Twisted magic items

[Blue Jogger]

Thinking about the converted magic item thread, made me want to write up some twisted ones that are strange combinations of magic items in D&D.

 

 

Folding Servant

This looks like a small squishy multicolored lump, oddly warm to the touch. It can be "unfolded" into a servant who will serve willing in whatever task that it was designed. When done, it can be "folded" back into a squishy multicolored lump that fits easily into any pouch. It can also be "unfolded" into different types of servants.

 

Summon 25-pt. Servant, (5 Active Points), +1 Slavishly Loyal, +1/4 Any type of servant, -1 1/4 Extra Time: 1 Turn, -1 OAF - Squishy Lump, -2 Independent (2 Real Points)

 

 

Portable Sewer

When this cloth is unfolded on any flat surface, it becomes a portal to some long forgotten sewer. Anything dump into this sewer is mostly likely recoverable (unless it drifted downstream), but you probably don't want it. GMs should probably limit the size of the hole to something that a human body can't easily fit through.

 

5" Teleport, +1 Megascale (1" is 1000 km), +1/2 Area Effect: Hex, +1/2 0 END, -1/2 Lim: Portal, -1/2 IAF - Portable Sewer, -2 Independent, -1 Fixed Location: Sewer PLUS 1 fixed location (7 Real Points, doing this from memory)

 

 

Leather Armor of Command

Wearing this armor increases one's attractiveness and likelihood that the opposite sex will do what you want them to.

+8 COM

+15 PRE, Lim: Only to PRE-based skills where attractiveness is a factor.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

How would you write up a bed of devouring? I am thinking a continuous Stun drain, with a continuous killing damage attack that triggers once the person in the bed is unconscious.

 

Or would you write it up as an automaton that looks like a bed?

[Intrope]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

How would you write up a bed of devouring? I am thinking a continuous Stun drain, with a continuous killing damage attack that triggers once the person in the bed is unconscious.

 

Or would you write it up as an automaton that looks like a bed?

How about a 1d6 EB, NND (+1), Fully Invisible (no visble damage, either) (+2), Does BODY (+1), partly limited (only does body if target at GM's option).

 

Naturally, you'd need to either give the power a trigger or build it as an automaton (if you build it as an automaton, make it a no-range AoE hex power).

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

How would you write up a bed of devouring? I am thinking a continuous Stun drain, with a continuous killing damage attack that triggers once the person in the bed is unconscious.

 

Or would you write it up as an automaton that looks like a bed?

 

You don't need to write it up as an automaton unless it has a more complicated manner than simply slowly devouring around who crawls into its mouth.

 

It could be fun to have it roam around in the forest, however. "Look, my princess, a bed in the middle of the forest. It must be a good omen."

 

 

Ok, here's another one...

Carpet of Dancing

Anybody running across this carpet or in melee combat starts to dance. Great for defending royality, it usually a red carpet. Anyone dancing is effectively 0 OCV, -4 DCV.

16D6 Mind Control, Single Command: "Dance", Area Effect Selective, 0 END, Trigger: As Above.

[Outsider]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Unless they are a practitioner of Capoeira, on that Carpet of Dancing

 

Here is another item :

 

The Teeth of Eating

 

A set of magical dentures (which, when not being worn, look much like the 'chattering teeth' novelty item) that, when they are worn in the user's mouth*, allow him to bite into, chew up, ingest, and sustain himself on nearly any form of solid or liquid matter with no ill effects.

 

Life Support - Diminished Eating, No need to eat or drink. (Not really, but given that the wearer can eat or drink anything, it is nearly the same thing. User does still excrete, though)

Life Support - Complete immunity to all ingested poisons. (Poisons delivered via a gaseous medium, by injection, or via any means other than ingestion through the mouth and into the stomach act normally)

1D6 RKA (P) - Penetrating, Reduced Endurance (0 END), No Range, Only Usable on things the user can actually bite (fit at least partially in their mouth) (A human wearing them cant eat a bowling ball, for example)

 

The teeth could be obvious or inobvious as the source of the effects, GM's option. They will be inaccessible, in either case. Apply the appropriate Focus limitation.

