Jormengand
2016-08-05, 04:58 PM
If you're a fighter with weapon focus (longsword) and related +longsword feats, getting a powerful magic item which isn't a longsword really really sucks. On the other hand, getting items that you could craft into a really powerful weapon of your choice but which don't do anything right now is kinda infuriating. Therefore, instant crafting. Enjoy.
In this magic item system, a magic item is not actually made by some mage who wastes a bunch of experience on making swords for his fighter buddy (and apparently everyone else's fighter buddy) to hit things slightly harder with a stick. Instead, they are made with the comparatively simple process of Essence Binding.
Spell trigger, spell completion and consumable spell items (such as wands, scrolls and potions) are an exception. A scroll is scribed using the normal rules in the scribe scroll feat, potions are brewed using the normal rules in the brew potion feat, and so forth. However, any other item creation feat is not granted. A creature who would be entitled to such a feat is instead entitled to either a metamagic feat or a fighter bonus feat instead; they may choose which one even if they would not normally get a choice. A creature who can choose from a list that happens to contain an item creation feat is not entitled to take the feat, and then swap it for a metamagic or fighter bonus feat, unless the list only contains item creation feats that no longer exist, or contains only a combination of such feats and feats that the character already possesses.
Essences come in a set of powers and colours. A faint crimson essence exhibits minor control over fire, while a radiant prismatic essence exhibits supreme control over all energy types. Further, each item has a different effect depending on what kind of item it is placed in. A sword with a radiant prismatic essence deals heavy damage of each energy type, but a ring with it in grants immunity to all energy types instead. Armour with the essence inside will damage attackers, while a helmet will increase the damage of the wearer's elemental spells of any energy type.
Each item has a set number of essences that can be placed in it: two for a one-handed weapon, three for a two-handed weapon, two for a set of armour, and one otherwise (including for light weapons). A shield has two, but one is for the shield's shield bash (and enchants it as though it were a weapon) and the other is for the shield's defensive property (and enchants it as though it were a piece of armour). Similarly, you can enchant a gauntlet separately as a weapon and as a glove-slot item.
Each power level, from faint to radiant, has a different X-value, which tells you how powerful it is. For example, prismatic essences in a weapon deal Xd6 damage of each energy type when added to that weapon. The X-values are as follows:
Faint: X=1
Dull: X=2
Dim: X=3
Glowing: X=4
Bright: X=5
Luminous: X=6
Shining: X=7
Lustrous: X=8
Brilliant: X=9
Radiant: X=10
Mundane items and pieces of jewellery to imbue are generally cheap; they can cost as little as 1 SP for a set of cloth gloves, an unworked bone ring literally cut from the bone of some animal big enough that its bones fit on your finger, or so forth. Lustrous jewellelery can cost obscene amounts, but doesn't have any particular magical benefits, leading to the stereotype of magicians in old robes wearing strange jewellery. An essence collector - usually shaped like some piece of mundane but symbollic object such as a cup or an orb - has infinite binds for any kind of essence but no magical qualities, making it a useful store of essence.
Weapon, armour and shield binds, on the other hand, require something a lot tougher, and therefore the item in question must be masterwork (except for a gauntlet recieving a glove bind - weapon binds require it to be masterwork, though).
You cannot enchant a mundane item for magic item slots. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?495652-Mundane-Items-for-Magic-Item-Slots-(3-5-equipment-PEACH)) You can enchant fifty pieces of ammunition, but they cannot then be disenchanted.
Disenchanting is an important way of getting essences back. You essentially simply rip the essence out of its slot, leaving both essence and item intact. Destroying the item also yields the essences intact, to the good fortune of those who fight rust monsters (or enemies who enjoy sundering their equipment). Destroying the essences (such as with disjunction) conversely leaves the item intact.
Further, essences can be combined to create a more powerful version of the same colour of essence. Essences of the same power and colour can be combined into more powerful ones; doing this requires that the total value of combined essences equals or exceeds the desired value of the new essence. Excess value is expelled in "Essence shards", too weak to be useful on their own, but which can be combined into more powerful essences as normal. An essence can similarly be smashed into shards.
The following table displays the effects of all essences. "N Prismatic damage" means "N of each of acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic damage". True damage cannot be prevented, resisted or mitigated by any means.
