Hell's Razor [4e Artifact] - PEACH

[Alteran]

This is my first artifact, but I like how it turned out so far. One problem with "evil" artifacts is of course that they can screw up party dynamics, but I tried to not make that a huge problem for this artifact. Tell me what you think!

Hell’s Razor



The blade known as Hell’s Razor was once wielded by a powerful warlord loyal to Asmodeus. After countless centuries, he finally fell in battle in the Blood War. His loyalty to Asmodeus and his hatred of Demons manifested in his sword; which gained a sentience of its own. Hell’s Razor appears in the hands of those who are poised to strike critical blows against demons, or who are acting in the interests of Asmodeus and the Nine Hells. It is a cruel weapon, and as soon as a wielder is no longer serving its purpose, Hell’s Razor will desert it and kill it without a second thought.

Hell’s Razor – Paragon Level
Once wielded by a mighty lord of the Nine Hells, this blade has tasted the blood of a thousand demons, and it thirsts for more.
Hell’s Razor is a +3 demonbane fullblade with the following properties and powers.
Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +1d8 per plus, or +1d10 per plus against demons.
Property: You gain resist equal to the enhancement bonus of the weapon to damage dealt by demons.
Property: You deal extra damage equal to the enhancement bonus of the weapon to demons.
Property: When using warlock powers granted by this weapon, you can use your highest ability score as the attack stat. This weapon also can be used as an implement for warlock powers that it grants to its wielder.
Power (At-Will * Arcane, Fire, Implement): Standard Action. You can use hellish rebuke (warlock 1).
Power (Encounter * Arcane, Fear, Implement, Thunder): Standard Action. You can use howl of doom (warlock 7).
Power (Daily): Free Action. Use this power when you attack a demon with this weapon. Gain a +5 power bonus to the attack roll and ignore any resist value the demon has.

Goals of Hell’s Razor
• Eliminate the demon scourge, so that they may no longer threaten the Nine Hells.
• Bring power and influence to Asmodeus and the Nine Hells.
• Destroy forms of authority and government outside of the Nine Hells.
• Be wielded by a powerful warrior, preferably a high-ranking officer.

Roleplaying Hell’s Razor
Hell’s Razor is not very communicative towards its owner. It can not use words to communicate, but it can send a surge of emotion into the wielder, depending on how it is feeling at the time. When it is displeased, the handle begins to progressively heat up.

Concordance
Starting Score 5
Owner gains a level +1d10
Owner kills a demon (maximum 1/day) +1
Owner kills a high-ranking official (maximum 1/day, not a devil) +1
Owner completes a quest in the interests of the Nine Hells +1
Owner or an ally attacks a devil (maximum 1/encounter) -2
Owner disobeys a directive from a representative of Asmodeus -2

For determining whether an act was in the interests of the Nine Hells, take note of the fact that Hell’s Razor is loyal only to Asmodeus, and those put in power by him. It will always follow his will above all others.

Pleased (16-20)
I am the one to bring final glory to my Lord Asmodeus; I am the bearer of Hell’s Razor!
The Razor is pleased with its owner. It focuses its energy on directing the owner to the tasks it has in mind, with the knowledge that it has found a truly worthy warrior to bear the responsibility that comes with the sword. It grants the wielder more power as a reward.

Special: The Razor’s enhancement bonus increases to +4.

Power (Daily): Minor Action. You call forth an aura of tyranny (aura 3) until the end of your next turn. All enemies in the aura take a -2 penalty to attack rolls, defenses, and saving throws.

Satisfied (12-15)
The unclean blood of a thousand demons shall pool at my feet.

The Razor considers its owner worthy to wield it. It grants its owner increased power, as long as it considers them to be deserving.

Power (Daily): Free Action. Use before you use an encounter attack power. If the attack hits, then it is not considered expended for the encounter.

Normal (5-11)
The Razor and I can achieve great things, if we seize an opportunity.
The Razor is unsure about its owner. It pushes them towards acts that aid Asmodeus, and encourages them to take revenge on demons.

Unsatisfied (1-4)
The Razor demands more!
The Razor is disappointed with its owner. It punishes them to try and encourage them to return the path the Razor wanted them to follow.

Special: The Razor’s enchantment bonus decreases to +2.

Angered (0 or lower)
It burns!
The owner is disappointing the Razor, and it will not tolerate it for very long. If the owner doesn’t improve quickly, the Razor will leave.

Special: The Razor’s enchantment bonus decreases to +2.
Special: Whenever you miss with an attack, you take 5 fire damage.

Moving On
Immolation is my only reward.
If Hell’s Razor is no longer pleased with its wielder, it will leave it for a more powerful one that is more suited to fulfilling its goals. It will rarely leave an owner it is not unhappy with, but if it does, it leaves a +4 demonbane fullblade to the previous owner. In the much more likely scenario that it leaves an owner who has disappointed it, it will incinerate the owner in a plume of brilliant flames. If the former owner is ever raised from the dead, his sword arm is forever scarred with black burn marks.

[Mercenary Pen]

Technically, the Blood War no longer exists in 4e...

other than that, not bad.

[KKL]

Weapon says nothing about using your highest ab mod to use the arcane powers, dunno if that was intentional.

Sounds fun, though.

[Alteran]

Technically, the Blood War no longer exists in 4e...

other than that, not bad.

I hadn't seen any mention of it, so I just used older sources. I suppose it could still be a weapon of a fallen general whose hatred for demons never went away.

As for using the highest ability mod to use the powers, I didn't do it since they already use constitution anyways. It may be a good idea to do it anyways.

[Mercenary Pen]

Getting rid of the blood war was mentioned in the preview book 'worlds and monsters' as part of the whole 'less evil fighting evil' thing.

[Shadow_Elf]

I think that 4e's new "setting fluff" is extremely situational. Just plain-out saying "when you play a game in 4e, you have to use 4e fluff" doesn't make so much sense to me. Its another means of fluffing the game, but not mandatory.

I like it. The fluff is very good, and Good characters can still use it, in theory. However, depending on the campaign, its sentience and personality could really get in the way.

I agree that all the Warlock powers it grants the wielder should be based off of their highest ability modifier. Maybe put in another feature that it can be used as an implement for warlock powers?

[Alteran]

I will make the warlock powers use the highest physical ability modifier. However, it should only work as an implement for the powers granted by it. After all, it seeks out powerful martial heroes to wield it, not arcane ones.