Magic Item Ideas to give a 17th level Artificer?

[Oramac]

Pretty much what the title says.

I little more background, though.

The BBEG in my current campaign has been giving out magic items to the party (they haven't yet realized he's the BBEG). Each item is cursed to allow the BBEG to cast geas on the attuned character once per week (among other, minor detriments). However, the Artificer (5 Battlemaster / 12 Artillerist) basically already has all he magic items he wants, so I'm struggling with ideas for what to give him that he'll actually want (and keep) attuned.

We're playing in my homebrew world. The BBEG is a shapeshifting demon god (not actually a god, but hugely powerful) that the party knows as a very high ranking and magically powerful Elven male. They also suspect him to be a black dragon in disguise due to some of the aforementioned shapeshifting shenanigans.

The rest of the party (all 17th level) is a Vengeance Paladin, Starseeker Ranger (https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-NEHAgZH30WtX3s-hxWa), Hexblade, Oath of the North Death Knight (https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-NXpUgoc9fih3cYarpQ6). All of them have weapons with draconic-sounding names. Giant Hungering Dragon's Tooth (paladin), Dragon's Dark Axe of Dominion (Hexblade), Dragon's Corrosive Black Rib (Death Knight), Dragon's Black Bow (Starseeker).

Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

EDIT to say: the item does not have to be a weapon or armor, though it can be. I'm just looking for ideas for ANYTHING that an artificer would like having.

[Mastikator]

What magic items does the artificer already have?

[Kane0]

Something tactical for those turrets would be good, like being able to swap positions with them or redirect attacks against them or boosting their duration, range, move speed, Attack/DC/damage, etc. Even having a turret getting two options at the same time or treating the turrets as creatures for the purposes of combat maneuvers, depending on which ones he has picked.

Also, nice to see the starseeker! How has it been?

[Sigreid]

A medallion or some such that extends the duration of his turrets beyond an hour, gives them more movement speed or both.

[J-H]

The Wand of the Warmage is a pretty useful DMG item for artillerists, as it gives +to hit with ranged spell attacks, as well as letting him ignore cover with spell attack rolls.

We do need to know his other items. What are his stats? Does he have a flight item already? What about something that adds to spell damage, since that would buff his cannon?

[Damon_Tor]

An item that can cast "awaken" on constructs and make them persist permanently while attuned. Then he'll cast it on his turret and his turret will come alive and become friends with him. Then in order to reject the item once he discovers the curse, he would have to condemn his friend to death.

[Psyren]

The BBEG in my current campaign has been giving out magic items to the party (they haven't yet realized he's the BBEG). Each item is cursed to allow the BBEG to cast geas on the attuned character once per week (among other, minor detriments). However, the Artificer (5 Battlemaster / 12 Artillerist) basically already has all he magic items he wants, so I'm struggling with ideas for what to give him that he'll actually want (and keep) attuned.

That's easy - give him an item that grants him more attunements :smalltongue: Any artificer would jump at that, especially a multiclass one.

Failing a custom item like that though, a Pearl of Power will probably catch his eye as Artificers tend to be slot-starved, especially if he needs to burn a few each day on remaking cannons.

[solidork]

I'd come up with something that lets his spells and superiority dice interact somehow - let maneuver DCs key off of Intelligence, let him apply them with his cannons/attack cantrips, come up with a special maneuver to deal extra damage when you cast a spell, maybe one that will lower the next saving throw against a spell you cast. Maybe something lat lets him expend a superiority dice when he summons his cannon that gives it an extra boost for a short time.

[Mastikator]

Actually now that I think of it, Tome of Clear Thought. Basically all artificer class features key off int modifier, it will make spell storing item, flash of genius, spells and eldritch cannon stronger.

[Arkhios]

Maybe something that increases the number of Infused Items the Artificer can have by one. That should be enough to keep the Artificer interested to remain attuned to it.

[Unoriginal]

However, the Artificer (5 Battlemaster / 12 Artillerist) basically already has all he magic items he wants, so I'm struggling with ideas for what to give him that he'll actually want (and keep) attuned.

[...]

Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

EDIT to say: the item does not have to be a weapon or armor, though it can be. I'm just looking for ideas for ANYTHING that an artificer would like having.

I think the Artificer would like having a competition.


As in, the BBEG approaches the PC and tells him that he knows the PC's reputation, and wishes to compete against one of the planet's greatest magic smiths.

To do so, the BBEG shows the PC the Thought Forge, an Astral demiplane empty except for a singular anvil made out of featureless grey rock.

Using this anvil, one can craft any magic item they have the skill to craft, without needing a formula, tools or rare material, as the one who uses the anvil can simply conjure what is needed using the power of their thoughts.

The catch is that a) you cannot take anything with you in the demiplane and b) you must succeed a number of ability check any time you use the anvil to craft an item, and each time you do a check your HP maximum is reduced by a number equal to the result of the check for as long as you stand in the Thought Forge, cumulatively.

So the BBEG offers this challenge: after explaining how it works, both he and the Artificer will have one go at crafting using the Thought Forge, with for goal to craft the greatest item they're capable of. The one who craft the most impressive item wins.

And no matter who wins or lose, each contestant gets to keep the item they crafted, of course.

Of course, the true purpose is that since the BBEG is influencing the demiplane, any item crafted in it for the time of the contest will have the curse mentioned in the OP.

So essentially, the best way to get an Artificer to use an item is to let them decide what the item is, then give them the means and the challenge to do it.

[Psyren]

Actually now that I think of it, Tome of Clear Thought. Basically all artificer class features key off int modifier, it will make spell storing item, flash of genius, spells and eldritch cannon stronger.

That doesn't require attunement and becomes worthless once used though, so it wouldn't fit the OP's ulterior motive for these items.

[Mastikator]

That doesn't require attunement and becomes worthless once used though, so it wouldn't fit the OP's ulterior motive for these items.

True, but it could cast a 9th level geas on the PC when used, then it just lasts indefinitely.

[Oramac]

An item that can cast "awaken" on constructs and make them persist permanently while attuned. Then he'll cast it on his turret and his turret will come alive and become friends with him. Then in order to reject the item once he discovers the curse, he would have to condemn his friend to death.


I'd come up with something that lets his spells and superiority dice interact somehow - let maneuver DCs key off of Intelligence, let him apply them with his cannons/attack cantrips, come up with a special maneuver to deal extra damage when you cast a spell, maybe one that will lower the next saving throw against a spell you cast. Maybe something lat lets him expend a superiority dice when he summons his cannon that gives it an extra boost for a short time.


I think the Artificer would like having a competition.

snip

Ohhhhhh! I love all of these. Not sure which way I'll go with it yet. The player already has Boots of Flying and a Ring of Power (Pearl of Power, but he wanted a ring).

I've got some scheming to do! Thank you all!