EssenceHeadEyesNeckTorsoBody (Armour)WaistShouldersArms/WristsHandsFingers (Rings)FeetWeapon
Argent+X INT+2X to Spot+X WIS+X CON+X Enhancement+X STR+X CHA+X Armour to AC+X DEX+X Resistance to All+5X Speed+X Enhancement
AlabasterSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 cold damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 cold damageAdjacent enemies take X cold damage/roundAttacker takes cold damage of Xd6Ignore enemy cold resistance 5X+2X to Will saves+2X to trip attacks and checks1d6 cold damage/round in a grappleResist Cold 5XFly (Clumsy) Speed of 5XAttack deals Xd6 cold damage
AzureSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 electricity damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 electricity damageAdjacent enemies take X electricity damage/roundAttacker takes electricity damage of Xd6Ignore enemy electricity resistance 5X+2X to Reflex Saves+2X to disarm attacks and checks1d6 electricity damage/round in a grappleResist Electricity 5XSwim Speed of 5 FeetAttack deals Xd6 electricity damage
CrimsonSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 fire damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 fire damageAdjacent enemies take X fire damage/roundAttacker takes fire damage of Xd6Ignore enemy fire resistance 5X+2X to Concentration+2X to bull rush checks1d6 fire damage/round in a grappleResist Fire 5XClimb Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 fire damage
GreySee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 piercing damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 extra damage of original type(s)Adjacent enemies take X falling damage/roundAttacker takes slashing damage of Xd6Ignore enemy damage reduction X+2X to Hide+2X to two-weapon fighting attacks1d6 bludgeoning damage/round in a grappleGain DR X/-+2X to JumpAttack deals Xd6 extra damage of original type(s)
MagentaSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 sonic damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 sonic damageAdjacent enemies take X sonic damage/roundAttacker takes sonic damage of Xd6Ignore enemy sonic resistance 5X+2X to Tumble+2X to sunder attacks and checks1d6 sonic damage/round in a grappleResist Sonic 5X+2X to Move SilentlyAttack deals Xd6 sonic damage
VerdantSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 acid damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 acid damageAdjacent enemies take X acid damage/roundAttacker takes acid damage of Xd6Ignore enemy acid resistance 5X+2X to fortitude saves+2X to overrun checks1d6 acid damage/round in a grappleResist Acid 5XBurrow Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 sonic damage
Epic EssenceHeadEyesNeckTorsoBody (Armour)WaistShouldersArms/WristsHandsFingers (Rings)FeetWeapon
GoldenSee Note 2Gaze deals Xd6 true damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 true damageAdjacent enemies take X true damage/roundAttacker takes true damage of Xd6Ignore enemy spell resistance X+2X all saves+2X to spell save DCs1d6 true damage/round in a grappleGrants fast healing XFly Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 true damage
PrismaticSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 prismatic damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 prismatic damageAdjacent enemies take X prismatic damage/roundAttacker takes prismatic damage of Xd6Ignore enemy energy resistance 5X+X all saves and +2X Concentration/Tumble+2X to bull rush/charge/overrun/sunder/trip attacks and checks1d6 prismatic damage/round in a grappleResist All Energy 5XSee Note 3Attack deals Xd6 prismatic damage
TransparentSee Note 1Gaze deals 2Xd6 force damageNatural attacks deal 2Xd6 force damageAdjacent enemies take 2X force damage/roundAttacker takes force damage of 2Xd6Ignore enemy force/deflection AC bonuses XSpell Resistance Level+2X+4X to grapple attacks and checks2Xd6 force damage/round in a grappleSee note 4Skate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/skate.htm) Speed of 10X FeetAttack deals 2Xd6 force damage
Note 1: This adds the damage that the essence would deal imbued in a weapon to the spells of the correct type - for example, a transparant essence causes each of the user's magic missiles to deal the extra damage, while a dull fire essence adds 1d6 damage to the user's fireballs and burning hands. The extra damage still takes place when using an incorrect spell, but is minimised. For example, a hellball (an acid fire electricity sonic spell) would gain 5d6 extra damage of each of those damage types and 5 extra cold damage from a bright prismatic essence. Grey essences deal the same damage as the spell; if the spell deals more than one type of damage, choose randomly.
Note 2: This adds Xd6 true damage to any of the wearer's spells, regardless of what damage type they deal.
Note 3: This grants a climb, burrow and fly (clumsy maneuverability) speed equal to 5X, and a bonus to jump and move silently checks equal to X.
Note 4: This grants a +X deflection bonus to AC, and reduces any force damage taken by the wearer by 5X
The price of all essences is given below. The price of "Essence shards" - tiny fragments of essence too weak to be useful, but which can be used to make more powerful essences - is also given.
