You have a good point there, one that I missed because I haven't used an intelligent item in game yet. I must say, the idea of a sword turning on the wielder because of a disagreement in ethics just makes me smile. I'd be sorely tempted to give this sword a bit of a . . . caustic personality as well, one that makes the player almost relieved when they part company after the big bad is dealt with.

Does anyone else think that an Intelligent Items quest would be a good idea?  I'm perversely interested to see what deviousness the rest of the Citadel would come up with.

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I think this is a fairly common move for new users, and I'm pretty sure you haven't offended anyone here, especially being a new user.

From my own personal viewpoint, I want a sub to bring the content alive in my imagination. I want to be inspired, not just by the sub itself but by the world it paints. I can always create my own stats, but the ideas and how they are presented are key. When I'm reading a really cool back story or description and then come across game stats, I find it jarring. Kind of like looking at an interesting painting and then finding notes by the artist on what colors he used in his palette. It breaks the spell. Go to Comment

An excellent first sub. The back story really pulls me in. There's some good potential here for world-changing campaigns.

I look forward to seeing more of your ideas.

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Uber item. I, like several others have already stated, dislike Uber Items IN GENERAL, nothing against yours at all.

Well written, good physical description, excellent lore.

I have no opinion, good or bad, on the usage of stats. This is a site for resources, and in some manner I think that stats are certainly a good resource to have when running a game. You gave me enough information that, if the need arose and I had to adapt this from say, Pathfinder, to another game I could do it easily, which is an accomplishment.

3.5!

Welcome to the Citadel.

(I'm not so new anymore!)

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The Lore of this item opens up a number of possible plot lines. Here are a few that I can think of:

• 
  1,000 years is up and the Destroyer has returned. Players must find Devdan's tomb and recover the Arbiter to fight Lord Brax.


• 
  Followers of Lord Brax have recovered the Arbiter and are attempting to destroy it. You must stop them to prevent future generations from enslavement (or you must try to destroy the Arbiter for an evil campaign)


• 
  Players find and must destroy the evil scythe (or they might need to recover it for an evil campaign).


• 
  Players must find the Arbiter and return Veysara home where other crystal dragons can restore his body.


• 
  The players are trying to recover the spell that Devdan discovered.

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Cheka Man, thank you for your input. I understand your point of view; too many system-specific details can detract from reading. Perhaps I should have left only the item's description and placed my system-specific stats into a comment or idea. To compromise, I have added a system agnostic description of the item's magical properties, but I have left the Pathfinder-specific stats for interested GMs. I hope this is a sufficient compromise.

Infested-jerk, thank you for the enabling and the advice. Being a GM from many systems, I always like to see specific stats to complete my understanding. This is my first post, and I appreciate the insight for making my subs more Citadel-friendly :) Go to Comment

Thanks Kassy. I look forward to frequently using the Citadel to enhance my game. While I do appreciate the vote, I value opinions higher. I feel that stats make an item most useful to a GM (even if they have to be converted to a different system), but I can also understand the value of not restricting an item to stats. It's the artist vs. engineer debate. This is my first submission, and I would love to hear if you have any suggestions for improvement. Go to Comment

Update: I am moving the system-specific details into a comment by popular request Go to Comment

Here are the specific game mechanics of the Arbiter using the Pathfinder Role Playing game system.

WEAPON ABILITIES:

(Please note that these stats were designed specifically for a Pathfinder game. Feel free to edit for your game and power level)

The Arbiter functions as a +3 Thundering Axiomatic two-bladed sword (both blades carry the same enhancements). Any lawful character wielding the Arbiter is automatically proficient with it. A spellcraft check (DC 24) will reveal the following abilities; a spellcraft check (DC 29) will reveal that the item is intelligent and lawful-neutral and will reveal the item's powers (but not its dedicated powers). A non-lawful creature will suffer 3 negative levels while wielding this weapon, and a chaotic creature will suffer 5 negative levels.

Brilliant Wall (Ex): The wielder gains the Two Weapon Defense feat.

Crystal Grace (Ex): If the wielder is lawful, he gains 5' enhancement bonus to his base speed, and he may take one additional 5' step at the end of his turn (that doesn't provoke an Attack of Opportunity) provided this doesn't exceed his total movement (this would allow a character to take two successive 5' steps without provoking Attacks of Opportunity or move, attack, and then take a 5' step).

