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The Most Powerful Item
- Thread starter Mark CMG
- Start date
Sejs
First Post
In my current (FR) game, it's a toss-up.
The Seed. Back in the days of the Calim Empire there was a wizard named Akem. Akem was closely allied with the house of Calim, and founded a great library to serve as a repository for knowledge from all corners of the Empire. In time a great city sprang up around the library, serving as one of the hubs of that nation. As Akem grew older, his love of learning never slackened, he began to search for ways to extend his own life .. ideally without having to resort to lichdom. After many unsuccessful attempts he finally came up with a solution he was certain would work. In a great ritual, supported by the many lesser mages in his service, Akem would bind his life-force to one of the Tears of Selune - the trail of meteors that follow in the wake of the moon in its course through the night sky. As long as that Tear remained in the heavens, so too would Akem remain untouched by the ravages of time. Preperations were made, the ritual perfected and rehearsed, and when the stars were finally right, Akem and his many disciples drew their massive arcane diagram, and began their incantation in the middle of the grand square of the city below his library. The ritual would have worked... had it not been sabotaged. Instead of binding his life-force to the Tear, Akem's ritual reached out... and brought the Tear to Akem. Untold thousands died in an instant when the Tear made landfall. Akem was able to shield himself and the handfull of his followers that in close enough proximity, but the damage had been done. Akem turned, deperate to find a way to undo what he had wrought, the guilt of having slaughtered his own people pushing him ever deeper down the spiral of madness. He went into seclusion even as the survivors left, and the city he helped create drifted away into nothingness. Time passed. The city, and then the empire that birthed it eventually became no more. So too did the archmage Akem, his wracked spirit lingering on as a ghost, tortured by his own memories.
The PCs would eventually find this spirit and free him from the prison of his own mind. After he had passed on, the PCs would find amongst his scant remaining possessions a heavy, dark, wooden seed with an appearance somewhere between a pear and an artichoke. The seed itself resists divinations, has some very specific activation criteria, and may only be used once. When used, the seed enacts a very powerful variant of the Genesis spell: if used on the Etherial Plane, it will create a demi-plane roughly three miles in diameter. If used on the Prime Material Plane it will overwrite an area of like size; anything previously occupying the affected area - terrain, construction, life - is consumed in the overwriting process.
Tel Shakkur Bhaelros Ummur, or the Baleful Eye of the Storm That Destroys. The Weather Eye, as its name is commonly mistranslated as, is a large smoky glass hemisphere swirling with darkly varicolored vapour, and set on a wooden base. Its primary power seems almost minor, but significant: the Eye can flawlessly predict the weather within 50 miles of itself, up to ten days before it actually occurs. The amount of information gleaned is only limited by the capabilities of the person using the Eye to understand it, and it is not limited to strictly mundane occurances. Supernatural change to the weather are predicted with equal ease, and the type of effect and its point of origin (though not its creator necessarily) can be pinpointed if such information is sought.
Though currently unknown to the PCs, the Eye actually has much greater power and significance than it might seem. The proper name, the Baleful Eye of the Storm That Destroys is more than florid hyperbole. It is an eye, and the Storm That Destroys, Bhaelros, is one of the names of the faerunian god of destruction... Talos. Plucked out by his own divine hand and cast unto the realm of mortals in time immemorial, the Eye ensures that Faerun can never truly be beyond his influence. The presence of the Eye makes it so that the Stormlord can never be truly banished, never truly bound, because there remains that part of him that is yet free. Fueled with enough divine energy, usually in the form of priests channeling into it, the Eye can not only predict the weather but also affect it. Control Weather, Control Winds, and Storm of Vengeance are only the tip of the iceberg of what the Eye is capable of, but its use warrants caution.. for the Stormlord knows. He always knows.
