Running Intelligent Weapons


3.5/d20/OGL


Along the way in my Forgotten Realms campaign, the party has picked up a couple of intelligent weapons. I'm assuming someone among this esteemed board has run intelligent weapons/items before. What I'm looking for are tips, tricks, suggestions, etc. to make them interesting without being completely overpowering.

If it'll help, the weapons in question are "Hadryllis" from the lands of Rashemen. The other is a minor-powered dagger that would prefer to be owned by a Red Wizard of Thay.

Thanks in advance.


BV210 wrote:
Along the way in my Forgotten Realms campaign, the party has picked up a couple of intelligent weapons. I'm assuming someone among this esteemed board has run intelligent weapons/items before. What I'm looking for are tips, tricks, suggestions, etc. to make them interesting without being completely overpowering.

Ham it up. Intelligent weapons I've run in the past tend to be extremes in their outlooks and emotions and attitude. No dilly-dallying, particularly about whatever their drives are. For instance, an intelligent katana I once used was very methodical and tactical. When speaking as the katana, I spoke in a low, determined, forceful voice. When speaking as an intelligent axe, it didn't really hold an conversation other than to say "KILLLLLLLLLLLL! KILL THAT ONE NEXT!"

So again, extremes. Makes them memorable without being overpowering.

Scarab Sages

One of my players' PCs once possessed an intelligent warhammer originally forged to serve the most powerful priest of the Earth goddess - unfortunately, being Chaotic, the church fragmented and the hammer was often given to those not quite powerful enough to deal with it, and eventually it was lost.

I developed a character for the hammer the same way I would an NPC or PC, joting down some quick notes on a few personality traits. A few things that guided the ego of the hammer:

  • Likes: would often assert itself when in earth-dominated terrains, such as mountains or deserts. Would occasionally fall into bouts of depression when near large bodies of water, or forests.

  • Dislikes: would demand to be wielded against water-type creatures, or earth creatures that threatended the wielder without provocation.

  • Ethos: religious to a fault, often preventing or punishing the PC if they did something against the tenets of the earth faith.

  • Combat: being chaotic, it was pretty laid back and willing to let the PC do as he pleased in combat - but every once in a while a bit of fancy would take over and the PC would do something wacky, like throw the hammer.

    My biggest tip would be to be true to the identity of the weapon. If that displeases your PC(s), it is their choice how they deal with it and could lead to interesting side-quests. If you play the weapon passively out of caution, your players will not benefit from it and it will become just another magic item.

    Oh, given that last statement, I should probably mention the insane flaming scimitar forged by the chaotic evil fire cult - one failed save, and the PC had to start uncontrollably burning everything in sight (eventually turning on the party, which had to take him down with a hold person spell). Then they sold it to the King.


  • I ususally don't go for talking weapons; just seems too "cartoonish," for some reason. In fact, all the intelligent weapons I've introduced have got empathy, with basically equates to an ability to impart a sense of their feral hunger to their users. Instead of ego tests, I have a feat that allows you some semblance of control over your weapon; without it, you have none (you can wield the thing, but it will refuse to use its powers/abilities, or will activate them against your allies when they touch it, etc.).

    Also, all my intelligent weapons are also Morganti weapons (a la Steven Brust), possession of which is illegal in my homebrew campaign).

    Scarab Sages

    Kirth Gersen wrote:

    I ususally don't go for talking weapons; just seems too "cartoonish," for some reason. In fact, all the intelligent weapons I've introduced have got empathy, with basically equates to an ability to impart a sense of their feral hunger to their users. Instead of ego tests, I have a feat that allows you some semblance of control over your weapon; without it, you have none (you can wield the thing, but it will refuse to use its powers/abilities, or will activate them against your allies when they touch it, etc.).

    Also, all my intelligent weapons are also Morganti weapons (a la Steven Brust), possession of which is illegal in my homebrew campaign).