EssenceShardFaintDullDimGlowingBrightLuminousShini ngLustrousBrilliantRadiant
Argent10100040009000160002500036000490006400081000 100000
Alabaster10100040009000160002500036000490006400081 000100000
Azure101000400090001600025000360004900064000810001 00000
Crimson1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Grey2020008000180003200050000640009800012800016200 0200000
Magenta1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Verdant1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Epic EssenceShardFaintDullDimGlowingBrightLuminousShini ngLustrousBrilliantRadiant
Golden30300012000270004800075000108000147000192000 243000300000
Prismatic10010000400009000016000025000036000049000 06400008100001000000
Transparent505000200004500080000125000180000245000 320000405000500000
To make golems, homunculi, or shield guardians, one infuses the body with essence, rather than needing the craft construct feat. Destroying the construct shatters the essence into shards, but these can be collected and re-formed.
A golem (clay golem) requires a dull and a glowing verdant essence to function
A golem (flesh golem) requires a faint and a dim azure essence to function.
A golem (iron golem) requires a lustrous, a dull and a faint crimson essence and 50 crimson shards to function. The 5000 pounds of iron, for reference, costs 500 GP (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/wealthAndMoney.htm#wealthOtherThanCoins).
A golem (stone golem) requires one luminous and one dim alabaster essence. You can't create greater stone golems; just advance the stone golem to 42 hit dice as given below.
Any golem requires an extra 2 faint essence and 50 essence shards of the relevant type for each additional hit die, and an extra bright essence if it increases in size.
A homonculus requires 1 faint argent essence imbued in it to function, and two faint argent essences for each additional hit die.
A shield guardian's amulet needs to be infused with one dim and one faint grey essence, and the construct itself requires 1 dull and 1 glowing grey essence. Each extra hit die requires 1 faint grey essence and 25 grey essence shards, and if the creature becomes huge, one faint and one dull grey essence is required.
The following epic constructs can also be created:
A colossus (flesh colossus) requires 6 radiant, 1 shining, 2 dull and 1 faint azure essence.
A colossus (iron colossus) requires 8 radiant, 1 brilliant and 2 dim crimson essence, and 50 crimson shards.
A colossus (stone colossus) requires 6 radiant, 1 shining, 2 dull and 1 faint alabaster essence.
Colossi cannot be advanced, apparently, especially not flesh colossi.
A golem (adamantine golem) requires one brilliant, one faint, one dull and one dim transparent essence, but use argent essence to advance the golem.
A golem (mithral golem) requires one brilliant golden essence and two faint argent essence (use argent essence to advance the golem.
In this magic item system, a magic item is not actually made by some mage who wastes a bunch of experience on making swords for his fighter buddy (and apparently everyone else's fighter buddy) to hit things slightly harder with a stick. Instead, they are made with the comparatively simple process of Essence Binding.
Spell trigger, spell completion and consumable spell items (such as wands, scrolls and potions) are an exception. A scroll is scribed using the normal rules in the scribe scroll feat, potions are brewed using the normal rules in the brew potion feat, and so forth. However, any other item creation feat is not granted. A creature who would be entitled to such a feat is instead entitled to either a metamagic feat or a fighter bonus feat instead; they may choose which one even if they would not normally get a choice. A creature who can choose from a list that happens to contain an item creation feat is not entitled to take the feat, and then swap it for a metamagic or fighter bonus feat, unless the list only contains item creation feats that no longer exist, or contains only a combination of such feats and feats that the character already possesses.
Essences come in a set of powers and colours. A faint crimson essence exhibits minor control over fire, while a radiant prismatic essence exhibits supreme control over all energy types. Further, each item has a different effect depending on what kind of item it is placed in. A sword with a radiant prismatic essence deals heavy damage of each energy type, but a ring with it in grants immunity to all energy types instead. Armour with the essence inside will damage attackers, while a helmet will increase the damage of the wearer's elemental spells of any energy type.
Each item has a set number of essences that can be placed in it: two for a one-handed weapon, three for a two-handed weapon, two for a set of armour, and one otherwise (including for light weapons). A shield has two, but one is for the shield's shield bash (and enchants it as though it were a weapon) and the other is for the shield's defensive property (and enchants it as though it were a piece of armour). Similarly, you can enchant a gauntlet separately as a weapon and as a glove-slot item.
