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Presented here for your consideration... Bob. Bob is very much a work in progress, and not every detail from the books was accommodated. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.
Aura: Strong necromancy
CL: 20th
Slot: none
Weight: 3 pounds.
You see a skull with a dull metal finish, every square inch of which is covered with engraved arcane symbols, and dark-colored faceted crystals set into the eyesockets. When you pick up the skull, the crystals will glow a fiery orange and a deep, gravelly disembodied voice emits from the skull… “Hey, what are YOU looking at?!?”
The skull is the home of Bob, a spirit of intellect and a very learned loremaster of the arcane. Bob has been passed from wizard to wizard for centuries, and is a priceless font of magical lore. And you can be sure Bob KNOWS it. He likes nothing better than an opportunity to show off his knowledge (unless it’s “officiating” at some wild brawl or party – see below). Normally Bob is a smart-aleck, very, very stubborn, and has a weakness for the fairer sex. However, his personality can shift over time to reflect his current “owner”.
BOB [air spirit of intellect, Chaotic Neutral] - INT 19, WIS 10, CHA 14.
He also has the following skills:
Knowledge (Arcana) +20
Spellcraft +20
Craft (potions) +20
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +20
Knowledge (Planes) +20
Linguistics +20
Bob will aid the PC with a skill check on these skills at any time, if the PC makes successful Diplomacy check (see below). Bob can also make one of these skill rolls on behalf of the PC once per week, using the modifiers listed above, if he is given “leave” - 12-36 hours away from the skull and therefore unavailable to the PC (time away subject to negotiation, roleplay and/or Diplomacy check [see below]). There is a 25% chance Bob will do something while “on leave” that will directly impact the PC later on – not out of deliberate malice, just due to unforeseen consequences (“I didn’t do anything a keg of ale wouldn’t have done!”).
DIPLOMACY CHECKS W/BOB
Base DC 25, other modifiers as appropriate – also note the extra factors listed below...
• Wizards +4
• Other Arcane spellcasters +2
• Divine spellcasters +0
• Non-spellcasters -2
• Female characters get DOUBLE their Charisma bonus (positive or negative – he’s a bit shallow about these kinds of things)
OTHER ABILITIES
Sense Motive skill check of +10
Blindsense (60’)
Read Magic (at will)
Detect Magic (as per the spell, 3 times/day, caster level 20)
Read Languages (at will)
DESTRUCTION
Bob can only be destroyed by burning him on a pyre of spell books with a total worth at least 500,000 GP.
SAVED.
Okay actual critique. I think it's very well done first off. However I do have one quibble about the Detect Magic - why 3/day for a cantrip that's at-will for the caster, on a CL 20 artifact? I'd say make that at will, and add Arcane Sight or something similar on the 3/day timer.
Otherwise looks great to me!
This is like something out of an awesome RPG-based TV series. It's a very serious "looking" artifact with truly amazing abilities, but the animating force inside is less than savory and has a comical personality (though not so comical as to be strained). I get a Bender (Futurama) vibe from the personality bits, and I like that.
I would love to read a story (as told my Bob) about a time when someone thought it was necessary to destroy him, and how he managed to survive. XD That would be awesome.
One is reminded of Wavyhill, the necromancer reduced to only a talking skull from The Magic Goes Away by Larry Niven.
To be clear we're talking about BOB from the books and not the series, correct? Those are two entirly different entities.
Is this incarnation before or after he "snipped off" the overtly evil bit of his personality. I know even if it's present hes chosen to forget. I guess that's up to the DM, but it might be worth mentioning as an option in the description.
Finding that it's a conversion detracts from the value slightly, but does make me want to read the source.
Finding that it's a conversion detracts from the value slightly, but does make me want to read the source.
@Genetic: In theory sometime this year, but Wiki still says TBA.
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I would also add mage hand as an at-will too for flipping through book pages.
Why did I think the evil artifact was a 'Boyfriend on Batteries' ?
I do have one quibble about the Detect Magic - why 3/day for a cantrip that's at-will for the caster, on a CL 20 artifact? I'd say make that at will, and add Arcane Sight or something similar on the 3/day timer.
Good point - fixed.
To be clear we're talking about BOB from the books and not the [TV] series, correct? Those are two entirly different entities.
Correct. A friend loaned my wife the first three Dresden novels recently, and we fell in love with them. Not long afterwards we ordered up the pilot of the TV series on Hulu - and fell in hate with it. ;-)
Is this incarnation before or after he "snipped off" the overtly evil bit of his personality. I know even if it's present hes chosen to forget.
I just tried to get the essence of Bob across using the PF rules - you can, of course, modify him at whim to whatever point in the story you like.
Finding that it's a conversion detracts from the value slightly, but does make me want to read the source.
As I mentioned above, my wife and I just got into the book series and we are both enjoying them immensely.
Looks like a fun artifact to me. I will have to check out the books.
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Boards are acting funny... let's try one more time...
Bob Mk II
Aura: Strong enchantment
CL: 20th
Slot: none
Weight: 3 pounds.
You see a skull with a dull metal finish, every square inch of which is covered with engraved arcane symbols, and dark-colored faceted crystals set into the eyesockets. When you pick up the skull, the crystals will glow a fiery orange and a deep, gravelly disembodied voice emits from the skull… “Hey, what are YOU looking at?!?”
