The Twilight Bracelet (Artifact/DotHack)

[AuraTwilight]

Hey, had this in my drafts for a few months, and I'm mostly satisfied with it, except I'm still fiddling with the d100 table included. I'm not satisfied with it, and that's partly because the rough draft has a result for each individual number instead of having two or three number ranges per result; I'm willing to cut things but I wanted to run the unedited table through GITP first.

The intended philosophy is as follows: the table includes color ranges as provided, with each color supposed to have a more or less unifying theme, such as "low-level (de)buffs", "Personal/group distortions" or "Super powerful, super risky stuff, with some really GREAT stuff to tempt people towards risking 100."

I'll just provide the artifact.

The Twilight Bracelet (Artifact)

"The power it holds can bring either salvation or destruction at the whim of the user"

The Twilight Bracelet isn't made of metal or jewels. It is a lattice of light and force; crystalline energy fields and willworking made tangible, in an incorporeal sort of way. When acquired, the Bracelet binds to the wearer's dominant wrist (or their preference, if ambidextrious), and becomes a part of him similarly to an Incarnum soulmeld (superficially, anyway). It is utterly invisible to the naked eye to all but Vagairies, deities and their minions. Not even the owner may see it unless it is in use and thus visible to everyone. The Bracelet projects a magical aura resonating with all schools at CL 20.

The Bracelet has three main abilities, two active, one passive.

Firstly, as a passive effect, the owner of the Bracelet is given incredible protection against similar forces to itself. The Bracelet makes the user immune to Death effects, and protects him from the worst of the Holy Hand as if they always make their saving throw. This effect can be shared to any allies of the owner's, provided he knows their True Name and vice-versa. This effect may protect one ally for each HD the owner possesses.

Secondly and thirdly, the owner gains the active abilities of Holy Hand and Gate Crash, detailed below:

Gate Crash (Ex): This ability functions as the spell Gate, usable at-will as a full-round action, save the following conditions: First, it takes 3 Virus Cores to cast, and secondly it only functions as the Travel version of Gate, save that it can also take you to areas on the same plane of existence as if it were a Greater Teleport.

Holy Hand (Ex): The wearer of the bracelet has power that can change the world. At-will as a standard action, this power may be used on any target within 60 feet as a ray attack. If the target fails its Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 HD + User's Con modifier), it results in a variety of effects. If the target is a divine being, the target is permanently stripped of a Divine Rank. If the target has Rank 0, this is capable of making the target fully mortal. In addition, a target (divine or not) has its magical protections dispelled. Its immunities and invulnerabilities are suspended for 24 hours. Last of all, the target is subjected to Level Loss (not Negative Levels) equivalent to the wearer's HD. If this causes the target to succumb to zero levels, the target vanishes from the world, and cannot be restored even by divine intervention. However, all targets that lost their lives via Level Loss are restored to the world as if the Hold Hand had never happened when the creature responsible for their deaths dies.

If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. The target's remaining hit points are halved (minimum 1). In addition, the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the wearer's Hit Dice, rounded down or is left at level 1, whichever is lesser. Negative levels automatically fade after 24 hours.

Every time Holy Hand is used successfully (even if the target makes their save), roll 1d20 for Infection Points, and add that to the owner's new Infection Score (starting at 0. Non-Bracelet owners have no Infection Scores). The Bracelet also throbs with a color corresponding to the User's Infection rating as a visual signifier to those capable of seeing it.

0-25: Blue
26-50: Green
51-75: Yellow
76-99: Orange
100: Red

Each range has a different probability of causing Distortions. Each time Infection Points are earned, roll d%, and if one rolls under their current Infection score, they take the result on the table below. This effectively means that a character cannot experience Distortions above their current Infection score.

In order to clear Infection Points, one must bypass an encounter of their CR or higher without relying on the Bracelet's power. Doing so will cleanse 1d6 Infection Points.
When the User gains 100 Infection points, they automatically gain the 100th result on the above table. They are simply too corrupted.

All effects that emulate spells assume a CL of 20 and bypass all immunities and resistances, all areas are equal to 100 ft. unless specified, and all time durations for effects that aren't specified are also assumed to be 24 hours.

[AuraTwilight]

d%
Effects


1
Everyone in the User's party is fully healed to full HP.



2
The User falls asleep.


3
The User becomes frightened.


4
The User is effected by Contagion, as the spell.



5
The User is Baleful Polymorphed into a toad.


6
The User is effected by Confusion as the spell.


7
The User is effected by Inflict Serious Wounds.


8
The User is effected by Feeblemind.



9
The User is effected by Reduce Person.


10
The User is effected by Enlarge Person.


11
The User is effected by Haste.


12
The User is effected by Blindness/Deafness (coinflip)


13
The User is effected by Bear's Endurance.



14
The User is effected by Bull's Strength.


15
The User is effected by Cat's Grace.



16
The User is effected by Eagle's Splendor.


17
The User is effected by Fox's Cunning.


18
The User is effected by Owl's Wisdom.



19
The party is effected by Mass Bear's Endurance.



20
The party is effected by Mass Bull's Strength.


21
The party is effected by Mass Cat's Grace.


22
The party is effected by Mass Eagle's Splendor.


23
The party is effected by Mass Fox's Cunning.


24
The party is effected by Mass Owl's Wisdom.


25
The User is effected by Rage.


26
The User and his target experience a True Mind Switch, the Bracelet moving with its owner's soul to the new vessel.


27
The User turns to stone for a number of days equal to their Constitution score. The stone is magically indestructible.


