[3.5] Need help developing dragon-inspired magic items

[overduegalaxy]

In the Eberron campaign I'm currently DMing, the overarching plot revolves around these five magical disks, or seals, created by the dragons at the end of the Age of Demons, to bind five of the most powerful fiends to the obsidian that surrounds Ashkatala and summon a (nearly) impenetrable sandstorm around the city that traps the fiends (mostly) to this day. The PCs need to gather these seals together again in order to enter Ashkatala and either re-bind the fiends or slay them(who've since escaped from the obsidian bindings, but haven't penetrated the sandstorm), but that's not important.

When someone comes in contact with the seal, it melds into their hand (or whatever they touch it with), and gives whoever is currently bound to it some minor powers relating to the type of dragon that created the seal (black gives corrosive grasp, red gives burning hands, etc) a few times a day. Nothing too impressive at first, because I didn't want one PC to have this massive power boost while everyone else has to wait until they have a chance to gather another seal. But now the majority of the party have seals, and everyone will be equipped soon enough, so it's time to ramp up the power a bit.

However, the party is about to travel to Argonnessen and visit the Chamber, who have the means to "unlock" the seals and activate their greater powers. However, I can't decide what these should be. The party is currently 5th level, although they might be 6th by the time they get there, so it should be close to level-appropriate in power (but would be nice if it could scale up easily, too). My current thought is having the dragons "awaken" in the seals, making them intelligent items (and help keep the CE PC in line), but I'm not sure if I like the idea of having to run five different intelligent items at once. But I do want it more powerful than just giving everyone energy resistance to match the dragon type (The five dragons who created the seals were bronze, black, red, white, and blue), and I'd really prefer it if whatever advantages they gave were thematic.

So, what are your thoughts?

[MisterSaturnine]

You could have powers based on what the individual dragons and their energy type represent, rather than simply giving them resistance to energy types and things like that, which you said you didn't want. The bronze power may have to do with disguise--maybe a simple hat of disguise effect, or maybe something a little more elaborate, like the ability to extend that effect to items and such (glamering a sword to look like a quill pen, for example). The black power may have to do with corrosion that isn't necessarily physical--perhaps a curse effect that slowly undermines an enemy's Will save, representing a corrosion of the mind. The red could grant a rage-type effect with some sort of fiery effect, representing the wrath of the red dragon. Things like that.

[Xefas]

Well, when a powerful Human spellcaster or whatnot creates a powerful magic item, it doesn't make the wielder more 'Human', it makes them more 'Whatever the Hell that Human Stood For Slash Was Good At'.

Make the dragon ones like that too. The dragons must have more character than just their color code. Maybe the Blue Dragon was a master mage-hunter. Blue Dragons already favor stealth, sneakiness, illusions, and mimicry. Give his widget the ability to X times per day, reflect a spell cast on the wielder back at the caster. It's more flavorful than energy resistance and it scales (as the characters level up, they'll be getting hit with more powerful spells, and thus the ability becomes more powerful).

EDIT: I gotta ask. Why Bronze instead of Green?

EDIT2: I like the idea of emphasizing a Red's regal confidence and leadership ability, rather than their RAWRness. Maybe give his widget the ability to hand out move actions to allies as an immediate action as a sort of "I guessed that that fighter was going to come in on your flank, that's why I told you to move before it even happened, and you happened to do so just as he was swinging...too bad you were already out of reach." Make the move action resolve before things like attack rolls.

[AslanCross]

A quick solution might be to just borrow the spell-like abilities the dragons get at later age categories. Of course, those might not necessarily be effective, but some of them are quite useful.

[HamsterOfTheGod]

I think elemental resistan at party level 5 is good. I also think AslanCross's suggestion to use the sla's of the various dragons is good. You could also allow each to give a daily breath weapon of the given dragon type, something similar to the half dragon or dragon disciple breath weapon.