The Seed. Back in the days of the Calim Empire there was a wizard named Akem. Akem was closely allied with the house of Calim, and founded a great library to serve as a repository for knowledge from all corners of the Empire. In time a great city sprang up around the library, serving as one of the hubs of that nation. As Akem grew older, his love of learning never slackened, he began to search for ways to extend his own life .. ideally without having to resort to lichdom. After many unsuccessful attempts he finally came up with a solution he was certain would work. In a great ritual, supported by the many lesser mages in his service, Akem would bind his life-force to one of the Tears of Selune - the trail of meteors that follow in the wake of the moon in its course through the night sky. As long as that Tear remained in the heavens, so too would Akem remain untouched by the ravages of time. Preperations were made, the ritual perfected and rehearsed, and when the stars were finally right, Akem and his many disciples drew their massive arcane diagram, and began their incantation in the middle of the grand square of the city below his library. The ritual would have worked... had it not been sabotaged. Instead of binding his life-force to the Tear, Akem's ritual reached out... and brought the Tear to Akem. Untold thousands died in an instant when the Tear made landfall. Akem was able to shield himself and the handfull of his followers that in close enough proximity, but the damage had been done. Akem turned, deperate to find a way to undo what he had wrought, the guilt of having slaughtered his own people pushing him ever deeper down the spiral of madness. He went into seclusion even as the survivors left, and the city he helped create drifted away into nothingness. Time passed. The city, and then the empire that birthed it eventually became no more. So too did the archmage Akem, his wracked spirit lingering on as a ghost, tortured by his own memories.
The PCs would eventually find this spirit and free him from the prison of his own mind. After he had passed on, the PCs would find amongst his scant remaining possessions a heavy, dark, wooden seed with an appearance somewhere between a pear and an artichoke. The seed itself resists divinations, has some very specific activation criteria, and may only be used once. When used, the seed enacts a very powerful variant of the Genesis spell: if used on the Etherial Plane, it will create a demi-plane roughly three miles in diameter. If used on the Prime Material Plane it will overwrite an area of like size; anything previously occupying the affected area - terrain, construction, life - is consumed in the overwriting process.
Tel Shakkur Bhaelros Ummur, or the Baleful Eye of the Storm That Destroys. The Weather Eye, as its name is commonly mistranslated as, is a large smoky glass hemisphere swirling with darkly varicolored vapour, and set on a wooden base. Its primary power seems almost minor, but significant: the Eye can flawlessly predict the weather within 50 miles of itself, up to ten days before it actually occurs. The amount of information gleaned is only limited by the capabilities of the person using the Eye to understand it, and it is not limited to strictly mundane occurances. Supernatural change to the weather are predicted with equal ease, and the type of effect and its point of origin (though not its creator necessarily) can be pinpointed if such information is sought.
Though currently unknown to the PCs, the Eye actually has much greater power and significance than it might seem. The proper name, the Baleful Eye of the Storm That Destroys is more than florid hyperbole. It is an eye, and the Storm That Destroys, Bhaelros, is one of the names of the faerunian god of destruction... Talos. Plucked out by his own divine hand and cast unto the realm of mortals in time immemorial, the Eye ensures that Faerun can never truly be beyond his influence. The presence of the Eye makes it so that the Stormlord can never be truly banished, never truly bound, because there remains that part of him that is yet free. Fueled with enough divine energy, usually in the form of priests channeling into it, the Eye can not only predict the weather but also affect it. Control Weather, Control Winds, and Storm of Vengeance are only the tip of the iceberg of what the Eye is capable of, but its use warrants caution.. for the Stormlord knows. He always knows.
I DM a high-powered gestalt campaign. The Dread Necromancer/Warlock character possesses the tome listed below. All the original characters had a special item like this, but this character is the only one of them left alive (well sort of). The items gain power as their possessor levels and gains familiarity with it, through research, use, etc.
Letalis Orbis
This strange book is bound in human skin and written in blood on sheets of bone. It is written in Abyssal and other, unknown, languages. Anyone touching the book without first whispering the command word gains 1d4 negative levels per round of contact (Fort save DC 25 for half) [anyone slain by this power rises as a wight 1d6 rounds later under the command of the owner of the book]. Anyone reading the book is likely to go mad (Madness: Will DC 25 1d3/2d6 Wisdom).
