Adom 1.2 Artifact suggestions for the Creator (now that dozens are needed)

[Stingray1]

Lol Dogbreath.

[Aielyn]

We can tone down the wand's power a bit in other ways. Say, corrupts to carry it, AND corrupts when it is zapped--maybe a few hundred points, so you get a corruption every, say, five to ten, zaps.

(Alternately, I think a major nerf to the Teleportation spell might be a good balance consideration, but that's a discussion for another thread).

The obvious solution is actually a much more straightforward one: make it so that the wand uses up PP. Essentially, since it doesn't have "charges", it's getting its charges from the one zapping the wand. The zapping cost could be equal to the cost for a spellcaster with no experience casting the spell from a book, thereby making the wand a matter of speed vs PP between zapping and casting from a book (with casting from memory having comparable speed but being a limited use resource), while making it a useful wand but not so abusable for non-spellcasting classes. And no zapping from HP, either (if you lack sufficient PP, it uses up your remaining PP and says "The world around you seems to shimmer for a moment"). It should also be only usable on yourself - that is, it shouldn't be capable of teleporting anybody else.

Alternatively, you could make it so that teleportation using the wand ignores teleport control, and thus it can be used to get out of sticky situations, but isn't a viable method of quick transport. But that's a less appealing solution, to me - I definitely prefer the PP solution.

It also gives a little more value to PP and mana for non-spellcaster classes, if they find the wand. So basically, as I see it, such a modification keeps it from being overpowered, prevents it from being abused by non-spellcasters, is a reasonable option with a tradeoff factor for spellcasters, and its self-focused nature keeps it from having a real battle application.

[Al-Khwarizmi]

I prefer the corruption solution to the PP solution. The PP solution makes the wand very similar to just bookcasting from the spellbook. It also makes it useless for spellcasters if they can already cast Teleport natively, while the corruption version could be somewhat useful even for a spellcaster, especially if HP-casting is nerfed as suggested elsewhere.

[Aielyn]

I prefer the corruption solution to the PP solution. The PP solution makes the wand very similar to just bookcasting from the spellbook. It also makes it useless for spellcasters if they can already cast Teleport natively, while the corruption version could be somewhat useful even for a spellcaster, especially if HP-casting is nerfed as suggested elsewhere.

It being similar to bookcasting is kind of the point - the main aim is to make a reusable method of teleportation available to all characters and not just spellcasters.

As for "useless for spellcasters", I disagree. An artifact wand can't be destroyed by fire/water/shock/acid/etc like a spellbook can, it doesn't run out of charges like casting from memory results in running out of castings (and there's no need to "learn" it to gain said charges), it's faster than bookcasting, and I'm fairly certain you can still consistently zap wands while stunned (whereas you often can't cast spells while stunned). So there are clear advantages to using the wand with the higher-level PP drain. The downsides are that it requires more PP than most castings of the spell, it can't be cast from HP, and it can't be targetted at another being.

[anon123]

I'm fairly certain you can still consistently zap wands while stunned (whereas you often can't cast spells while stunned)

"You are not able to hold any wand firmly enough to use it."

Later edit: I like the artifact wand of wonder, and when the item pledge drive started, I made offhand mention of this on its respective thread. I believe it should have an infinite number of charges, but not grant spell knowledge - as with a macro program, any PC finding this artifact could get theoretically get 30000 castings of everything and "free" wishes, given enough time.

Also, not all artifacts have to be named (in the way Executor is named). The wand could be called "wand of unceasing wonder", for example.

[MrNiceguy]

Power comes at a steep price. Maybe it should be impossible to drink unless you have at least 20 willpower =P

I'd say at least 30 willpower, or the PC is drunk.

We've had threads like this before, and they're always fun. And every time, I always notice the lack of artifact instruments.

Cherry Guitar "Ellicul" (+8, 4d6+8) [+5,+5] {Ch+8}
Can be equipped in tool slot, or as 2-handed weapon
Grants resistance to fire
When used, has a chance to tame all living non-chaotics
When used, has same effect as Turn Undead
If used unsuccessfully, (You have trouble handling the Cherry Guitar,) monsters within earshot have a chance to become enraged.


I figure Bards need a musical instrument as a possible crowning gift. I'm still debating fire resistance or immunity. I didn't want to make it too overpowered, but I just kinda picked the melee stats at random. The source for the name is probably pretty obvious.

[Dogbreath]

Huh, nobody's suggested anything in a while. (love the image of using the guitar as a 2-handed weapon...)

"The Witch's Hat" [+5, +5] {Wi+12}
Wi bonus for females only. For males, it abuses Wi.
It doubles your PP regeneration rate.
It can be 'u'sed to educate (or train) the Alchemy skill, at the cost of 1d3 Le per use. (which would regenerate slowly)
Wearing it in the various towns causes children to become frightened.
It abuses appearance when worn. (periodically, say every 200d50 turns, "you feel yourself growing a wart!")
*Undocumented feature* If Cute Dog corpse is eaten in front of Tiny Girl when worn, causes a 1 time permanent +10 boost to Ma and +10d20 boost to max PP.
*Undocumented feature* Causes a 0.1% chance of being crushed by a flying house when worn in the wilderness.

Un-ided appearance would be "old hat".

[Dogbreath]

Perhaps the Cute Dog eating bonus would only apply if you have a Cute Dog in your kill list, giving female characters a much bigger incentive to save the dog... so they can eat it.

[ekolis]

The Axe of the Apostles. (Or Apostolic Axe, if you don't want to be TOO obvious!) Always wanted to see that in a game somewhere...

This has about 0.1% chance of making it in, but I'm suggesting it anyway, because you never know - Thomas DOES have a sense of humor! (There are scrolls labeled "YTTOCS PU EM MAEB", after all!)

[Dogbreath]

ekolis, that pun may not make sense to people who don't speak English natively. (or who didn't grow up in a Christian culture) TB himself may not get it - in German it's called "Die Apostelgeschichte Des Lukas". (Luke's History of the Apostles)

Still, it made me groan after I got it.