Idea for a 4e Artifact of Pharasma


4th Edition


I had an idea for an artifact of Pharasma- its this silvered long spear. but my group plays 4E not sure what type of weapon to make it, I was thinking some sort of undead slaying weapon. I figured I would pick the creative minds of the message boards :o) what type of powers should I give it so that it is not over powered. my group is 13th level.


I'm not familiar with the weapon but if you tell me what it does I'll happily translate it into 4E powerese or throw in a suggestion of what a power might look like.


Blah, had a detailed post that got eaten by the terrible Paizo forums. :(

The gist of it was that there is an existing Paragon level Artifact spear - the Heartwood Spear from Dark Sun. It might well be worth looking into, and might provide a pretty good starting point.

It has many abilities focused towards fighting Defilers, which you could probably swap to working against undead instead.

As a general power level, here is a summary of it:
-It is a +4 Spear. Given the party's level, you might start it as a +3 Spear, and have it become a +4 Spear once enough concordance has been gained.
-It starts with 2-3 constant benefits and one daily power.
-At each level of Concordance, it typically gains one benefit and one new activated power.

So that might give a bit of a starting point. Do you have any more specific ideas in mind as far as what you want it to do, who is likely to use it, and what role it might play in the campaign?


Matthew Koelbl wrote:

Blah, had a detailed post that got eaten by the terrible Paizo forums. :(

The gist of it was that there is an existing Paragon level Artifact spear - the Heartwood Spear from Dark Sun. It might well be worth looking into, and might provide a pretty good starting point.

It has many abilities focused towards fighting Defilers, which you could probably swap to working against undead instead.

As a general power level, here is a summary of it:
-It is a +4 Spear. Given the party's level, you might start it as a +3 Spear, and have it become a +4 Spear once enough concordance has been gained.
-It starts with 2-3 constant benefits and one daily power.
-At each level of Concordance, it typically gains one benefit and one new activated power.

So that might give a bit of a starting point. Do you have any more specific ideas in mind as far as what you want it to do, who is likely to use it, and what role it might play in the campaign?


I have had alot of experience converting 3.5 artifacts to 4.0. I prefer the 4.0 system for many reasons but its easy to overpower the artifacts.

The same things that make 4.0 a better strategy RPG are what makes converting items a problem. Its not so much the power of the item or how many it has but rather what those powers do to the fights. Game balance is a must. Ive converted over 25 artifacts from a long running very well tested 25 modules 3.5 campaign into the 4.0 version. It took 5 testplays to get the balance right.

You need to determine what the items importance or impact on the game is. For instance is it the AXE OF MORADIN or just another item. This is determine the powers. When in doubt try to scale the powers into the item. i.e; make the powers increase or add new powers as the character possesing it hits different levels (usually at the tier increases).

Its usually good to give it a power active always (defense, protection/resistances), a at-will that is personal, a enc. pwer, and a daily. But if those powers are blasts or bursts that changes the situation.

What I ran into in creating our campaign guide and trying to make wandering monster list was the fact that in 4.0 you can set the right # of creature for the characters level and still accidentally kill them if those creates have a Blast or Burst power.

Again its a great system but with that comes greater responsibility in creating and balancing the game.

I had a group of 6 player 1st level get ambushed by 3 creatures of 1st level. Sounds easy right? It almost killed them because each of those 3 creatures had a rechargeable blast 5 breath weapon type attack.

Sam with items. Its not like 3.5 where the power types are not as touchy or significant to the fight outcome. Thats why I think its tough for game designers to write in 4.0.

let me know if you need some artifact examples. I can send it to your email. I should be able to dig up the 3.5 version of the item and the 4.0. Let me know.


Calvanna DM wrote:
Matthew Koelbl wrote:

Blah, had a detailed post that got eaten by the terrible Paizo forums. :(

The gist of it was that there is an existing Paragon level Artifact spear - the Heartwood Spear from Dark Sun. It might well be worth looking into, and might provide a pretty good starting point.

