So here's the deal, my players are working (being Pawns) for the Black Cult of Ahm from Fiendish Codex 1. They think it's a good guy group, "The Order of Ahm" (Cause I'm an evil DM).
Recently thye were all gifted with Rings as a thank you for services rendered to the Order. I want to make these cool magic items but havn't decieded what they do yet. Want to avoid "ring of Protection + Whatever". Want to make them items that the players will talk about for a long time to come.
So I'm totally open to suggestions.
Not familiar with the Codex, and no books in front of me, but...
What if the ring grants the wearer the ability to speak a fiendish language? That should provide more interesting role-playing scenarios as opposed to just stat building.
And/or additional modifiers could be applied to each ring specifically for some future Cult assignments (whatever you have in mind).
|
It might be nice to get a little more of a guideline. Here is a quick list of most (all?) official magic rings.
You might want to consider simply having the ring able to do a spell like ability 1/day that gets more spell-like abilities as they progress in levels. This might make them less likely to take it off later on down the road...
The Cult is about getting demonic items and learning Demon Lore. Currently I've running Expedition to the Demon Web pit,
The Cults plans are to use the PC's as and expendiable resource. I know that they rings allow the Cult to Scry on the PC's with great ease.
and they would want the rings to be useful so that the PC's keep them. Idealy the PC's will find out about the truth and it's darker aspects (I got one paladin of Pelor in the group).
I would like them to be forced into the Tuff choice, weither to use the "bad" item or not to. So I wanted to avoid the basics +'s to hit or AC since they could easily replace that with a different item.
I of couse don't want to make the rings Evil as in Vile damage etc cause then it's easy to say "it's evil destroy it"
It might be nice to get a little more of a guideline. Here is a quick list of most (all?) official magic rings.
You might want to consider simply having the ring able to do a spell like ability 1/day that gets more spell-like abilities as they progress in levels. This might make them less likely to take it off later on down the road...
Thanks I was checking the List and really liked the Slave /Master Rings from Book of Vile Darkness, I was thinking of added other Spell like abilities to them, suggestions?
|
|
I still think that the way to go to keep them from trading up the ring is to have it "level up" as they do. Maybe give each ring an additional ability at every odd level or every 3rd level. And, again, consider giving them spell-like abilities with the ring. Look through the Complete Adventurer (or Spell Compendium) for some swift abilities. Things like giving the rogue grave strike 1/day will really make the rogue happy and will be minor enough to not upset the balance of the game too much. Later on, give it to him for 2/day or give him golem strike 1/day -- and so on. They will never find another ring like it and it doesn't give a specific "plus" to something.
|
|
Another thought is how expendable are the party? If the idea is to keep the party alive a bit more, you might give the rings the "healing" property (meant for armor -- Shining South). Basically, if the wearer ever takes damage that puts them into negative numbers, it heals them for 20 hit points of damage (immediate action so it's as if the damage never happened). If the idea is to kill the party, then that wouldn't be a good idea. :)
The Slave/Master rings allow you to use "Sending" as a spell like ability with anyone else with a ring from that set, and the Slave rings can only be removed by the one wearing the master ring, and the wearer of the master ring can do damage as a free astion to the other wearers,
Another thought is how expendable are the party? If the idea is to keep the party alive a bit more, you might give the rings the "healing" property (meant for armor -- Shining South). Basically, if the wearer ever takes damage that puts them into negative numbers, it heals them for 20 hit points of damage (immediate action so it's as if the damage never happened). If the idea is to kill the party, then that wouldn't be a good idea. :)
Moff I really like the idea of the spell like abilities, just need to make a list for the whole party.
The Villians veiw the party as pretty expendiable (I don't, I hate killing PC's)
Suggestions from anyone are welcome
Spell thief, Paladin, Ranger, Monk, and Favor Soul in the party.
One suggestion could be to tailor each ring to each individual. And make them grow in power as the character does. For example, I once created a spear that with a command would turn into a harmless-looking bracelet. As the owner grew in power, the spear/bracelet would also 'hide' the character's armor, shield, even their mount.
You could try using the Weapons of legacy as a guide for more ideas.
Another thought is how expendable are the party? If the idea is to keep the party alive a bit more, you might give the rings the "healing" property (meant for armor -- Shining South). Basically, if the wearer ever takes damage that puts them into negative numbers, it heals them for 20 hit points of damage (immediate action so it's as if the damage never happened). If the idea is to kill the party, then that wouldn't be a good idea. :)
So one of the Players died tonight- Crit from the Wild Hunter in the Beastlands. So all the rings have healing atleast :)
One suggestion could be to tailor each ring to each individual. And make them grow in power as the character does. For example, I once created a spear that with a command would turn into a harmless-looking bracelet. As the owner grew in power, the spear/bracelet would also 'hide' the character's armor, shield, even their mount.
You could try using the Weapons of legacy as a guide for more ideas.
