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Admiral Squish
2012-12-30, 02:40 PM
Hey there! So, one thing I really enjoy doing is making magic items, trinkets of power that have strange, unusual properties that make them fun and interesting to play with. And a couple of cool magic items really helps to give a campaign a life of it's own.

So, I want you guys to share the coolest and weirdest magic items you've ever made, encountered, or possessed. Weapons and armor count, as long as they have unique properties or are well-described.

Some of my examples.

In a D&D game, I had a goliath ranger character. He had a magic bow. Officially, it was a brilliant energy bow, but the DM did some cool stuff with it. The cool part was that it was described as a stringless bow with no quiver and a pair of glowing gemstones at each end, where the string would anchor, and the emblem of the sun on the crosspiece where you gripped. However, if you drew your fingers through the air where the string would be, a line of light would shimmer into existence between the two gems, and act as a normal bow string. When you pulled it back far enough, an arrow of light would appear, knocked. The light was described to look like sunlight. These arrows did normal damage against living targets, but against undead creatures, the arrow's base damage was 2d6. Against undead particularly vulnerable to bright light, like vampires, the arrow base damage was 2d8.

In a Camp Half-Blood game (d20 system with a lot of improvisation), my character is a son of Ares. There's very little magic gear in the game, but each of us gets one really cool magic item. My item is the Chains of Sparta. In Sparta, the only temple to ares depicts the god in chains, the belief being that as long as he was chained in sparta, his blessing would never leave them. So, the item is a set of unbreakable chains, wrapped tight around my torso, impossible to remove, but not quite interfering with my movement. The chains are, mechanically, an adamantine chain shirt. But the item can be activated in two stages. The first stage has the chains expand across my body, increasing the armor bonus by 2 and counting as medium armor, and slightly impeding my movements. The second stage activation further extends the chains, binding me to the ground. The chains now count as heavy armor, and the armor bonus increases by another 2, but I can't move and I'm still taking the penalty to my various actions.

In a Changeling: The Lost game, I actually helped come up with three tokens.
The first is a pen from the desk of a highly bureaucratic true fey. The holder of the pen can spend one glamour and make an int+craft roll to create a document that looks to all observers as official. Such a document will even hold up under a basic level of scrutiny for one scene. Kind of like a paper version of the Mask of Superiority contract.
The second is a golden necklace, created by a true fey who ran a fairest brothel. The necklace has a bauble at the center that looks like a golden apple. The wearer of the necklace is the object of envy. By spending a point of glamour, a changeling can activate the necklace, making it irresistable to all who see it for one scene. At this point it's kind of a hot potato because it's only a matter of time before a fight breaks out over the ownership of the necklace. The goal is to activate it, give it to somebody else, and then let the chaos begin.
The third item was a guitar pick made from a hedge thorn. By pricking her finger (one point of bashing) the muse character who owned it could inspire acts of greatness with her music. She rolls Manipulation+Expression and those who can hear her gain a bonus equal to her successes on one type of skill roll as long as she continued to play.

Alejandro
2012-12-30, 04:13 PM
We technically did not come up with a new magic item, but we did once do very well for ourselves using a decanter of endless water as a boat motor.

Jay R
2012-12-30, 07:35 PM
I once ran a scenario called the Staves of the Wanderers.

The PCs started as servants of seven high-level characters who wandered the world. Each one had a staff that was an artifact. The staves were each capped with one of the seven metals (silver, mercury, copper, gold, iron, tin, lead).

The seven high-level characters told them that the Staves of the Wanderers were getting out of control, and had to be returned to a temple on top of a mountain. They let themselves be destroyed by the staves, to quiet the staves down long enough for the PCs to return them.

Each staff had an automatic power and a protective power. It had a medium power and a higher level power with risks attached.

The silver staff provided night vision and protection from lycanthropy. It also provided invisibility and Polymorph Others.

The mercury staff provided high speed and protection from Hold, or Slow. It also allowed Fly and Beguile.

The copper staff provided Charm Person and Protection from Charm. It also allowed similar advance powers.

The god staff had light and heat based powers.

The iron staff had martial powers. The tin staff had lightning and heroism powers. The lead staff had powers based on time and coldness.

I always referred to the staves in the same order.

The clues so far are pretty obscure. As the adventures progressed, the clues became more and more obvious, until the players finally figured out the secret of the Staves of the Wanderers.

