Someone a while back started a thread on homebrew content - posting it here for people to cheer or ridicule.
I liked that idea - but can't find the original thread.
Below is an item I created.
Wanted some feedback.
It is intended as the property of a very powerful boss villain.
All comments and critiques welcome.
THE STAFF OF THE WINTER MAGE
The priests of every god pray that only one staff of the winter mage was ever created. They pray just as fervently that Iyath's original is lost to history.
It is rumored however that that certain demons in the world know the secret bindings that make staves of the winter mage possible, and that they are willing meet this knowledge out to mortals for the right price in souls and blood. (It is also rumored that similar items attuned to fire, and pain, exist – but there is no reliable record of such).
The use of a staff of the winter mage is complicated and requires a huge investment of time and energy – for those who pursue it however there is little that can stand against them.
A staff of the winter mage grants its wielder the unparalleled control over the weather and magic in a defined area. If the area is not defined (explanation below) it functions as a staff of frost, with 20 charges per day (the charges are replenished it night at midnight).
AREA OF CONTROL
In order to realize its true power the wielder of a staff of the winter mage must establish at least one area of control. This is a time consuming and painful process.
First an octogram (a perfectly symmetrical eight point star) 100 miles across at the widest point 75 miles across at the narrowest. At each point a shrine to the spirits that rule that symbolic point must be erected. These shrines need not be particularly ornate typical they are large natural stones moved to the correct locations, inlaid with silver, and enchanted to their purpose. Such stones are at least 4 tons, take 7 days to enchant at a cost of 25,000 gp (which does not include any cost incurred moving the stone to the proper location) and 1000 xp each. Each of the stones must be crafted by the would be staff wielder, and the process of crafting a stone exhausts the would be wielder for an additional 7 days. (The would be wielder must possess both the Craft Wondrous Item and Forge Ring item creation feats)
Positioning the stones requires a detailed engineering (and mystical) surveying process. Finding the correct locations requires a knowledge engineering check (DC 35) and a knowledge arcana check (DC 35) for each point. The engineering need not be conducted by the would be wielder, however the knowledge arcana check must be.
Once this perimeter is laid out the staff wielder then binds the area within under his control, this process requires three days of meditation, fasting, and a cost of 1000 xp. This process binds the wielder to the staff and to the area defined – this control is not transferable. A staff wielder can have any number of bound areas however the cost for each never goes down.
POWERS
Once this process has been completed the staff grants its wielder the following powers.
Within 10 miles of the perimeter:
o 20 points of energy resistance versus, cold, electricity, fire, and sound o Spell resistance 25 o +2 to AC o +2 to the effective caster level of any cold based spell
Within the perimeter:
o All of the powers of a staff of frost can be used as single round actions and consume no charge
Plus
o Mage Hand (at will) no charges o Ray of Frost (at will) no charges o Unseen Servant (at will) no charges o Chill Touch (at will) no charges o Gust of Wind (at will) no charges o Cryotechnics (at will) no charges – as pyrotechnics but cold and icy mist rather than smoke and fire o Gaseous Form (at will) no charges o Otiluke's Freezing Sphere (at will) no charges o Wall of Ice (at will) no charges o Sleet Storm (20th level caster – save the area of effect is the entire area bound to the staff's control) o Ice Storm (20th level caster – save the area of effect is the entire area bound to the staff's control) this ability may be used once per hour o Cold Kill (as Cloud Kill but the effect is the result of a cold based mist) (20th level caster – save the area of effect is the entire area bound to the staff's control) this ability may be used once per day o Cone of Cold (20th level) this ability may be used once per minute
o Immunity to all energy damage o Spell resistance 35 o +4 to AC o +4 to the effective caster level of any cold based spell
o Aura of Cold: All of those within 10' of the wielder take 1d10 of cold damage per round. o Armor of Elemental Ice: The chill that envelops the wielder of a staff of the winter mage is so itence that nay weapon striking him is made brittle – any physical attack (including arrows, spears, siege stones) that strikes the wielder is automatically subject to a sunder attempt. This attempt to sunder requires no action on the part of the staff wielder it is a function of his supernatural cold. The sunder attempt is equal to the attackers own attack roll (including all bonuses -6). This magical sunder effect does not generate any attacks of opportunity.