Yeah we have several Legacy items in the game currently. Black Bow (from WoL), Thaas and Spidersilk from EttDWP and Holy symbols of Ravenkind & Sun Sword from EtCR. I think that I really do want the rings to be generally the same but slight differnet key abilities for each of the characters
I like the idea the rings can be scried upon. Perhaps the healing ability increases with the PCs' level, but the true masters of the rings can reverse the effect, causing inflict wounds effects instead. In keeping with the demonic idea, perhaps the rings provide a bonus to diplomacy checks with demons. Perhaps demons can identify them on sight and don't target the wearers unless they're targeted first. Or perhaps the rings are vampiric, channeling a portion of the damage PCs suffer to their demonic masters. Since you want the PCs to have a hard time giving up the rings, maybe they provide a +2 bonus to each character's most important ability score.
Maybe you could modify the rules for legacy items a bit and provide a whole series of useful abilities as the PCs' level increases. Each ability could be matched to a harmful effect usable by the rings' real masters similar to the cure/inflict wounds idea above.
Just a few thoughts off the top of my head.
I think the point of these rings should be to not give away the true intent of the npc group so I would avoid anything blatantly evil like the suggestion to speak a fiendish language specifically. I suggest you use powers that are not inherantly evil, but could lead the adventurers down the path of evil if missused.
ring of clairaudience; while not inherantly evil; this could be useful to the group, but also enhance a players ablility and desire to invade the privacy of others; sure they might start out trying to hear behind a door in a dungeon, but with some roleplaying this could lead a person down the dark path; ie; in a inn one night the player wearing the ring is awakened by sounds of fighting in a room down the hall; which room is not easily determinable from within the player room; as the player strains to listen or some such or even subconcious desire to know what is going on; the ring activates and tunes into the conversation, the player hears a snippet of conversation before a killing takes place - "that is not acceptable (name); reconsider and pledge to us or face your doom. (another voice) My path is set; I cannot betray my lord and have no recourse but to continue regardless. (first voice) a pity, truly." now sounds of a spell or a weapon blow with crunching bones and a falling body. With this ring I would have it be intelligent; only give 3 clairaudiences a day unless the listening thing is to promote evil; then the ring might activate on its own (dm plot device) or actively scan for conversations of things like lust; anger, vice, bribery, and the like. Perhaps even when the player is sleeping; so they wake up with this knowledge of an event that they relate to the party as a "wierd dream I had" but know to much about the event to pass off easily.
make other rings like this; be subtle, clairsentience, reading thoughts, domination, charm, can all be used to violate a persons freedoms and used for evil purposes; things like comprehend languages or read magic or reading psychic impressions left in an area might open a person to evil influences; a ring of summoning with a good; a nuetral; an evil creature might be interesting; make the good one the weakest and the nuetral in the middle and the evil one the strongest; perhaps a warrior; thief; magic user ;they could fight or give advice once per day, but are bound to the ring; make them appear human, but be extraplanular.
I had great fun in a game once giveing a ring of fire resistance that was really a ring where a greater efreeti can whisper in your ear to help you fulfill your hearts most evil desires, the efreeti only did this in response to things the player said during roleplay; usually wanting more power or hit harder or whatnot; the efreeti as the ring would try to cut a deal or say "as you wish master" and cause the player to rage and maybe give a str buff and over time use some druid like spells to give claws; barkskin, and a feral appearance; done right it could be a long, long time before the true power behind the ring is determines; everyone thought it was a druid item :)
have you looked at the back of UA and looked at taint? perhaps you want to add this to your campaign.
have you looked at the back of UA and looked at taint? perhaps you want to add this to your campaign.
Good call, Valegrim. Taint is one of those slow, gradual things that can slowly take over a PC - at least, that's the way I played in in my Rokugan mashup campaign.
have you looked at the back of UA and looked at taint? perhaps you want to add this to your campaign.Good call, Valegrim. Taint is one of those slow, gradual things that can slowly take over a PC - at least, that's the way I played in in my Rokugan mashup campaign.
I'm going to look that up again for sure,
Funny thing is set Rokugan in Greyhawk game- out past the Sea of Dust.
The Scorpion clan and the Brotherhood have very loose ties to one another.
Am I'm allowing for Bloodmagic in my "standard" GH campaign
Here Is what I have So Far - Comments/suggestions are welcome
I would like there to be a cost for the abilites but nothing like Weapons of Legacy -to HP or Checks, etc, What it to come as a shock
(note it's not showing Up like I'm posting it)
Rings
Level Paladin Ranger Monk Favored Spell Thief Villian
1 Agent Agent Agent Agent Agent Servant
3 Message Message Message Message Message Whispers
5 Healing Healing Healing Healing Healing Master
Abilities
1) Agents; +5 Check – on all Diplomicy/Intimade check Vs. Evil Outsiders
3) Message; As the Spell
5) Healing; As a Swift action +20 hp 1/day, if the character goes negative
SPELLTHIEF
7) Ebon Eyes 1/day
9) Critical Strike 1/Day
11) Golem Strike 1/day
13) Fell the Greatest Foe 1/day
15) Blade of Pain & Fear 1/day
17) Fangs of Vampire 1/day
19) Heart Ripper 1/day
Costs
1) Servant; Any Evil Outside that spots the ring, knows that they are agents of the Cult of
Ahm
3) Whispers; The Master Ring can over hear any thing said threw the use of Message
5)Master; Can inflict 3d6 damage to anyone wearing a Slave ring as a free action