The "Wanderers" weren't the people who had once held the stave. These staves contained powers from the Wandering Stars - the planets (moon, Mercury, Venus, the sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn).

Mercury-based powers were about speed and beguilement; sun-based powers were light and heat, etc.
Sun-based

Jallorn
2012-12-31, 03:44 AM
First: Subbed, I'm always looking for magic item inspiration these days.

Second: I'm currently running a campaign where two of my party's main weapons double as receptacles for a second soul. I haven't decided what to do with that quute yet, but it should prove to be interesting.

Windy
2012-12-31, 04:35 AM
When the low-level party I DM for found its way into a treasure room, the tables called for a +1 halberd to be amongst the loot. I described it with fancy silver scrollwork etched into the metal, but it was all but ignored for most of the following session. Next session I decided to introduce a new property--the silver glows red when the halberd is close to a creature of the same race as the one it last killed. I dubbed the effect a "blood biter" enchantment. It's not a particularly amazing property, but by revealing it later at a dramatically appropriate time, it really changed how the players saw the weapon. The character who owns it has really grown attached to the weapon. I have a feeling that he won't part with it for a while even when they find better weapons. I think a lot of magic items just need a bit of dramatic flair or surprise to make them cool and memorable.

Admiral Squish
2012-12-31, 11:56 AM
First: Subbed, I'm always looking for magic item inspiration these days.

Second: I'm currently running a campaign where two of my party's main weapons double as receptacles for a second soul. I haven't decided what to do with that quute yet, but it should prove to be interesting.

Interesting.

Here's an idea. If the weapon coup-de-graces somebody, the weapon actually deals the damage that takes them down to -10 HP, then the soul of the killed person/creature gets absorbed into the weapon. The weapon becomes an intelligent item, with the victim's mental stats and personality, and it starts to grow and change, redesigning itself and gaining magical abilities based on the person's personality, goals, methods... Slowly, over time of course.

And since you killed the person in question, there's a good chance they wouldn't be fond of you. But if there were a scene where your mentor was mortally wounded and this was the only way to preserve them... Something like that would be awesome.

Jallorn
2012-12-31, 03:18 PM
Interesting.

Here's an idea. If the weapon coup-de-graces somebody, the weapon actually deals the damage that takes them down to -10 HP, then the soul of the killed person/creature gets absorbed into the weapon. The weapon becomes an intelligent item, with the victim's mental stats and personality, and it starts to grow and change, redesigning itself and gaining magical abilities based on the person's personality, goals, methods... Slowly, over time of course.

And since you killed the person in question, there's a good chance they wouldn't be fond of you. But if there were a scene where your mentor was mortally wounded and this was the only way to preserve them... Something like that would be awesome.

Ah, see, I haven't made myself clear. These two characters have two souls, so the weapon houses their extra soul. I simply meant I hadn't decided on most of the mechanical abilities of the weapons yet.

gallagher
2012-12-31, 04:10 PM
I had a white carriage enchanted with a Phantom Steed (CL12, 2xd) for 24 hour Speed, as well as a short air walk for jumping and the ability to go over sand/mud/swamp with no difficulty. The button to activate this is on the inside, so you can control the steed from inside. At least thats what we ruled.

Then I had a cleric put Ice Axe on each of the wheels. (1/d/wheel)

Then I had a Druid cast Iron Wood on the whole damn thing to make it stronger, and more resilient against ranged attacks and to help better protect the riders/driver.

Then I had my wizard crafter put Prying Eyes, Greater on the front of the carriage, so that the vision was extended and improved to be able to better drive the carriage.

Then I had a Silver Raved (Figuring of Wondrous Power) installed as a hood ornament and painted a giant red M on the front.

Thats right, I made the Mach 5 All the button's abilities are there, except frogger mode, but thats because there is no point in spending money on something I would never use.

Averis Vol
2012-12-31, 06:45 PM
I made a weapon for my current campaign that was essentially a large handful of razor sharp, quarter sized pieces of shrapnel wrapped up in a piece of white cloth embroidered with ancient arcane runes in gold thread about four feet in length, and a single, well cut red gem.

Now its an intelligent item with the spirit of an ancient warrior that sleeps dormant within, and the shards are sharpened pieces of his shattered blade, the gem was once placed in the pommel, and the embroidered cloth was used in place of the supple leather used these days (modern D&D times) for the grip.

