What sort of rules should I make for Intelligent Items taking class levels? [3.5]

[Lord of Syntax]

I want to have a NPC that is a intelligent item, what sort of rules should I use?

[Anxe]

What type of item and what classes is the item taking?

I'd say the only thing you need to worry about would be Reflex save and HP. These wouldn't necessarily match what the class receives.

Also, you don't need to follow the written rules if it's an NPC that you're making. Say you're trying to build a Robe with Cleric levels. All you need to do is make a Robe that has the magical power to cast spells as a Cleric of whatever level. Then you can decide AC, saves, and HP based on what you think appropriate for your players to encounter.

[Lord of Syntax]

It is for a Sorcerer cohort and it is a shotgun.

[kestrel404]

I strongly recommend that it's starting feat be still spell. Rapid metamagic next. Then probably the feat that lets you ignore material components.

Honestly, I'd give the item int/wis/cha stats, and then pretend they were an NPC who couldn't do anything that requires them to move around (like, make an attack roll or anything). Mental/spellcasting (stilled) actions only.

And your done. No fancy rules, just a really nifty 'companion'.

OK, I lied. Be sure to calculate this thing's ego - and then add its class level to that. Also, count it's original material HP as a 'racial bonus' to it's HP for attempts at sundering. It's a sapient magic item - it should be nearly impossible to sunder, but if it's annoying enough I bet someone tries. :)

Hope that helps.

[lsfreak]

Just to throw this out there, psion will probably work much better than sorcerer, unless you're planning on just handwaving material/somatic components.

[ghashxx]

Shot gun huh? Well I second some of the suggestions above. Just give it wis/cha/int scores and use the hardness/HP rules to determine that stuff. When it comes to class levels... not certain if it'd be easier to just give it spells per day off the top of your head instead of having to fiddle with levels.

[Divide by Zero]

Just to throw this out there, psion will probably work much better than sorcerer, unless you're planning on just handwaving material/somatic components.

And verbal, unless you can give it a magic mouth or something. Agreed that psion would work much better, though it's technically doable (you just need three feats and +2 to all spell levels, or some tricky shenanigans to get around all that).

[lsfreak]

And verbal, unless you can give it a magic mouth or something. Agreed that psion would work much better, though it's technically doable (you just need three feats and +2 to all spell levels, or some tricky shenanigans to get around all that).

According to the DMG/SRD, a full 40% of intelligent items can talk. Anything with a 14/14/10 or better stat arrangement, a mere +4000gp.

[gbprime]

And verbal, unless you can give it a magic mouth or something. Agreed that psion would work much better, though it's technically doable (you just need three feats and +2 to all spell levels, or some tricky shenanigans to get around all that).

Well it's not for a PC, so just make it a talking item and assign it a custom feat called "Yes, it can cast spells", and maybe eschew materials to make (life?) easier.

[Erith]

My dm tried this once. He basically made an intelligent magic sword, built a sorceror while ignoring the physical stuff, then built a warrior x that wielded it. The warrior had mental scores of 1, so easily failed all attempts for the item to dominate it.

I would actually be really interested in seeing a homebrew intelligent item race. Maybe a class that gives you more and more enchantments over time.