Strange thoughts for a new skill effect

[Omegaxicor]

I have a new idea for my game but since it is still newly formed I wanted thoughts/ideas/suggestions.

"There has been an archaeological dig in the north that has uncovered the site of a huge battle between two ancient superpowers (neither of who were Humanoid and neither of who spoke Common, which is a problem I am ironing out) but the dig has been raided and several of the caches of weapons/armour gathered from both sides have been stolen."

This is the story behind a large number of pseudo-intelligent items appearing in the game, they are magic items with unique skills or feat chains that a character unlocks by having them and completing a unique "video game"-esque challenge (for example a Rod might have Fireball and grants Fireball Cha/day providing the character can kill four enemies (maybe specifying a race hated by the characters race) with one Fireball, otherwise it is 1/day or a Sword that grants Supreme Cleave, and Cleave and Great Cleave, if the fighter can kill an enemy with an attack and then kill another enemy with the Cleave)

Now any suggestions on Challenges would be appreciated but I am curious about any thoughts?

EDIT: It might not be clear but the character doesn't learn the skill permanently just so long as the item is held/equipped

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Are you Familiar with the book "Weapons of Legacy"?

Weapons that unlock abilities when you fulfill certain challenges is exactly what that book is all about.

 

[Sekhmet]

So, you really mean "enchantment" rather than "skill".
If you're looking for strictly video game advice, look no further!

Weapon +2, +5 and Bane vs. the first enemy type per day that you kill! (IE: if your first kill is a Giant or Dragon, the weapon becomes Giant Bane or Dragon Bane)
Weapon +3, grants Improved > Power > Overwhelming > Staggering > Devastating Critical (in order) as you perform critical hits throughout the day.
Bow +1, killing an elemental grants the bow that energy type of damage permanently! (Ultimately becoming a fiery, frost, shock, quaking, holy, void, sonic, shadow bow!) Take out an elemental swarm and be rewarded with Splitting.
Shield +3, grants the Fortification chain as you survive critical hits with less than 75%, 25%, and then 10% HP left.
Armor +1, grants energy resistance after being hit by energy types. Sustaining 10% of your total HP pool grants the first Resistance, 50% grants Improved resistance, and 80% grants Greater resistance.
Staff of Defending +4, spell turns the first 3 spells cast at you permanently, casts Otiluke's Resilient Sphere Int Bonus/day upon destroying any Resilient Sphere other than your own.

 

[Omegaxicor]

[MENTION=6674868]RUMBLETiGER[/MENTION] No I have heard of it but I didn't know about that, I will try and find it but I hold out little hope of getting a copy
[MENTION=97602]Sekhmet[/MENTION] I kinda meant I wanted help on the requirements before the item will work for the user but those ideas are really great except that I don't know what <snip> "Quaking/Holy/Void Elementals" are, <snip> and finally "spell turns the first 3 spells cast at you permanently"???

I was thinking more situational tasks that aren't just "kill an orc" but are "kill an orc druid by using Handle Animal (the skill boosted by the helm) on his animal companion and having it attack and kill him, to gain Take 10 on Handle Animal and a boost of X to Handle Animal and have Handle Animal as a class skill regardless of class (which remains after you remove the Helm)" sort of challenge...I'm just not good at thinking of them

but I really like Sekhmet's ideas of a Bane weapon that is based on the first kill of the day (especially since on the battlefield you are likely to encounter enemy foot-soldiers first and mostly)

EDIT: OK I know about Staggering Critical but I don't have "Drow of the Underdark" book so I hadn't heard of it, I know of the spell Elemental Swarm but not a monster do you mean killing ALL of the summons from that spell or is it a monster I am not familiar with?

 

[Sekhmet]

To clarify: Regarding Elementals: there are Quasi, Para, Grues, Wierds, and Elementite Swarms in the various sourcebooks. Everything from Ash to Vacuum elementals exist, and could be considered when adding effects to the weapon.
Elementite Swarms act like vermin/insect Swarms, but are comprised of Elementals. Killing the Swarm nets the Splitting effect, or perhaps the Manyshot/Volley feats.
Spell Turning that effects the first three spells cast at you, upon equipping the staff, until you unequip the staff.
IE: Trogdor equips the staff, and goes on his adventuring ways. In his first two encounters, an enemy wizard casts Magic Missile, Dispel Magic, Finger of Death, and Bigby's Crushing Hand on Trogdor.
Trogdor's staff Spell Turns Magic Missile, Dispel Magic, and Finger of Death until he unequips the staff, no matter how many times they are cast on him. Bigby's was the fourth spell, so it affects him normally.

For other challenges;
Make peace with two warring peoples to gain a bonus to Diplomacy and the ability to take a 10. This would probably be a hat.
Defeat an enemy that is 2 or more CR above you in single, melee combat to gain a bonus to Intimidation and Immunity to Fear affects.
Successfully destroy an Anti Magic Field with Mage's Disjunction to get +10 on your Caster Level checks when using Mage's Disjunction.
Avert a world-altering crisis without engaging in a single combat to grant 1/week Wish/Alter Reality/Miracle with no EXP or material cost.

 

[Omegaxicor]

I mustn't have the books those elementals are in...is there an online source for them?

and for "Spell Turning" which I also haven't heard of

I doubt diplomacy is a skill two warring superpowers really wanted their soldiers to have but I like the ideas so far, the idea of using a skill for such a dramatic world changing effect makes perfect sense when you consider that the item you are trying to "impress" is pseudo-sentient and aware of everything around it, brilliant

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Check This Weapons Of Legacy Excerpt For Ideas. It links to 3 different weapons of legacy. Each weapon has a history, and then the legacy rituals are the specific challenges to unlock the weaon's abilities.

 

[Sekhmet]

Spell Turning :: d20srd.org
Magic Rings :: d20srd.org
Spell Turning is in the Player's Handbook.

Elementite Swarms are in Planar Handbook, IIRC.

Diplomacy bonus makes sense; making peace is almost always an act of diplomacy.

 

[Omegaxicor]

[MENTION=6674868]RUMBLETiGER[/MENTION] I love the Weapons of Legacy but I prefer my weapons to have a single ability which is unlocked to be used at will (or at least regularly) rather than a list of abilities as the players level up, although I might have some of the more advanced weapons (those held by a General or a Champion) have multiple abilities and I like the idea of each weapon/item having a story to back up it's life as the weapon of a soldier. Thanks for that it is a pity the excerpt isn't more detailed about what is unlocked because it seems as if you don't have to do the rituals to unlock anything just be a certain level, but I know that can't be right.
[MENTION=97602]Sekhmet[/MENTION] I swear I have never seen that before 0.0 weird...If you imagine creating 100,000 super-soldiers to fight 1,000,000,000,000 (a thousand Billion btw, I just kept hitting 0) enemy warriors, Diplomacy isn't high on your list of skills and peace isn't something they needed their warriors to make very often

Thanks both of you for these and any other ideas you have

 

[Sekhmet]

[MENTION=95351]Omegaxicor[/MENTION] Consider that it might have been an officer's weapon, which enhanced his ability to deal with his soldiers and deal with the opposing force nonviolently when possible.

Speaking of, a hat that can turn into Mage's Magnificent Mansion 1/day (CL 13) once the wearer visits five different castles.