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View Full Version : Magic Items - Help me with some 4e Magitech ideas!



Halcyon_Dax
2008-05-25, 03:22 AM
Okay, so I'm going to be running a campaign in 4e with a real classic high fantasy feel to it. However, the main 'evil empire' in the campaign, is a user of magi technology of a sort (though in a relatively subtle way, though they rule the continent, only their capitol [which most people they rule over will never see] has overt magitech things like ahem, lightning rails).

However, the PCs will eventually start running into these 'Desonnens' wielding powerful magitech arms and armor. I want this tech to confuse amaze and astound the characters (who are really country bumpkins by comparison).

I wont get really into it much more than that, suffice it to say that one of their first BBEGs will surprise them with some power armor (think more subtle Warhammer 40k space marines - helmet).

Heres one little example which the players will run into relatively early on tough imperial infantry.

Desonnen Bolt Driver

Fires specially prepared mithril bolts, Exotic(or 4e equivalent)
2d10+dex damage
at-will (free action): damage done is radiant damage and attacks reflex instead of AC
Load minor

If used with normal bolts the Bolt Driver only does 1d10 damage. Rolls under 10 the bolt breaks when exiting the Driver, requiring a minor action to remove. Rolls under 5 cause the Driver to catch on radiant fire and quickly go out causing 1d10 radiant damage to the user. On a roll of 1 the Driver breaks permanently (along with the 1d10 damage). These effects are only if the user is untrained and using improper bolts.


Well, thats just one of the items.

All of them have a strong radiant energy theme, but really. Sky is the limit.

So playground! BE MY MUUUUSE!

Emperor Tippy
2008-05-25, 03:33 AM
Are the 4e rules out yet? No. Does anyone in the playground who hasn't signed an NDA have access to the 4e rules? No.

So how do you expect us to invent magic items for you to use in a 4e game when we have no idea how magic items are going to work?

Halcyon_Dax
2008-05-25, 04:58 AM
Harsh.

I was more or less just asking for neat ideas. Cool thoughts from DMs who have thought about running campaigns with homebrew magitech and players who always wanted some particular magitech trinket, etc.

In this aspect, the denizens of this forum have never failed to bring me, not direct mechanics, but tons of inspiring and unique ideas.

I'm sorry if I came off as... whatever. I sincerely just looking for a bit of the boards collective creativity, mechanics be damned.


Also, I am obviously aware that 4e is not out yet, however, a number of resources and previews have been supplied regarding magic items in 4e, and, according to the 'make what you feel like making' philosophy of 4e items and monsters the only thing we would REALLY TRULY need the books for is attaching appropriate levels and prices to the items. (that being said I wasn't necessarily looking for anything mechanical).


In case you actually did miss the many examples of 4e magic items and are genuinely interested in how they work, here are some links for your perusal. I'm sure you can glean from them anything you need to know.

The official Wizards preview:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20080516a

Enworld's collected preview PHB has some magic items from DDXP in it:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=221806

And of course, Keep on the Shadowfell (which was so fun!) has a few.



Again, er, sorry to offend.

Rogoroth
2008-05-25, 07:21 AM
I´m game.

I was thinking of making a sort of magi tech campaign. It´s supposed to be a heavily modified Realms campaign based on my fight the far realm campaign.
But I digress.

Most of the magi tech i was planning on making is crystal based. I had planned out some sort of color coding for the crystal affinities.

For example.

Protectorate blast staff.

The protectorate blast staff is a brilliantly simple design. The ease of use and its legendary durability, makes it a perfect weapon in the hands of some of the more... special troops of the protectorate. Gnolls, orcs and goblinoids.

The blast staff does not fire actual physical projectiles like the bolt driver or the more primitive bows. It fires pure destructive energies released from black crystals. And best of all, it can double as a bludgeon in close quarters.

Proficiencies: I do not know exactly how proficiencies work. If there are exotic weapons and such in 4th ed, but the blast staff should not be exotic (if it exists in 4th ed).
Ammo: Black crystals, usually of poor quality. (cheap ammo)
Damage: Should probably do more damage than a regular bow. As a bludgeon it will be a two handed weapon with damage as a staff.
Range: About the same range as a bow.
Load: probably a free.

This is of course blatantly stolen from Stargate.

Just remember: Good artists copy. Great artists steal. :smalltongue:

See, no actual rules stuff just suggestions.

For something slightly more original (I think)

Daewar crystal axe.

The Daewar crystal axe is a dwarven innovation, one of their few unintended inventions in fact.
The Daewar clan was not the first clan to make use of the new shiny crystal forging techniques. But they where the first to discover that if you concentrated properly, you could launch some of the energy from the crystal at the enemy.

Basically this is a magic melee weapon that can double as a "thrown" ranged weapon.

Proficiencies: Same as a thrown axe?
Ammo: basically unlimited, but see load
Damage: same as the ordinary axe
Range: as a thrown axe
Load: "free" but the problem with these weapons is that the axe kind of decides when it wants to launch energy at the enemy again.
This of course does not make the thrown energy a popular weapon choice amongst dwarves, but they know they can do it.

Halcyon_Dax
2008-05-25, 06:04 PM
Ooo, Rogoroth, I like those, thanks for your input.

