Intelligent items

[Lost in books]

I want to build a specific item and I want to make sure I understand the mechanics of intelligent items per RAW. It sems to me you have no control over how the item will turn out, even if you are crafting it.
First, the facts are:
1. You must be level 15 to craft the item.
2. The item has the crafter's same alignment.

After that every other ability has to be picked at random.
How can I specify what abilities i want? Is there a feat or rule that can help?

Second, once an item becomes intelligent it can be considered a construct as well due to having mental scores.

It gains a HD, BAB, no bonus on saves but will use its Willpower modifier for will saves and gains skill points.
Since the item gains skill points but doesn't have a skill list I assume all skills are cross-class skills. Am I correct? or does the items has the same skill list as the crafter?

Does it get a feat as a 1 HD intelligent creature?

Does the save for sundering use the better or worse of being an item or construct? i.e. hardness and HP for materials or the 10 hp for the construct Hit Dice.

Disclaimer, I do not intend to advance the item as a character or take a class as it doesn't have a white list of such things nor am I interested in trying to.

What I forsee is something like this:

Speaking weapon for character to interact with (if i get lucky on the roll unless I can pick) no other special abilities, powers or purpose. if i can pick them i may get something but as it stands right now not needed. The flavor is that of the nagging/sarcastic friend type. The weapon with is range of vision will act as an early warning and constand guard (maybe help protect against sneak attacks or at the very least have another roll for spotting and listening) and finally, because it can speak and is intelligent, to be able to activate is own innate verbal command features for action economy.

Please comment and correct my assumptions or give advice against or for making an intelligent item. Thank you.

Edit: No item familiar stuff. Thanks

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) from UA converts an item into an intelligent item with no additional special abilities. From there you can ignore the rules on creating new intelligent items, as it's an existing intelligent item, and instead follow the rules on adding new abilities: A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm#intelligentItemCreation)

[Lost in books]

My bad, I will edit OP to specify no Item familiar. But thank you!!!! :smallsmile:

[Kelb_Panthera]

Let's see if I can't adequately explain this.


First off, no, you do not have to select abilities at random.

The crafter must have CL 15 or higher and the appropriate item crafting feat(s).

Step one; pick a level of intelligence from table 7-30. These range from two abilities at 12 and one at 10 and hearing and sight out to 30ft with empathic communication to 19 on two abilities 120ft vision and hearing with darkvision and blindsense and the ability to speak and communicate telepathically with creatures other than the wielder.

Step two; choose lesser and greater or dedicated purpose powers.

An intelligent item is considered a construct for spells and effects that require a creature to target but does -not- get any HD, BAB, or skill points. It's saves are equal to 2 + 1/2 its caster level.

An example:

I choose to make a glove with int 10, wis 12, cha 12; the lowest entry on table 7-30. This adds 1000gp to the cost of the item.

Having chosen that entry I get to choose one lesser power. I'm paranoid about being ganked in my sleep so I choose to give the item 10 ranks in spot. This adds 5,000gp to the item's cost.

Having no other magical properties my glove costs 6,000gp. It'll take 6 days to craft, 3000gp in magical materials, 120xp, and necessitates that I have craft wondrous items since it's clearly not a weapon, armor, or ring.

It's about the equivalent to having a small pet dog that I don't have to feed since all it can do is alert me to things it sees.


Another;

This time I'm adding the intelligent item properties to a +1 armor.

I choose to give it int 17, wis 17, and cha 10. The sixth entry on table 7-30. This adds 9,000gp to the cost.

Having chosen that entry I get to pick 3 lesser powers and either one greater power or a special purpose. For lesser purposes I pick detect magic at will; 3600gp, 10 ranks in spellcraft; 5,000gp, faerie fire 3/day; 1,100gp. Then I decide I'd like this armor to have the special purpose; defeat/slay arcane casters. I give it the power to use song of discord to help neutralize the minions that casters often employ adding 81,000gp to the cost.