1st lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Death Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level). Cast Death domain spells at +1 caster level.
Bonus Language (Ex): Gain Abyssal language permanently.
Necromantic Knowledge (Ex): +2 to all skill checks relating to necromancy, undead, and the netherworld.
Aura of Evil (Su): You radiate evil at a power equal to your level. This feature stacks with any other class features that cause a character to radiate evil, such as those of evil clerics or blackguards.
2nd lvl
Suck Souls (Su): Draw negative energy from recently slain creatures within 10’ (within 2 rounds of death) as a move action up to Cha bonus/day. Next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) cast is extended (x2 duration) or enlarged (x2 range) for free.
Darkvision (Ex): Gain darkvision 30’.
3rd lvl
Vigor of the Dead (Ex): You need only consume 1/10th the normal amount of food and water each day. You can subsist on a mere 2 hours of sleep each night.
Evil Brand (Ex): Gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks made against evil creatures.
Lich Loved (Ex): Mindless undead see you as an undead creature. Gain +1 circumstance bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease.
Lessons from the Grave (Ex): Pick any two skills (list includes Speak Language). These skills are now considered class skills.
Empower Undead (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 1.
4th lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Undeath Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level).
Holy Aversion (Ex): The power of faith from those who serve deities of good has a powerful effect on you. You can no longer tolerate the presence of holy symbols and icons of good deities and will not willingly approach or stay within 5’ of them unless you make a Will save DC 20. Good clerics will also be able to turn you, using your character level in place of undead Hit Dice, though no cleric will be capable of destroying or commanding you. In addition, contact with holy water will cause your skin to burn and sizzle, causing 1d6 points of damage.
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Tomb-Tainted Soul (Ex): You are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as if you were an undead creature. You gain no other penalties or benefits of the undead type.
5th lvl
Speak with the Dead (Sp): Speak with the Dead as the spell once per week.
The Dark Lady’s Kiss (Su): You gain a boon through your constant exposure to negative energy, building up a limited immunity to energy drains. When targeted by such attacks, you ignore one negative level for each five levels of the Necromancer class.
Talons (Ex): One of your hands twists and warps; it withers and reforms into the likeness of a talon or bony claw (unarmed attack does 1d4 damage). You are still able to manipulate objects and cast spells normally.
Touch of Death (Su): You can channel negative planar energy directly, by burning a spell slot. Using this power channels damaging energies through the caster into a melee touch attack, inflicting 1d8 damage per level of the spell slot.
Glowing Eyes (Su): Your eyes begin to glow with their own inner crimson light, easily noticeable except within strong, direct sunlight. The range of your darkvision increases 60’.
6th lvl
Suck souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 20’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be empowered or as above.
Resist Magic (Su): Once per day, as a move action, you can envelop yourself with barriers and wards made of pure negative energy for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier. You are able to ward off many spells and magical effects that might otherwise harm you. While in use, you are cloaked in a wavering, shadowy field that twists in disturbing convolutions as it drives away attacks of a magical nature. You gain gain Spell Resistance equal to your level +10.
Empower Undead II (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 2.
7th lvl
Divination (Sp): Divination as the spell once per week.
Steely Stare (Ex): You have internalized the power of death to such a degree that both the living and the dead can sense it. The withering gaze of the necromancer strikes fear in mortal opponents and demands obedience from the undead. You gain a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks against living targets. Against undead, you gain no Intimidate bonus but instead a +2 bonus to all attempts to rebuke or command undead. Your darkvision improves +30’.
Necromantic Power (Ex): When you cast a necromancy spell, undead allies within 60’ gain turn resistance and a bonus on saving throws equal to one-half your level for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Disrupt Undead, Greater (SCmp 68) to your spell list as a 3rd level spell.
