Overhead a Wizard player discussing a cloak for his snake familiar and while I wasn't an active party to that discussion it got me wondering about other nontraditionally shaped sentient creatures.
Could an intelligent weapon like an artifact or black blade use items? As just some examples (I'm sure more exist), could an artifact have a ring of invisibility crafted around it's hilt that it controlled when it wanted it's "owner" to appear unarmed? Could a black blade sheathed in a scabbard of keen edges invoke the command to sharpen itself?
I'm assuming no, some line in the item rules prevents it, but I realized I hadn't heard of the issue since 1st or 2nd Ed (a GM created item there that had taken control of the player had a ring with a one use teleport spell put around it's hilt, so if the player regained control, the sword would invoke the ring, which was "it's" not the players, and port away. Obviouly that was heavy houserule territory.)