Totaling those figures I get: 9,000 +3,600 +5,000 +1,100 +81,000 = 99,700gp. Adding that to the armor's initial 1000gp makes 100,700gp. This will take 100 days, 50,350gp in magical raw materials, 4,028xp and can be done with craft arms and armor since it's an armor.



NOTE: the following is speculation that may or may not be RAW.

I don't see any reason you -have- to choose any lesser or greater powers for the item if you just want it to be intelligent. In that case simply don't go through step 2 and use the cost for your chosen level of intelligence for the item.

[Segev]

You may also wish to check out Pathfinder's Intelligent Item rules. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items) They're a bit more modular.

[Psyren]

You get what you want on it by asking the DM - it's that simple.

(I recommend buying the pizza.)

[Lost in books]

Buying the pizza before asking a question to the DM turns you into a Pizzaplomancer. That is player optimization folks! :smallbiggrin:


I do understand a lot has to do with DM discretion I just want to save him the work of researching the answers and I like to stay within RAW. It helps understand the capabilities of what is possible, under or over-powered, and the flat out cheesy.

Thanks for the answers, we are getting closer to get all questions done. So far this is what I understand.

Intelligent item:
Caster lvl15
Per UA caster assigns all abilities
Maintains all item qualities but can now be affected as a construct as well. (no skill points, HD, feat etc. but can be affected by spells or effects that target constructs?)
It has mental scores, and with speech it could use or activate his own properties. So if I gave it telekinesis it could move by itself? Mage hand? What about a permanency Animate Object?

Since it is also a construct what happens when I Awaken Construct on the intelligent item? It arguably can get very bad mental states unless I can keep the originals and now that item can really walk away from you if it wishes so. Which most likely could happen having free will. So what happens?

My goal is to create an intelligent item that can speak so it can activate his own word command abilities and be able to have one or two skills that are not on it's table list.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

My bad, I will edit OP to specify no Item familiar. But thank you!!!! :smallsmile:

You can still make the cheapest intelligent magic item possible, then freely upgrade it with whatever intelligent item abilities you want using the rules for adding new abilities.

[unseenmage]

Buying the pizza before asking a question to the DM turns you into a Pizzaplomancer. That is player optimization folks! :smallbiggrin:


I do understand a lot has to do with DM discretion I just want to save him the work of researching the answers and I like to stay within RAW. It helps understand the capabilities of what is possible, under or over-powered, and the flat out cheesy.

Thanks for the answers, we are getting closer to get all questions done. So far this is what I understand.

Intelligent item:
Caster lvl15
Per UA caster assigns all abilities
Maintains all item qualities but can now be affected as a construct as well. (no skill points, HD, feat etc. but can be affected by spells or effects that target constructs?)
It has mental scores, and with speech it could use or activate his own properties. So if I gave it telekinesis it could move by itself? Mage hand? What about a permanency Animate Object?

Since it is also a construct what happens when I Awaken Construct on the intelligent item? It arguably can get very bad mental states unless I can keep the originals and now that item can really walk away from you if it wishes so. Which most likely could happen having free will. So what happens?

My goal is to create an intelligent item that can speak so it can activate his own word command abilities and be able to have one or two skills that are not on it's table list.

Awaken Construct

This spell awakens a humanoid-shaped construct to humanlike sentience.
Emphasis mine.

Magic items can already activate any of their abilities whenever they deem fit.
Intelligent Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/intelligentItems.htm)

Unlike most magic items, intelligent items can activate their own powers without waiting for a command word from their owner.
Emphasis mine.

There are a couple of places where Golems are called out as being Magic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/golem.htm) and as such they can be modified with the Custom Magic Item guidelines.
Some DMs will allow this to apply to all Constructs.

So now you make an Effigy (CAr) of yourself and then make it an Intelligent Magic Item then start combining it with other Magic Items for +1.5 the cost of the added items and viola.

Additionally the Sacred Guardian Template (DL:BoK) gives Constructs languages and there's the Amulet of Freedom of Speech in the free Icy Heart adventure (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20020125a) that lets Constructs 'make themselves understood' but does not let them speak or use Command Word activated items.