o Lord of Wind and Ice: While within the perimeter the staff wielder is always attended by 10 8HD Air Elementals. In addition to the normal characteristics, these elementals are constantly under an improved invisibility, tongues, see invisible, and can cast cone of cold, sleet storm, wall of ice 4 times per day as 8th level casters. These elementals are in constant telepathic communication with each other and the staff wielder.
o Cold Aura of Command: No elemental can be summoned within the perimeter unless the staff wielder allows it – the attempt automatically alerts the staff wielder to the presence of the spell caster and his caster level (for the spell being attempted). Summon Natures Ally, and Summon Monster are similarly warded, to use such a spell requires a Spell craft check of 20 plus the level of the spell being attempted. These spells have a 10% chance per level of spell of being detected and conveying the spell type and caster level.
The Staff of the Winter Mage is also an intelligent item with the following properties:
o Telepathy (to wielder only) o Neutral (tending toward chaotic evil) o Faerie Fire (3 times per day) o +10 on intimidate checks o +10 on sense motive checks o Zone of Truth (3 times per day) o Detect Scrying (continuous) o Detect Thoughts (at will) o Fear (at will) o 19 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, 19 Charisma, Ego 35
Item wants the wielder to set up multiple areas of control, item wants the world to be a frozen paradise, pure and cold.
The staff of the winter mage is a 6' tall staff carved from the tooth of Ixklikt, a gargantuan, fiendish, white dragon. The staff is etched with luminous inlay in Felgyron (a variety of mithril mined in the coldest hells by fallen souls to forge weapons for the demon legions) in a runic script of unknown meaing. The staff is capped with a sapphire blue globe of cold energy that seems to swirl with storm (some say the image of the area under the staffs control is visible in miniature within the sphere). This globe is held in place by prongs sculpted in snowflake motifs.
Wow.
In all seriousness, Kyr, this is one of the most powerful items I've ever seen. This is /easily/ major artifact, and I think that's an understatement.
In short, I can totally see this being something the PCs Should Not Own. And you know they're going to want to. (I've always had an aversion to treasure the PCs weren't allowed to have).
But I see potential for something really cool here, and it's already got me thinking how it might be done up using some of the newer crunch since the release of Frostburn (including that book).
Wow.
In all seriousness, Kyr, this is one of the most powerful items I've ever seen. This is /easily/ major artifact, and I think that's an understatement.
In short, I can totally see this being something the PCs Should Not Own. And you know they're going to want to. (I've always had an aversion to treasure the PCs weren't allowed to have).
But I see potential for something really cool here, and it's already got me thinking how it might be done up using some of the newer crunch since the release of Frostburn (including that book).
Well while I wouldn't argue that the item isn't REALLY powerful (it was intended to be) I also laid in some pretty beefy (in my estimation) constraints:
The Staff of the Winter Mage is something of an experiment an artifact of enormous power, but with constraints that make it managable in a game.
I also wanted to create an artifact that a superpowerful mage would want - as opposed to many artifacts which seem to be a really strange mish mash of abilties.
My goal with a lot of the description was to create limitations and offsets on the staff's greater powers in terms of gp, xp, time, ego, alignment, and binding it to a specific geography, that would hopefully prevent it from unbalancing the game in the hands of the PCs. (Hopefully even make it undesireable - something to destroy rather than wield)
I readily accept that I may be off on some of the stats - I was trying to experiment with ways to reign in an item while still making it HUGELY powerful in a specific context.
But hey if it gave you an idea to explore for your own game I'm happy - that was the goal of the post to share ideas for other people to build on for their own games (even if the item itself doesn't fit).
Thanks for the reply!
I echo Xellan: Wow.
I think this staff captures the idea of a deity and his domain better than Deities and Demigods. The wielder basically becomes a god of winter within the area.
I think it needs some work.
But I like it! :)
I really like the theme of the staff; the domain that he is granted power over and within. I've long thought that high level mages should have access to spells and effects somewhat like this, in that their magic covers vast areas with significant effects. Current rules place these types of abilities (and certainly this staff) within the realm of "epic" play, which I despise.
My reaction is this: Drop the energy resistance, the spell resistance, sunder attempts, bound air elementals, and Good God, that's waaay too many spells that the thing can cast, particularly for having little or no use limitations. I can't even remember all the stuff you gave this thing while I'm typing this reply.