The skull is the home of Bob, a spirit of intellect and a very learned loremaster of the arcane. Bob has been passed from wizard to wizard for centuries, and is a priceless font of magical lore. And you can be sure Bob KNOWS it. He likes nothing better than an opportunity to show off his knowledge (unless it’s “officiating” at some wild brawl or party – see below). Normally Bob is a smart-aleck, very, very stubborn, and has a weakness for the fairer sex. However, his personality can shift over time to reflect his current “owner”.
BOB [air spirit of intellect, Chaotic Neutral] - INT 19, WIS 10, CHA 14.
He also has the following skills:
Knowledge (Arcana) +20
Spellcraft +20
Craft (potions) +20
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +20
Knowledge (Planes) +20
Linguistics +20
Bob will aid the PC with a skill check on these skills at any time, if the PC makes successful Diplomacy check (see below). Bob can also make one of these skill rolls on behalf of the PC once per week, using the modifiers listed above, if he is given “leave” - 12-36 hours away from the skull and therefore unavailable to the PC (time away subject to negotiation, roleplay and/or Diplomacy check [see below]). There is a 25% chance Bob will do something while “on leave” that will directly impact the PC later on – not out of deliberate malice, just due to unforeseen consequences (“I didn’t do anything a keg of ale wouldn’t have done!”).
DIPLOMACY CHECKS W/BOB
Base DC 25, other modifiers as appropriate – also note the extra factors listed below...
• Wizards +4
• Other Arcane spellcasters +2
• Divine spellcasters +0
• Non-spellcasters -2
• Female characters get DOUBLE their Charisma bonus (positive or negative – he’s a bit shallow about these kinds of things)
OTHER ABILITIES
Sense Motive skill check of +10
Blindsense (60’)
Read Magic (at will)
Detect Magic (at will)
Arcane Sight (as per the spell, 3 times/day, caster level 20)
Read Languages (at will)
DESTRUCTION
Bob can only be destroyed by burning him on a pyre of spell books with a total worth at least 500,000 GP.
When he is on vacation is he squirting people with the keg tapper or has he possessed someone and doing keg stands?
When he is on vacation is he squirting people with the keg tapper or has he possessed someone and doing keg stands?
The books are vague on this point (deliberately so IMHO), but it would seem he is able to influence/possess people to get them to do what he wants... in the case of the first book, he provoked a drunken orgy at a college frat house. I left the mechanics out since it gives the DM so much more rope to hoist the PCs up with. ;-)
Why did I think the evil artifact was a 'Boyfriend on Batteries' ?
I thought it was 'battery operated boyfriend' myself.
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I still think the start of Blood Rites best explains the series:
The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault.
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Hmmm, I admit my memory is a bit fuzzy, but didn't Bob help make a magic item or two? Maybe he could add some bonus during magic item creation or provide a feat for creating wondrous items?
Seems like a nice addition to this write-up.
Nice job!
Hmmm, I admit my memory is a bit fuzzy, but didn't Bob help make a magic item or two? Maybe he could add some bonus during magic item creation or provide a feat for creating wondrous items?
Seems like a nice addition to this write-up.
Nice job!
Hmm... kinda like the Cooperative Crafting feat?
I would also add mage hand as an at-will too for flipping through book pages.
Or flipping up dresses... either or.
I would give him mage hand at will.
This would allow him to use spell books and scrolls.
Perhaps a limiting factor is he would need permission from his user, but if I remember the books correctly he can manipulate minor things.
I agree with the Crafting aid feat. I'd also say he gives a bonus to checks to craft things, to boot.
Like the work you've done here but I have one small gripe. You got the alignment wrong, Bob would be at least in my mind, Lawful Neutral(not trying to start an alignment war) because he follows who ever is his owner at the moment completely
Like the work you've done here but I have one small gripe. You got the alignment wrong, Bob would be at least in my mind, Lawful Neutral(not trying to start an alignment war) because he follows who ever is his owner at the moment completely
Aside from the midnight sorority raids.
Like the work you've done here but I have one small gripe. You got the alignment wrong, Bob would be at least in my mind, Lawful Neutral(not trying to start an alignment war) because he follows who ever is his owner at the moment completelyAside from the midnight sorority raids.
Lawful characters can have somewhat weird sexual appetites. Look at Zon-Kuthon lol
Hmmm, I admit my memory is a bit fuzzy, but didn't Bob help make a magic item or two? Maybe he could add some bonus during magic item creation or provide a feat for creating wondrous items?
Seems like a nice addition to this write-up.
I had originally included those in the write-up, but left them out for reasons that will become clear below. If you want to add them in for your game, go right ahead though.
Like the work you've done here but I have one small gripe. You got the alignment wrong, Bob would be at least in my mind, Lawful Neutral(not trying to start an alignment war) because he follows who ever is his owner at the moment completely
I get that, and striking a balance between his "loyalty" and his party attitude, I could see him being True Neutral. I'd have a hard time rating him LN though...
It's a neat concept, but would anyone seriously want to deal with this artifact in game? I mean, a few minor spells and you have to negotiate with the thing just so it can give you a +2 bonus on a skill check. Very underpowered. Seems more like a high-level intelligent item rather than an artifact.
I'll admit that I'm biased in that I prefer low-magic campaigns. I follow most of the "low-vs-high magic" threads here, though I only lurk - and I'm very much in favor of the low-magic options. Bob as written fits in very well with that flavor (and I think that's the flavor of the books as well). As for the choice between intelligent item and artifact, that's a personal decision on my part. I chose artifact mainly to make Bob extremely difficult to get rid of. ;-)
Lawful characters can have somewhat weird sexual appetites. Look at Zon-Kuthon lol
Touche.