8th lvl
Necromantic Prowess (Ex): You gain unsurpassed power over death. When you rebuke undead, cast a necromancy spell, or use a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, your effective caster level is +1. Your turn resistance increases by this amount as well.
Secret of Flesh (Ex): You uncover the secrets of Flesh Golem creation.
The pieces of a flesh golem must come from normal human corpses that have not decayed significantly. Assembly requires a minimum of six different bodies - one for each limb, the torso (including head), and the brain; and the expenditure of 10,000gp. In some cases, more bodies may be necessary. Special unguents and bindings worth 500 gp are also required. Assembling the body requires a DC 8 Craft (leatherworking) check or a DC 8 Heal check.
You must cast the following spells as well (which the book provides): animate dead (CL 4), bull’s strength (CL 1), geas (CL 10), limited wish (CL 12). If you cannot cast these spells, you must make caster level checks as indicated to cast them from the book (a natural 1 is always failure and you then must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a mishap). These spells can only be activated to assist in the construction of a golem. The book provides the experience point cost for creating the golem, but may only do so once every 10 years (the pages go blank over this period of time).
You can increase the HD of the flesh golem by spending 5000gp and 5 days per additional hit die. You can increase the HD to a maximum of one and a half times your level (to a maximum of 27HD). Improving the golem to 19HD costs an additional 50,000gp and 50 days as the flesh golem increases to Huge size.
9th lvl
Contact other Plane (Sp): Contact other Plane as the spell once per week, except you may only contact the Negative Energy Plane.
Fearful Gaze (Su): Your presence is so imposing and so terrifying that your fear effects are intensified. When you cast any spell that causes fear as a primary or secondary effect, the DC for the target’s saving throw to resist that effect increases by +1.
Terrible Nectar (Su): You gain sustenance from the terror of others. If you are within 60 feet of an intelligent creature that is affected by a fear effect, you need one less meal that day and can get by with 2 hours less sleep. If such a creature is killed while under the influence of a fear effect and within 60 feet, you do not need to eat or sleep that day at all.
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Empower Undead III (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 3.
10th lvl
Life Corruption (Su): You have become the antithesis of life. The natural world will recoil from your passing, with plant life withering and small animals snuffed out by your mere presence. Your touch will cause all natural plants and tiny creatures of less than one Hit Dice to die immediately and food to rot or turn sour.
Gaze of the Terrible (Su): As a move action, an opponent within close range who meets your gaze is affected with a fear effect. This effect is handled as the spell, but targets only a single opponent.
Advanced Binding (Ex): The elemental spirit responsible for animating your flesh golem is bound utterly to your will. As such, the golem loses the berserk extraordinary ability. This process costs 3000gp and takes 3 days.
Rapid Summoning (Ex): Whenever you cast a summon undead spell, its casting time is 1 standard action rather than 1 round.
11th lvl
Legend Lore (Sp): Legend Lore as the spell once per week.
Power of the Dead (Su): While you are within a tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place, you can call upon the spirits of the dead to gain insight from them. Activating this ability is an immediate action, and grants you an insight bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier. You can use this ability once per day, and its effects last for 10 minutes.
Enhanced Summoning (Ex): Your summoned creatures become particularly tough to dispel. Add 2 to the DC of any caster level checks made to dispel your summoned creatures.
12th lvl
Suck Souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 30’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be maximized or widened or as above.
Rudimentary Intelligence (Ex): Your flesh golem gains Intelligence 6. In addition to being able to make judgments and decisions as any other creature with a similar Intelligence score, the construct gains feats and skill points befitting an intelligent construct of its Hit Dice (4 feats, 14 skill points; see page 301 of the Monster Manual for information on how to determine and distribute monstrous feats and skills). The golem is still bound to the will of its creator as normal. This process costs 8000gp and takes 8 days.
Empower Undead IV (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 4.
13th lvl
The Veil Parted (Su): As a full round action, you gain the benefit of True Seeing. In addition, you know the alignment of those viewed. Your eyes turn pure black permanently.