Each power level, from faint to radiant, has a different X-value, which tells you how powerful it is. For example, prismatic essences in a weapon deal Xd6 damage of each energy type when added to that weapon. The X-values are as follows:
Faint: X=1
Dull: X=2
Dim: X=3
Glowing: X=4
Bright: X=5
Luminous: X=6
Shining: X=7
Lustrous: X=8
Brilliant: X=9
Radiant: X=10
Mundane items and pieces of jewellery to imbue are generally cheap; they can cost as little as 1 SP for a set of cloth gloves, an unworked bone ring literally cut from the bone of some animal big enough that its bones fit on your finger, or so forth. Lustrous jewellelery can cost obscene amounts, but doesn't have any particular magical benefits, leading to the stereotype of magicians in old robes wearing strange jewellery. An essence collector - usually shaped like some piece of mundane but symbollic object such as a cup or an orb - has infinite binds for any kind of essence but no magical qualities, making it a useful store of essence.
Weapon, armour and shield binds, on the other hand, require something a lot tougher, and therefore the item in question must be masterwork (except for a gauntlet recieving a glove bind - weapon binds require it to be masterwork, though).
You cannot enchant a mundane item for magic item slots. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?495652-Mundane-Items-for-Magic-Item-Slots-(3-5-equipment-PEACH)) You can enchant fifty pieces of ammunition, but they cannot then be disenchanted.
Disenchanting is an important way of getting essences back. You essentially simply rip the essence out of its slot, leaving both essence and item intact. Destroying the item also yields the essences intact, to the good fortune of those who fight rust monsters (or enemies who enjoy sundering their equipment). Destroying the essences (such as with disjunction) conversely leaves the item intact.
Further, essences can be combined to create a more powerful version of the same colour of essence. Essences of the same power and colour can be combined into more powerful ones; doing this requires that the total value of combined essences equals or exceeds the desired value of the new essence. Excess value is expelled in "Essence shards", too weak to be useful on their own, but which can be combined into more powerful essences as normal. An essence can similarly be smashed into shards.
The following table displays the effects of all essences. "N Prismatic damage" means "N of each of acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic damage". True damage cannot be prevented, resisted or mitigated by any means.
EssenceHeadEyesNeckTorsoBody (Armour)WaistShouldersArms/WristsHandsFingers (Rings)FeetWeapon
Argent+X INT+2X to Spot+X WIS+X CON+X Enhancement+X STR+X CHA+X Armour to AC+X DEX+X Resistance to All+5X Speed+X Enhancement
AlabasterSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 cold damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 cold damageAdjacent enemies take X cold damage/roundAttacker takes cold damage of Xd6Ignore enemy cold resistance 5X+2X to Will saves+2X to trip attacks and checks1d6 cold damage/round in a grappleResist Cold 5XFly (Clumsy) Speed of 5XAttack deals Xd6 cold damage
AzureSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 electricity damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 electricity damageAdjacent enemies take X electricity damage/roundAttacker takes electricity damage of Xd6Ignore enemy electricity resistance 5X+2X to Reflex Saves+2X to disarm attacks and checks1d6 electricity damage/round in a grappleResist Electricity 5XSwim Speed of 5 FeetAttack deals Xd6 electricity damage
CrimsonSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 fire damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 fire damageAdjacent enemies take X fire damage/roundAttacker takes fire damage of Xd6Ignore enemy fire resistance 5X+2X to Concentration+2X to bull rush checks1d6 fire damage/round in a grappleResist Fire 5XClimb Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 fire damage
GreySee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 piercing damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 extra damage of original type(s)Adjacent enemies take X falling damage/roundAttacker takes slashing damage of Xd6Ignore enemy damage reduction X+2X to Hide+2X to two-weapon fighting attacks1d6 bludgeoning damage/round in a grappleGain DR X/-+2X to JumpAttack deals Xd6 extra damage of original type(s)
MagentaSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 sonic damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 sonic damageAdjacent enemies take X sonic damage/roundAttacker takes sonic damage of Xd6Ignore enemy sonic resistance 5X+2X to Tumble+2X to sunder attacks and checks1d6 sonic damage/round in a grappleResist Sonic 5X+2X to Move SilentlyAttack deals Xd6 sonic damage
VerdantSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 acid damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 acid damageAdjacent enemies take X acid damage/roundAttacker takes acid damage of Xd6Ignore enemy acid resistance 5X+2X to fortitude saves+2X to overrun checks1d6 acid damage/round in a grappleResist Acid 5XBurrow Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 sonic damage
Epic EssenceHeadEyesNeckTorsoBody (Armour)WaistShouldersArms/WristsHandsFingers (Rings)FeetWeapon