28
All gold on the User doubles in quantity.


29
The User's weight doubles in an unflattering manner.


30
The User starts to age in reverse one year per day, until they reach the minimum for adulthood for their race.


31
Everyone tastes fresh grapes for some reason.


32
The User gains a randomly determined Template (generated using a table of the GM's allowed templates).


33
The next spell cast around the User (including his own) becomes a Living Spell hostile to the User.


34
The User and Target trade one supernatural ability to each other, at the discretion of the GM.


35
The User gains a random magic item.


36
The User suffers a Bestow Greater Curse.


37
The User can cast a random cantrip as an at-will Spell-Like Ability.


38
Energy or matter is gated in from an Inner Plane (centered on User) and immediately
explodes violently, affecting all within 20'. (All Reflex save DCs are 15.) Roll 1d10:
1-2: Air (2d6 nonlethal concussion damage, Reflex save for half; those who fail save are knocked down).
3-4: Earth (2d6 damage from flying rocks, Reflex save for half; 10% chance that precious metal or a gem of 1d8 x 10 GP value is included in rubble).
5-6: Fire (2d4 fire damage from burst of flame, Reflex save for half; those who fail save have caught on fire and suffer 1d4 damage on next round).
7-8: Water (2d8 nonlethal concussion damage, Reflex save for half).
9: Negative Energy (all in 20' gain one negative level; the Fortitude DC to remove negative level is 15; undead instead gain 2d12 hit points).
10: Positive Energy (all within 20' gain two Hit Dice of hit points; any hit points over a character's
total are temporary hit points and last fifteen minutes; undead instead take 2d12 damage).


39
Devolve! This surge hits the User If the target fails (or declines) a fortitude save (DC 25), it will ‘devolve’ into the form of one of its ancestors (or conceptual ancestors, for creatures not born of woman.) This is instantaneous. Objects carried are retained if possible, or dropped. The creature’s consciousness and related stats are unchanged; the DM can choose what happens to other attributes. (Okay, you’re an amoeba, but your strength is still 17!)

Roll d10 for the degree of devolution; a 1 is the species immediately prior, a 10 is some sort of primordial archaeobacteria. Obviously this is going to require a fair amount of thinking on the part of the DM – where did trolls evolve from, anyway?

The DM is cautioned not to think of evolution as a path from worse to better, nor the reverse. A gnome PC may well come out ahead or behind from being turned into the primordial ancestor-species of dwarves and gnomes, and an enemy bird-type creature may end up as an allosaur. Have fun. The transformation is permanent, but can be removed as a wild magic curse.


40
The User gains the ability to lift any curse by taking it onto themselves.


41
Evolve! Just like 39, except in the other direction.


42
The User now pings off all Detect spells, regardless of whether or not they're a valid target.


43
Spam! Via any available messaging medium in the campaign, or a magical invention if no regular medium exists, the User will receive a spam message. (If there’s something like a normal postal service, it’ll be in his mailbox when next he checks it. If something bizarre needs to happen, it can be immediate.) The DM should compose a typical spam message, possibly adapted to the campaign universe, on one of the topics below. If the User sends money in reply, there is a 65% chance it is entirely wasted, a 20% chance it actually works, a 10% chance the spammer uses it to somehow ‘gain access’ to the caster’s possessions or continues to spam him or something, and a 5% chance it results in a very complicated plot twist of some kind.

Spam possibilities:

1) Sexual organ enlargement
2) Impotence cure (or other sex-related magic)
3) Moneymaking opportunity or credit card offer
4) Drugs (potions?) for sale cheap
5) Pornography
6) Weight gain/loss
7) Hot stock tip (treasure map?)
8) Software (spells?) for sale cheap
9) ‘Nigerian’ bank accounts
10) Incomprehensible spam. If replied to in any way, this will result in an endless torrent of spam of escalating annoyance, finally culminating in telepathy spam. Caster will probably have to go on a quest to kill the spammer.


44
The User's sex magically changes.


45
The User's race magically changes as if by Reincarnate.


46
The User's highest ability score increases by 3, and all others lower by 1.


47
The User gains resistance 10 to an energy type of their choice, but gains vulnerability to its opposite.


48
The User may retrain one of their feats for another they meet the prerequisites for.


49
The User gains a new Class Skill of their choice.


50
The User loses a level, their XP set to mid-way between the level they lost and the level preceding it.


51
A permanent Wild Magic zone is created within 1000 feet of the User's current location.



52
A permanent Dead Magic zone is created within 1000 feet of the User's current location.


53
Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, the environment swaps geography and planar traits with an equivalent space on a random alternate plane of existence; inhabitants of those planes are not swapped.



54
Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, everything freezes as of the subject of a Time Stop (CL 30), with no save and no SR. This lasts for 1d100 days.



55
Curse of the Phoenix. The User bursts into flames and is consumed along with all of his/her equipment, magic items get a Fortitude save (DC of the User's HD). Next dawn, the caster will reincarnate in the nearest flame that is as large or larger than the User (note that the curse doesn’t give any resistance or immunity to fire). If ever killed by fire damage, this will happen again. Precisely one year after the User's last burst and consummation by flames, it repeats. Can only ever be removed by eating the heart of a Phoenix, while Remove curse is being cast on the subject.


56
A artifact appears in the User's hand, but it is only a shadow image of the item, and every time it is used, roll a D20. If you roll 13, the item is lost and the user of the item rolls a d100 and gains an effect on this list as if they were the User.


57
Spellstorm: all of the User's remaining spells are instantly cast on the target. If the User is a spontaneous caster, a random spell is generated on each spell level and all spell slots are used for that spell. Even spells that normally would be personal or touch are cast on the target, and all attack rolls required for the spells are successful. Any spell for which the User doesn't have the component, focus, or it just doesn't make any sense (such as Summon monster II on a elf) simply fizzles. If the User is not a caster, nothing happens.


