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mercucio wrote:Now these are pretty cool, but I wonder if the penalty to CL should be lowered from -5 per 5 pts the check exceeds to -1 per 5 pts. At DC 13, you can reasonably expect a 15th level character with a Cha of 18 and Skill Focus: UMD to have a +25 bonus on his check. Assuming he rolls an 8 that is 33 for the check, and a -30 penalty to CL in 90 ft. radius. Seems rather extreme to me, even for an artifact.

In the books from which I've drawn the item, the effect is total antimagic, so a caster level penalty is more than fair no matter how severe.

The DC for possession seems low to me. It was described as the most difficult thing you could do with any gemstone, even for a master.

I'm just curious what makes some of these gems which produce static, non increasing effects artifacts? even of the minor variety.

WarDragon wrote:The DC for possession seems low to me. It was described as the most difficult thing you could do with any gemstone, even for a master.

The opposed Charisma check is there to emulate that. Brother Bran for instance, wasn't terribly skilled with the stone, but managed to thwart a prowrie for about 2 rounds. If you think it needs to be harder to keep control, I can increase the home ground advantage to something like +10.

Evilmonkeygod wrote:I'm just curious what makes some of these gems which produce static, non increasing effects artifacts? even of the minor variety.

Minor artifacts are nonunique creations that cannot be reproduced through mortal magical construction. Thus, artifact.

Kain Darkwind wrote:In the books from which I've drawn the item

Hah, I knew those looked familiar. Those books were great.

Which books?

Witch wrote:Which books?

R.A. Salvatore's Demonwars Saga. Which later led to a prequel titled The Highwayman, which is the first book of the Saga of the First King or somesuch. Set 800ish years prior to the first series.

Are you mixing D&D with non-D&D?

Get ready for nerdrage.

KingCrazyGenius wrote:Are you mixing D&D with non-D&D?

Get ready for nerdrage.

There is already a d20 version of the game out.

d20 =/= D&D. And apparently neither does Alternate World.

KingCrazyGenius wrote:d20 =/= D&D. And apparently neither does Alternate World.

That's true. But you should have been nerdraging over Conan and Crom before this.

Yeah, well, I never said I wasn't a hypocrite, or never changed my mind, or whatever.

Kain Darkwind wrote:

Witch wrote:Which books?

R.A. Salvatore's Demonwars Saga. Which later led to a prequel titled The Highwayman, which is the first book of the Saga of the First King or somesuch. Set 800ish years prior to the first series.

Crap, I was thinking of some other books entirely. The Demonwars books are also good, but not as much as the ones I was thinking of.

Excalibur (Major Artifact)

Excalibur is a +7 bastard sword of holy power. When held, it grants a sacred bonus of +6 to Charisma.

The sword allows a wielder to smite evil as if they were 20 levels higher than they are. (Both in terms of times per day and damage dealt.) If the wielder cannot smite evil on his own, Excalibur grants them the ability to smite evil as a 20th level paladin.


Scabbard of Excalibur

Drawing Excalibur from this scabbard renders the wielder immune to wounding effects (including bleed damage), critical hits and dismembering attacks. In addition, the scabbard bestows a greater heroism (caster level 20th) effect on the wielder as long as the blade remains within his hand.


Lance of Longinus (Major Artifact)

The Lance of Longinus is a +6 spear of greater wounding. Wounds dealt by the spear bleed for 1d6 points of damage every round thereafter until healed. (DC 30) The Lance of Longinus grants its wielder a +8 sacred bonus to Charisma. The spear increases the caster level of any clerical spellcasting by 20 while held.

I'd add regeneration 1 or regeneration 0 to the scabbard, given the whole "cannot be slain" clause of the scabbard.

By the by, given these items, what class and level would you put Arthur at? Do you see him more as a paladin, a fighter, or a knight?

Glabrezubane wrote:I'd add regeneration 1 or regeneration 0 to the scabbard, given the whole "cannot be slain" clause of the scabbard.

That was only one telling of the legend, I think the blood clotting works for the concept. I don't ever recall it healing anyone, nor anyone being defeated/killed and then waking up.

By the by, given these items, what class and level would you put Arthur at? Do you see him more as a paladin, a fighter, or a knight?

Depends. If I'm going strictly for a d20 interpretation of the mythological character, probably 14th level fighter. If I'm going for a more 'mythos' build for use within say, my Alternate World cosmos, I'd guess between 20-22nd level and a mix of paladin fighter.

Eblis' Halo (Major Artifact)

This glowing circle of light functions as a +4 vorpal chakram of brilliant energy and returning if used as a weapon in combat, but that is not its true purpose. It can be used to cut a gate once a week between the Mortal Coil, Heaven and Hell. It can also be used to planeshift all creatures and objects within 700 ft. from one of those three planes to another. (Will DC 37 negates shift)

Those who wear the halo upon their head gain a +7 deflection bonus to AC and a +7 resistance bonus on saves, spell resistance 34 against chaotic spells and spells cast by chaotic creatures, are immune to possession and mental influence, just as protection from chaos, and any chaotic creature succeeding on a melee attack against the wearer is slowed (Will DC 37 negates).

I disagree; SR 34 sounds fine to me.

Typically on magic items, I'd be supporting Merc's stance. However, I based the power off of an enhanced shield of law, and I also wanted it to be resistant to magic but not overly so once into epic. The scaling SR would make it useful to epic, I specifically don't want it to be more resistant than 34. If I did put in the scaling, I think I'd cap it at 34, not base it at 34.

What tier of people do you envision using Eblis' Halo?

Jaerc wrote:What tier of people do you envision using Eblis' Halo?

As it is an artifact, it could be used at whatever point the DM chooses to have it show up. Ideally, I'd suggest high level characters (13-17th level) be where it is introduced.