Items For the Long Haul

[Dusk Raven]

Maybe this is just a weird quirk of mine, but I get attached to items. Rather easily. Without going into detailed descriptions of my perceptions and beliefs, I basically bond with objects rather well, to the point where I end up preferring particular "individuals" of that object type over others of its kind, even if a newer, less worn one comes along. What this translates into is that I end up seeing a character's equipment as a part of them, worthy of as much consideration as your flesh-and-blood companions (and, depending on party makeup, maybe even moreso due to being more reliable). So it really irks me when I've been using a particular sword for a while, and have gone through no small number of thrilling adventures with it, only to have a newer, shinier sword placed in front of me, with every indicator that I should take it and sell my old one without a second thought.

So, what options exist for someone like me, who wants to keep a distinctive or not-so-distinctive item throughout the campaign? I am looking through Unearthed Arcana at the moment, and while "Item Familiars" are a thing that should pander perfectly to me... I really don't understand why they thought half of this stuff was a good idea. I have so many problems with the various "invest" features, and anything beyond that is rather similar to what any intelligent item can get. I don't mind that last bit - no better solution to me seeing items as having personas than actually giving them personae - but it's not necessarily what I'm looking for, at least not by itself.

In essence, is there in existence something that rewards using a piece of equipment continuously throughout your adventuring career, or will I have to recruit some homebrewers for the task? While I'm at it, is there anything anyone can think of that could work as a starting point for such a concept?

[Flickerdart]

You can get a Psionic weapon (whose enhancement bonus is based on how much PP you have) or a class like Kensai or Psychic Weapon Master that can improve a weapon. The feat Ancestral Relic does that too (letting you sacrifice magic items to improve your relic).

The Magic Item Compendium also has rules for upgrading items (basically like what you would expect - pay the difference, get a new ability on your stick).

[paranoidbox]

Weapons of Legacy should be right up your alley. It's not the best system, but basically you take some feats to have the item grow in power as you grow in power.

[Kol Korran]

There are 3 solutions I can think of:
1. The most basic one is- talk to your GM. Explain your desire to make the items lasting more, and improving. If the GM plays along, then he (and you) can add some background to an item, some character to it (which initially can be mechanical or flavor, or both). The weapons of legacy, while it's system is considered... not that good... does have a Cool basic concept, which sounds that it would fit your style basically, when the character performs special iconic acts/ accomplishes great deeds with an item, it husband new operation, flavored by what was done. You struck the final blow against an efreet? Your sword can deal fire damage. You dove into the ocean's floor? Your armor grants water breathing/ swim speed and so on... you managed to fool the magics of a powerful sorcerer? Your robe grants some SR...
2. You can ask the DM to quest for certain thematic upgrades. You keep fighting the golem armies? Seek the legendary dwarf alchemist, to turn your sword into adamantine. And so on. Aall the GM to include the side quests inside the main quests if possible, so the other party members won't get Mad.
3. Upgrade your items by spending money! The magic item compendium has rules for that, but these follow the basic item creationrules. BasicBasically figure out how much your item costs, how much an improved item costs, and pay the difference in money and time spent to add the enchantments. Quite straight forward really!.

Good luck to you!

[Rubik]

If you're a psychic warrior, you can take the soulbound weapon ACF here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a), and you can summon the same weapon from different points in the timeline, almost like a paladin summons his mount. Ask your DM if you can find an intelligent weapon that you can summon each time. It's sure to lead to some fun times when you have an intelligent sword that keeps wondering why it's being pulled through time.

[Dusk Raven]

I think I have seen rules for a Legacy Weapon - in a campaign module, it was a reward for completion (there were two continuations). It seemed interesting - there were a lot of upsides, but I think the cost was... basically levels or something like that. Which seems to fit - using a weapon of that mmuch power and renown could take a toll on your typical adventurer.


There are 3 solutions I can think of:
1. The most basic one is- talk to your GM. Explain your desire to make the items lasting more, and improving. If the GM plays along, then he (and you) can add some background to an item, some character to it (which initially can be mechanical or flavor, or both). The weapons of legacy, while it's system is considered... not that good... does have a Cool basic concept, which sounds that it would fit your style basically, when the character performs special iconic acts/ accomplishes great deeds with an item, it husband new operation, flavored by what was done. You struck the final blow against an efreet? Your sword can deal fire damage. You dove into the ocean's floor? Your armor grants water breathing/ swim speed and so on... you managed to fool the magics of a powerful sorcerer? Your robe grants some SR...
2. You can ask the DM to quest for certain thematic upgrades. You keep fighting the golem armies? Seek the legendary dwarf alchemist, to turn your sword into adamantine. And so on. Aall the GM to include the side quests inside the main quests if possible, so the other party members won't get Mad.
3. Upgrade your items by spending money! The magic item compendium has rules for that, but these follow the basic item creationrules. BasicBasically figure out how much your item costs, how much an improved item costs, and pay the difference in money and time spent to add the enchantments. Quite straight forward really!.

Good luck to you!

