Just like nonepic magic items, epic magic items sometimes possess intelligence of their own. Such items are fully sentient and should be treated as NPCs. The Random Epic Magic Items section details the chances that epic armor, shields, rings, rods, staffs, wondrous items, and weapons might be intelligent. In short, a ring, rod, staff, wondrous item, armor, or shield has a 1% chance to be intelligent, a ranged weapon has a 5% chance to be intelligent, and a melee weapon has a 15% chance to be intelligent. Rather than using the tables for nonepic items, use the tables below to determine the properties of an intelligent item: the number of powers, unusual properties, alignment, and special purpose of the item (if any). Of the three mental ability scores, two scores are favored (2d6 + some number) and one is completely random (3d6). Choose which scores get assigned which number, or roll 1d4 and determine randomly according to the following table.
High Score | Medium Score | Low Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Intelligence | Charisma | Wisdom |
2 | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma |
3 | Wisdom | Intelligence | Charisma |
4 | Charisma | Intelligence | Wisdom |
The first step in determining the properties of a random intelligent epic magic item is to determine its general capabilities. These are found by rolling d% and consulting Table: Epic Items Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Capabilities.
d% | Ability Scores | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
01-22 | Three primary abilities, one extraordinary power | |
23-40 | Three primary abilities, two extraordinary powers | |
41-54 | Four primary abilities, two extraordinary powers | |
55-64 | Four primary abilities, three extraordinary powers | |
65-71 | Four primary abilities, three extraordinary powers, one awesome power | |
72-73 | Four primary abilities, three extraordinary powers, two awesome powers | |
74 | Roll again, but add 1d6 toeach ability score1 | |
75-100 | Use nonepic magic item Table: Item Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Capabilities | |
1Cumulative if rolled multiple times. | ||
Market Price Modifier
To find the market price for an epic magic item, use these expanded guidelines, adjusting as necessary to find an appropriate final price. Each point of Intelligence bonus, Wisdom bonus, or Charisma bonus increases the item’s market price by 400 gp. Any form of communication possessed by the item increases its market price by the number shown on Table: Epic Item Communication. Each primary ability possessed by the item increases its market price by 2, 000 to 10, 000 gp (average 6, 000 gp). Each extraordinary ability possessed by the item increases its market price by 15, 000 to 35, 000 gp (average 25, 000 gp). A special purpose increases the item’s market price by 50, 000 gp. An awesome power increases the item’s market price by 100, 000 gp.
Intelligent Item Alignment
Any item with Intelligence has an alignment. Make sure that the alignment choosen or determine randomly (using Table: Item Alignment) matches any alignment-oriented special abilities of the item. Any character whose alignment is not compatible with that of the item gains one negative level for every 10 points of the weapon’s Ego (see Item Ego, below) if he or she so much as picks up the item. Although this never results in actual level loss, the negative levels remain as long as the item is in hand and cannot be overcome in any way (including Restoration spells). These negative levels are cumulative with any other penalties the item might already place on inappropriate wielders.
d% | Alignment of Item |
|---|---|
01-05 | Chaotic good |
06-15 | Chaotic neutral1 |
16-20 | Chaotic evil |
21-25 | Neutral evil1 |
26-30 | Lawful evil |
31-55 | Lawful good |
56-60 | Lawful neutral1 |
61-80 | Neutral good1 |
81-100 | Neutral |
1The item can also be used by any character whose alignment corresponds to the nonneutral portion of the item’s alignment (in other words, chaotic, evil, good, or lawful). Thus, any chaotic character (CG, CN, CE) can use an item with chaotic neutral alignment. | |
Item Communication
Like a character, an intelligent item speaks Common plus one language per point of Intelligence bonus. Choose appropriate languages, taking into account the item’s origin and purposes. An item with multiple modes of communication can use any of its modes at will.
d% | Communication Mode | Market Price Modifier |
|---|---|---|
01-10 | Semiempathy1 | +1, 000 gp |
11-35 | Empathy2 | +2, 000 gp |
36-75 | Speech3 | +3, 000 gp |
76-85 | Telepathy4 | +5, 000 gp |
86-100 | Speech3 and telepathy4 | +8, 000 gp |
1The possessor receives some signal (a throb or tingle, for example) when the item’s ability functions. | ||
Intelligent Item Abilities
Using the number of capabilities determined above, find the item’s specific abilities by rolling on the appropriate tables below.