Heel to the Master (Su): If you expend four uses of Turning/Rebuking while making a Rebuking attempt, any undead that would normally be Rebuked are instead Commanded (limited by the normal amount of undead you can command).
14th lvl
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Unnatural Vigor (Ex): Your unnatural vitality is legendary. You can keep fighting long after you should have died. The negative hp you must be reduced to before dying is equal to twice your level. Your wounds may be obviously mortal but you continue to fight without penalty.
Extra Arms (Ex): Your flesh golem gains two more arms than normal and may make two additional slam attacks during a full attack action. These additional slam attacks are treated in all ways as the construct’s usual slam attacks, with the same attack and damage modifiers. This process costs 3000gp and takes 3 days.
15th lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Deathbound Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level)
Zone of Desecration (Su): You begin to exert your authority over undead. This aura is identical to the effects of the desecrate spell except that it affects only allied undead.
Empower Undead V (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 5.
16th lvl
Necromantic Prowess (Ex): You gain unsurpassed power over death. When you rebuke undead, cast a necromancy spell, or use a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, your effective caster level is +2. Your turn resistance increases by this amount as well.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Skeletal Guard (SCmp 191) to your spell list as a 8th level spell.
17th lvl
Necromantic Fuel (Ex): Up to three times per day, when you cast a necromantic spell, undead allies within 60’ gain fast healing 10 for 5 rounds.
18th lvl
Horrors from Beyond (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, you can target an opponent within short range with a phantasmal killer effect. This effect is handled as the spell.
Enhanced Summoning II (Ex): Your summoned creatures become particularly tough to dispel. Add 4 to the DC of any caster level checks made to dispel your summoned creatures. This overlaps (does not stack with) Enhanced Summoning.
Empower Undead VI (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 6.
19th lvl
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Plague of Undead (SCmp 158) to your spell list as a 9th level spell.
20th lvl
Suck Souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 60’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be quickened or as above.
Major Desecration (Su): You extend your authority over undead. The supernatural aura of negative energy surrounding you now extends to a radius of 10’ per level.
Letalis Orbis
This strange book is bound in human skin and written in blood on sheets of bone. It is written in Abyssal and other, unknown, languages. Anyone touching the book without first whispering the command word gains 1d4 negative levels per round of contact (Fort save DC 25 for half) [anyone slain by this power rises as a wight 1d6 rounds later under the command of the owner of the book]. Anyone reading the book is likely to go mad (Madness: Will DC 25 1d3/2d6 Wisdom).
1st lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Death Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level). Cast Death domain spells at +1 caster level.
Bonus Language (Ex): Gain Abyssal language permanently.
Necromantic Knowledge (Ex): +2 to all skill checks relating to necromancy, undead, and the netherworld.
Aura of Evil (Su): You radiate evil at a power equal to your level. This feature stacks with any other class features that cause a character to radiate evil, such as those of evil clerics or blackguards.
2nd lvl
Suck Souls (Su): Draw negative energy from recently slain creatures within 10’ (within 2 rounds of death) as a move action up to Cha bonus/day. Next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) cast is extended (x2 duration) or enlarged (x2 range) for free.
Darkvision (Ex): Gain darkvision 30’.
3rd lvl
Vigor of the Dead (Ex): You need only consume 1/10th the normal amount of food and water each day. You can subsist on a mere 2 hours of sleep each night.
Evil Brand (Ex): Gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks made against evil creatures.
Lich Loved (Ex): Mindless undead see you as an undead creature. Gain +1 circumstance bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning and disease.
Lessons from the Grave (Ex): Pick any two skills (list includes Speak Language). These skills are now considered class skills.
Empower Undead (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 1.
4th lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Undeath Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level).
