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inuyasha
2016-09-02, 03:10 PM
I came up with a random idea today while generating things for my Pathfinder campaign. I've always had the idea that magic items should be special, +1 swords and +2 shields are fine, but why are they magical?

So, I want to make a thread where we can come up with items that are unique like an artifact, but not immensely powerful like one, and that was actually created using the magic item pricing guidelines. They could be a variation on a wand of magic missile made by a specific mage, an ancient paladin's modified holy avenger, or a special item that you come up with completely on your own.

The only requirement of this thread is that it be a magic item that includes game stats and a written history detailing either the creation of the item, things that the item has done, where the item is, or any combination of the three.

The magic items can be for any edition, but the ones that I will be posting will be primarily for 3.5/PF (though I suppose you could adapt them to another edition if desired)

I'll start with the first thing that came to mind when making this thread:


Dagger of Freedom
This shining bronze knife is perfectly polished and shines as bright as a candle. Many nicks are present along the blade, as though it has been used often.
The Dagger of Freedom is a Bronze +1 devil bane bronze dagger that, when on anyone's person, grants a +4 competence bonus to any escape artist checks, and can cast Divine Favor on the wielder as a 4th level cleric three times per day.
Cost: 14,220 GP
Creation: 7,060 GP, Craft Wondrous Arms & Armor, CL 8, Summon Monster 1, Magic Weapon, Divine Favor, Grease

History:
The unique artifact that is the Dagger of Freedom is the result of a priest whose true name has been lost to history, and a paladin who saved his life. Known as The Lightbringer, the paladin frequently made expeditions to the lower planes, exterminating creatures of darkness and freeing the damned souls that dwelt there.
On one such adventure, he freed a priest from the pits of hell. The priest then collected one memento, a bronze knife used to torture him daily. Once brought back to the material plane, the priest used his powers to nullify the blade's wickedness, and hallowed it as a beacon of hope for those trapped and bound.

The blade was offered as a gift to the Lightbringer, but was declined when the paladin said the priest may need it some day, in case the forces of hell tried to take him back.

They did try to take the priest back once, sending a single spy and a small force of lemures but the knife warded them off easily, even in the hands of a cloistered priest such as this one. The priest kept the blade for emergencies, but it hung over his mantelpiece for many years before his death.

Since then, it was passed down through the family, and eventually traded off to a newly trained Paladin in need of assistance. What has become of it since then is not known.

inuyasha
2016-09-02, 03:11 PM
Reserved post to compile magic items in:


Dagger of Freedom (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21164637&postcount=1) created by Inuyasha
The Bow of Relentless Hunger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21177693&postcount=4) created by Clockwork333
Acheron's Blade of Freedom (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21177693&postcount=4) created by Name1
The Trailblazer's Torch (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21238176&postcount=8) created by Inuyasha
The Staff of Goblin Wrath (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21238176&postcount=8) created by Inuyasha

Clockwork333
2016-09-06, 12:27 AM
Wow this looks fascinating, I'll have to try and whip something up...

The only part of your example that I'm not able to piece together by reading

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items#TOC-Magic-Item-Creation

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCampaign/campaignSystems/magicItemCreation.html

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/coreRulebook/magicItems/magicItemCreation.html#magic-item-gold-piece-values

Is the Creation line detailing shield of faith, magic weapon, and divine favor. I understand that these are the spells involved in creating the item, but I don't know how it's decided which spells apply, aside from Craft Wondrous Arms/Armor of course. If they're just decided by what seems fitting, then I think I may have something to start out with.


Festooned with teeth and small bones, this wooden longbow appears crudely made, but seems durable and accurate. The teeth appear bloodstained regardless of attempts to clean them.
The Bow of Relentless Hunger is a +1 Wooden Longbow, The wielder adds a +1 bonus to attack rolls against beasts, increasing to +2 when hungry, or +3 if starving. Twice per day the wielder may cast Hunter's Howl as a Second Level Ranger.

Cost: 6000gp
Creation: 3000gp, Craft Wondrous Arms and Armor, Call Weapon, Hunter's Howl, Detect Animals or Plants

History:
There was once a lizardfolk chief with a prodigious appetite, renowned for holding lavish feasts and outeating even the next three largest warriors together. Despite their apparent gluttony, the chief never failed to provide for their tribe, working hard to hunt the largest and most dangerous of creatures in their jungle home to keep their people both safe and fed, though they would often take the choicest bits of meat for themselves. Eventually the chief finally perished during a hunt against a particularly ill-tempered frog-hemoth, found with a chunk of the beast in its mouth, a portion of their hunger lived on in their favorite bow, which passed through their tribe for years and into the hands of adventurers the tribe was indebted to, until finally being lost to time.

Name1
2016-09-07, 12:13 AM
Huh, this seems interesting, I think I'll have a try at this myself.

So... I'll be using the Magic Item Creation-rules, right? I guess I'll be going with 3.5, because it's the one I've bee using since forever^^
Heck, I even had this idea which somewhat fits with freedom, even if it's idea is a bit... weird.