Anyway, I think the theme you are looking for can be achieved without crafting a god-slayer (which this is).
I would recommend something along the following lines, using Frostburn as recommended above:
The staff's wielder must first discern the nature of the staff in some way. Once they know what the staff is capable of, he must meditate and fast for a month, ingesting nothing but snow or ice to avoid dehydration. At the end of this period, the wielder must make a DC 30 Knowledge (arcana or religion) check to recieve the benefits of the staff. If successful, the staff immediately drains 100 XP per 2 caster levels to fuel its power.
Until the caster undertakes these procedures, the staff is "dormant" and functions as a staff of frost, except that it regains one charge per day.
When activated by the above methods, the staff can duplicate the effects of an ice castle spell (Frostburn 98; Caster Level 20th), centered on the caster. The caster can only have one ice castle at a time, and cannot use this power of the staff for one month after conjuring the ice castle. Unlike the effects of the actual spell, this ice castle has a hardness of 10 and does not take full damage from fire effects; rather, fire damages the ice castle as it would any other object.
Additionally, somewhere within the ice castle (of the wielder's choosing) is a pool, approximately five feet square, which the staff's wielder can use to produce a greater scrying effect at will (Caster Level 20th). The caster also has access to the effects of clairaudience/clairvoyance through the pool at will (Caster Level 20th). These effects can be used anywhere within the area of the fimbulwinter (see below).
When the ice castle is conjured, the staff also produces a permanent fimbulwinter effect (Frostburn 93; Caster Level 20th). The radius of the spell begins at 1 mile and expands another mile each day, until it reaches a maximum of 20 miles. The effect is centered on the ice castle. Within the fimbulwinter, the season is always considered to be winter for the purposes of determining snowfall and wind. The further powers of the staff can be accessed so long as the wielder is within the area of the fimbulwinter.
The staff's wielder can cast control snow and ice (Frostburn 92; Caster Level 20th), except that the area of effect can be anywhere within the fimbulwinter, regardless of distance from the caster. This power is useable once per week. Similarly, the staff's owner can call upon the item to duplicate the powers of an orb of storms; however, it can only produce wintery weather effects, and the damage dealt by the rain of the storm of vengeance is cold rather than acid.
Additionally, the wielder can call upon the staff once per day to duplicate the effects of any conjure ice beast spell (Frostburn 91; Caster Level 20th).
Also, so long as the staff's wielder is within the area of the fimbulwinter, his caster level increases by 2 for all spells with the Cold descriptor. The wielder also recieves a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws.
------
I didn't make mention of the staff being intelligent because... well, I got tired of thinking about it. Sorry. =/
At any rate, I think this helps capture the theme you are looking for without making it too powerful. The above item still has major artifact level powers.
Like I said it was intended to be REALLY powerful.
It would also never be "found" in a cache by PCs it is actively wielded by the bad guy - so good luck getting it - as for having to discern its abilties - well the staff is (intended as) as well known artifact - the subject of amny legends - AND is impossible to get without fighting the guy who wields it - and who will use it to fulleffect against them.
Another core limitation is that while it can cast many spells and doesn't run dry so to speak (though it should probably be modified to feed on the wielders xp every month) it can only cast one spell at a time.
That said, I go back to the original point which was to create an item to show folks out there a new (IMO) spin on how to create a beefy item - and still reign it in.
Limitations due to xp cost - time to set up an area of control - gold to set up an area of control - ego (and agenda of the item) - limitation as to the items utility outside of that area of control - most items are limited to one effect at a time so thtat is new - but it is a constraint on how much power this item can bring to bear - though the elementals in particular and spells with longer durations add some complexity in that regard.
YES - it is probably over the top (thats part of the fun of it) - balancing the item wasn't the point of the post - if that was my goal I would adjust it to fit the level of the party that was going to get it, which obviously as written would be epic (it is highly improbable that any party could - the attempt would be suicide) - the wielder is (in my imagination) WAY EPIC - and WAY in the background - basically the reason for vast regions of frozen waste. Home for other nasties - to come out and plague the green regions of the world.