It has many abilities focused towards fighting Defilers, which you could probably swap to working against undead instead.

As a general power level, here is a summary of it:
-It is a +4 Spear. Given the party's level, you might start it as a +3 Spear, and have it become a +4 Spear once enough concordance has been gained.
-It starts with 2-3 constant benefits and one daily power.
-At each level of Concordance, it typically gains one benefit and one new activated power.

So that might give a bit of a starting point. Do you have any more specific ideas in mind as far as what you want it to do, who is likely to use it, and what role it might play in the campaign?

I am currently running the tomb of horrors 4e campaigne, one of my players has an eladrin warpriest of pharasma (we are in the golarian world). I pretty much modeled the god after the ravenqueen. The idea is that they will enter a sacred tomb inorder to get to the second section of the adventure. there is where the artifiact will be found. I would like it to have powers against undead and goals of defeating orcus or plans of orcus. unfortunately I am not up to speed on artifacts in 4E yet. is there a book which talks about them?

powers wise, anything which would make it useful against undead. In 3.5 i would say baned against undead, with perhasp some resistances against energy drain and such. I would also like it to have radiant energy and the player be able to throw it like a raidient bolt 1/day

thanks for your help


Calvanna DM wrote:

I have had alot of experience converting 3.5 artifacts to 4.0. I prefer the 4.0 system for many reasons but its easy to overpower the artifacts.

The same things that make 4.0 a better strategy RPG are what makes converting items a problem. Its not so much the power of the item or how many it has but rather what those powers do to the fights. Game balance is a must. Ive converted over 25 artifacts from a long running very well tested 25 modules 3.5 campaign into the 4.0 version. It took 5 testplays to get the balance right.

You need to determine what the items importance or impact on the game is. For instance is it the AXE OF MORADIN or just another item. This is determine the powers. When in doubt try to scale the powers into the item. i.e; make the powers increase or add new powers as the character possesing it hits different levels (usually at the tier increases).

Its usually good to give it a power active always (defense, protection/resistances), a at-will that is personal, a enc. pwer, and a daily. But if those powers are blasts or bursts that changes the situation.

What I ran into in creating our campaign guide and trying to make wandering monster list was the fact that in 4.0 you can set the right # of creature for the characters level and still accidentally kill them if those creates have a Blast or Burst power.

Again its a great system but with that comes greater responsibility in creating and balancing the game.

I had a group of 6 player 1st level get ambushed by 3 creatures of 1st level. Sounds easy right? It almost killed them because each of those 3 creatures had a rechargeable blast 5 breath weapon type attack.

Sam with items. Its not like 3.5 where the power types are not as touchy or significant to the fight outcome. Thats why I think its tough for game designers to write in 4.0.

let me know if you need some artifact examples. I can send it to your email. I should be able to dig up the 3.5 version of the item and the 4.0. Let me know.

Yes any examples would be great. I noticed that this game is very much based on balance, that is why I was hesitant to just make it up on the fly. anything you could provide would rock

www.scfflcommish@hotmail.com

thanks


Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:
I'm not familiar with the weapon but if you tell me what it does I'll happily translate it into 4E powerese or throw in a suggestion of what a power might look like.

here is my thought on it

Valnarin the Foeseeker
Longspear (not sure plus for 13th level)
powers I would like to see it have :
it would be a holy weapon; bane versus undead.
grant the weilder protection versus negitive energy (necrotic in 4e right?)
1/day may throw the spear which becomes a holy bolt of energy dealing X amount of damage.

thats what I thought about off the top of my head


Lrdpanther wrote:
Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:
I'm not familiar with the weapon but if you tell me what it does I'll happily translate it into 4E powerese or throw in a suggestion of what a power might look like.

here is my thought on it

Valnarin the Foeseeker
Longspear (not sure plus for 13th level)
powers I would like to see it have :
it would be a holy weapon; bane versus undead.
grant the weilder protection versus negitive energy (necrotic in 4e right?)
1/day may throw the spear which becomes a holy bolt of energy dealing X amount of damage.

thats what I thought about off the top of my head

Doing this as a rare (not an artifact). In 4E the difference is that a rare items are powerful magical items but once found they are yours forever while an artifact is pure story based - its meant to show up for X number of levels (5 is pretty reasonable) and then it leaves.