d% | Primary Ability |
|---|---|
01-04 | Item has 10 ranks in Survival |
05-08 | Item has 10 ranks in Sense Motive |
09-12 | Wielder has free use of Combat Rreflexes |
13-16 | Wielder has free use of Blind-Fight |
17-20 | Wielder has free use of Improved Initiative |
21-24 | Wielder has free use of Mobility |
25-28 | Wielder has free use of Improved Sunder |
29-32 | Wielder has free use of Combat Expertise |
33-39 | |
40-42 | Find Traps at will |
43-47 | Detect Secret Doors at will |
48-54 | Detect Magic at will |
55-57 | Wielder has free use of uncanny dodge (as a 5th-level barbarian) |
58-60 | Wielder has free use of evasion |
61-65 | Wielder can use See Invisibility at will |
66-70 | Cure Light Wounds (1d8+5) on wielder 1/day |
71-75 | Feather Fall on wielder 1/day |
76 | Locate Object in a 120-ft. radius |
77 | Wielder does not need to sleep |
78 | Wielder does not need to breathe |
79 | Jump for 20 minutes on wielder 1/day |
80 | Spider Climb for 20 minutes on wielder 1/day |
81-90 | Roll twice again on this table |
91-100 | Roll on Table: Intelligent Item Extraordinary Powers instead |
If the same ability is rolled twice or more, the range, frequency, or effectiveness of the power is doubled, tripled, and so on. All abilities function only when the item is held, drawn, or otherwise brandished and the possessor is concentrating on the desired result. Activating a power is a standard action, but using a free feat is not. Feats may be used regardless of prerequisites, but the item still must be held and drawn (or worn, in the case of such items). An intelligent item might activate a power on its own.
d% | Extraordinary Power | Uses |
|---|---|---|
01-05 | Charm Person (DC 111) on contact | 3/day |
06-10 | Clairaudience/Clairvoyance (100-ft. range, 1 minute per use) | 3/day |
11-15 | Magic Missile (200-ft. range, 3 missiles) | 3/day |
16-20 | Shield on wielder | 3/day |
21-25 | Detect Thoughts (100-ft. range, 1 minute per use) | 3/day |
26-30 | Levitate (wielder only, 10 minute duration) | 3/day |
31-35 | Invisibility (wielder only, up to 30 minutes per use) | 3/day |
36-40 | Fly (30 minutes per use) | 2/day |
41-45 | Lightning Bolt (8d6 points of damage, 200-ft. range, DC 131) | 1/day |
46-50 | 1/day | |
51-55 | Telepathic Bond (100 ft. range) | 2/day |
56-60 | Cat’s Grace (wielder only) | 1/day |
61-65 | Bull’s Strength (wielder only) | 1/day |
66-70 | Haste (wielder only, 10 rounds) | 1/day |
71-73 | Telekinesis (250 lb. maximum, 1 minute each use) | 2/day |
74-76 | 1/day | |
77 | Teleport, 600 lb. maximum | 1/day |
78 | 1/day | |
79 | Stoneskin (wielder only, 10 minutes per use) | 2/day |
80 | Feeblemind by touch | 2/day |
81 | At will | |
82 | 1/day | |
83 | 1/day | |
84 | Finger of Death (100 ft. range, DC 171) | 1/day |
85 | At will | |
86-90 | Roll twice again on this table | |
91-100 | Roll again on this table, and then roll for a special purpose on Table: Intelligent Item Purpose | |
1Choose an ability score of the item (usually the highest) at the time the item is created or randomly generated. Add that ability’s bonus to the given DC. | ||
If the same power is rolled twice, the uses per day are doubled. (If True Seeing or Passwall is rolled twice, roll again.) Powers function only when the item is drawn and held, and the possessor is concentrating upon the desired effect. Activating a power is a standard action. An intelligent item might activate a power on its own.
d% | Awesome Power | Uses |
|---|---|---|
01-04 | 1/day | |
05-08 | Intensified Bull’s Strength (wielder only; +10 enhancement bonus to Strength) | 1/day |
09-12 | Intensified Cat’s Grace (wielder only; +10 enhancement bonus to Dexterity) | 1/day |
13-16 | Enhanced Chain Lightning (20d6 damage; DC 161) | 1/day |
17-20 | Dominate Monster (DC 191) on contact | 1/day |
21-24 | Intensified Bear’s Endurance (wielder only; +10 enhancement bonus to Constitution) | 1/day |
25-28 | Energy Drain (DC 191) on contact | 1/day |
29-32 | Heightened Finger of Death (9th level; DC 191) | 1/day |
33-36 | Foresight (wielder only) | 1/day |
37-40 | 1/day | |
41-44 | 3/day | |
45-48 | Extended Invisibility, Greater (wielder only; 40-minute duration) | 2/day |
49-52 | Heal, Mass 1/day | |
53-56 | Meteor Swarm (DC 191) | 1/day |
57-60 | 2/day | |
61-64 | Prismatic Sphere (DC 191) | 1/day |
65-68 | 3/day | |
69-72 | Extended Summon Monster IX (40-round duration) | 1/day |
73-76 | Heightened Sunburst (9th level; DC 191) | 2/day |
77-80 | 2/day | |
81-90 | Roll twice again on this table | |
91-100 | Roll again on this table, and then roll for a special purpose on nonepic magic item Table: Intelligent Item Purpose. | |
1Choose an ability score of the item (usually the highest) at the time the item is created or randomly generated. Add that ability’s bonus to the listed DC. | ||
Unless otherwise stated, all awesome powers function at 20th caster level. If a power is rolled twice, the uses per day are doubled. Powers function only when the item is drawn and held, and the possessor is concentrating upon the desired effect. Activating a power is a standard action. An intelligent item might activate a power on its own.