(I don't think a god would have much trouble with it by the way - he would just will it away - along with all the other magic items the villain wields - if he for some reason found cold troublesome - also unlikely).
I don't have Frostburn - thumbed through it - love the name - did see the need for the content.
But thanks for reading the post hopefully it has some seeds of ideas you can use for your own game. Which was the reason for the post.
--- If anyone else is reading please post/share your wildest stuff.
Actually, yes, just writing up my interpretation of the staff set the campaign writing wheels turning in my head. :)
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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--- If anyone else is reading please post/share your wildest stuff.
You asked for it, here it is:
In one of my most famous campaigns, a lawful evil fiendish great wyrm red dragon bent on becoming a god started slowly incorporating his way into popular society through devious means. The first step in his master plan was the creation of various types of clothing which all bore a common symbol. The symbol was a bizarre twisted mark that didn't really mean anything to the casual observer but all of the clothing made with this rune was enchanted with several effects:
Garments of the Dragon Lord
+2 Charisma
+4 competance bonus on Diplomacy checks
Doesn't seem like much. The rune itself was also a scrying focus for the evil dragon so that he could personally keep tabs on anyone who happened to be wearing one and the enchantments were masked by a Nystul's Magic Aura. Now, +2 Charisma and +4 on Diplomacy doesn't seem like much to a PC. However, imagine these clothes being given out at EXTREMELY low prices and looking very fashionable (the dragon had a +32 to Craft (tailoring) and made them himself). Suddenly, hundreds and hundreds of commoners are wearing them. They begin to notice that these clothes are enriching their lives (Charisma and Diplomacy make you much more likable and will certainly make a difference in your life). They start remembering that the vendors who sold them (who were all personal minions of the dragon) advertised the little symbol as a 'lucky charm'. Now that they've been wearing them awhile, they start to believe it. Soon, THOUSANDS of commoners are wearing them and they talk up the rune as a symbol that 'changed their life for the better' and that anyone who doesn't wear one is 'foolish.' Now the dragon lord has thousands of scrying focuses located all over the place. Eventually, one of the PCs decides to buy some of these clothes. The dragon lord takes a peek at him through the focus and, seeing him as a heroic type with numerous magical items, starts taking an interest in this individual and used the scrying focus to occassionally buff him, whisper suggestions to him, etc. etc. Next thing you know, the PC is unwittingly doing the bidding of an evil dragon because it just 'feels right.'
Best game ever, imo.
--- If anyone else is reading please post/share your wildest stuff.
You asked for it, here it is:
In one of my most famous campaigns, a lawful evil fiendish great wyrm red dragon bent on becoming a god started slowly incorporating his way into popular society through devious means. The first step in his master plan was the creation of various types of clothing which all bore a common symbol. The symbol was a bizarre twisted mark that didn't really mean anything to the casual observer but all of the clothing made with this rune was enchanted with several effects:
Garments of the Dragon Lord
+2 Charisma
+4 competance bonus on Diplomacy checksDoesn't seem like much. The rune itself was also a scrying focus for the evil dragon so that he could personally keep tabs on anyone who happened to be wearing one and the enchantments were masked by a Nystul's Magic Aura. Now, +2 Charisma and +4 on Diplomacy doesn't seem like much to a PC. However, imagine these clothes being given out at EXTREMELY low prices and looking very fashionable (the dragon had a +32 to Craft (tailoring) and made them himself). Suddenly, hundreds and hundreds of commoners are wearing them. They begin to notice that these clothes are enriching their lives (Charisma and Diplomacy make you much more likable and will certainly make a difference in your life). They start remembering that the vendors who sold them (who were all personal minions of the dragon) advertised the little symbol as a 'lucky charm'. Now that they've been wearing them awhile, they start to believe it. Soon, THOUSANDS of commoners are wearing them and they talk up the rune as a symbol that 'changed their life for the better' and that anyone who doesn't wear one is 'foolish.' Now the dragon lord has thousands of scrying focuses located all over the place. Eventually, one of the PCs decides to buy some of these clothes. The dragon lord takes a peek at him through the focus and, seeing him as a heroic type with numerous magical...
Thats a cool idea.
Thanks - its something I'll keep in mind for hte next game I run (though it would probably be a lich or someother humanoid villain - rather than a dragon. Maybe even a "Good" but paranoid leader.