Is the campaign you are planning going to be in 4e? If so I would love to stat up the weapons described for you (as practice, you see).

Also, I've posted this thread on another site and gotten a great deal of feedback, I may copy some of their suggestions here later in case anyone is perusing for inspiration.

Xuincherguixe
2008-05-25, 06:12 PM
How about something that's almost like a cross between a squid and a cannon. The tentacles attach to a persons arm.

The projectile it fires would suddenly split mid air into a bunch of evil looking starfish like things, with lots of sharp teeth. Oh, and they're electric.

Da King
2008-05-25, 09:44 PM
Something similar to Magitek Armor, From Final Fantasy 6? Everyone loves Mecha.

Citizen Joe
2008-05-26, 09:41 AM
How about a re-animation chamber. Something like once per day it can perform raise dead on the humanoid inside.

watson50
2008-05-27, 05:21 AM
I know there are lots of magic items in the market and sometimes i wish to buy all of these, But, I know it's not possible. One day i went to a magic shop to see what kind of magic items there are and i found lots of magic items in the shop.

Azerian Kelimon
2008-05-27, 06:37 AM
First off: Specify that those effects happen only if you're nonproficient right at the beginning of the description, before the fancy schmancy stuff. I almost skipped that, and if you don't see that, the weapon seems more useless than a whip at epic levels.

Now, new weapons:

Spike Driver:
Superior, cost making it only obtainable by paragon levels.
Effects: 3d10 damage, INT vs. Reflex, must target a square at 20 or less. Creatures in it are pushed out one square. If the creature would still occupy the square by then, it taked 6d10 instead of 3d10, and takes half damage even if the attack misses. The square is now considered difficult terrain due to the spike that has protruded from the ground.

Jugglers Ache's
Superior, cost makes it only attainable by mid Heroic levels. It's a small blue ball with a little holy light on a side.
Effects: May be thrown a distance of up to 10 squares, +1 square per 2 STR above 10. Does 3d6 Thunder/Lightning damage, attacks with STR vs AC. Returns to the hand after it has been thrown. On a critical hit, the target must save (STR vs. Will) or be dazed.

Funkyodor
2008-05-27, 08:59 AM
A hand held apparatus that uses Beads of Force to do ranged bull rushes (size and strength depends on number of beads used) and Beads of Fireballs to do WH40k Flamer effects. You can have random effects for those untrained in its use.

Enhance wands of [insert direct damage spell] with the dancing property for that flying sattelite shooter effect you see on many games. They rely on command words or visual clues to operate. Or maybe there could be a guidance wand, or control rod. Think Tau Sniper team.

Double Spyglass (Binoculars) enhanced with various vision modes ranging from Arcane Sight/See Invis/Prying Eyes/X-Ray vision.

Haversack of Flight (smash together a Handy Haversack and Wings of Flying)

Helmet of Adaptation

Chameleon Goo that does a temporary bonus to Stealth skills, & a +2 armor until the character is damaged or time elapses.

Transdimensional & Invisible spell'ed Solid Fog device that even traps ethereal / non-corporeal creatures.

Grenade device that creates a temporary Sphere of Annihilation.

Rogoroth
2008-05-27, 01:26 PM
Ooo, Rogoroth, I like those, thanks for your input.

Is the campaign you are planning going to be in 4e? If so I would love to stat up the weapons described for you (as practice, you see).


Yeah it´s going to be 4e. Spelljamming realms with a alternate history from what the actual 4e realms is going to be.

Basically most magi tech in that campaign is crystal based, but not necessarily blasting magical gobs of energy.
By all means you could have cannons that use crystals instead of gunpowder.

I even thought of adding mishaps or instabilities to crystals. Think of it as a sort of a curse, but if the weapon or device is powerful enough you might just ignore the fact that it kills plant (or just regular life if its bad enough).

Here´s an example of an idea I had for unstable crystal weaponry.

T´u Lung Dragonbreath

The imperial armies of T´u Lung are equipped with many varied weapons, from the highly powerfull blast gauntlets, to the Gan tan blast cores (basically a nearly spent speljammer core rigged to go boom).
But none evoke the kind of fear (and nausea) that you get from the Dragonbreath.
The dragonbreath is basically a container filed with liquidated unstable green crystal with a tube and pump system that helps spread the vile concoction.

The Dragonbreath has two modes of fire the short blast which is used for longer range and one target, and the dragonbreath mode. The last mode creates a large spread in front of the user that will "incinerate" anything that is in the way of the liquid.

It would have been a truly marelous weapon if not for two things:
1: It has a sad tendency to explode... usually taking out its wielder (and anyone close to him) in the process.
2: The green crystals that are used in this weapon... usually mutate anything that is close to it for too long.

Thus what would have been an elite trooper weapon, is almost always given to the slave soliders of the T´u Lung.

Proficiencies: The drgonbreath however should be some kind of exotic
Ammo: liquidated green crystal in a backpack. (Probably expensive)
Damage: packs quite a punch especially in dragonbreath mode.
Range: Mid range weapon in blast mode. Blast in front of the user in Dragonbreath mode.
Load: "free" until you expend all the crystal in the backpack.


This is supposed to be a gm tool. Not a weapon to be used by player characters... Unless he happens to be quite unhinged.
And Yes I know, It´s a flamethrower.