Special Purpose Items
Purpose
An item’s purpose must suit the type and alignment of the item and should always be treated reasonably.
d% | Purpose |
|---|---|
01-20 | Defeat/slay diametrically opposed alignment1 |
21-30 | Defeat/slay arcane spellcasters (including magic-using monsters) |
31-40 | Defeat/slay divine spellcasters (including divine entities and servitors) |
41-50 | Defeat/slay nonspellcasters |
51-55 | Defeat/slay a particular creature type |
56-60 | Defeat/slay a particular race or kind of creature |
61-70 | Defend a particular race or kind of creature |
71-80 | Defeat/slay the servants of a specific deity |
81-90 | Defend the servants and interests of a specific deity |
91-95 | Defeat/slay all (other than the item and the wielder) |
96-100 | Other |
1The purpose of the neutral (N) version of this item is to preserve the balance by defeating/slaying powerful beings of the extreme alignments (LG, LE, CG, CE). | |
Special Purpose Power
A special purpose power operates only when the item is in pursuit of its special purpose. This is always up to the purview of the item. It should always be easy and straightforward to see how the ends justify the means. That is to say that if the player’s reasoning for how a particular action serves the item’s purpose is not completely believable, the item won’t allow it.
d% | Special Purpose Power |
|---|---|
01-10 | |
11-20 | |
21-25 | |
26-55 | Hold Monster1 (DC 192) for 1d4 rounds |
56-65 | Slay Living1 (DC 202) |
66-75 | Disintegrate1 (DC 212) |
76-80 | True Resurrection on wielder, one time only |
81-100 | +4 luck bonus on all saving throws, +4 deflection AC bonus, spell resistance 30 |
1This power affects the opponent of the item’s wielder on a successful hit unless the opponent makesa Will save at the listed DC. | |
Item Ego
Ego is a measure of the total power and force of personality that an item possesses. Only after all aspects of an item have been generated and recorded can its Ego score be determined. Ego is a factor with regard to the dominance of item over character, as detailed below.
Attribute of Item | Ego Points |
|---|---|
Each +1 enhancement of item up to +5 | 1 |
Each +1 enhancement of item above +5 | 2 |
Each +1 bonus of special abilities | 1 |
Each primary ability1 | 1 |
Each extraordinary power1 | 2 |
Each awesome power1 | 6 |
Special purpose | 4 |
Telepathic ability | 1 |
Read languages ability | 1 |
Read Magic ability | 1 |
Each +1 of Intelligence bonus | 1 |
Each +1 of Wisdom bonus | 1 |
Each +1 of Charisma bonus | 1 |
1If uses per day are doubled, Ego points are doubled as well. | |
Items Against Characters
When an item has an Ego of its own, it has a will of its own. The item is, of course, absolutely true to its alignment. If the character who possesses the item is not true to that alignment’s goals or the item’s special purpose, personality conflict – item against character – results. Similarly, any item with an Ego score of 20 or higher always considers itself superior to any character, and a personality conflict results if the possessor does not always agree with the item. When a personality conflict occurs, the possessor must make a Will saving throw (DC = item’s Ego). If the possessor succeeds, he or she is dominant. If he or she fails, the item is dominant. Dominance lasts for one day or until a critical situation occurs (such as a major battle, a serious threat to either item or character, and so on). Should an item gain dominance, it resists the character’s desires and demands concessions such as any of the following:
- Removal of associates or items whose alignment or personality is distasteful to the item.
- The character divesting him or herself of all other magic items or items of a certain type.
- Obedience from the character so the item can direct where they go for its own purposes.
- Immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the item.
- Magical protections and devices to protect the item from molestation when it is not in use.
- That the character carry the item with him or her on all occasions.
- That the character relinquish the item in favor of a more suitable possessor due to alignment differences or conduct.
In extreme circumstances, the item can resort to even harsher measures.
- Force its possessor into combat.
- Refuse to strike opponents.
- Strike at its wielder or his or her associates.
- Force its possessor to surrender to an opponent.
- Cause itself to drop from the character’s grasp.
Naturally, such actions are unlikely when harmony reigns between the character’s and item’s alignments or when their purposes and personalities are well matched. Even so, an item might wish to have a lesser character possess it in order to easily command him or her, or a higher-level possessor so as to better accomplish its goals. All magic items with personalities desire to play an important role in whatever activity is under way, particularly combat. Such items are rivals of each other, even if they are of the same alignment. No intelligent item wants to share its wielder with others. An intelligent item is aware of the presence of any other intelligent item within 60 feet, and most intelligent items try their best to mislead or distract their host so that he or she ignores or destroys the rival. Of course, alignment might change this sort of behavior.
Items with personalities are never totally controlled or silenced by the characters who possess them, even though they may never successfully control their possessor. They may be powerless to force their demands but remain undaunted and continue to air their wishes and demands.