Holy Aversion (Ex): The power of faith from those who serve deities of good has a powerful effect on you. You can no longer tolerate the presence of holy symbols and icons of good deities and will not willingly approach or stay within 5’ of them unless you make a Will save DC 20. Good clerics will also be able to turn you, using your character level in place of undead Hit Dice, though no cleric will be capable of destroying or commanding you. In addition, contact with holy water will cause your skin to burn and sizzle, causing 1d6 points of damage.
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Tomb-Tainted Soul (Ex): You are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as if you were an undead creature. You gain no other penalties or benefits of the undead type.
5th lvl
Speak with the Dead (Sp): Speak with the Dead as the spell once per week.
The Dark Lady’s Kiss (Su): You gain a boon through your constant exposure to negative energy, building up a limited immunity to energy drains. When targeted by such attacks, you ignore one negative level for each five levels of the Necromancer class.
Talons (Ex): One of your hands twists and warps; it withers and reforms into the likeness of a talon or bony claw (unarmed attack does 1d4 damage). You are still able to manipulate objects and cast spells normally.
Touch of Death (Su): You can channel negative planar energy directly, by burning a spell slot. Using this power channels damaging energies through the caster into a melee touch attack, inflicting 1d8 damage per level of the spell slot.
Glowing Eyes (Su): Your eyes begin to glow with their own inner crimson light, easily noticeable except within strong, direct sunlight. The range of your darkvision increases 60’.
6th lvl
Suck souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 20’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be empowered or as above.
Resist Magic (Su): Once per day, as a move action, you can envelop yourself with barriers and wards made of pure negative energy for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier. You are able to ward off many spells and magical effects that might otherwise harm you. While in use, you are cloaked in a wavering, shadowy field that twists in disturbing convolutions as it drives away attacks of a magical nature. You gain gain Spell Resistance equal to your level +10.
Empower Undead II (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 2.
7th lvl
Divination (Sp): Divination as the spell once per week.
Steely Stare (Ex): You have internalized the power of death to such a degree that both the living and the dead can sense it. The withering gaze of the necromancer strikes fear in mortal opponents and demands obedience from the undead. You gain a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks against living targets. Against undead, you gain no Intimidate bonus but instead a +2 bonus to all attempts to rebuke or command undead. Your darkvision improves +30’.
Necromantic Power (Ex): When you cast a necromancy spell, undead allies within 60’ gain turn resistance and a bonus on saving throws equal to one-half your level for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Disrupt Undead, Greater (SCmp 68) to your spell list as a 3rd level spell.
8th lvl
Necromantic Prowess (Ex): You gain unsurpassed power over death. When you rebuke undead, cast a necromancy spell, or use a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, your effective caster level is +1. Your turn resistance increases by this amount as well.
Secret of Flesh (Ex): You uncover the secrets of Flesh Golem creation.
The pieces of a flesh golem must come from normal human corpses that have not decayed significantly. Assembly requires a minimum of six different bodies - one for each limb, the torso (including head), and the brain; and the expenditure of 10,000gp. In some cases, more bodies may be necessary. Special unguents and bindings worth 500 gp are also required. Assembling the body requires a DC 8 Craft (leatherworking) check or a DC 8 Heal check.
You must cast the following spells as well (which the book provides): animate dead (CL 4), bull’s strength (CL 1), geas (CL 10), limited wish (CL 12). If you cannot cast these spells, you must make caster level checks as indicated to cast them from the book (a natural 1 is always failure and you then must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a mishap). These spells can only be activated to assist in the construction of a golem. The book provides the experience point cost for creating the golem, but may only do so once every 10 years (the pages go blank over this period of time).
You can increase the HD of the flesh golem by spending 5000gp and 5 days per additional hit die. You can increase the HD to a maximum of one and a half times your level (to a maximum of 27HD). Improving the golem to 19HD costs an additional 50,000gp and 50 days as the flesh golem increases to Huge size.
9th lvl
Contact other Plane (Sp): Contact other Plane as the spell once per week, except you may only contact the Negative Energy Plane.
