bane ability, works against all living things)
Deathpulse 1/week: Generates a pulse of power in a 60 foot radius, DC 16 fortitude save to resist dying instantly for all living creatures in that area)
Spirit Shredder 1/month: Chose a living creature within range of your vision. That creature must make a DC 16 Fortitude or die instantly and have its spirit destroyed (cannot be ressurected in ANY way)
Call of the Grave 1/week: Chose a living creature within 60 feet. That creature must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or die and return to life in as many rounds as it has hit dice, but now with the undead template. That creature is forced to obey the wielder of The Deathblade
Sphere of Annihilation (haven't decided how often, maybe only 1/year or less)


I realize this is really powerful, but hey, its supposed to be an extremely powerful greater artifact

 

[Infiniti2000]

It seems like a haphazard, loosely thought out collection of uber death-dealing abilities. The 60ft radius death is just too powerful and too bland. Coupling a sphere of annihilation in with this sword is just plain wrong. It makes no thematic sense, not to mention making the rules regarding that sort of ability extremely problematic (i.e. not worth the trouble). The high number of negative levels seem more like an attempt to keep this out of PC hands than any reasonable effort at a downside.

PS. What's the 'undead' template?

 

[Darklone]

That deathpulse reminds me of circle of death. I suggest to give that spell to the sword with a high caster level. Same for the other abilities

Simply give the sword Circle of Death 1/week, Slay Living 1/week, some Enervations and a permanent Magic Circle Against Good.

 

[KrazyHades]

It seems like a haphazard, loosely thought out collection of uber death-dealing abilities. The 60ft radius death is just too powerful and too bland. Coupling a sphere of annihilation in with this sword is just plain wrong. It makes no thematic sense, not to mention making the rules regarding that sort of ability extremely problematic (i.e. not worth the trouble). The high number of negative levels seem more like an attempt to keep this out of PC hands than any reasonable effort at a downside.

PS. What's the 'undead' template?

You're right, these ARE a haphazard collection of powerful death abilities. It's nowhere near the final artifact. I wanted to know what people thought of each ability individually (for example, your comment on the 60 ft. radius) instead of overall.
Also, this is supposed to not be used by the PC's, since they are supposed to destroy it. Perhaps you (or someone else reading this thread) can suggest something better without flatly saying to the PCs "you can't use that, because I don't want you to."

The undead template is just a rough template I made to convert a regular unit into undead (I tweak it sometimes depending on the creature being converted).

And Darklone, you're right. I'll probably do that.

 

[Darklone]

Add in an Unhallow and a Desecrate effect around it as well as some nice random Summon Undead spells.

Tie something really bad to the Unhallow.

 

[IcyCool]

The undead template is just a rough template I made to convert a regular unit into undead (I tweak it sometimes depending on the creature being converted).

Take a look at the Necropolitan template from Libris Mortis. I think this does what you want.

 

[szilard]

How about this:

+5 vicious unholy power ritual sword
- Death Knell at will. Creatures slain via the death knell effect immediately rise as undead as per Create Undead, but using the slain creature's hit dice in place of caster level.
- The wielder of the Deathblade may rebuke undead as a 4th level cleric, or - if she already possesses the ability to rebuke undead - she adds four to her effective level for rebuking undead. If the weilder has the ability to turn undead, she instead subtracts four from her effective level for turning undead.
- The Deathblade is surrounded by a permanent, double-strength Desecrate effect.
- The Deathblade radiates an Unholy Aura that effects all evil creatures and mindless undead in a 10' radius.
- At midnight each night the Deathblade casts a Circle of Death spell. The wielder may not suppress this effect.
- The wielder of the Deathblade may cast a Soul Bind effect with a range of Touch, using the sword as a focus. After a month, a soul that has been trapped in the sword is utterly destroyed, and the Soul Bind can be used again.
- Using the Death Knell or Soul Bind powers causes a non-evil wielder to be subject to an Enervation spell. A good character who uses one of these powers is subject to an Energy Drain instead.
CL 20.


-Stuart

 

[KrazyHades]

How about this:

+5 vicious unholy power ritual sword
- Death Knell at will. Creatures slain via the death knell effect immediately rise as undead as per Create Undead, but using the slain creature's hit dice in place of caster level.
- The wielder of the Deathblade may rebuke undead as a 4th level cleric, or - if she already possesses the ability to rebuke undead - she adds four to her effective level for rebuking undead. If the weilder has the ability to turn undead, she instead subtracts four from her effective level for turning undead.
- The Deathblade is surrounded by a permanent, double-strength Desecrate effect.
- The Deathblade radiates an Unholy Aura that effects all evil creatures and mindless undead in a 10' radius.
- At midnight each night the Deathblade casts a Circle of Death spell. The wielder may not suppress this effect.
- The wielder of the Deathblade may cast a Soul Bind effect with a range of Touch, using the sword as a focus. After a month, a soul that has been trapped in the sword is utterly destroyed, and the Soul Bind can be used again.
- Using the Death Knell or Soul Bind powers causes a non-evil wielder to be subject to an Enervation spell. A good character who uses one of these powers is subject to an Energy Drain instead.
CL 20.


-Stuart

Ooh, that's some nice stuff. I like your "punishments" for good/neutral characters using the blade. And that midnight casting of Circle of Death could be fun... and then the wielder (basically a lich on steriods... ) and his undead guards are attacked by the characters near midnight as the baddie attempts to complete his dark 3-day-long ritual which will convert the entire town of slaughtered innocents nearby into a powerful undead army...

 

[IcyCool]

It's an artifact, right? How about something really simple. The wielder of the blade can control an unlimited number of HD of undead. That pretty makes it drool worthy for any baddy capable of creating or commanding undead. And it is certainly powerful enough to be an artifact. Allow it to animate and/or create undead for an added evilgasm.

 

[KrazyHades]

It's an artifact, right? How about something really simple. The wielder of the blade can control an unlimited number of HD of undead. That pretty makes it drool worthy for any baddy capable of creating or commanding undead. And it is certainly powerful enough to be an artifact. Allow it to animate and/or create undead for an added evilgasm.

I didn't even think of that....I like it!

And major style points for using the word "evilgasm"