PC made Artifacts

[crouchingmoose]

I doubt it, but are there any kinds of rules for players crafting artifacts. I've got a player with an artificer about to go epic and he wants to be able to start crafting some of the minor artifacts listed in the books.

Anybody know any rules on the subject?

[Gildedragon]

As far as I understand, RAW, artifacts can't be made.
But seeing as how you're the DM and seem to be cool with this: what sort of thing would you expect to be needed.
Maybe a feat to be able to craft the items, a suitable spellcraft (?) check, and voila: artifact.
maybe each lesser artifact can only be made once per character (otherwise expect a lot of philosophers' stone, staffs of the magi etc

[Slipperychicken]

You could substitute with the rules for Epic Magic Items, then apply Artifact traits to them. The game treats Artifacts more as plot devices, and explicitly doesn't have rules for making them.

Link to custom magic item rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm). And the ones for Epic Magic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/magicItems/basics.htm).

[Matticussama]

For the sake of character growth, you might want to start off allowing the PC to create Minor Artifacts by throwing in a major story hook, rather than just by feat.


Minor artifacts are not necessarily unique items. Even so, they are magic items that no longer can be created, at least by common mortal means.

This definition itself could lead to a good adventure; the epic Artificer finds the method by which to exceed "common mortal means" such as some sort of Artifact forge or whatnot (if there are Dwarves in the party, this could easily be tied to the Forge that created the Ax of the Dwarven Lord for additional plot). After mastering the creation of Minor Artifacts, the Artificer could grow to create the truly unique Major Artifacts in the far future.

[NichG]

Technically there is RAW about making artifacts, but its a Salient Divine Ability. The natural way to do it would be to craft it with the assistance of an epic cleric of a deity with said SDA, basically petitioning the deity's aid in forging the item while providing all of the other elements of the oomph. That's if you want to go about it via RAW.

In my own campaigns, I'd make it a lot 'easier' mechanically, but harder in other respects. I wouldn't allow existing artifacts to be duplicated by crafting (it kind of goes against the idea of artifacts as unique and powerful items, even if some of them do occur in multiples in the book). Instead I'd say that an artifact must have:

- A link to a place or region of power, or of large size. This could be a planar touchstone, a place of power, even a certain kingdom or familial dynasty. The link itself must be some physical thing highly significant to the place that powers the artifact - this could be something like the fingerbone of the originator of a dynasty, a chunk extracted from the heart of the planar touchstone, etc.

- A thing of permanence, to lend the artifact its characteristic indestructibility. A potion of immortality, a lich's phylactery, an indestructible material, etc. This could even just be a legend to go with it, something that was used in an unforgettable or highly important moment.

- A permanent sacrifice from the creator, or from a large pool of contributing participants. This goes beyond XP - it could be something like a soul permanently bound to the item, a portion of the caster's intellect (e.g. stat point loss), etc. It could even be something non-mechanical but poignant, like the creator's ability to feel love.

- Lots of magical power. Epic level caster, maybe a crafting feat or a very high skill check. This is the 'why Lv1 characters can't do it' part.

Given all those things and time, I'd ask the player to provide a vague description of what they're going for. More like 'This is a powerful charm that protects those that protect this kingdom' or 'this item gives the wielder luck beyond compare' and then I'd assign mechanics that included that but might also have additional perks or downsides based on the place, permanence, and sacrifice chosen, as well as the magnitude of the caster's ability (a Spellcraft check of 200 versus a check of 100, to determine the power scale of the object).

[Crake]

In some ways artifacts are epic items. For example, when detecting items with detect magic, any item with a CL above 20 registers as an artifact. So you could just say that any epic item is technically an artifact.

Of course as the DM, you can literally make whatever you want the rule, see rule 0.

[Psyren]

In Pathfinder, a level 20 Alchemist can create a Philosopher's Stone. That's the only pre-epic non-deity way I know of.

[Rubik]

For the sake of character growth, you might want to start off allowing the PC to create Minor Artifacts by throwing in a major story hook, rather than just by feat.

This definition itself could lead to a good adventure; the epic Artificer finds the method by which to exceed "common mortal means" such as some sort of Artifact forge or whatnot (if there are Dwarves in the party, this could easily be tied to the Forge that created the Ax of the Dwarven Lord for additional plot). After mastering the creation of Minor Artifacts, the Artificer could grow to create the truly unique Major Artifacts in the far future.This is a good idea, but I'd have a different quest for each artifact he wants to produce, for unique reagents and whatnot.

[ironwizard]

You may want to consider flipping through some of the books from earlier editions.

-For instance, in 2e, creating any magical item requires lots of questing specifically to obtain the magical components necessary, kind of like NichG said, but at least one of the components is or at least should be something impossible, to force the players to get creative. Such as, "Capture the last light of the last setting sun." How are you going to get that? And when the player comes up with a way, let him have it if it makes sense.

-There was also a mechanic that each magical item permanently drained a Con point. The penalty would have to be upped significantly for 3.x system, but the idea still works.

-Finally, make the sacrifice hurt. [Also drawn from 2e] Intelligent items weren't just crafted. Upon completion the character's very essence is stored in the weapon, leaving the body a lifeless husk. You may not need to go that drastic of course, but it should definitely be a hard choice for the player.

By way of source: 2e Book of Artifacts. Has a lot of good material on Artifact powers, drawbacks, and sources, as well as item creation in general. If this is going to be a big thing in your game(s), might be worth picking up a copy. Probably cheap on ebay.

Hope that helps.

[herrhauptmann]

By way of source: 2e Book of Artifacts. Has a lot of good material on Artifact powers, drawbacks, and sources, as well as item creation in general. If this is going to be a big thing in your game(s), might be worth picking up a copy. Probably cheap on ebay.

Hope that helps.

IW said a lot of good things, I suggest you take note of it.
I also suggest taking a look at the 3.5 Tome of Artifacts, which consists of like 300 pages of artifacts.
Their history, their powers, and even what must be done to destroy them.
RA Salvatore tries that in a novel, but it mostly amounts to letting a red dragon breathe fire on it.
I think the DMG also suggests chucking it into a volcano, or unmaking it on the same forge where it was made. (Gee, wonder where they got that idea)

[ericgrau]

RAW they can't be made. But they are plot items, so IMO they should be craftable by the power of plot. The DM should reveal ways and rare materials as part of the plot. Get yourself a Mount Doom, the essence of a pure hearted maiden, a one time event of immeasurable magical power and so on and you're good to go.

[Alleran]

RAW they can't be made. But they are plot items, so IMO they should be craftable by the power of plot. The DM should reveal ways and rare materials as part of the plot. Get yourself a Mount Doom, the essence of a pure hearted maiden, a one time event of immeasurable magical power and so on and you're good to go.
I'd have it require infusing much of the PC's own essence into the item as well. Just like how Sauron had to place much of himself into the One Ring, a PC forging an artifact would (knowingly or not) be placing much of himself into his creation.