    Yeah, I prefer to limit things to telepathy at the most. The hammer I mentioned was telepathic, while the scimitar was empathic (unbridled rage and a desire to watch the world burn). When things start talking, that should be a 1 in a Million occurence - maybe once with a group of players.


    I've only had one intelligent weapon in my homebrew world. It didn't talk, but it had a fairly keen intelligence. As it happened, the PC who initially found it and tried to use it ended up not being able to control it so it stayed sheathed in favor of other weapons. It has since been handed off, but the players are pretty leery of using it for the most part...


    I appreciate the input, folks.

    Since Hadryllis is a product of the berserkers, I like Lillith's "KILL THAT ONE NEXT" approach. It will be extra fun during the party's next foray into the planes as it really has a problem with outsiders. :)

    As for the Thayvian dagger, I think the empathetic approach is a better choice.

    Good points, all. Thanks.

    Liberty's Edge

    Intelligent weapons depends on the kind of campaign you're running. If a very serious campaign, great care must be taken with thinking them up. Do you want one that is going to try to possess the wielder, work toward a common goal with them and split once complete, or is granted as a servant by a higher power.

    If you're playing a more comedic campaign, then I'd suggest something like a sword that picks its wielders by doing things like barking at people it doesn't want or singing annoying songs untill it rids itself of that person.

    Sovereign Court

    Intelligent weapons have been a staple of sword and sorcery fantasy since Elric picked up Stormbringer (and maybe even before that). They've been a fun element in D&D, as they can provide many entertaining situations. A few examples that I've encountered come to mind.

    The PC picks up a magic sword, rolls a check, gets a strange look on his face, and suddenly says, "Hi! I'm Tollathatharod, and this is my pet Elf!"

    Rogla Goblinslayer, human fighter, had a mithril bastard sword with a hilt fashioned in the form of a beautiful woman named Melinda, which could speak. The sword was in love with Rogla, which made for some uncomfortable moments when a woman caught his eye. "Back off, b*tch, or I'll cut your t*ts off!"

    A friend had a a mithril sword with a basket hilt that hated Orcs. If a single Orc was behind an army of Balrogs, the sword would tell the owner to go after the Orc. If the owner refused, the basket hilt would flow over his hand and up his forearm. "If you don't kill the Orc, I'm going to open up your veins and hold them open until you bleed to death."

    I recall Foulmouth, a talking sword of great power with, as you might imagine, a colorful vocabulary. It tended to denigrate its owner whenever he missed with it, and upon many other occasions as well.

    Read Knights of the Dinner Table and the tales of Carvin' Marvin - they'll have you in stitches.

    :D

    The Exchange

    I've always liked the idea of intelligent weapons that have an undeserved sense of self-importance.

    The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

    I imagine that intelligent weapons come in different varieties.

    I can imagine some sort of necromantic ritual to bring a bone-and-sinew weapon to intelligent unlife. (Imagine a ranseur with ivory fingers that actually reach out to grab and trip its opponents.)

    I can imagine weapons enchanted much the same as golems, with elemental spirits raging inside them.

    and then...

    Artificial Intelligence I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't let you sheathe me.

    Spoiler:
    Once you've enchanted a mace to be holy, disrupting and undead bane, it's only the next logical step.

    Artificially intelligent weapons have a purpose, but no personality. They can't be argued out of their directives. They're never cunning about their purpose. They may be "good" or "benevolent," but they are never merciful or "reasonable. Implacable.

    Remnant Intelligence Hey, who turned out the lights?

    Spoiler:
    The powerful psion who died accessing her cognizance crystal, now the central gem in a greatsword's hilt. The legendary dwarven hero whose personality imprinted onto his custom-made flaming waraxe +3. The experimental armor of agility, designed to read the mind of its wearer and move in accord with his wishes, unable to "erase" a former user. The spiked chain with the kobold skull embedded into the center ring, with the permanent speak with dead effect still running. ...

    Remnant intelligences have personalities, and bits of memory. In stressful circumstances, they may get confused, and the imprinted personality might possess the weilder.