58
One random stat of the User's gains a permanent inherent bonus. Roll a D10 to se the size of the bonus
1-4 +1. 5-6 +2. 7-8 +3. 9 +4. 10 +5.


59
The User ages up until first year in next age category.


60
Curse of Bureaucracy: Each time the User tries to cast a spell, a large form will appear along with a quill. This form is about whether the spell is for pleasure or business, who the intended target is, why the User is using this exact spell ,and a lot other questions in that style. It takes 1 round per spell level to fill out the form, and if correctly filled (INT check DC 15), the spell will be cast, but if the INT check, fails a new form will appear, and until a form is correctly filled, the User can't cast other spells. When Remove Curse is cast on the unlucky individual, a new and extremely large form will appear along with a quill. This form takes CL in hours to fill out (INT check 20), and if correctly filled, the curse is lifted. If failed, there is a waiting period of one week per check failed until the curse is lifted, and if failed by 10 or more, the Remove curse just doesn’t work. Special: Lawful characters get +2 to these INT checks and Chaotic characters get -2 to these INT checks. If the User is not a caster, nothing happens.


61
A random metamagic feat is applied to the User's spells without raising their spell level for the next hour. If the User is not a caster, they can cast spells as a Sorcerer of their level for an hour.


62
The User gains a random Psi-like ability of random level 1/day.


63
The falls into a trance, and utters a prophecy. There is a 90% chance the prophecy will be accurate, but it will always be buried in a mass of babble and nonsense, or may even be in riddle form. The effect lasts for as long as it takes to speak the prophecy, after which time the User will "wake up," and will not remember the time spent in the trance.


64
The User grows 1d10 new and mysterious organs in his abdomen.


65
The User's clothes are transformed into a soft, skin-tight, glossy black leather outfit studded
with silver.



66
Mixed up: All your magic items and weapons change their special abilities, and you don't know which is which. (For example, you have a ring of save vs magic +1, 1 pair of gloves with healing touch and a sword with 1d6 extra damage. You now have a ring with 1d6 extra damage, a pair of gloves with +1 save vs magic and a sword with healing touch. Or any other combination.)


67
Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, all inhabitants of the area swap places with beings on a random other plane.


68
All items carried by The User (except the Bracelet and other artifacts) become sentient and free-willed.


69
The User has limited omniscience for 1 minute, may ask any questions desired of the DM (only for 60 timed seconds).


70
The User is reduced to level 1 for 5 rounds.


71
The User polymorphs into something rhyming with his name.


72
All coins, gems, and precious metals in the User's possession turn into children's teeth.


73
Every illusion the User experiences becomes real, but if he disbelieves it it's still unable to tangibly effect him. Everyone else, however...


74
The User and everyone in his party receive an Energy Charge! Wow, something that actually uses it, huh?


75
The User loses the ability to have their own dreams, instead visiting someone else's each night.


76
For the next 24 hours, everyone in the area has their spells altered as a Homonymic Malapropism. This means that spells are altered into effects that sound similar but are different; for instance, Read Magic might instead make the caster's magic manifest with red-colored special effects (“Red Magic”), or Curse might make a pink, sparkly, embarassing, but functional bag of holding appear on the target's person (“Purse”).


77
A 6th element beyond acid, cold, electric, fire, and sonic appears as fractal crystals which glow, feel cold to the touch, and spread like fire. If touched, make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid catching "on fractal" for 4d6 damage a round. It can only be "put out" by taking sonic damage.


78
The environment here is on fire that is prismatic in hue. Any fire damage taken here does no hit point damage, but instead removes one aspect of the character per round, starting with alignment, templates, race, then individual class levels. If a character takes effective negative levels equal to its HD, it is turned into a level 1 TN Commoner NPC human. This is a curse effect and can be undone by remove curse.



79
All dice results are now backwards. 20s are 1s on a d20, 4s become 2s on a d6, and so on and so forth. No one knows it is due to their dice. This lasts 24 hours.


80
No one can understand each others' languages anymore, not even through magic. Language does not exist as a concept. This lasts 24 hours.


81
A flat silver disc appears, labeled only with the mysterious word “SBURB.” It has a magical aura that is Overwhelming in all schools of magic, and it is indestructible.


82
Every round, two traits switch between two creatures, such as their strength score, their hit points, their alignment, their body parts, or any other suitable aspect of their character. If the creature is alone, it swaps its body parts or things in places they don't make sense, such as gaining your +1 longsword as your new dexterity score while you fight with a dexterity 13.


83
Every round, characters must succeed on a DC 20 Will save while in the area. Failure means they repeat the same action as last time (attacking, moving, repeating the same message, etc.), regardless of how the surroundings have changed. Success means they can act normally.


84
For 1 round, all rolls are natural 1s, unless a natural 1 is rolled, in which case it is treated as a 20 and automatically confirmed if needed.



85
Pass all character sheets to your right, switching characters. Characters have switched bodies with one another and have access to their abilities, feats, and other attributes, but retain their normal alignment and personality. The change remains for 1 hour.


86
The floor becomes sentient and attacks, becoming fluid and able to make slam attacks as if it were a massive ooze. It attacks with a +20 bonus and deals 5d6 damage with no strength, and may make one attack to each creature per round. It has a reach of 5 feet and cannot attack creatures flying higher than 5 feet.