Glassteel (Ex): The Arbiter is made of a mixture of crystal and metal that gives the blades a semi-transparent look, but the blades count as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

INTELLIGENT ITEM STATS:

(Please note that these stats were designed specifically for a Pathfinder game. Feel free to edit for your game and power level)

Alignment: Lawful neutral

Intelligence: 14; Wisdom: 18; Charisma: 14

Languages: Celestial, Common, Draconic

Senses (60ft.): Sight/sound, Blindsense; Communication: Empathy; Caster Level: 20th

Item Power: (These are the powers that the wielder can use) Item can fly, as per the spell, at a speed of 30 feet; Magic Circle Against Chaos 3/day; Dragon's Breath 1/day (Crystal dragon: 30' cone of sonic)

Special Purpose: Defeat chaotic creatures (The Arbiter will only use its Dedicated Powers to fulfill its Special Purpose. The wielder cannot access these powers; the Arbiter decides when and how to use them.)

Dedicated Powers: Item can detect any chaotic foes within 60 feet; Wielder gets +2 luck bonus on attacks, saves, and checks; Cast Mark of Justice at will; Cast Form of the Dragon II at will (Crystal dragon: 40' cone of sonic, resist sonic 30, burrow 30 ft., climb 30 ft.)

Ego: 34

Arbiter's Total Value: 523,200gp

Guardian (Su): If the wielder is reduced to 0 or fewer hp, the Arbiter gains the Dancing enhancement and is considered loosed by the wielder for 4 rounds.

DESTRUCTION:

The Arbiter can only be damaged by a roll of a natural 20 on a sunder attempt with a Vorpal weapon. Even then, the Arbiter has a hardness of 25 and 50 hp. It cannot be repaired be any means.

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Thank you Agar. It's always nice to hear when a description paints a good visual image. Also, thanks for the suggestion on the stats. I'd hate to deny stats to those who may benefit from them, but at the same time, I'm beginning to feel like I've offended the Citadel by posting more info than necessary. I've moved my stats down to a comment. Thanks for the recommendation. On your final note, you're right. It is the exact cost using the available rules, but it's so much that it's a little silly. Go to Comment

Thanks for the detailed comment. I'm always fascinated by intelligent items, and how they can break the balance of the game. Unlike normal artifacts, an intelligent item can choose to suppress its powers, avoid attacking, turn on the wielder, and in rare cases even possess the wielder. Unfortunately, it was the stats and rules that say that the wielder cannot turn herself into a dragon. The Arbiter must do that, and it will only do so in rare circumstances. While the Arbiter could easily unbalance a campaign, a clever GM could hide the item's true powers and potential or (as Dossta suggested) have the item leave the player's possession for a while.

A limiting clause would have been very helpful for the item's lore, but alas, I put the limiting clause in the rules. I will be mindful to more adequately describe special abilities like that in the future.

Finally, I was hard-pressed to find the proper wording throughout the lore to describe that Veysara asked for the power to defeat Lord Brax, but through hard bargaining was instead granted the power that-with Devdan's help-could defeat Lord Brax. Again, my poor attention to detail had scattered that fact across the lore instead of stating it clearly. Thanks for the input and the greetings. Go to Comment

Thanks MysticMoon. This is the clearest (and friendliest) presentation of the Citidel's preference for avoiding stats that I have yet seen. For future submissions, I will be sure to leave the stats out of the item descriptions and (if I have any) put all stats into an idea or comment. Thanks again for the masterful clarification. Go to Comment

Thank you for the compliments. I tend to share your caution about uber powerful items. I created it for a high-level game that is currently in progress. I expect the players to find it within the next couple sessions. I was particularly proud of this item because it is intelligent and can therefore refuse to turn its wielder into a dragon except in the most dire circumstances. In fact, if you use this item, feel free to have it attack the wielder every time she allows a crime to be committed. That will make the players think twice about using it. However, like I told EchoMirage, I should have worked in more of the item's drawbacks into the sub instead of making them obscure and hiding the drawbacks in the stat block. Go to Comment

Thanks for the comments and compliments. I will attempt to maintain a high level of item lore for items that deserve one. I don't think an item should be powerful unless it has a powerful story. Go to Comment

Thanks for the comments and compliments, hylandpad. While I don't dislike uber items, I certainly understand the caution against them. In the campaign I'm currently running, Form of the Dragon is a 7th level spell and my players will soon reach that point. On average though, this item can insanely unbalance a campaign.

I was aiming for cross-system conversion capability, so this is very good to hear :). Thanks again, hylandpad. Go to Comment