Artifact Ascension

[Zaister]

So, when a character ascends to his first tier by contact with an artifact that becomes the source of this power (as indicated of page 3), will the character lose his powers, if he no longer has the artifact? If so, would he have to have it on hand or at arm's length at all time, or would it be allowed to stash it in a safe place? And what should happen if he was ruled as having "lost" the artifact?

Furthermore, ascension by artifact - as well as some other forms of ascension - lend themselves more to the ascension of an individual, not a whole group of PCs. Having just one of the PCs ascend seems somewhat unbalancing and unfair. I'm not quite sure how to apply some kind of ascensions so the party does not suffer from this effect without the whole thing seeming too obviously done for balance.

[leo1925]

Depends on the artifact, i don't see why the following couldn't happen:

Rise of the Runelords spoiler:

I can't see why the destruction of the minor runewell of wrath in the catacombs of wrath can't turn all of the PCs into mythic.

[Zaister]

leo1925 wrote:

Depends on the artifact, i don't see why the following couldn't happen:

** spoiler omitted **

True, even though for my taste that's not really "big" enough. I was thinking more of this:

Kingmaker Spoiler:

In War of the River Kings, the PCs probably gain possession of the artifact sword Briar. Since I have this coming up in a few weeks, my first idea when I read about the artifact ascension was that this could be an opportunity to try out these rules in my game, but I don't think having just one character ascend is fair.

[leo1925]

Zaister wrote:

leo1925 wrote:

Depends on the artifact, i don't see why the following couldn't happen:

** spoiler omitted **

True, even though for my taste that's not really "big" enough. I was thinking more of this:

** spoiler omitted **

Having played Kingmaker i can add something:

Kingmaker spoiler:

Yes i see your point, also you could have other two players ascend. The one through the ovnibaane (i hope i spelled it right) and one with the evil cyclops eye. Also you can have the "blooms" that normally happen in the last book start happening sooner and have the last character be affected by the energies of the first world and turn mythic as a result. Or you can make the briar two weapons instead of one if you want all of your players to ascend through artifacts.

[Zaister]

Kingmaker spoiler:

These are good ideas, though I can't really apply them to my campaign. The oculus of Abbadon has never been used at all by my PCs, and Ovinrbaan has already been in play for more that a year of in-game time, so this would look weird. I have to think about this. :)

[Galnörag]

Carrion Crown:

Midway through Broken Moon the players have an opportunity to reconsecrate a Desnean temple and activate an artifact known as the dust moth. The players if successful get a vision, and a boon from Desna (a stat bump to Wis or Cha.) This boon could instead be an ascension for a group.

Reading ahead, the battle of Feldgru has the feeling of a mythic trial, as does the battle with the squid (who is begging for the Agile template) in Wake of the Watcher, and the parties interaction with Raven Head, a Pharasman artifact.

Finally the battle at Gallowspire is most certainly a mythic trial, and being M3 by that point in the AP seems both reasonable, and lending itself well to a continued journey into Gallowspire and a showdown with the Whispering Tyrant.

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Kingmaker Spoiler

Spoiler:

While Briar could give Mythic Ascension to its wielder. Perhaps Ovinrbaan could do the same with the edition of a side-quest (using it to reconsecrate the dungeon it's found in and build a temple there could draw Gorum's blessing).

In my game I placed: "Legendary Beasts" throughout the River Kingdoms. The first was the Giant Owlbear, the next was the Roc at Talon Peak. The Third is the Hydra in the Hooktongue Slough. The Fourth is a Dragon in the Castle of Knives. I also put Erastil's Herald in the Forest. Each of these creatures has a quest tied to it, along with a ritual that ties the PCs to the land (as well as a token they must carry). Any PC carrying the token and who performed said ritual gains a Mythic Tier while in the First World or while in proximity to a First World Bloom.

Alternatively, you could grant Mythic Tiers to any PC who carries the First World Bloom token that spawns when the PCs overcome one.

[A Ninja]

I'm surprised no one has brought up Shattered Star.

Shattered Star:

The Sihedron is 7 Artifacts that combine into 1, I'm planning on using each part of the sihedron as the Ascension to the next tier, so buy end of campaign, my PC's should be Mythic tier 6 which should show how well they go.

[TheLoneCleric]

Jade Regent: (Bloody early in the AP too.)

Spoiler:

Either at the end of Brinewall when you get the Seal, or the end of Frozen Shadows when you get Suishen.

[Realmwalker]

Zaister wrote:

So, when a character ascends to his first tier by contact with an artifact that becomes the source of this power (as indicated of page 3), will the character lose his powers, if he no longer has the artifact? If so, would he have to have it on hand or at arm's length at all time, or would it be allowed to stash it in a safe place? And what should happen if he was ruled as having "lost" the artifact?

Furthermore, ascension by artifact - as well as some other forms of ascension - lend themselves more to the ascension of an individual, not a whole group of PCs. Having just one of the PCs ascend seems somewhat unbalancing and unfair. I'm not quite sure how to apply some kind of ascensions so the party does not suffer from this effect without the whole thing seeming too obviously done for balance.

You could easily do that with the first tier Mythic Flaw.