87
If a creature dies in the area of effect of this occurrence, they reincarnate as the spell 3 rounds later into a race of equal CR as their original race. The reincarnation is not perfect and usually has artifacts of their last race within, such as patches of green skin on an orc turned human, or pointy ears on an elf turned dwarf. Creatures will continue to respawn however many times they are killed, but after respawning 1d4+2 times, a creature will next respawn as a pitiful lump of flesh and limbs of random races they have reincarnated as. Creatures which have suffered this fate are helpless, immobile, and immortal, needing no food, sleep, or breath. Future death attempts only make the mutant worse; it can only be cured by leaving the affected area and reincarnating there, or using miracle or wish to restore the natural form. Simply reviving them will not help, as it will only revive their helpless blob state.


88
The earth spawns one or more creature with the pseudonatural creature templateCA; roll 1d6 to find out which creature appears:

The earth spawns 1d4 pseudonatural small monstrous centipedes each round for the next 1d12 rounds.
The earth spawns 2d4 pseudonatural araneas.
The earth spawns 1d6 pseudonatural dire sharks each round for 1d4 minutes. If not helped into water, they will immediately begin suffocating.
The earth spawns a single pseudonatural elder black pudding every 1d12 rounds until it has spawned 5 puddings.
The earth spawns 1d3 completely identical pseudonatural planetars, which behave erratically.
The earth begins to shake and rumble over the next 3d10 rounds before finaly spawning a single pseudonatural dream larva.


89
A rolling 40-foot-high multicolored cloud with a 40-foot radius diameter appears. The cloud moves at 20 feet a round. Those caught in the cloud have their skin turned to wild prismatic flashing colors, with no other effect but looking strange and bare skin shedding light out to 5 feet, and shadowy illumination 5 feet beyond. However, they soon find they have an uncontrollable gaze attack out to 30 feet; any creature under 8 HD subjected to the gaze immediately dies and is animated as a shadow with an urge to murder their prismatic killer and drain him of both life and color. The shadows cannot be turned or rebuked, but they can be destroyed through normal traditional means. The effect is permanent, but a limited wish, miracle, or wish can remove it.


90
The surroundings appear as a flat surface, typically a gridwork or however your game table appears, including other objects on the table which cannot be reached but can be seen beyond the "invisible borders of the grid". Characters appear to be statues, not necessarily identical to their real appearances. While unable to move arms and legs, this does not prevent moving, attacks, and other interactions. The PCs simply cannot comprehend that they are minis on a map. If there are no minis or map, the PCs and monsters are invisible to themselves and others, and only able to "see" the surrounding terrain and various giants around them which ignore their presence.


91
A 1-foot white sphere of light appears floating there. It is incorporeal and cannot be touched, but any creature moving within a 10 foot radius of it must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or lose a memory. The memory is converted into a demiplane, which duplicates the memory and its inhabitants with pseudonaturalCA clones. Lost memories incur a negative level with a DC 28 save to remove 24 hours later. However, the memory remains missing with a vague sense that something is wrong. modify memory is capable of restoring the memory.


92
A bright flash of light occurs, and characters must make a DC 20 Will save or be permanently blinded, their eyes burned right out of their head, save negates. However, if a character is blinded, they gain +4 on initiative checks, +4 on saves against traps, gain Improved Uncanny Dodge as a barbarian of their character level, and may use the spells of the Knowledge clerical domain 1/day as spell-like abilities. If their blindness is ever cured (which requires regrowing the eyes), they lose these benefits.


93
A bizarre and otherworldly entity appears, stopping the flow of time if needed to speak with the PCs, and offers the PCs the ability to become as gods; however, they will have to leave everything behind. If refused, it has no issue and departs. However, if the offer is agreed to, the character is swept away into the gibbering madness, never to be seen again. Evidence that the character has ascended into the state of an elder evil is apparent. They are now an NPC, but will subtly impact the game with their motives and beliefs, leaving their mark on the world.


94
The User is transported into a perfect universe where they have everything they could've ever wanted, but this is an illusion, as Microcosm.


95
The User is transported into a world reflecting their inner mind, capable of interacting with their inner demons, thoughts, and emotions as tangible forces. This is not an illusion, but a tangible demiplane.


96
The User gains one wish, but the opposite also comes true.


97
The User gains one wish, but only gains ½ of what they wished for.


98
A strange being identifying itself as an Incubator offers a contract: Any one wish, and in return, become a Mahou Kodomo! This Wish, unlike the Wish spell, is 'perfect' and incorruptible.



99
The User gains 1 Wish, free of charge and granted as non-maliciously as possible (Literal at worst).


100
The User ceases to be. This counts as their death for the sake of all effects contingent on such a condition, however, it runs deeper than that. The User may never return. They are so corrupted, that reality shall never permit their existence again.

[AuraTwilight]

Open for Review! Thanks in advance.

[AuraTwilight]

Bump. Anyone?

[Debihuman]

The table is too miserable to read. I see no advantage to color-coding the table. Is it suppose to have some special meaning? The ranges are meaningless if all you do is add the sums until you reach 100.
What are infections points and what happens when a PC has 100 of them?

The abilities of the bracelet aren't necessarily awe-inspiring. You've given it three abilities but it should state which are passive and which are active. It looks like immunity to death effects is the passive ability. However as this is also its weakest ability, it should be noted last.

Holy Hand's Fortitude save should be 10 + 1/2 owner's HD and owner's Constitution modifier. Making it full HD virtually guarantees the save will be failed. It's overpowering to give to a PC and a TPK in the hands of an NPC.

Gate is even more confusing because you haven't defined what a Virus Core is. I'm sure most of us are not familiar with DotHack and have no idea how to incorporate that into 3.5, which is likely why you've received no feedback.

The artifact is missing a lot of game mechanics. For example, it should be a standard action to activate Gate and Holy Hand.

