Seeking Ideas for Character who Have Salvaged Animated Armor

[LordEntrails]

So I few sessions ago (of Undermountain) I allowed my players to salvage plate armor from some animated armor. I figured they were due for some treasure, and besides, I knew I would hold it against them when the time came. It's almost time. So, two of them now wear what could be considered cursed or sentient, but what do I do with it?

What ideas might the hive mind come up with?

Here's some of what I've thought of:
- the armor decides not to move
- it forces the wearer to return to it's "guard post" and resume it's "duties"
- it refuses to allow other constructs to be attacked
- it can not be removed
- it gets up and walks away while the character are sleeping

And then ideas for dealing with it:
- Dispel magic suppresses the effect for an hour or so
- Remove curse returns it to normal armor
- Requires a quest McGuffin to remove the curse

No show stoppers desired, the party is in the Undermountain and I don't want to force them to leave. It would be nice if it took a few sessions to resolve, but doesn't make the characters ineffective.

 

[andargor]

Why only negative stuff? How about a Persuasion check to negotiate with it to function normally, or even give them some interesting bonuses. Like, for example, negate Advantage from being flanked, since the armor can move out of the way/warn the wearer, etc.

Or it becomes very talkative, lots of RP potential.

Or roll on the Sentient Items tables in the DMG.

 

[LordEntrails]

It doesn't have to be negative, not at all. But, I don't want it to be more powerful (mechanically) than it already is for them. i.e. they already have good enough ACs and resistances. Now maybe when they are a higher level and such it could become better. I do like items that "grow" with the players...

Talkative, I like that, it could be fun, and sometimes a benefit and sometimes not. After all it could ruin a stealth approach, or warn of an ambush.

What other ideas do folks have?

 

[Oofta]

How and why is the armor animated? What's it's story?

If it's animated simply because of a spell, it has no intelligence of it's own. It's a guard-bot. At some point it will try to re-combine and resume function. Whether that happens while the people are asleep (I allow people to wear armor while sleeping when adventuring) or during combat is up to you. Or perhaps they encounter someone they were specifically told to protect and the PC has to struggle with the armor or attack allies. In any case, all attacks are at disadvantage because of the conflict.

I sometimes have magic items that are powered by the life force of sentient creatures. It's generally an evil thing to do unless it was caused by a willing sacrifice since the soul of the individual is bound to the item. In effect, it means the item is "haunted". This could have multiple consequences since not all ghosts are evil.

So if you have haunted armor there are many possibilities.

• The ghost is evil and tries to slowly drive the wearer insane
• The ghost is evil and tries to possess the wearer
• The ghost is insane and doesn't understand what's happened to it. Perhaps the person sacrificed was a young child.
• In order to remove the ghost, the PC needs to undertake a side quest to finish some unfinished business.
• The ghost was fanatical about ____ and willingly sacrificed themselves to power the armor, although their goal may have been later twisted by some other power. If the PC goes along, they get some special benefit. If/when their goals don't coincide there are issues.

You can also read through the section on sentient magic items on page 214 of the DMG.

 

[LordEntrails]

Well, its from Undermountain so the short answer is Halaster probably did it. Since he's evil, if he made these (seems reasonable) then the act of animating them would probably have been evil. But, since they guard an ancient throne room, it could have been a willing sacrifice from a bunch of royal dwarven guards that pre-date Halaster.

Maybe a combination of both? Hmm...

Hmm, maybe they are sworn to protect dwarves, and since the party cleric is a dwarf... Next time he is in danger they take over and move to protect him... that could be part of it. Interesting... Wouldn't really cause disaster given that protecting the cleric is a reasonable thing to do in most cases (for the party fighter and paladin) but could cause trouble and mischief.

After the first time, perhaps they could make wisdom saves to prevent such from happening in the future, but then the armor starts to talk smack at them...

 

[MarkB]

If they put some work into it, maybe they can turn it into self-donning armour. Speak the command word while within 30 feet of the armour, and the individual pieces animate and assemble themselves around the user. Speak the second command word and they quickly disassemble and package themselves into a convenient bundle.

No improved armour benefit, but now you have a suit of plate armour that doesn't require ten minutes to equip.

 

[phantomK9]

Once you defeat animated armor, doesn't the magic in it dispel?

 

[Oofta]

Once you defeat animated armor, doesn't the magic in it dispel?

We know a dispel magic can knock it out for a minute but I always assumed defeating it was effectively hacking it to pieces/breaking it apart. Whether defeating the armor destroys it is a DM call, the rules are silent.

Which is part of the fun of D&D ... making it your own game.

 

[Eltab]

The pieces of armor the PCs are wearing call out to any other animated armors the group encounters: "Save us, brothers, we've been kidnapped!"
I would do this when the group is beginning to talk about needing a Rest but still thinks they can handle 'one more fight'.

The 4e Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide had a section on a "kingdom" made of undead / construct tomb guardians, based on the Abeir continent off the Sword Coast. You might be able to take that and run with it.

 

[LordEntrails]

Once you defeat animated armor, doesn't the magic in it dispel?

Which is part of the fun of D&D ... making it your own game.

Yea, the rule of fun!

So the PC's had to retreat twice before they finally defeated the animated armors. Then they wanted to loot the pieces and have plate armor. I said, "sure." After all, I knew I could do something with it at a later date (hence this thread). And, why say "No" when I can say "Yes" and have fun with it later

In a high squeaky voice that sounds like metal on metal:

"Save us, brothers, we've been kidnapped!"

This is awesome! I will have to do more than this, but this is going to be part of it!