    Divine Agent Intelligence You're right, beloved. This would indeed be an impossible shot, if not for the guiding hand of Erastil. Now, let us loose the shaft and trust in the Huntsman.

    Spoiler:
    These weapons are gifts, bound with the intelligence of an extrapanar servant of a deity.

    Divine agent intelligences are probably the rarest type, and aren't likely to stick around long outside the hands of a faithful champion. Fully intelligent, capable of initating actions on their own.


    Any campaigns I've been in sentient weapons never worked out too well. Mostly they began to loose their novelty and get treated like a familiar. (See Order of the Stick for details...)

    It's a shame because I've seen some great ideas. Like Cuthbert from the Wanderings of Wuntvor Series. A sentient sword with OCD. Way too much fun in a fight. "MORE BLOOD? DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO CLEAN OFF ICHOR??"

    Scarab Sages

    BV210 wrote:

    I appreciate the input, folks.

    Since Hadryllis is a product of the berserkers, I like Lillith's "KILL THAT ONE NEXT" approach. It will be extra fun during the party's next foray into the planes as it really has a problem with outsiders. :)

    As for the Thayvian dagger, I think the empathetic approach is a better choice.

    Good points, all. Thanks.

    First off, I would suggest that intelligent weapons be considered something like a familiar or a henchman. It should have a full personality, it should have likes and dislikes (as stated so well above),but most of all

    It should develop along with the character.

    The weapon of legacy rules are ideal for intelligent weapons. Have the item have powers that can be unlocked later in the campaign through 'rituals' that end up draining an appropriate value of wealth for the power imparted (to keep treasure amounts in balance).

    Nothing sucks more after large amounts of effort detailing the personality of an intelligent weapon than to have the player sell it because its only +2 & he wants a dancing sword. sigh...

    My favorite use of an intelligent weapon was in a campaign where the characters went through Tsojcanth (my own conversion). The female 1/2 orc fighter rouge (a henchman) was given the extremely powerful intelligent bastard sword by the party because it was too good to sell, but no one could use it at the time. The sword had all sorts of powers including flight at will - check the 1st edition module for some idea of this weapon. Needless to say its easily and almost continually dominated the henchman until she ran away. A few months later stories about "One-Eye's Handmaiden" sacking towns and caravans along the Wild Coast drew the parties attention. Their interests were severely damaged, and after investigating rumors stated that she wielded an incredibly powerful sword and was gifted with the power to fly by Gruumsh himself....

    They later discovered that the sword did all this because it was insulted that none of the party had wanted it. The looks on their faces were priceless. :)


    underling wrote:

    They later discovered that the sword did all this because it was insulted that none of the party had wanted it. The looks on their faces were priceless. :)

    Something very similar may happen in my game. Hadryllis is currently being carried by a mongrelfolk henchman because no one in the party has a bastard sword as their primary weapon. "Hadryllis Triumphant!" may become his uncontrolled battle cry.


    Wait...

    *Sell* an intelligent weapon?

    You can't *sell* an intelligent weapon!

    I mean, who know what it might say about you to other people? That sword has been on your right hip all the time, even when you were. . .

    Imagine the rumors it could start!


    I do recall, back in the mists of time, giving out an intelligent one-handed mace from a Judges Guild module. The mace was named "Pacifist" and would berate the character every time he used it.

    "Oh! Oh! A kobold! A little-bitty kobold! You feel better now? Feel like a MAN now? Oh, I'll just bet you do! I'm so happy for you. Now, wipe these brains from my head and put me away. . . no! No, I MEAN it! Put me AWAY! I'm not speaking to you anymore."


    I would say to take their Ego score into account when making their personality. An easily subdued item might not be as outspoken as one who can normally steamroll over any user that might come across it.

    If the item can talk (either verbally or telepathically) make sure it has a "reason to exist". I don't mean "why was it crafted" but rather "what does it hatE".

