Statting an artifact

[Balor01]

So, I would like to homebrew an item. It is supposed to be a powerful minor artifact (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/artifacts.htm).

This Item (http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/high_gravity/2012/12/20/mayan-calendar.jpg?1356022190) was part of long lost serpent kingdoms which are becoming alive again. Brutally so. Yesterday stupid and crude lizardmen, mainly brutes, easily chased away with a few good spells and raging barbarians are getting ever smarter, casters, are becoming unified under religious leaders.

And next to these events items are reappearing. Given other minor artifacts and its lore, what sort of powers would be suitable for such a thing? It is rather large and rather heavy - two feet across and made of pale stone, an item sacred to lizardfolks of old.

Can you give me some suggestions, playground?

thanks

[Gildedragon]

Artifacts are plot based. What'd ya want it to do?
That particular item is a calendar, so maybe something between a spell clock and a schema, usable by anyone with an appropriate kn religion check (DC=15+Spell Level) + perform (oratory)

Not very portable so it's maybe some sort of movable mythal type thing. Set in the center of a city.

[Balor01]

Bypass the calendar thing. It just looks fancy.

If it was to me, all Serpent-worshiping scalyes in radius of 6000 feet from this item would get 10 cleric levels each, Knowledge (serpent history) +100, regen +20/-, Instant revival in case of death and all metamagic feats with no prerequisites along with spellslots up to level ten and 250 HD Epic Wurm of Time that can skip "just a few" rounds in the future.

But thats just me.

I think this thing should give boost to its carrier and lesser boost to all in a certain region.

[Eurus]

Are we talking minor artifact, and therefore on par with other minor artifacts, or major campaign-shaking power?

[FleshrakerAbuse]

Well, the abilties that you stated seem to be pretty powerful for a minor artifact. If the campaign will revolve around this, and the level is mid-high (6+), then a major artifact might work. However, if it's too low level, having any artifact is a bit odd. Giving random mooks 10 cleric levels is crazy powerful, moreso than most major artifacts. Regeneration 10 might fit with the flavor, though, and randomly possible raise deads or revivifies may occur, depending maybe on the HD of the recently dead (it would try and make the most powerful capable of continuing to fight, possibly something like a 30+5/HD %), and a morale bonus or something like inspire greatness might work. The time jump ability might work.

[Balor01]

This idea I have thrown at you is downright silly and I agree with it. We are talking minor artifact, putting silly ideas aside, let me describe what may be the way I may like:

- Artifact inspires lizardmen (+2 as Bless spell)
- If they are lizardmen and follow The Serpent, bonuses are +4
- All followers of The Serpent of scaly type get +1 regen/fire or acid in 120 foot radius around artifact
- If artifact is in posession of lizardman who is also follower of The Serpent, he gets +12 to Charisma and is granted special skill knowledge (History of scaled species) +50

How about that?

Lizardmen fight better around this item, must be burnt to actually die when around this thing and the one who has this item is immensely charismatic and gains enormous amount of old knowledge