Intelligent Items = Extra Actions?

[mostlyharmful]

Given the value of actions for spellcasters, indeed for everyone at higher levels, intelligent items seems to be an incredibly valuable resource. For an extra 1000 gp you can make any non charged item intelligent. It can then "activate its own powers". This may be only the specail abilities and skills it gets as lesser and greater powers, or it may be the basicc powers of the magic item dependant on your dm. Even so it alows loopholes in a lot of PC problems, if you don't have a skill, just get a hat of disguise with it, an unsleeping nightwatchman, a diplomancer/sense motive face for the party, a source of "aid other"+2 bonuses on any important skill role, it doesn't say you have to know the languages it does when you create it so it could be an interpreter.

All of this is as nothing compared to getting it to use its powers as part of a combo move for you, if it has true strike or similar low level spell that comes as part of a spell routine it's effectively a quicken spell thats really really cheap.

There also doesn't seem to be a written limit on how many intelligent items you can have, and they can synergize really well.

Extra sets of skills, extra actions, an extra roll to detect trouble, aid other bonuses.... all for 1000+ gp? Am I missing something here?

[Quietus]

Given the value of actions for spellcasters, indeed for everyone at higher levels, intelligent items seems to be an incredibly valuable resource. For an extra 1000 gp you can make any non charged item intelligent. It can then "activate its own powers". This may be only the specail abilities and skills it gets as lesser and greater powers, or it may be the basicc powers of the magic item dependant on your dm. Even so it alows loopholes in a lot of PC problems, if you don't have a skill, just get a hat of disguise with it, an unsleeping nightwatchman, a diplomancer/sense motive face for the party, a source of "aid other"+2 bonuses on any important skill role, it doesn't say you have to know the languages it does when you create it so it could be an interpreter.

All of this is as nothing compared to getting it to use its powers as part of a combo move for you, if it has true strike or similar low level spell that comes as part of a spell routine it's effectively a quicken spell thats really really cheap.

There also doesn't seem to be a written limit on how many intelligent items you can have, and they can synergize really well.

Extra sets of skills, extra actions, an extra roll to detect trouble, aid other bonuses.... all for 1000+ gp? Am I missing something here?

Considering that each and every one of those extra powers costs more cash, yeah. For one, if your intelligent item doesn't have ranks in a particular skill, then it doesn't have that skill, and so it can't aid you. It DEFINITELY can't help with anything physical. Also, if it happens to be able to cast true strike, well, that's wonderful, but it can only true strike ITSELF. Personal range spell, you see.

[mostlyharmful]

Considering that each and every one of those extra powers costs more cash, yeah. For one, if your intelligent item doesn't have ranks in a particular skill, then it doesn't have that skill, and so it can't aid you. It DEFINITELY can't help with anything physical. Also, if it happens to be able to cast true strike, well, that's wonderful, but it can only true strike ITSELF. Personal range spell, you see.

except it's casting it as a magic item that you're wearing. It's power is to cast that spell on you. and you can choose what skill it has ranks in if you make it or order it, so if I want a night watchman i can ask for +10 on spot and listen, rather than +10 knowlegde(Nobility and Royalty) and +10 Deicipher script.

[Darrin]

Given the value of actions for spellcasters, indeed for everyone at higher levels, intelligent items seems to be an incredibly valuable resource. For an extra 1000 gp you can make any non charged item intelligent. It can then "activate its own powers".

It's easier to do something similar to this with symbiotes. Check out Lord of Procrastination's Dirty Trick #4:

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=563976

[Shishnarfne]

Just be careful if you try this... some DMs like to treat intelligent items as license to mess with the party's minds... Also, some DMs might rule that the items only activate their powers "if it would be consistent with their purpose/alignment."

So, as always for these tricks, try to run it by the DM first to see how it will actually work for you.

[leperkhaun]

the more powerfull the intelligent item the higher the will save against it. Just becareful your DM doesnt set you up. Had a DM do that as a plot point.

[Indon]

There are no doubt better ways to get actions like this (like a familiar, maybe). An intelligent item won't neccessarily get along with you, and all intelligent items have their own agenda and will try to make you do them (thus the ego score tied to them). The more potent a magical weapon, the more potent and disrupting the weapon can be as an NPC.

[Mewtarthio]

Just be careful if you try this... some DMs like to treat intelligent items as license to mess with the party's minds... Also, some DMs might rule that the items only activate their powers "if it would be consistent with their purpose/alignment."

That's only for dedicated powers (ie the really good stuff).

[Cruiser1]

See this thread for another discussion of intelligent items and their potential abuses and balancing factors.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

That's only for dedicated powers (ie the really good stuff).

That rule is mostly to indicate that the item's owner cannot freely use the power.

An intelligent item that doesn't get along with its owner isn't very likely to use even its non-dedicated powers of its own volition.

An intelligent item has its own mind, personality and goals. It should be treated like any other NPC in those respects. That means even if a PC wants to use a particular strategy relying on these "extra actions," the item doesn't necessarily agree and is not any obligation to actually activate its own powers. That means the PC has to use the normal activation actions to use the powers.

[Hasivel]

A decent chunk of this argument is rather moot. No intelligent item has True Strike to my knowledge, the list of spells available, at least in core, to an intelligent item are somewhat slim compared to a caster. They do have some nice abilities, but they can be pricey for what they do. 80,000GP for a +2 Luck bonus on attacks, saves, and skill checks? Ouch.

[TheOOB]

Intelligent items, even low ego ones, are more NPC then equipment. Sure your sword may be able to cast shocking grasp, increasing your damage output (true strike, alas, does not work, true strike is personal range, and you make the attack roll, not the weapon), but it only does so when it wants. Maybe your sword likes brave people and only activates when you charge headlong into overwhelming odds, or maybe you took your intimidate checks too far and got a fireball in your face, having an intelligent item is no different then having a NPC on your team.

[F.L.]

My favorite idea for intelligent items was to make Ioun stones of magic missile, scorching ray, etc. as a set of 4 and call them 'options'. Now if only I can find a race that is a tiny spaceship.

[kkortekaas]

Keep in mind that your plan hangs on the DM allowing it,

If your contracting out to a local mage, I doubt he'll want to pour experience points into creating your magical hat or whatever.