Fearful Gaze (Su): Your presence is so imposing and so terrifying that your fear effects are intensified. When you cast any spell that causes fear as a primary or secondary effect, the DC for the target’s saving throw to resist that effect increases by +1.
Terrible Nectar (Su): You gain sustenance from the terror of others. If you are within 60 feet of an intelligent creature that is affected by a fear effect, you need one less meal that day and can get by with 2 hours less sleep. If such a creature is killed while under the influence of a fear effect and within 60 feet, you do not need to eat or sleep that day at all.
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Empower Undead III (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 3.
10th lvl
Life Corruption (Su): You have become the antithesis of life. The natural world will recoil from your passing, with plant life withering and small animals snuffed out by your mere presence. Your touch will cause all natural plants and tiny creatures of less than one Hit Dice to die immediately and food to rot or turn sour.
Gaze of the Terrible (Su): As a move action, an opponent within close range who meets your gaze is affected with a fear effect. This effect is handled as the spell, but targets only a single opponent.
Advanced Binding (Ex): The elemental spirit responsible for animating your flesh golem is bound utterly to your will. As such, the golem loses the berserk extraordinary ability. This process costs 3000gp and takes 3 days.
Rapid Summoning (Ex): Whenever you cast a summon undead spell, its casting time is 1 standard action rather than 1 round.
11th lvl
Legend Lore (Sp): Legend Lore as the spell once per week.
Power of the Dead (Su): While you are within a tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place, you can call upon the spirits of the dead to gain insight from them. Activating this ability is an immediate action, and grants you an insight bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier. You can use this ability once per day, and its effects last for 10 minutes.
Enhanced Summoning (Ex): Your summoned creatures become particularly tough to dispel. Add 2 to the DC of any caster level checks made to dispel your summoned creatures.
12th lvl
Suck Souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 30’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be maximized or widened or as above.
Rudimentary Intelligence (Ex): Your flesh golem gains Intelligence 6. In addition to being able to make judgments and decisions as any other creature with a similar Intelligence score, the construct gains feats and skill points befitting an intelligent construct of its Hit Dice (4 feats, 14 skill points; see page 301 of the Monster Manual for information on how to determine and distribute monstrous feats and skills). The golem is still bound to the will of its creator as normal. This process costs 8000gp and takes 8 days.
Empower Undead IV (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 4.
13th lvl
The Veil Parted (Su): As a full round action, you gain the benefit of True Seeing. In addition, you know the alignment of those viewed. Your eyes turn pure black permanently.
Heel to the Master (Su): If you expend four uses of Turning/Rebuking while making a Rebuking attempt, any undead that would normally be Rebuked are instead Commanded (limited by the normal amount of undead you can command).
14th lvl
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Unnatural Vigor (Ex): Your unnatural vitality is legendary. You can keep fighting long after you should have died. The negative hp you must be reduced to before dying is equal to twice your level. Your wounds may be obviously mortal but you continue to fight without penalty.
Extra Arms (Ex): Your flesh golem gains two more arms than normal and may make two additional slam attacks during a full attack action. These additional slam attacks are treated in all ways as the construct’s usual slam attacks, with the same attack and damage modifiers. This process costs 3000gp and takes 3 days.
15th lvl
Bonus Domain (Su): Gain Deathbound Domain (granted power and add all spells to the dread necromancer spell list at appropriate level)
Zone of Desecration (Su): You begin to exert your authority over undead. This aura is identical to the effects of the desecrate spell except that it affects only allied undead.
Empower Undead V (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 5.
16th lvl
Necromantic Prowess (Ex): You gain unsurpassed power over death. When you rebuke undead, cast a necromancy spell, or use a spell-like ability that mimics a necromancy spell, your effective caster level is +2. Your turn resistance increases by this amount as well.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Skeletal Guard (SCmp 191) to your spell list as a 8th level spell.
17th lvl
Necromantic Fuel (Ex): Up to three times per day, when you cast a necromantic spell, undead allies within 60’ gain fast healing 10 for 5 rounds.