The first two are certainly appealing - since the equipment is going to be important, seems fitting to involve the DM in its creation. But the Magic Item Compendium rules for upgrading might be promising. You know, I suddenly thought of something - in the Oriental Adventures book, the Samurai has a really interesting feature. They start off with a masterwork katana and wakizashi (neither of which are words my spellchecker recognizes, puzzlingly), which is an ancestral daisho set passed down through generations. Given this value, they aren't supposed to just discard them, so they get the ability to, with the help of their ancestors, sacrifice money and magic items to upgrade them. Best part? Magic items sacrificed are worth their full value, not sell price, so it's perfectly acceptable to just sacrifice weapons you don't need, since you get more value for them than you would by selling them.

[paranoidbox]

The first two are certainly appealing - since the equipment is going to be important, seems fitting to involve the DM in its creation. But the Magic Item Compendium rules for upgrading might be promising. You know, I suddenly thought of something - in the Oriental Adventures book, the Samurai has a really interesting feature. They start off with a masterwork katana and wakizashi (neither of which are words my spellchecker recognizes, puzzlingly), which is an ancestral daisho set passed down through generations. Given this value, they aren't supposed to just discard them, so they get the ability to, with the help of their ancestors, sacrifice money and magic items to upgrade them. Best part? Magic items sacrificed are worth their full value, not sell price, so it's perfectly acceptable to just sacrifice weapons you don't need, since you get more value for them than you would by selling them.

That's basically what the feat Ancestral Relic does :-)

[Cwymbran-San]

Yeah, but as an OA samurai you get it as a class Feature and do not have to burn a feat for it. On the other Hand, it only works for These specific weapons and not, let's say, a suit of armor or your beloved Cloak of Resistance. At least not without the DM's approval.

[paranoidbox]

Yeah, but as an OA samurai you get it as a class Feature and do not have to burn a feat for it. On the other Hand, it only works for These specific weapons and not, let's say, a suit of armor or your beloved Cloak of Resistance. At least not without the DM's approval.

It also works if you kind of don't want to play a samurai which seems likely because... well, OA samurai.

[Dusk Raven]

It also works if you kind of don't want to play a samurai which seems likely because... well, OA samurai.

OA Samurai is monumentally better than CW Samurai. This isn't to say they're amazing, but if you can make a Fighter work you can make a Samurai work, because they're almost identical. Main difference is the Ancestral Daisho feature, which they get instead of one of their Fighter bonus feats if I recall (so they do technically burn a feat for it, albeit a bonus feat). But I will check out that Ancestral Relic feat, because quite frankly I love the idea of that feature.

[Nibbens]

I know your pain. I'm currently playing as a barbarian who rages and runs into the frontline with his trusty dagger. No amount of pleading from his party (in game) has been able to convince him to pick up something more "barbarianly" due to his particular fascination with his masterwork dagger that has saved his life time and time again.

Depending on your edition and allowance of your DM - "upgrading" magic items is a possibility.
A Masterwork dagger can be "worked on" by a magic item vendor to upgrade it it a +1 when you have enough money. Then later on a +1 shocking, and further down the line for a +1 shocking whatever and so forth. You just pay the difference between the two bonuses plus whatever fees the vendor charges. This should be a fairly reasonable trade off with your DM.

[Daddoo]

There is always the item creation feats that allow you to improve your items. There was also a item leveling system in dragon magazine that would improve your equipment as you rise in level. I am the same way I want to keep my original equipment, name it and make it famous throughout the land! "Here comes Andar the Barbarian and there is hid Deadly Dagger Doom!" peasants swoon. noble ladies gasp and fan themselves harder.

[Âmesang]

It's always a nice bit of flavor to go with any character. I've one who's continually kept a "fine silver brooch set with a rich purple amethyst" because of how she obtained it (and nearly went to the ends of the Œrth to reclaim it).

[Nibbens]

"Here comes Andar the Barbarian and there is hid Deadly Dagger Doom!" peasants swoon. noble ladies gasp and fan themselves harder.

Heh. This made me laugh.

[GilesTheCleric]

Fiend of Possession will allow you to power up a weapon (or armour/ shield) as you level. You might have to do a variant The Big Guy is With Me build or use leadership/ simulacrum/ etc if you'd like to wield the weapon at the same time. With Uncanny Trickster and Legacy Champion, you can get the +5 up to +15, or even more with additional tricks.

I think PF has feats that are effectively achievements? If there's one that grants things to your weapon, then there you go.

Another solution might be to use the UMD rules to mimic a scaling item within the game rules: give it a set of base abilities, and then more abilities that are locked behind a "must be used by this race/ class/ person" wall. It could grant a UMD bonus that scales to your level, or a flat UMD bonus while you level your own ranks up. Each time you unlock a new set of abilities, there's another behind a higher DC UMD. You could be granted another UMD bonus at each unlock, too. There's many variations of ways to do this.

[Rubik]

I know your pain. I'm currently playing as a barbarian who rages and runs into the frontline with his trusty dagger. No amount of pleading from his party (in game) has been able to convince him to pick up something more "barbarianly" due to his particular fascination with his masterwork dagger that has saved his life time and time again.Might want to be a bit careful with this kind of thing. Any pragmatic group would dump you on the curb to find someone more effective. A dagger-wielding barbarian is a liability because he's comparitively ineffectual, especially at higher levels.