How is this destroyed? Every artifact should have a unique method of destruction.

Debby

[AuraTwilight]

The table is too miserable to read. I see no advantage to color-coding the table. Is it suppose to have some special meaning? The ranges are meaningless if all you do is add the sums until you reach 100.

Having each individual number correspond to a single result isn't necessarily final, as I noted. As for color ranges, they're supposed to be thematic. I haven't finalized themes yet but generally all orange effects have wider environmental reality distorting effects, blue effects are emulations of buff/debuff spells and conditions, and so forth.


What are infections points and what happens when a PC has 100 of them?

I believe i noted that if a PC has 100 of them, they automatically gain the 100th effect on the table. Infection Points, fluff-wise, are corruption caused by the Bracelet's overuse. Distortions through tampering with reality.



The abilities of the bracelet aren't necessarily awe-inspiring. You've given it three abilities but it should state which are passive and which are active. It looks like immunity to death effects is the passive ability. However as this is also its weakest ability, it should be noted last.


I thought I had indicated which were passive and active, but I'll clarify. I'm still keeping the passive ability noted first though, since they're organized by grandeur.

Also, the ability to de-Rank a deity isn't awe-inspiring?



Holy Hand's Fortitude save should be 10 + 1/2 owner's HD and owner's Constitution modifier. Making it full HD virtually guarantees the save will be failed. It's overpowering to give to a PC and a TPK in the hands of an NPC.

Ah, I knew I messed something else, sorry!


Gate is even more confusing because you haven't defined what a Virus Core is. I'm sure most of us are not familiar with DotHack and have no idea how to incorporate that into 3.5, which is likely why you've received no feedback.

My apologies, Virus Cores were going to come after I dealt with the table issue; for now, Virus Cores are minor artifacts caused by using the Bracelet's Holy Hand ability on special beings that can't be properly fought without it (essentially making them plot coupons). I'll elaborate in the future.


The artifact is missing a lot of game mechanics. For example, it should be a standard action to activate Gate and Holy Hand.

Anything else? I thought I covered most things, but I appreciate your oversight.


How is this destroyed? Every artifact should have a unique method of destruction.

I was going to make sure I had how it worked taken care of, first, but when I get to it, destroying it generally involves combating a specific monster I'll be brewing up later.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm dodging half of your questions, the artifact is a WIP but I feel stalled by the Distortions Table; tweaking it to be more manageable/usable will help me stay organized for the rest of this.

To elaborate on the intent of the table, the goal is to have relatively benign effects early on, progressing up to the more severe (but potentially more beneficial) ones. Rolling on the table is a roll-under your Infection Score, where the higher it is the more likely you'll be to get an actual Distortion, but the best effect would be 99, so you're essentially gambling.

[Zweisteine]

This is great! :smallbiggrin:

I mean, I'll only ever use it if I run an epic campaign for the reason of testing it, but its effects are amazing!

I particularly like 31, 43, and 81, which I have not yet read past.

EDIT:
I have now finished reading the table. I also liked numbers 90 and 98 quite a bit.

Very important: much of the orange section is poorly worded and lacks important information such as ranges. One effect says "anything in this effect's area," but specifies none. This is bad.

[Debihuman]

This is why de-ranking a deity isn't awe-inspiring: "However, if the creature responsible dies for any reason, everyone lost via Level Loss are restored to the world, as if they had never suffered Holy Hand at all."

Not everything that can kill you is a death effect. A death effect is any special ability which is labelled as such or a spell with the death descriptor. Everything else is not a death effect. While a vorpal sword can cut your head off, and you will die as a consequence of that, it's still not a death effect. Being hit with a disintegration spell is not a death effect. You can be killed by falling damage or by having objects fall on you as those are not death effects. There are so many ways to die that aren't death effects. And the beauty is you only have to die ONCE.

Debby

[AuraTwilight]

Not everything that can kill you is a death effect. A death effect is any special ability which is labelled as such or a spell with the death descriptor. Everything else is not a death effect. While a vorpal sword can cut your head off, and you will die as a consequence of that, it's still not a death effect. Being hit with a disintegration spell is not a death effect. You can be killed by falling damage or by having objects fall on you as those are not death effects. There are so many ways to die that aren't death effects. And the beauty is you only have to die ONCE.


I'm fully aware. However, if you de-rank a deity and kill them through non-Bracelet means, they're still dead regardless of what happens to the Bracelet User.

The Owner's death only brings back those the Bracelet erased directly.

Either way, though, I wasn't really planning to really give them any other immunities or special protections against being killed to reflect accuracy to the source material. Do you believe, however, I should just adjust it to immunity to anything that could be considered a Save or Die or one-shot kill effect, and if so, how would you word that?


This is great!

I mean, I'll only ever use it if I run an epic campaign for the reason of testing it, but its effects are amazing!

I particularly like 31, 43, and 81, which I have not yet read past.

EDIT:
I have now finished reading the table. I also liked numbers 90 and 98 quite a bit.

Very important: much of the orange section is poorly worded and lacks important information such as ranges. One effect says "anything in this effect's area," but specifies none. This is bad.

Thanks! Are there any specific entries you'd cut, or change?

Also, as for ranges, I had thought I had put a citation at the beginning about ranges, but it seems that either wasn't the case or I lost it. I was thinking the range could be something like 30 ft. + 10/level. What do you think of that?

As for poorly worded Orange ones, yea, rough draft. I'll be getting to them shortly! For the sake of expediency, are there any you thought needed editing in particular? English isn't my first language, y'see.