It is hidden in the underground of the yellow lotus monastery, and lays at rest on a podium, engraved with the words, "Bathed in blood these shards must be, to unlock their true destiny." Now the catch is, when blood is applied to the cluster of cloth and shards the piece of cloth immediately animates and seeks out the wound; slipping through the flesh and and wrapping tight around the hand, making a sort of bandage wrap up and down the forearm, with the end piece that is attached to the gem setting it to rest upon the back of your palm.

As the gem attaches with a flash of light a hum goes through the air and the metal shards start to vibrate violently before exploding in every direction, creating an almost static field around the possessor of the weapon before speeding back to rotate in a whirlwind of steel in the general form of a longsword.

once the weapon forms up a tingle moves up the bearers spin, and a disembodied voice booms out, "Finally a warrior! these monks know naught! Now, let us go, theres wars to be fought. My name is Daes' Varys, my reign was pure, for years I conquered; my throne, secured......"

there is years more fluff associated with it, and I guarantee that my group will spend a good half hour talking with it, but the crunch is its a +3 vampiric {insert other bonuses here} adamantine longsword that, as a free action once a round, can morph into any other weapon in existence. It's still a WiP so I haven't chosen its intelligent item abilities, but I figured I'd share the gist of the weapon with you all.

Erik Vale
2013-01-01, 12:25 AM
Not that interesting except in it's use, are rings of compression.


Raiders/Other: Look at the small baby dragon *Aww* Attempts to kill it.
Dragon: *Removes ring, suddenly becomes Collosal, Roars*
Raiders/Other: FU** IT! RUN! *Flees for life*
Dragon: *Laughs manically while chasing down people that would dare attack baby dragons*

Ulysses WkAmil
2013-01-01, 01:53 AM
DnD Johnson's Everburning Cigar. +1 to intimidation. +2 against Lawful creatures.

Milo v3
2013-01-01, 03:27 AM
In one PbP the cleric was given a black sword as a gift from his god.

Along its blade were runes which spoke of redemption of evil, in addition it was perfectly weighted to his strength. Over time it would warp becoming gold in colour and gaining two incorporeal wings.

This is because the sword was actually an Erinyes that was trying to redeem herself and become an angel. By helping the cleric it would be her repetance.

Sadly the game ended before he found out.

Jay R
2013-01-01, 11:02 AM
I haven't designed it yet, but in my next game I intend to give one player an heirloom based on a line in The Lord of the Rings about the Ring. It grants power according to the stature of the user.

He will be given a +1 sword. At third level or so, it will be +2. Soon it will start having minor powers. Eventually it will grow an ego and cravings.

I figure he'll be tenth level or so before I bring in the BBEG who wants his power back.

Concrete
2013-01-04, 07:21 PM
The Steed Staff.
Actually a set of horse shoes, that when fitted to a steed could transform it into a staff covered in coarse, hair of the steeds colour, lower end shood in iron, upper end terminating in what looks disturbingly like the lower leg of a horse, ending in an ironshood hoof. The uper end twitches and kicks from time to time.
The animal must be trained to accept this (A rather hard animal Handling skill-check)

It has two effects. One; If the hoof end is tapped three times against the grounds in rapid sucession, it turns back into a horse in three rounds. The horse turns back into a staff over three rounds when using a trigger-phrase.

Second, it lets the user attack as if having specialized in quarterstaff, using the horses attack bonus. It also ads +4 to ac, as it moves to parry blows.

As a downside, if an AC succeeds within this margin, the animal will recieve the damage, and a Handle Animal, or Ride check must be made, or the staff either turns innert, losing all bonuses, or panics, attacking whoever is closest, wielder included.
If the animal dies, the staff remains innert, turning back into a dead horse when activated, whereupon the shoes lose all magical properties.
....

If used correctly, this object can help make a steed more than just a glorified motorcykle, giving it more place in the narrative.

A similar item was a bridle, which turned the animal into what looks like a stick horse, which could be ridden without having to wait for the animal to turn back to its natural form, which to compensate, took ten rounds.

Dread Angel
2013-01-05, 04:48 AM
I recently tinkered with a Psychokinetic Skin of the Celestial a bit to change its powers somewhat and refluffed it.

Golarion setting. The PCs were in Manakhet, in Rahadoum. I play Rahadoum as heavily enforced atheism...as in, death penalty for being openly religious at all.