13th level would make the item +3 - here I might call it a 16th level item and make it +4 if you want it to be the players go to weapon for a significant portion of the game.

Bane versus undead is anything with that does radiant damage. You might also want to give it better criticals versus undead, so dd10's instead of d6s when a critical is scored against undead.

Protection versus necromancy is, yes necrotic, so it has a property of resist 10 necrotic.

Daily power that is a bolt for good damage.

Here is what I have...

Valnarin the Foreseeker
Level 16 +4 45,000 GP value Rare
Weapon: Spear
Enhancement Bonus: Attack rolls and damage rolls.
critical: +1d6 damage per plus, 1d10 damage per plus against undead creatures.
Properties
* Half the damage dealt by this weapon is radiant damage.
* Resist 10 Necrotic
* Undead creatures hit by Valnarin the Foreseeker take ongoing 5 radiant damage (save ends).
Power (radiant) * Daily (standard action)
Attack: ranged 10 +19 versus will
Hit: 5d6 radiant damage and is knocked prone and dazed (save ends), 5d10 against undead creatures.
Miss: If the attack misses the power is not expended.

Note that for a Rare I think this is just a tad under powered. Basically they usually get an encounter power as well.

I might go with the spear lashing out at those getting too close, originally I was thinking only undead but that makes it too weak so I added the ongoing radiant damage vs. undead property to make the weapon just that mucj better versus undead and left this with any enemy the player so desires. The reach makes this powerful partially compensating the player for using a spear - often not a particularly popular weapon.

Power * Encounter (Immediate Interrupt)
Trigger: An enemy enters a square within reach of the spear
Effect: Make a melee basic attack.


Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:
Lrdpanther wrote:
Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:
I'm not familiar with the weapon but if you tell me what it does I'll happily translate it into 4E powerese or throw in a suggestion of what a power might look like.

here is my thought on it

Valnarin the Foeseeker
Longspear (not sure plus for 13th level)
powers I would like to see it have :
it would be a holy weapon; bane versus undead.
grant the weilder protection versus negitive energy (necrotic in 4e right?)
1/day may throw the spear which becomes a holy bolt of energy dealing X amount of damage.

thats what I thought about off the top of my head

Doing this as a rare (not an artifact). In 4E the difference is that a rare items are powerful magical items but once found they are yours forever while an artifact is pure story based - its meant to show up for X number of levels (5 is pretty reasonable) and then it leaves.

13th level would make the item +3 - here I might call it a 16th level item and make it +4 if you want it to be the players go to weapon for a significant portion of the game.

Bane versus undead is anything with that does radiant damage. You might also want to give it better criticals versus undead, so dd10's instead of d6s when a critical is scored against undead.

Protection versus necromancy is, yes necrotic, so it has a property of resist 10 necrotic.

Daily power that is a bolt for good damage.

Here is what I have...

Valnarin the Foreseeker
Level 16 +4 45,000 GP value Rare
Weapon: Spear
Enhancement Bonus: Attack rolls and damage rolls.
critical: +1d6 damage per plus, 1d10 damage per plus against undead creatures.
Properties
* Half the damage dealt by this weapon is radiant damage.
* Resist 10 Necrotic
* Undead creatures hit by Valnarin the Foreseeker take ongoing 5 radiant damage (save ends).
Power (radiant) * Daily (standard action)
Attack: ranged 10 +19 versus will
Hit: 5d6 radiant damage and is knocked prone and...

Man that is very cool. It will work nicely! Thank you so much it really helped me out

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