[Debihuman]

Yes you can de-rank a deity, but only if the deity fails a saving throw. The odds of that happening are ridiculously slim. Don't forget deities of rank 1 and higher do not automatically fail on a natural 1 saving throw. In addition, they get their divine rank as a a divine bonus on all saving throws. Despite this, the target can also choose to fail a saving throw.

I could see a campaign where a deity is actively looking to become mortal and this artifact would suit that purpose perfectly. Stripping a rank 0 quasi-deity against its will would be a lot easier but would likely incur the wrath of the godly parent (assuming one exists).


I'm still seeing some issues with the artifact: "If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. Their remaining HP is halved, and the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the user's HD. These negative levels will automatically fade after 24 hours, and they cannot have negative levels equal to their own HD from Holy Hand."

Who is "they"? There is either the wearer of the artifact or the target. Singular. I suggest you rewrite some of this to be clear who is affected by the Holy Hand and exactly how. Break it up into short sentences for clarity.

Being stripped of a divine rank wouldn't lead to any hit point loss for example so why would its hit points be halved and why is that considered a "less severe" penalty? That's no only contradictory, it's untrue. The penalty for making the save has the target incur additional penalties not a less severe one. I recommend you change the wording to say the following:


Even if the target makes its save, it incurs additional penalties. The target loses 1/2 of its remaining hit points (minimum 1). It also receives negative levels equal to 1/2 of the bracelet's wearer's Hit Dice unless that would kill the target. The maximum negative levels bestowed cannot take a target below level 1. These negative levels fade after 24 hours.

I recommend removing any effect that requires intensive GM interference in the chart. I realize this makes it necessary for you to think of new possibilities, but this item makes the job of the GM more difficult and it shouldn't.

In your chart, there are multiple occurrences of the noun "effect" when the verb should be "affect." See #4 through #25.

#43 While it has real world humor, it fails to fit into a medieval era setting. I recommend you revise this into something more appropriate to the setting.

I can't read the yellow at all so I'm not going to comment on that section.

Debby

[AuraTwilight]

Yes you can de-rank a deity, but only if the deity fails a saving throw. The odds of that happening are ridiculously slim. Don't forget deities of rank 1 and higher do not automatically fail on a natural 1 saving throw. In addition, they get their divine rank as a a divine bonus on all saving throws. Despite this, the target can also choose to fail a saving throw.

I could see a campaign where a deity is actively looking to become mortal and this artifact would suit that purpose perfectly. Stripping a rank 0 quasi-deity against its will would be a lot easier but would likely incur the wrath of the godly parent (assuming one exists).

Fair point. Really the only point I mention the Divine Rank thing is accuracy to the source material and to emphasize that no one's really immune to being made lesser by it, Saves aside.



I'm still seeing some issues with the artifact: "If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. Their remaining HP is halved, and the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the user's HD. These negative levels will automatically fade after 24 hours, and they cannot have negative levels equal to their own HD from Holy Hand."

Who is "they"? There is either the wearer of the artifact or the target. Singular. I suggest you rewrite some of this to be clear who is affected by the Holy Hand and exactly how. Break it up into short sentences for clarity.


I...think I'm seeing the disconnect. By default the Bracelet just lays on a crapton of Negative Levels onto everyone effected by it; the de-ranking is in addition when a Deity is involved, gods are not the sole target of the artifact's power.

Also, I consider temporary negative levels and HP loss a less severe penalty from permanent Negative Levels and possible cessation of existence.

Let me try to clarify here:

"Holy Hand (Ex): The main ability of the Bracelet, and the power that will change the world. At-will, this power may be used on any target within 60 feet as a ray attack standard action. On failure of a Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 HD + User's Con modifier), effects vary. If the target is a divine being they are permanently stripped of a Divine Rank (capable of making them fully mortal). In addition, targets (divine or not) have their magical protections dispelled and immunities and invulnerabilities are suspended for 24 hours, and the target is subjected to Level Loss (not Negative Levels) equivalent to the owner's HD. If this causes the target to succumb to zero levels, they vanish from the world, and cannot be restored even by divine intervention. However, if the creature responsible dies for any reason, everyone lost via Level Loss are restored to the world, as if they had never suffered Holy Hand at all.

If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. The target's remaining HP is halved, and the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the user's HD. These negative levels will automatically fade after 24 hours, and the target cannot have negative levels equal to their own HD from Holy Hand."

Better?


Being stripped of a divine rank wouldn't lead to any hit point loss for example so why would its hit points be halved and why is that considered a "less severe" penalty? That's no only contradictory, it's untrue. The penalty for making the save has the target incur additional penalties not a less severe one. I recommend you change the wording to say the following:

Even if the target makes its save, it incurs additional penalties. The target loses 1/2 of its remaining hit points (minimum 1). It also receives negative levels equal to 1/2 of the bracelet's wearer's Hit Dice unless that would kill the target. The maximum negative levels bestowed cannot take a target below level 1. These negative levels fade after 24 hours.

I'm not sure I follow. That target suffers permanent Level Loss and has their supernatural defenses and protections suspended for 24 hours in ADDITION to a de-ranking if they fail the save.



I recommend removing any effect that requires intensive GM interference in the chart. I realize this makes it necessary for you to think of new possibilities, but this item makes the job of the GM more difficult and it shouldn't.


Erm...it's an artifact with the intention of being progressively more and more erratic and wild magic-y? I generally don't think a Wild Magic-esque table can really be considered such if DM Fiat isn't at risk of involvement.

These effects could also be cut without being replaced, if you prefer?




#43 While it has real world humor, it fails to fit into a medieval era setting. I recommend you revise this into something more appropriate to the setting.