18th lvl
Horrors from Beyond (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, you can target an opponent within short range with a phantasmal killer effect. This effect is handled as the spell.
Enhanced Summoning II (Ex): Your summoned creatures become particularly tough to dispel. Add 4 to the DC of any caster level checks made to dispel your summoned creatures. This overlaps (does not stack with) Enhanced Summoning.
Empower Undead VI (Su): Undead you animate, create, or summon gain Turn Resistance 6.
19th lvl
Lost Lore (Ex): Gain a bonus metamagic, item creation or supernatural feat.
Bonus Spell (Ex): Add Plague of Undead (SCmp 158) to your spell list as a 9th level spell.
20th lvl
Suck Souls (Su): As Suck Souls above, but within 60’ and next necromantic spell (or spell with the Evil or Fear descriptor) can be quickened or as above.
Major Desecration (Su): You extend your authority over undead. The supernatural aura of negative energy surrounding you now extends to a radius of 10’ per level.
The Lost Muse
First Post
Im my last campaign, the PC's acquired the Denstiny Arms (a collection of magical weapons created to finght the Quori on Eberron), which I tweaked to be intelligent weapons. Other than that, the deck of many things
ThirdWizard
First Post
IMC there are artifact spellbooks of every school of magic. The wizard found the necromancy one. He gained immunity to most undead offensive abilities, undead-like defenses, and the ability to spontaneously cast any necromantic spell he knew. The book also contained every necromancy spell ever penned. The penalties were equally deadly, though, such as taking away half his hp, forcing him to make sacrifices to gain each power as the book corrupted him slowly... that kind of thing.
ivocaliban
Explorer
The Phoenix, a flying ship with a living figurehead (image of a phoenix, named Simorgh) using the rules from Dragon #294. The figurehead was linked telepathically with the captain through an altered version of the Phoenix Helm from the Complete Arcane (recently updated in the Magic Item Compendium).
Evilhalfling
Adventurer
as A PC - a copy of the moaning diamond that would crumble into dust 1 minute after being activated. Used it to collapse the temple at the end of the City of the spider queen.
As a DM - the Orb of Lies, an artifact which claimed it had a direct link to a the gods.
It talked a good game but only twice did it do more than cast a <3rd lvl illusion. (mostly misdirection and major image)
A book of magic that could be used to cast a single (untwisted) wish.
- it was used by PCs to imprison a 17th lvl Kaorti Sorcerer for 1000 years - (end of campaign session)
for the most powerful item that was useable rather than a plot device? - Ring of spell turning
As a DM - the Orb of Lies, an artifact which claimed it had a direct link to a the gods.
It talked a good game but only twice did it do more than cast a <3rd lvl illusion. (mostly misdirection and major image)
A book of magic that could be used to cast a single (untwisted) wish.
- it was used by PCs to imprison a 17th lvl Kaorti Sorcerer for 1000 years - (end of campaign session)
for the most powerful item that was useable rather than a plot device? - Ring of spell turning
the Jester
Legend
As a pc, I once had a sword called Cleaver, which was (in 1st edition) a +27 throwing returning vorpal sword that could cut any incoming attack apart (including things like a lightning bolt or a ramming spelljammer).
As a dm, I gave the pcs the six pieces of an extraordinary artifact called the Locus. Individually, the six pieces gave their wielders absolute mastery of, respectively, Space, Time, Matter, Energy, Life and Death. Assemble the Locus and you get control of all of it.
The pcs assembled it, and still lost to the BBEG. That's when my old campaign world got eaten by Tharizdun.
As a dm, I gave the pcs the six pieces of an extraordinary artifact called the Locus. Individually, the six pieces gave their wielders absolute mastery of, respectively, Space, Time, Matter, Energy, Life and Death. Assemble the Locus and you get control of all of it.
The pcs assembled it, and still lost to the BBEG. That's when my old campaign world got eaten by Tharizdun.
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