They were actually above the city, in the magic academy thing trying to recover an artifact they needed for BBEG-slaying purposes. They attempted to bluff their way in past the guards, which worked. They then attempted to bluff a high level wizard into beliving that they were here to assist in his research about the artifact. Massive epic fail.

He hauls them in and forces them to attempt to activate it, as nothing he or anyone else tried would make the artifact work. I had INTENDED it to go to the cleric. But even he botched the checks so hard...

...then the dwarf rogue nails a nat 20 on UMD. Puts him nicely above the DC to activate it. So BOOM. Flash of light, and suddenly the dwarf is pure white, with a halo, wings a la Tyrael from Diablo, and floating a foot above the ground. He is also wearing a VERY confused expression.

While all the mages are busy poking and prodding the angeldwarf, the others escape.

The dwarf is highly uncomfortable, and starts looking around. He notices the window. He notices that he is in fact floating, and figures...hmm.

This is how a 3rd level dwarf rogue ended up as an angel floating slowly down over the crowded market district of a city where even wearing holy symbols will get you executed.

They BARELY made it out of there.

dethkruzer
2013-01-05, 05:49 AM
Pretty much the first half of the campaign I'm currently running was focused around four macguffins/artifacts.

now it takes place in a homebrew, pretty basic DnD setting, except for how the world was created. Before the current gods existed, the inner planes (Elemental planes, plus shadow, ethereal, and prime material) Were created by four primordial being who each embodied one of the four elements(earth, water, fire, and air). But when all the creating was done, it came time to divide control, and that was when it got ugly. A war ensued that almost destroyed the planes. Peace was finally reached, but that's a story for a different time. anyways, this lead to the creation of four artifacts, one for each element, each kept in a hidden-away shirne, which in turn are located on different continents. These artifacts each held incredible power, and were meant to keep up the balance of power.

I could go on and on about how this relates to the plot, but I would have to be here all day writing this, so I'll just jump to the good part.

The party posseses one of the four artifacts, and replicas of the three others. Each artifact has two modes, an inactive mode, which functions as a Ring of Elemental Command for it's repective element, an activated mode, which turns it into some kind of powerful weapon (or ally, as is one case). Additionally, three artifacts grant the wielder class features as if they were a member of a certain class(es), as ell as a number of special attacks, one of which is either save-or-die, or just die, against anything that doesn't have plot armor.

In order of obtaining:

Mantenbou, the staff of water.
While inactive, it appears as a glove that functions as a Ring of Elemental Command: Water, and also grants the wielder the unarmed damage, Flurry of Blows, Slow fall, and bonus to AC and speed as if they were a monk of their character level. When activated, it functions as a +4 quarterstaff with the Icy Burst, Aptitude, and disruption enhancments.

Nirvana, the earthen doll.
While inactive, it appears a shoulder-pad and a small doll, about the size of a childs plaything. Functions a Ring of Elemental Command: Earth, but no class features. When activated, the doll grows to the size of a person. The doll can be directed as either a free action, which grants the doll a move action or a standard action, or optionally a move-equivalent action, which grants the doll a full round action. The doll has DR/- equal to the users HD, and it's slam attacks function as if theuy were +5 weapons.

Bolverk, the heavenly crossbows.
While inactive, apeears as a sheadband that functions as a Ring of Elemental Command: Air, and grants the Skirmish ability of a Scout, and the bonus AC of a monk. When actived, it functions as a pair of hand crossbows with the Shocking Burst, Aptitude, and Speed enhancements. The hand crossbows also reload themselves automatically, and additionally, gives the user the effects of the Two Wepon fighting feat tree, as long as they meet the BAB requirment, as well as increase their natural threatened range by 5 ft.

Gemini, the blazing armor.
While inactive, appears as belt that functions as a Ring of Elemental Command: Fire, and grants the Damage reduction and Rage abilities as a barbarian, including upgeades to rage, as well as a special smite attack. When activated, it functions as a +5 Adamantine Full Plate of Greater cold resistance, with the gauntlets being +5 adamantine gauntlets with the Flaming Burst, Brutal Surge, Aptitude, and Impact Enhncments. The armor is treated as light armor, with no armor penalty or max dexterity bonus. Anff finally, it grants two-weapon fighting in similar fashion to Bolverk.