It's supposed to clash like that; the fluff of the artifact is that it's breaking reality in a very meta- and not-conductive-to-sanity manner.


I can't read the yellow at all so I'm not going to comment on that section.

You can't highlight? I'll see about darkening it, but for now I'll copypasta yellow into a spoiler here.

51 A permanent Wild Magic zone is created within 1000 feet of the User's current location.
52 A permanent Dead Magic zone is created within 1000 feet of the User's current location.
53 Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, the environment swaps geography and planar traits with an equivalent space on a random alternate plane of existence; inhabitants of those planes are not swapped.
54 Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, everything freezes as of the subject of a Time Stop (CL 30), with no save and no SR. This lasts for 1d100 days.
55 Curse of the Phoenix. The User bursts into flames and is consumed along with all of his/her equipment, magic items get a Fortitude save (DC of the User's HD). Next dawn, the caster will reincarnate in the nearest flame that is as large or larger than the User (note that the curse doesn’t give any resistance or immunity to fire). If ever killed by fire damage, this will happen again. Precisely one year after the User's last burst and consummation by flames, it repeats. Can only ever be removed by eating the heart of a Phoenix, while Remove curse is being cast on the subject.
56 A artifact appears in the User's hand, but it is only a shadow image of the item, and every time it is used, roll a D20. If you roll 13, the item is lost and the user of the item rolls a d100 and gains an effect on this list as if they were the User.
57 Spellstorm: all of the User's remaining spells are instantly cast on the target. If the User is a spontaneous caster, a random spell is generated on each spell level and all spell slots are used for that spell. Even spells that normally would be personal or touch are cast on the target, and all attack rolls required for the spells are successful. Any spell for which the User doesn't have the component, focus, or it just doesn't make any sense (such as Summon monster II on a elf) simply fizzles. If the User is not a caster, nothing happens.
58 One random stat of the User's gains a permanent inherent bonus. Roll a D10 to se the size of the bonus
1-4 +1. 5-6 +2. 7-8 +3. 9 +4. 10 +5.
59 The User ages up until first year in next age category.
60 Curse of Bureaucracy: Each time the User tries to cast a spell, a large form will appear along with a quill. This form is about whether the spell is for pleasure or business, who the intended target is, why the User is using this exact spell ,and a lot other questions in that style. It takes 1 round per spell level to fill out the form, and if correctly filled (INT check DC 15), the spell will be cast, but if the INT check, fails a new form will appear, and until a form is correctly filled, the User can't cast other spells. When Remove Curse is cast on the unlucky individual, a new and extremely large form will appear along with a quill. This form takes CL in hours to fill out (INT check 20), and if correctly filled, the curse is lifted. If failed, there is a waiting period of one week per check failed until the curse is lifted, and if failed by 10 or more, the Remove curse just doesn’t work. Special: Lawful characters get +2 to these INT checks and Chaotic characters get -2 to these INT checks. If the User is not a caster, nothing happens.
61 A random metamagic feat is applied to the User's spells without raising their spell level for the next hour. If the User is not a caster, they can cast spells as a Sorcerer of their level for an hour.
62 The User gains a random Psi-like ability of random level 1/day.
63 The falls into a trance, and utters a prophecy. There is a 90% chance the prophecy will be accurate, but it will always be buried in a mass of babble and nonsense, or may even be in riddle form. The effect lasts for as long as it takes to speak the prophecy, after which time the User will "wake up," and will not remember the time spent in the trance.
64 The User grows 1d10 new and mysterious organs in his abdomen.
65 The User's clothes are transformed into a soft, skin-tight, glossy black leather outfit studded
with silver.
66 Mixed up: All your magic items and weapons change their special abilities, and you don't know which is which. (For example, you have a ring of save vs magic +1, 1 pair of gloves with healing touch and a sword with 1d6 extra damage. You now have a ring with 1d6 extra damage, a pair of gloves with +1 save vs magic and a sword with healing touch. Or any other combination.)
67 Within 1000 feet of the User's current location, all inhabitants of the area swap places with beings on a random other plane.
68 All items carried by The User (except the Bracelet and other artifacts) become sentient and free-willed.
69 The User has limited omniscience for 1 minute, may ask any questions desired of the DM (only for 60 timed seconds).
70 The User is reduced to level 1 for 5 rounds.
71 The User polymorphs into something rhyming with his name.
72 All coins, gems, and precious metals in the User's possession turn into children's teeth.
73 Every illusion the User experiences becomes real, but if he disbelieves it it's still unable to tangibly effect him. Everyone else, however...
74 Temporary Blank Space. Lost one somehow.
75 The User loses the ability to have their own dreams, instead visiting someone else's each night.

[Debihuman]

Let me try to clarify here:

"Holy Hand (Ex): The main ability of the Bracelet, and the power that will change the world. At-will, this power may be used on any target within 60 feet as a ray attack standard action. On failure of a Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 HD + User's Con modifier), effects vary. If the target is a divine being they are permanently stripped of a Divine Rank (capable of making them fully mortal). In addition, targets (divine or not) have their magical protections dispelled and immunities and invulnerabilities are suspended for 24 hours, and the target is subjected to Level Loss (not Negative Levels) equivalent to the owner's HD. If this causes the target to succumb to zero levels, they vanish from the world, and cannot be restored even by divine intervention. However, if the creature responsible dies for any reason, everyone lost via Level Loss are restored to the world, as if they had never suffered Holy Hand at all.

If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. The target's remaining HP is halved, and the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the user's HD. These negative levels will automatically fade after 24 hours, and the target cannot have negative levels equal to their own HD from Holy Hand."

Better?

Better. I think it still needs some improvement. Still too many plurals for a single target.