GoldenSee Note 2Gaze deals Xd6 true damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 true damageAdjacent enemies take X true damage/roundAttacker takes true damage of Xd6Ignore enemy spell resistance X+2X all saves+2X to spell save DCs1d6 true damage/round in a grappleGrants fast healing XFly Speed of 5X FeetAttack deals Xd6 true damage
PrismaticSee Note 1Gaze deals Xd6 prismatic damageNatural attacks deal Xd6 prismatic damageAdjacent enemies take X prismatic damage/roundAttacker takes prismatic damage of Xd6Ignore enemy energy resistance 5X+X all saves and +2X Concentration/Tumble+2X to bull rush/charge/overrun/sunder/trip attacks and checks1d6 prismatic damage/round in a grappleResist All Energy 5XSee Note 3Attack deals Xd6 prismatic damage
TransparentSee Note 1Gaze deals 2Xd6 force damageNatural attacks deal 2Xd6 force damageAdjacent enemies take 2X force damage/roundAttacker takes force damage of 2Xd6Ignore enemy force/deflection AC bonuses XSpell Resistance Level+2X+4X to grapple attacks and checks2Xd6 force damage/round in a grappleSee note 4Skate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/skate.htm) Speed of 10X FeetAttack deals 2Xd6 force damage
Note 1: This adds the damage that the essence would deal imbued in a weapon to the spells of the correct type - for example, a transparant essence causes each of the user's magic missiles to deal the extra damage, while a dull fire essence adds 1d6 damage to the user's fireballs and burning hands. The extra damage still takes place when using an incorrect spell, but is minimised. For example, a hellball (an acid fire electricity sonic spell) would gain 5d6 extra damage of each of those damage types and 5 extra cold damage from a bright prismatic essence. Grey essences deal the same damage as the spell; if the spell deals more than one type of damage, choose randomly.
Note 2: This adds Xd6 true damage to any of the wearer's spells, regardless of what damage type they deal.
Note 3: This grants a climb, burrow and fly (clumsy maneuverability) speed equal to 5X, and a bonus to jump and move silently checks equal to X.
Note 4: This grants a +X deflection bonus to AC, and reduces any force damage taken by the wearer by 5X
The price of all essences is given below. The price of "Essence shards" - tiny fragments of essence too weak to be useful, but which can be used to make more powerful essences - is also given.
EssenceShardFaintDullDimGlowingBrightLuminousShini ngLustrousBrilliantRadiant
Argent10100040009000160002500036000490006400081000 100000
Alabaster10100040009000160002500036000490006400081 000100000
Azure101000400090001600025000360004900064000810001 00000
Crimson1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Grey2020008000180003200050000640009800012800016200 0200000
Magenta1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Verdant1010004000900016000250003600049000640008100 0100000
Epic EssenceShardFaintDullDimGlowingBrightLuminousShini ngLustrousBrilliantRadiant
Golden30300012000270004800075000108000147000192000 243000300000
Prismatic10010000400009000016000025000036000049000 06400008100001000000
Transparent505000200004500080000125000180000245000 320000405000500000
To make golems, homunculi, or shield guardians, one infuses the body with essence, rather than needing the craft construct feat. Destroying the construct shatters the essence into shards, but these can be collected and re-formed.
A golem (clay golem) requires a dull and a glowing verdant essence to function
A golem (flesh golem) requires a faint and a dim azure essence to function.
A golem (iron golem) requires a lustrous, a dull and a faint crimson essence and 50 crimson shards to function. The 5000 pounds of iron, for reference, costs 500 GP (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/wealthAndMoney.htm#wealthOtherThanCoins).
A golem (stone golem) requires one luminous and one dim alabaster essence. You can't create greater stone golems; just advance the stone golem to 42 hit dice as given below.
Any golem requires an extra 2 faint essence and 50 essence shards of the relevant type for each additional hit die, and an extra bright essence if it increases in size.
A homonculus requires 1 faint argent essence imbued in it to function, and two faint argent essences for each additional hit die.
A shield guardian's amulet needs to be infused with one dim and one faint grey essence, and the construct itself requires 1 dull and 1 glowing grey essence. Each extra hit die requires 1 faint grey essence and 25 grey essence shards, and if the creature becomes huge, one faint and one dull grey essence is required.
The following epic constructs can also be created:
A colossus (flesh colossus) requires 6 radiant, 1 shining, 2 dull and 1 faint azure essence.
A colossus (iron colossus) requires 8 radiant, 1 brilliant and 2 dim crimson essence, and 50 crimson shards.
A colossus (stone colossus) requires 6 radiant, 1 shining, 2 dull and 1 faint alabaster essence.
Colossi cannot be advanced, apparently, especially not flesh colossi.
A golem (adamantine golem) requires one brilliant, one faint, one dull and one dim transparent essence, but use argent essence to advance the golem.
A golem (mithral golem) requires one brilliant golden essence and two faint argent essence (use argent essence to advance the golem.