Acheron's Blade of Freedom
This katana appears to be made out of a pitch-black crystal and seems to be reacting to those with a powerful mind whenever they step close. Unlike any katana you've ever seen before, it's blade is jagged, sporting fine teeth like a handsaw.
Acheron's Blade of Freedom is a +1 Deep-Crystal Masterwork Bastard Sword. Like normal, the user can spet 2 Power Points to increase the damage dealt with a strike by +2d6, but in the hands of a Lawful Evil User, it reveals it's true power: Upon a hit, the target becomes subject to a Deja Vu-Power (ML 1, Will-Save DC 15 negates) and then Death Urge (ML 7, Will-Save DC 18 negates). Power Resistance applies.
Cost: 44,052gp
Creation:22,026gp, 881XP, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wonderous Item, Deja Vu, Death Urge

History:
The servants of Acheron are everywhere. This is the story of one such warrior, a soldier of the Scourge of Battle, Hextor, with a name long lost to history. Back in his time, he fought with this very sword against the forces of Arborea. He stuck down many creatures of Good and Chaos, all having the desire to protect their freedom and trying their best to survive and defeat the marching forces of Acheron. All failed. And all contributed a small part of their essence, now forever locked inside the blade.

All except for one. Who it was, no one knows to this day. What is known is that the warrior was defeated on the battlefield and left alive to contemplate his actions. To erase the blame of his failure, he took his own life, disembowling himself, believing that he was strong enough to not loose their honor in pain without a second to behead him. This was his second failure, as he died with the shattered honor of a crying man.

The blade, however, resonated with something, as if it had felt that in this last moment, for it's master and those whose life they took, there was a final glee, a moment of peace.

Death means Freedom. Freedom you can grant yourself by throwing off the shackles of life. And this katana will guide you there and assist you and those you meet every step of the way to attaining it.

Right now, Acheron's Blade of Freedom has been cast onto Archon's second layer, frozen in stone. Waiting in a dream of blood. May the gods show mercy to the fools who wake it from it's slumber.


I hope I didn't calculate this wrong^^°
Not so sure on the whole use-activated business.

inuyasha
2016-09-07, 10:36 AM
Gaah, sorry I wasn't able to reply earlier. Thank you guys for contributing. I'll probably make another one a little later today, but I'll definitely add your guys' contributions to the list.

Clockwork 333: I'm a little confused about what you're asking about with the creation line. The only spell that doesn't technically fit is Shield of Faith, which I added in there to justify the +4 to Escape Artist.

Debihuman
2016-09-08, 07:44 AM
Gaah, sorry I wasn't able to reply earlier. Thank you guys for contributing. I'll probably make another one a little later today, but I'll definitely add your guys' contributions to the list.

Clockwork 333: I'm a little confused about what you're asking about with the creation line. The only spell that doesn't technically fit is Shield of Faith, which I added in there to justify the +4 to Escape Artist.

Grease spell makes more sense than shield of faith. I'm not really keen on weapons adding skills just by having it on. Also should be a compentence bonus.

Debby

inuyasha
2016-09-08, 08:06 AM
Grease spell makes more sense than shield of faith. I'm not really keen on weapons adding skills just by having it on. Also should be a compentence bonus.

Debby

Alright, I'll switch the spells. Also thanks for the reminder about the bonus type, I'm notoriously bad at remembering those.

Also, are there any official examples of weapons giving bonuses to skills just by having them?

inuyasha
2016-09-24, 07:38 PM
I kept meaning to continue this project, and I finally got the chance.

Here's another historical artifact called the Trailblazer's Torch


Trailblazer's Torch
The Trailblazer's Torch is a wondrous item that always sheds light as a torch. This light flickers and appears as normal flame, but may not be smothered and produces no heat. Once times per day, the wielder of this item may cast Remove Fear on up to two target within reach. This expands to three times per day if the holder of the item is a halfling.
Cost: 4,290
Creation: 2,145 GP, Craft Wondrous Item, CL 5, Remove Fear, Continual Light

History:
Much of this item's history has been lost, but rumor has it that this was one of the first torches created by the halflings when they were still a new race. In their initial exploration of the world, they lacked the fearless quality that modern halflings now enjoy, as everything that lurked in the shadows scared them, causing them to retreat back into their settlements. However, one particular halfling ranger made this torch and went in search of a new home, and it was said that those who followed his lead were granted courage beyond measure. Occasionally the torch supposedly reappears in the possession of young halflings who begin to adventure, but many of these are replicas created as a tribute to this item's historical significance.

EDIT: Another item! The Staff of Goblin Wrath

The Staff of Goblin Wrath
The Staff of Goblin Wrath is a unique staff that allows the following spells to be cast as per a thirteenth level druid, but only when held by a goblin. If a non-goblin holds the staff, they only gain access to the burning gaze ability.
Burning Gaze- 1 charge
Heat Metal- 1 charge
Fire Seeds- 3 charges

Cost: 65,000 GP
Creation: 32,500 GP, CL 13, Craft Staff, CL 13, Burning Gaze, Heat Metal, Fire Seeds
History:
Goblins are not wise creatures, but they are shrewd and malicious. And even greater than their love for causing pain is their love for fire. Very rare are goblins who manage to utilize this love in battle and survive. One such goblin was Gritshub Smokestick, so named for his own unique creation that let him command fire to his every whim. Using his powerful fire magics he managed to burn away hordes of enemies. This tactic served him well for many years before his clan attracted the attention of a red dragon, against which this weapon proved useless. The dragon slew every member of Gritshub's tribe, and took this staff as his own, which now resides somewhere in a remote cave, waiting for some other insane goblin shaman to pick it up.