I’m trying to create a magical artifact of intense power for my campaign.

I’m trying to create a magical artifact of intense power for my campaign.

I’m trying to create a magical artifact of intense power for my campaign. It’s called “The Architect’s Rod,” and the purpose of it is to generate massive buildings, castles, and even cities. However, I’m not sure what the rolls would be for this, or any of the mechanics. It’s an interesting concept and I’m sort-of already working it into my campaign. Help?

11 thoughts on “I’m trying to create a magical artifact of intense power for my campaign.”

  1. What’s the power source of the item? Who made it?

    For example, an item is conjuring buildings from Dis, the First-City, Ever Hungry, Devourer of Worlds… well, that’s going to behave differently than if it conjures items straight from the wielder’s imagination.

  2. When using the artifact the Architect’s Rod roll +WIS; on a 10+ the city or structure appears much like the user imagined, on a 7-9 the place appears but the GM modifies it at their whim and the player loses a point of Wisdom from the ordeal. On a fail the player lapses into a coma from the process until the players next make camp. The next time this happens then that player must make a Last Breath roll or die from mental exhaustion.

  3. I would also start thinking why you need to roll at all. If you don’t want the item to be a source of drama, then simply put a fictional limit on it. For example:

    Every full moon the rod regains 1 charge, up to a maximum of 3 charges. When you exert your architectural will through the rod, you may spend a number of charges to bring something into existence:

     * 1 charge: Create something local. Build a fine house, repair the streets in a neighborhood, build a bridge over a river.

     * 2 charges: Create something major. Build a high tower, circle a town with sturdy stone walls, a temple of particular beauty.

     * 3 charges: Create something immense. Build a full defensible keep with thick walls and a moat, connect all cities within 100 miles with paved roads that navigate around hazards, a temple of such splendor that the gods notice.

    Of course the full moon timer could be anything you want. Magical items consumed, innocence sacrificed, monster gizzards eaten, etc.

    That said, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to bake in drama into the use of the item! I’d start dreaming up crazy consequences for such a reality bending item and create lists of terrible choices. (Do people always remember the structure being there, or do they go crazy? Do the buildings already have extra-planar tenants? Surely a building popping into existence may cause other disastrous effects to the surrounding terrain and laws of physics.)

  4. No rolls, it just does something reality-warping. Check out the magic items in the back of the main rulebook. Just run with the fictional consequences, and the adventures they spawn.

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