Holy Hand (Ex): The wearer of the bracelet has power that can change the world. At-will as a standard action, this power may be used on any target within 60 feet as a ray attack. If the target fails its Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 HD + User's Con modifier), it results in a variety of effects. If the target is a divine being, the target is permanently stripped of a Divine Rank. If the target has Rank 0, this is capable of making the target fully mortal. In addition, a target (divine or not) has its magical protections dispelled. Its immunities and invulnerabilities are suspended for 24 hours. Last of all, the target is subjected to Level Loss (not Negative Levels) equivalent to the wearer's HD. If this causes the target to succumb to zero levels, the target vanishes from the world, and cannot be restored even by divine intervention. However, all targets that lost their lives via Level Loss are restored to the world as if the Hold Hand had never happened when the creature responsible for their deaths dies.

If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. The target's remaining hit points are halved (minimum 1). In addition, the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the wearer's Hit Dice, rounded down or is left at level 1, whichever is lesser. Negative levels automatically fade after 24 hours.


Erm...it's an artifact with the intention of being progressively more and more erratic and wild magic-y? I generally don't think a Wild Magic-esque table can really be considered such if DM Fiat isn't at risk of involvement.
It's not the fiat that I have a problem with, it's the time it would take a DM to do it on the fly. Don't add effects that are time-consuming to resolve in-game if you can help it. Nobody is having fun while that is happening.

These effects could also be cut without being replaced, if you prefer?
As long as the effects can be resolved quickly in game, I'm all for it.

It's supposed to clash like that; the fluff of the artifact is that it's breaking reality in a very meta- and not-conductive-to-sanity manner.
Then you need to add more stuff like taint, bringing in character flaws etc.

Thanks for the spoiler for the yellow chart. 53 should have a roll for which random plane and probably a time limit.

Are the effects missing from growing 1d10 random organs, or is it supposed to just be fluff? See #64 and also for number 65.

Debby

[AuraTwilight]

Better. I think it still needs some improvement. Still too many plurals for a single target.

Holy Hand (Ex): The wearer of the bracelet has power that can change the world. At-will as a standard action, this power may be used on any target within 60 feet as a ray attack. If the target fails its Fortitude save (10 + 1/2 HD + User's Con modifier), it results in a variety of effects. If the target is a divine being, the target is permanently stripped of a Divine Rank. If the target has Rank 0, this is capable of making the target fully mortal. In addition, a target (divine or not) has its magical protections dispelled. Its immunities and invulnerabilities are suspended for 24 hours. Last of all, the target is subjected to Level Loss (not Negative Levels) equivalent to the wearer's HD. If this causes the target to succumb to zero levels, the target vanishes from the world, and cannot be restored even by divine intervention. However, all targets that lost their lives via Level Loss are restored to the world as if the Hold Hand had never happened when the creature responsible for their deaths dies.

If the Fortitude save is made, the effects are much less severe. The target's remaining hit points are halved (minimum 1). In addition, the target receives Negative Levels equal to half the wearer's Hit Dice, rounded down or is left at level 1, whichever is lesser. Negative levels automatically fade after 24 hours.

Noted.


It's not the fiat that I have a problem with, it's the time it would take a DM to do it on the fly. Don't add effects that are time-consuming to resolve in-game if you can help it. Nobody is having fun while that is happening.

Fair point. I'll try playtesting some of these and see how to speed them up.


Then you need to add more stuff like taint, bringing in character flaws etc.

Thanks for the spoiler for the yellow chart. 53 should have a roll for which random plane and probably a time limit.

Are the effects missing from growing 1d10 random organs, or is it supposed to just be fluff? See #64 and also for number 65.

I don't want to presume what planes are in someone's cosmology, but someone could always refer to Reality Maelstrom in a pinch, I guess?

As for time limits, I'll add a note that effects last 24 hours unless specified otherwise.

The 1d10 Organs thing is mostly fluff/plot-hooks. You grew an organ. What purpose is it gonna serve, or what does it do to you? DM has 1d10 potential plot coupons he can invoke at any time.

65 Is just silly fluff though, yea.

[AuraTwilight]

Filled in #74, yay. Still open for Peaching and assorted fruits.

[Debihuman]

It is utterly invisible to the naked eye to all but Vagairies and divine figures.

What are "Vagairies and divine figures" exactly? Do you mean just Deities and their minions or do you mean all creatures from the Upper Planes? Does it include those with the Celestial and Half-Celestial templates?


When acquired, the bracelet binds to the wearer's dominant hand, and becomes a part of him similar to an Incarnum soulmeld (superficially, anyway). What if the wearer doesn't have a dominant hand? Also wouldn't it bind to his wrist? See magic items on the body.

You still haven't explained the virus cores.

Still not a fan of the color coding on the chart. It's numbered so the color coding is redundant and the colors don't seem to mean much.

Debby

[AuraTwilight]

What are "Vagairies and divine figures" exactly? Do you mean just Deities and their minions or do you mean all creatures from the Upper Planes? Does it include those with the Celestial and Half-Celestial templates?

Vagairies are a creature I haven't statted up yet; for 'divine figures', I'll specify deities and their minions.


What if the wearer doesn't have a dominant hand? Also wouldn't it bind to his wrist? See magic items on the body.


Wrist, then. If there's no dominant hand, they can choose, I guess.



You still haven't explained the virus cores.

Still not a fan of the color coding on the chart. It's numbered so the color coding is redundant and the colors don't seem to mean much.


Virus Cores will come part and parcel with a template, my apologies for the inconvenience. As for the color coding, I suppose I'll remove it. It was mostly for organizing in the rough draft, so out it goes.