    Does it hate drow? Wizards? Clerics? Undead? Demons? Purple Dragon Knights? Red Wizards of Thay? Cult of the Dragon?

    Give the intelligent weapon Something that 1) it likes and 2) it dislikes.

    Then make sure to have the weapon pipe up when one of those two objects come up.

    Examples:
    Loves: shepard's pie.
    Hates: Red Wizard of Thay.

    When PC's are in a tavern ordering supper, have the item order the Shep's pie. If the PC's order one, have it muttering about how good they taste, and how much it wishes it could taste one again..

    For Hate, it's easier. If it hears of or sees one, it wants blood.
    Imagine the PC's hearing rumors of the Red Wizards snooping around Tilverton. The sword starts nudging, then mentioning, then requesting, then insisting that the PC's investigate it.

    You want to be careful not to steal the show with the items, nor to give out so many that it's just another item. You want them to be memorable enough to keep without being so annoying that they take a Disintegrate to 'em to get rid of 'em.

    Just my .02 in the matter.

    -S


    Meh, I prefer to run them like they house some weird alien intelligence, not like they're people. An item that subliminally hungers for blood (or souls!) is cooler, to me, than one that verbally declares it hates orcs and argues out loud with its wielder.

    Different strokes for different folks.


    If you want to be completely demented (and can get away with it), you can let an intelligent weapon subtley whipser corrupting thoughts into whoever is holding it, influencing them to do horrible, horrible things. Kind of a "the dagger made me do it" thing. Maybe treat it like an Ego control battle with a symbiont (from Eberron).

    ::edit:: As an aside, in my group there are 3 intelligent items that keep turning up (a ring of jumping, a suit of mithral fullplate, and a coat made from shapeshifter skin). They don't turn up in every single campain or every single month long arc we run, and they aren't even always in our hands, but they turn up alot, the same way some of our old characters keep popping up, especially when we're running something that we know is only going to last for a few sessions, and they keep changing in power level. Something like this won't work in every group, but when it does it's a blast. I'm just sayin..

    Dark Archive

    BV210 wrote:
    As for the Thayvian dagger, I think the empathetic approach is a better choice.

    It would fit the Thayvian 'tone' for the dagger to be a supremacist of sorts. Lacking any Thayvian wizard holding it, it would still tend to support the views of any wizards over anyone else, or anyone from that region (even a Mulhorandi, if the choice is a plan coming from one of them or a money-grubbing Calishite or some Dales peasant dirt-farmer or something). The dagger would have derogatory terms for everyone other than it's wizard holder (and would still make constant snide comments about how it's last owner, a Thayvian wizard, had bigger fireballs and more powerful lightning bolts and could cast spells that it's current holder will probably never even see, let alone master). The notion that nobody would want it's input would be alien to it, and it would regularly offer unsolicited advice.

    "Why are you arguing about this? Take them as slaves. Make them carry the eggs, so you can have more slaves when they hatch." (The party is trying to decide what to do with some Kobold non-combatants.)

    "Don't cut your hair. You look better with long hair. It's, um, very distinctive. It suits you." (The dagger is, of course, judging by Thayvian standards, where slaves wear their hair long, while the elite shave their heads. It would rather the PCs keep their hair long and grow beards, because it thinks of them as unworthy...)

    "*Clearly,* it was a fiendish wolf. Look at the fangs!" (Said after a wolf hurts it's wielder. It's learned from it's previous owner to talk up anything involving it's owner, to make them sound more impressive. Flattery and all that.)

    Being a Thayvian dagger, it would also encourage it's owner to learn Craft Magic Arms & Armor and increase it's own powers, perhaps openly, perhaps by praising others who do have similar skills and suggesting that one isn't a 'real mage' until one has learned to craft items of power, and perhaps, more insidiously, through empathy / telepathy, even while the character is sleeping, implanting visions of the dagger doing great things in the hands of the wielder, if only it's 'latent powers can be unlocked!' If it's owner *does* start increasing it's powers, it may even be conflicted when offered a chance to serve a Thayvian master again!

