I was just setting out to create the statistics for an intelligent item McGuffin for a homebrew campaign I'm running, and noticed that there are no longer any rules for ego or a contest of wills between item and PC. It is suggested that it might be possible, but no mechanic is offered, with the exception of one item.
Beyond denying magic effects and communicating their displeasure, intelligent items can usually influence or hinder their partners only in subtle ways. If the item is a weapon or tool necessary for an action (like thieves’ tools), it can at least be disruptive enough to make its partner take a –2 circumstance penalty to associated checks, much as if the partner were using an improvised weapon or tool. If an intelligent item can have a greater effect, such as seizing control of its partner’s body for a time, the intelligent item’s entry includes those abilities.
The example intelligent items include mechanisms to stop a singing sword from singing, The genius diadem "enourages" you to learn things, another item can force you to put it down, or deny you its abilities, while the last item can actually take control of the PC's body, but only after multiple threats and refusals to pursue its agenda, and then only in order to find a worthier wielder.
So if I'm designing a powerful necromantic item created by malevolent serpentfolk thousands of years ago whose purpose is to corrupt the user with offers of dark power, it appears that I need to invent the mechanic used to influence the user, doubtless basing any will DC on the DC by level table.
Any suggestions?
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This will vary from group to group, but I think the decision on if a character should succumb to offers of dark power should be up to the player, not the dice. As a player, I've never enjoyed things that change my character's personality long term (short term is fun, like when you get dominated and have to fight your party).
Have the item offer dark power stuff. If used, they impose a penalty as a curse that using the item suspends. So as long as they use it, they don't suffer. When they try to not use it, that is when it gets bad.
/cevah
I love the ego as affliction idea. I am gonna use this for sure :-)
you can also use the (virulent) affliction rules.
every time someone uses the artifact he rolls a save, and on a fail he moves up a stage in the "affliction" chart of how much influence the item has over him.
Success (or concecutive success in case of virulent) means that the character not only doesn't succumb to the item's ego, but he enforces himself on the item, gaining control back (goes down a stage).
That way you have a constant clash of wills and varying degrees of control at any given moment based on current stage of the affliction.
It's interesting that you suggest this, since it's exactly what I did. The item in question tempts nearby PCs with unsettling dreams of necromantic power, and then has several stages of affliction, with associated DCs, and a repeat user slowly takes on outward traits of serpentfolk (scaled skin around the ears and fingers, getting worse and additional stages are reached, but also teaching the repeat user progressively more powerful necromantic spells.
I wanted to avoid a mechanism that would remove agency from the player, like the old ego system did. This way, other party members or NPCs can begin to notice the negative effects on the artifact user, and potentially intervene before the ultimate stage is reached.