Epic Level Handbook

Unless otherwise stated, all awesome powers function at20th caster level. If you roll the same power, the uses perday are doubled.Powers function only when the item is drawn and held,and the possessor is concentrating upon the desiredeffect. Activating a power is a standard action. At theDM’s discretion, an intelligent item might activate apower on its own.SPECIAL PURPOSE ITEMSItems with special purposes are a challenge for the DM torun. However, they are worth the trouble, because theycan deeply enrich a campaign.PurposeAn item’s purpose must suit the type and alignment ofthe item and should always be treated reasonably. A purposeof “defeat/slay arcane spellcasters” doesn’t mean thatthe sword forces the wielder to kill every wizard she sees.Nor does it mean that the sword believes it is possible tokill every wizard, sorcerer, and bard in the world. It doesmean that the item hates arcane spellcasters and wants tobring the local wizard’s cabal to ruin, as well as end therule of a sorceress-queen in a nearby land. Likewise, apurpose of “defend elves” doesn’t mean that if the wielderis an elf, he only wants to help himself. It means that theitem wants to be used in furthering the cause of elves,stamping out their enemies, and aiding their leaders. Apurpose of “defeat/slay all” isn’t just a matter of selfpreservation.It means that the item won’t rest (or let itswielder rest) until it places itself above all others. Alofty—and probably unrealistic—goal, to be sure.TABLE 4–33: INTELLIGENT ITEM PURPOSEd% Purpose01–20 Defeat/slay diametrically opposed alignment 121–30 Defeat/slay arcane spellcasters (including magicusingmonsters)31–40 Defeat/slay divine spellcasters (including divineentities and servitors)41–50 Defeat/slay nonspellcasters51–55 Defeat/slay a particular creature type (see MonsterManual for choices)56–60 Defeat/slay a particular race or kind of creature61–70 Defend a particular race or kind of creature71–80 Defeat/slay the servants of a specific deity81–90 Defend the servants and interests of a specific deity91–95 Defeat/slay all (other than the item and the wielder)96–100 DM’s or character’s choice1The purpose or the neutral (N) version of this item is topreserve the balance by defeating/slaying powerful beings ofthe extreme alignments (LC, LE, CG, CE).Special Purpose PowerA special purpose power operates only when the item isin pursuit of its special purpose. This is always up to thepurview of the item. It should always be easy andstraightforward to see how the ends justify the means.That is to say that if the player’s reasoning for how a particularaction serves the item’s purpose is not completelybelievable, the item won’t allow it.TABLE 4–34: INTELLIGENT ITEM SPECIAL PURPOSE POWERSd% Special Purpose Power01–10 Blindness 1 (DC 17 2 ) for 2d6 rounds11–20 Confusion 1 (DC 19 2 ) for 2d6 rounds21–25 Fear 1 (DC 19 2 ) for 1d4 rounds26–55 Hold monster 1 (DC 19 2 ) for 1d4 rounds56–65 Slay living 1 (DC 20 2 )66–75 Disintegrate 1 (DC 21 2 )76–80 True resurrection on wielder, one time only81–100 +4 luck bonus on all saving throws, +4deflection AC bonus, spell resistance 301This power affects the opponent of the item’s wielder on asuccessful hit unless the opponent makes a Will save at thelisted DC.2Choose an ability score of the item (usually the highest) atthe time the item is created or randomly generated. Add thatability’s bonus to the listed DC.ITEM EGOEgo is a measure of the total power and force of personalitythat an item possesses. Only after all aspects of an itemhave been generated and recorded can its Ego score bedetermined. Ego is a factor with regard to the dominanceof item over character, as detailed below.TABLE 4–35: ITEM EGOAttribute of ItemEgo PointsEach +1 enhancement of item up to +5 1Each +1 enhancement of item above +5 2Each +1 bonus of special abilities 1Each primary ability 1Each extraordinary power 1 2Each awesome power 1 6Special purpose 4Telepathic ability 1Read languages ability 1Read magic ability 1Each +1 of Intelligence bonus 1Each +1 of Wisdom bonus 1Each +1 of Charisma bonus 11If uses per day are doubled, Ego points are doubled as well.Thus, a +2 short sword (2 Ego points) with an Intelligencescore of 10, Wisdom score of 13 (1 Ego point), andCharisma score of 11, plus the primary ability of findingtraps (1 Ego point) has an Ego score of 4.By contrast, imagine a +7 flaming blast longsword (15 Egopoints: 5 for the enhancement bonus up to +5, 4 for theenhancement bonus up to +7, and 6 for the +6 bonusvalue of flaming blast [see Table 4–15: Weapon SpecialAbilities]) with an Intelligence score of 23 (6 Ego points),Wisdom of 19 (4 Ego points), and Charisma of 16 (3 Egopoints). Add the primary abilities of detect magic, see invisible,Improved Initiative, and evasion (4 Ego points), theextraordinary powers of detect thoughts (2 Ego points) andhaste (2 Ego points), and the awesome power of phasedoor (6 Ego points). Also include the fact that the weaponis telepathic (1 Ego point) and reads languages (1 Egopoint), and the sword has a total Ego score of 44.Items against CharactersWhen 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. IfCHAPTER 4:EPIC MAGICITEMS149