    Barring permanant magical enhancements, even temporary magical effects, such as casting Greater Magic Weapon or Sonic Blade or whatever on it might satisfy it temporarily, giving it a taste of enhanced power.

    Also, given the nature of the culture, the Thayvian dagger might be able to speak, but not reveal this until a time that it is convenient to it's own agenda. It might communicate telepathically any or all of the above to it's owner, but save speaking for times when the user is asleep, attempting to persuade another party member to return it to it's master for an 'incalculable reward.' Or it might shout a warning foes likely to kill the party as they are trying to quiety sneak by. It might just insult the local ruler, in an attempt to get the party in trouble! It's intelligence will determine how crafty it will be, and if it's not nearly as clever as it thinks, it might even forget that it's already 'blown it's cover' and refuse to speak again, hoping to trick the party again after already attempting to deceive another into stealing it or shouting a warning or whatever.

    Dark Archive

    Chris Mortika wrote:
    I can imagine some sort of necromantic ritual to bring a bone-and-sinew weapon to intelligent unlife. (Imagine a ranseur with ivory fingers that actually reach out to grab and trip its opponents.)

    Relics & Rituals had a whip made from the spine of a komodo dragon-sized lizard, animated by necromancy and used to lash people. I loved that idea.

    A full 'Animate Objects' would allow the weapon to 'dance,' but a slight bit of animation might allow the weapon to move more nimbly, or even aid it's wielder in an attack (particularly a trip, disarm, etc.). A quarterstaff made from a giant's femur might allow it's user to wield it as a double weapons as if they had two-weapon fighting, as it swings around for a second strike almost of it's own accord, for instance, while a spiked chain made from a devil's spine fused to a pair of devil skulls at the ends could slither and wrap around foes, or lash out at a downed foe as if the wielder had improved trip.

    Using animate dead to enspell a suit of bone armor could render it effectively weightless, as it supports it's own weight, and perhaps even lends it's strength to the wielder!


    Intelligent weapons can be a blast. There is a good update to the 3.5 ruleset regarding them in one of the last issues of Dungeon...war of the wielded I believe was the title.

    Just remember, that they are generally created with a specific purpose. That purpose is their whole reason for existing. Their personalities (especially newer items) tend toward naivette, and OCD.

    Also, make good use of their EGO scores. They have absolutely nothing to lose by repeatedly asserting their influence over a weak mind.

    Scarab Sages

    One of my players convinced me to try something differant. he wanted an intelligent magc item at low levels but I always refused until he used the phrase "What if I only think they're intelligent?" He then went on to create an assortment of intelligent items, only it was all in his head and he was thouroughly (sp?) insane. And he was the party cleric. hearing a three way argument between him, Gary the Dancing Tophat and Pierre-Luc la Canne (it was a rapier hidden in a cane) about whether or not he should heal the wizard was amazing. Then when he reached an appropriate level to actually have magic items, Gary was upgraded from imaginary freind level to dancing frog level. It danced, but only when no one was looking. Hilarious.

    In terms of other intelligent items and how i run them, I usually go w/ either
    a)"the item is giving off a sense of bloodthirst" or "something is telling you to grab that purse. graaab it..."
    or
    b)"the sword practicvally leaps out of your hand to kill the kobald. 'MORE' it screams in your head!"

    depending on how subtle i want to make the control.


    Kirth Gersen wrote:
    Meh, I prefer to run them like they house some weird alien intelligence, not like they're people.

    Kirth, I don't disagree with you at all. Some of the choice might predicate on the kind of players you have, too. I've had both serious and silly intelligent items, depending on the group.

    After all, the idea is to have fun. :)


    Bear wrote:
    Some of the choice might predicate on the kind of players you have, too. I've had both serious and silly intelligent items, depending on the group.
    Kirth Gersen wrote:
    Different strokes for different folks.

    Yup. It's all a matter of taste.

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