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Yeah the title is a bit wonky, but I feel it accurately summarizes what I aim to do.
Okay so minor backstory: The setting I'm looking at running *Points to this link* has been cut off from the rest of the planar cosmology, keeping everything that was already on the world on it, and keeping outsiders out. Problem is, any outsiders that were ALREADY on the world got trapped and pretty much died off. Yadda yadda yadda, short of it is that the biggest and/or baddest of the outsiders (of all stripes) managed to save themselves by essentially turning themselves into a sort of consumable phylactery. It's not that easy to explain, but if you've read Ava's Demon, then you'll have an idea of where I'm going with this (sidenote: seriously, read that comic it is beautiful and amazing and I love it so much).
Anyway, the mechanical idea is an artifact level potion that works like a combination of a pact (Power for a favor) and intelligent item that directly upgrades the drinker until said drinker dies or finishes the favor.
Pro: Power based off the outsider type of the potion (Devil resistances for the devil one, angel resistances for the angel one, etc) in addition to a short list of spell-like abilities (1/day, at will, etc.) based off the outsider in question, possible physical transformation as well (natural attacks, special attacks, etc.). Basically fusing a weakened version of the outsider with the drinker.
Cons: Outsiders have their own agenda. Failure to adhere to the agenda may cause a battle of wills resulting in the equivalent of a high level Suggestion spell (or straight up mind control in some cases, these cases being extreme "but we're too close, I won't let you screw this up now" situations). Plus side, the "battle of wills" is essentially the same sort of check you'd have to make for dealing with an intelligent item. Another downside would be the withholding of power in instances of displeasure (for actions that go against the outsider's immediate goals or alignment. An angel wouldn't let its vessel slaughter an orphanage for example and would withhold power and abilities).
The current outsiders planned are:
Archon (LG)
Angel/Agathion (NG)
Azata (CG)
Inevitable (LN)
Psychopomp (N)
Protean (CN)
Devil (LE)
Daemon (NE)
Demon (CE)
Along with elementals and fey.
Here's the problem though: I'm unsure of what sort of stats I ought to use. The idea was that the items mental scores would be based off the mental scores of a chosen outsider (Like an Astral Deva or something), but...yeah. Not sure if I ought to go with the most powerful of outsider on each list or if I should just sort of mix and match or what. Same goes for spells and abilities. Should I just mix and match from the outsider entries or just be like "Balor get X abilities/spells so those are what the players have access to"?
Why is the potion intelligent?
(RAW says consumables cannot be intelligent)
Can they have a conversation with the potion? Can it activate its own abilities while they're carrying it around (before they drink it)? Can it dominate them and force them to drink it? Can it negotiate with them? Can it look around? Is it aware of its surroundings? Can it do things on its own initiative in combat?
Can it do these things after they drink it?
If so, then forget the RAW and have fun making it intelligent. If not, maybe forget intelligence all together. If somewhere in between, just make it a weird elixir with some strange properties.
Have you considered that the intelligent artifact is the bottle, and the liquid inside it is irrelevant? The artifact bottle could replace the liquid as often as needed if the previous drinker dies (or whatever).
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How many of these potions are we talking total-- or at least, how many does the party have a realistic chance of encountering?
I ask because it's one thing to create involved, individual rules for three angels and a whole different game to go for thirty. If there's maybe 2-3 of each type, okay, that's 18-27 potions. Those can be made distinct. But if it's thirty of each type, then I'd just create some very basic "all Balors are the same" kind of stuff (and at that point just build 'em by tweaking templates).
The idea was that there would be only one potion per alignment (so one Angel, one Demon, etc. for a total of 9) and would have a power equal to that of a Major Artifact. There would be a handful of "minor" ones based around Elementals and some Fey which, once the basics for the first 9 are hammered out, should be easy enough to stat up.
Why is the potion intelligent?
(RAW says consumables cannot be intelligent)
Can they have a conversation with the potion? Can it activate its own abilities while they're carrying it around (before they drink it)? Can it dominate them and force them to drink it? Can it negotiate with them? Can it look around? Is it aware of its surroundings? Can it do things on its own initiative in combat?
Can it do these things after they drink it?
If so, then forget the RAW and have fun making it intelligent. If not, maybe forget intelligence all together. If somewhere in between, just make it a weird elixir with some strange properties.
Have you considered that the intelligent artifact is the bottle, and the liquid inside it is irrelevant? The artifact bottle could replace the liquid as often as needed if the previous drinker dies (or whatever).
The potion would be intelligent as it's essentially a consumable phylactery containing the soul of the outsider (as death on the world in question would result in planar permadeath).
The idea that I had was if/when an appropriate player approached one of the potions, I pull them aside and have a sidebar, essentially they are contacted mentally by the item and given the rundown. The player has to willingly consume the potion. Attempt to force the potion open results in the stopper being held, and forced destruction reveals that the potion bottle is, for all intents as per artifacts, indestructible by conventional means. Negotiation is possible, though unlikely (depends on the desperation of the artifact) and they are aware of their immediate surroundings.
I've not considered the bottle being the artifact though. The idea I was running with was that both the bottle and the liquid were the artifact and the whole thing sort of liquified as the drinker consumed the potion or something.
Like mortals, when their physical form is destroyed, their soul can return home. If their soul is destroyed, the thoughts, emotions, and inspiration are scattered across the planes.
If your game is so disconnected that all souls get reincarnated only, then nothing of the elixir ever gets out.
For other games, where they are still connected to their home plane, their elixir regenerates at about a dose a year (or century?) In any case, you could have the elixir refill when the drinker passes away.
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So, this is what I would do:1. The baseline for each form is a template. Half-Celestial, Half-Fiend, or a comparable setup for the neutral outsiders. Remove all SLAs.
2. Add the relevant subtype. You drink a Solar, for all intents and purposes you're an Angel.
3. Add 1-3 abilities most key to each of the outsiders. Soul-Drained Breath might be granted to those who drink the Olethrodaemon, for example. How many abilities depend on how strong you want the setup to be. I would advise 2, including a small handful of SLAs, and making the abilities scale with level.
There's some work to this, but that would be where I would start.
What are your thoughts on making the template/artifact thing a #/day type deal? Like a sort of hulking out or something? Or should that be a thing for the more minor versions (Fey, Elemental, other minor outsiders)?
And do you reckon I should delve into the other outsiders like Azura, Div, Oni and the like, or do you figure that the ones presented should be sufficient?