As for how to play 5 intelligent magic items, it's doable. The trick is too not play the (npc) personality of the intelligent items all the time. For ex, if you feel comfortable with having some input from one of the intelligent items once per game session, then do it. If that's too much, do it less.

It's easier if you give each its own (broad) personality, for ex the red may be condescending or the black may be sarcastic.

Also its easier if each item has something that is important to it. Obviously they care about their over-arching purpose. But, if say, the red really does not like the party running away from demons or the black likes puzzles, then its easier to get a feel for how to play the intelligent items.

One possibility might be to make one or two daily or weekly powers for the items which the players don't just activate as normal. Rather for these powers they have to "ask the dragon spirit" and this allows you to roleplay the intelligent item at that time if you see fit. This works best with divinations like detect magic, detect chaos, locate object, find traps, etc.

[Hat-Trick]

Maybe grant some natural armor bonus along side everything. Beyond that, what's the party class/race-wise and who has what dragon? That way we can help you personalize.

[overduegalaxy]

EDIT: I gotta ask. Why Bronze instead of Green?

No particular reason. It's Eberron, so it doesn't really matter if the dragons are chromatic or metallic, alignment-wise. They all worked together against the fiends.

Beyond that, what's the party class/race-wise and who has what dragon? That way we can help you personalize.

CN gnome beguiler - Black
LN gnome archivist - Bronze
LN human knight - Red
CG halfling ranger - White
NG wood elf barbarian/fighter - Blue (eventually)

[Hat-Trick]

Giving the melee characters a fear aura might be interesting. Maybe temporary wings to allow better maneuverability. Knights are mostly a defensive class, so you might want to give him something to up his offensive. Thematically, that would be something like the flaming quality to any weapon he wields or maybe claws and a bite. The beguiler might want something to use against undead and other mind effecting immune opponents, Black Dragons get a plant growth spell like ability that would help battlefield control. Maybe give them entangle instead. The White dragon's freezing fog would be a nasty little trick for the Ranger. The barb/ftr is probably the hardest as most of the Blue's special stuff is very subtle, but that fills a gap. He could find use in the sound imitation and ventriloquism, the rest is straight up illusions. The archivist might like Alternate Form or the Repulsion Breath Weapon.

Just some thoughts. Someone mentioned giving abilities based on the dragon's former life. You could incorporate somethings to fill in the blanks for the character as you go by developing the dragon's history around the needed abilities.

[playswithfire]

I'll try to come up with some specifics later, but I just wanted to chime in with the fact these essentially sound like the Weapons of Legacy founded by these five dragons, except, obviously, they don't come with the weapon part unless they give claws.

Not necessarily the direction you want to go in, but one worth considering.

[overduegalaxy]

The problem I'm currently having is keeping a balance between ease of use and uniqueness. I want each PC to have something cool that they'll treasure, but at the same time, I don't want to have to hand everyone two pages of notes.

[overduegalaxy]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the dragons used these items to beat back the demonic threat, so something related to that might work, too.

[Hat-Trick]

Automatically bypasses the damage reduction of fiends? Can Banish demons with a ranged touch attack and will save, probably with a ridiculous DC?

[Myrmex]

Give them all a demonbane ability, whether on their weapons or some of their spells.

Each dragon should have +2 to two skills; one that matches racially and one that matches the dragon's personality. Maybe the Bronze dragon would grant +2 disguise and +2 on a knowledge check or two, since the bronze dragon was a great lore seeker.

The Red dragon would grant +2 bluff/diplomacy/intimidate. I would also have the red dragon give the knight some martial maneuvers from ToB; either Diamond Mind or Stone Dragon. Have them at 1/encounter, and have his HD = his initiator level.

Black would have +2 swim and maybe +2 sleight of hand because he liked to assume human guise and gamble (and cheat) for things.

Giving the blue dragon's thingzit the ability to have the fighter burrow or assume sand form (like gaseous form but reflavored) once per day for a few rounds would be interesting.