[3.5] Artifacts - Adding and Using

[Greymane]

Artifacts are rare, unique and powerful, so how do you folks deal with them as players and DMs?

As a player, my Psychic Warrior/Illithid Slayer ended a campaign with the Annulus in his keeping. Illithid Slayer makes it impossible to be scried upon, so he decided he was the best possible keeper for it. Used it to destroy the cache of knowledge the Mindflayers could have used to enslave the world again like they did in their original time line.

As a DM, I've yet to use one. I'm thinking of giving one to Kharn in my RHoD campaign that let's him access the spirit of a white dragon for cool boosts. If you've played Legend of the Dragoon for the PSX, kinda like those dragoons.

How does the playground like their baubles of ridiculous power? Or heck, even your experiences with the blasted things?

[gbprime]

Artifacts are best used as servants of the plot. You don't find one "just laying around", and it always has a plot arc involved with it.

My upcoming campaign, I plan on the PC's encountering 3 or 4, actually. One will come early on, but it will be dormant and they won't realize what it is for many levels. Another will come mid to late teens, and the last two will be after level 20. All of them drive the story. In fact, the first two are CENTRAL to it, the one being a major plot in it's own right and the second being a critical tool.

[dsmiles]

Artifacts are best used as servants of the plot. You don't find one "just laying around", and it always has a plot arc involved with it.

Ditto.
Dang 10 character minimum.