Which artifacts would you choose to know how to make and why?

[Senko]

Just a little bit of curiosity on my part. If you (as in the real you not a game character) were suddenly offered the knowledge and ability to create and use either 4 minor artifacts or 1 minor and 1 major artifact from this list https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/ which would you choose and why?

[OmniMage]

I don't usually care about artifacts. A problem made worse by the fact it is me given the choice and not one of my characters. Lets see here.

I would like to know how to make a Staff of the Magi (Minor Artifact).

I would also be interested in a Book of Infinite Spells (Minor Artifact).

Obviously, my picks shows that I like magic. In both cases, I would like to not only know how to make them, but make changes and improvements. The book of Infinite spells is a bit hard to use when you can't control the pages the book is using. The fact that it might also disappear doesn't help either.

I might change my picks after I read up on whats available.

[deuxhero]

Sun Orchid Elixir and Philosopher's Stone. Eternal life, raising the dead, and turning lead into gold.

[Meirril]

Book of Infinite Spells is a really easy one to choose. If you can make them, you just spend as much time creating new books as you can until you can cast every spell you want to.

Elder Sign. For obvious reasons. No, really, this should be obvious.

Philosopher's Stone because it allows you to not just make a fortune, but it also lets you resurrect people for cheap.

And an Automation Core so you can create loyal servants.

[Senko]

I should have clarified when I made this (hazard of posting at work you have to focus on something else then the edit time has passed). You know how to make/use items but don't have materials waived otherwise I'd go with sceptre of ages (no adamantium).

Personally I like the arganol font heal on drinking once a year.

@Meirril
I admit Elder sign would be on my list of four if there weren't things like the sceptre of ages that tempt me.

I thought sun orchid was just a normal magic item not an artifact?

[Meirril]

The only material for crafting in Pathfinder is gold.

[Senko]

Really? That makes thongs a lot easier we've always played that you need the material for it e.g. platinum for staff of edlritch might to do the runes, a sword or materials to make a sword for a magic blade, gold and jewels for a crown. Sure most places and items you can buy it but not everywhere a mithril golem for example takes a lot of work to gather enough.

[Meirril]

Conceptually you get the right materials to make stuff, but when you look at any normal magic item it only lists a gold cost, and the occasional required material that also gets expressed in a gold cost.

Lots of spells require diamond dust. How much? Value is expressed in gold, not weight. A 25,000gp diamond doesn't fluctuate in value as you travel.

So, it isn't really suppose to be gold. Gold doesn't mysteriously transform into item, but its the way the designers express everything without bogging down the entire system in unnecessary details.

[Meirril]

Also artifacts don't have gold costs or values since players aren't suppose to be able to make them. Artifacts are mostly plot devices. The only real exception to that is the Philosopher's Stone which is one of the Alchemist's 20th level capstone choices.

[Scott Wilhelm]

The Machine of Lum the Mad always captured my imagination, as have Spheres of Annihilation, which also calls to mind the sword Changeling and the Wand of Orcus, of course.

Some artifacts from my personal mythology would include The Old Drawing Board and the Damoclean Sword, which, when you claim it, makes you King, but always hangs over your head.

[Meirril]

Sword of Damocles: This mysterious object is said to be gifted to the 13th King of Damocles by a vengeful deity who's name has been lost to time. The sword hangs over the head of its 'owner'. All intelligent beings that can see the Sword of Damocles become mysteriously aware that the being under the sword is the rightful ruler of Damocles. They also become aware that anyone who approaches within 5' of the sword can wish to be ruler. If anyone does, the Sword of Damoclese kills the current ruler and hangs over its new owner's head. Nothing can prevent the death of the current owner, or the transfer of the sword. Any attempt to raise or otherwise circumvent the death of the current owner fails.

If the current ruler dies without anyone immediately claiming the sword it moves to someone associated with the last ruler, with a preference for wicked and selfish people.

Method of Destruction: When nobody within the city of Damoclese recognizes another being to have authority over them, the sword will crash to the ground and shatter into dust. There must be at least one sapient person in the city for this to happen.