Milo v3
2013-01-05, 06:13 AM
Where did you get the Gemini from? It isn't from Blazblue. :smalltongue:

dethkruzer
2013-01-05, 06:24 AM
so you saw the Connection there. Gemini was originally supposed to be similar to the Lux Sanctus: Murakumo, but I thought it just wouldn't work out, so I just made it a generic armor and gauntlet combo.

Admiral Squish
2013-01-05, 10:28 AM
Actuaslly, I did something very similar, but the campaign never actually got started, unfortunately.

It was a modern setting. As mankind expanded, paving forests and clearcutting to make room for suburbs and sprawling developments, the natural things began to lose their hold on the world. Every rock and tree once had a spirit, but as their homes were destroyed, they began to merge together with other, similar spirits, until there were only a handful left, strong spirits with broad, sweeping powers over the natural world. But even they were no match for humanity. The spirits came together and decided that the only way to win was to pour al their combined power together and create a godlike being, with power over all aspects of nature. But none of them could agree upon who would be in charge. So they decided to have a tournament. Each would choose a mortal champion and then grant these mortals a mighty artifact. These mortals would be pitted against each other until only one stood victorious.

So, here's the list:

Staff of the Forest
A quarterstaff of living wood, with a number of short branches on on one end, bearing nuts and berries. If you struck the ground with the root end of the staff or threw one of the nuts, wherever it struck would come alive with plant life, a single five-foot square of verdant plant life. The roots would deal heavy damaghe damage to any structure or creature they grew from, and you could animate the plants to grasp at any creature within five feet.

Staff of Decay
This was a folthy, decaying quarterstaff, riddled with termites. Rat's skulls hung on worn leather bands from one end, which could be thrown. Anything hit by the staff or the skulls would age and decay, taking damage over time. Also, I believe you could summon swarms of insects.

Ocean's Blade
This blade was made entirely of water, sort of like riverine, but natural. The handle was a whirlwind. The pommel had a small orb that actually contained barely-visible tropical fish. The hilt was styled after a cresting wave, and the blade itself was made of crystal-clear ice. It dealt cold damage on a hit, could create a wall of ice by being dragged along the ground, and manipulate water.

Dragon Axe
This battle axe was made of gold with a dragon's face carved into the blade, such that looking at the side of the blade looked like the profile of a dragon. The handle was wrapped in red leather. The wielder dealt fire damage on a hit, could create a wall of fire by dragging it along the ground, and could make the dragon's mouth open to breathe great gouts of flame.

Shield of Stones
This shield is massive, almost a tower shield in size, but round. It's surface was gently curved, like the earth, and it was all but indestructable. To everyone else, it behaved like it weighed a hundred pounds or more, but the wielder could lift and move it as easily as if it were made of styrofoam. It was a fine shield, and the wielder could use it to create a sphere of stone to protect himself and a few others around him, and could meld into stone. Also, if you used it do do a shield bash, it would shoot out small pillars of stone to deal extra damage.

Fans of the Gale
These are a pair of bladed fans. The fans could be used like blades to deal regular damage, or they could be thrown and steered by wind to attack over long range. Also, the wielder could swing them to create gusts of wind, like the spell, and even fly with them, lifted by the winds.

Jawbone of Death
This weapon was the jawbone of some long-extinct creature, wrapped in ragged black cloth, with dagger-like teeth jutting through the fabric. If you killed a creature with this weapon, you could animate them as a zombie or a skeleton, under your control. Skeletons would peel themselves out of their flesh, in fact, if you wanted them to. It also gave you a number of negative-energy powers.

Scythe of the Lady
This weapon was a pure ivory staff, with the end sculpted to look like a beautiful woman, her long, flowing hair becoming the blade. The blade could heal those it touched, cleanse disease and mend the crippled. But, of course, it was also just fine as a weapon, too.

Gauntlets of the Beast
Little more than hide bracers, the gauntlets of the beast bore three long, straight horns strapped to them, which extended past the wearer's knuckles. Fangs and teeth and claws were also attached to the gauntlet with leather straps. The wearer got the ability to shapeshift, like a druid with the shapeshift ACF. You could also use all the ability-boosting spells at will, and I beleive summon creatures, too.

Glasses of Knowledge
These were actually humanity's entry. They're simple, wire-frame glasses of simple design but high quality. They allowed you to see as though under a true seeing spell. You could use clairaudience/claivoyance at will, you could scry, and use pretty much every divination spell in the wizard spellbook.