 

*The magical nature of them allows them to adapt to the mouth of any wearer from halfling to giant size, and does not require that the previous dentition be knocked out or anything unpleasant like that. They also do not alter speech or other oral functions that dont involve biting things. The user himself is immune to the enhanced biting effect. (note : if you really want to, make him pay +1/4 on the RKA to keep from accidentally biting his own tongue off. I felt that was unneccessary)

[gewing]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Was it Granny Weatherwax who did something like that, but animated her false teeth?

 

I think you could "grate" away at the surface of a bowling ball or some such. Not really chew through it, but...

 

HMMM, useful for a roque to get out of jail?

 

Unless they are a practitioner of Capoeira, on that Carpet of Dancing

 

Here is another item :

 

The Teeth of Eating

 

A set of magical dentures (which, when not being worn, look much like the 'chattering teeth' novelty item) that, when they are worn in the user's mouth*, allow him to bite into, chew up, ingest, and sustain himself on nearly any form of solid or liquid matter with no ill effects.

 

Life Support - Diminished Eating, No need to eat or drink. (Not really, but given that the wearer can eat or drink anything, it is nearly the same thing. User does still excrete, though)

Life Support - Complete immunity to all ingested poisons. (Poisons delivered via a gaseous medium, by injection, or via any means other than ingestion through the mouth and into the stomach act normally)

1D6 RKA (P) - Penetrating, Reduced Endurance (0 END), No Range, Only Usable on things the user can actually bite (fit at least partially in their mouth) (A human wearing them cant eat a bowling ball, for example)

 

The teeth could be obvious or inobvious as the source of the effects, GM's option. They will be inaccessible, in either case. Apply the appropriate Focus limitation.

 

*The magical nature of them allows them to adapt to the mouth of any wearer from halfling to giant size, and does not require that the previous dentition be knocked out or anything unpleasant like that. They also do not alter speech or other oral functions that dont involve biting things. The user himself is immune to the enhanced biting effect. (note : if you really want to, make him pay +1/4 on the RKA to keep from accidentally biting his own tongue off. I felt that was unneccessary)

[Houston GM]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Fanfare

If you hold this magical fan in your hand as you enter a scene, it will play your theme song. If you're holding it in your hand when someone else enters the scene, it will play their theme song. (This can help negate surprise since it will detect invisible and hidden opponents.)

 

You can also use it to cool yourself off on a hot day.

 

The Gastronomicon

This cookbook is the definitive work for practitioners of Gastrology and Gastromancy.

 

"Here. Eat this."

[Ternaugh]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Bag of Folding

 

This item is linked to the Prime Origami Plane, and affects any non-living item placed completely in the bag. After the bag is closed, the item is affected by the strange magic of the POP, resulting in an origami figure made of the original item. The figure so created is seemingly random.

 

 

5 Bag of Folding: Minor Transform 1d6 (Item into origami item made of original materials, canceled by Dispel Magic, Bag of Unfolding), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Independent (-2), Non-living target, must fit completely within bag (-1), IIF (Small bag; -1/4)

 

JoeG

[Curufea]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

The Gastronomicon should have written on the cover "To serve Mages"

 

Magic Misfile

This anti-beaurocratic spell causes D4 documents per power level (there are 9 levels to this spell, each with a higher endurance cost), to be re-arranged outside of the cataloguing system. Also known for frustrating establiished religions through clerical errors...

[travellerne]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

The Deck of Many Wings

This item initially appears to be an ordinary deck of playing cards. When any card is drawn it reveals a picture of a flying creature and the name of the creature. This grants the bearer of this item KS: Flying Creatures.

 

(ala the WW2 Aircraft Spotter playing cards )

 

TNE

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Bucknard's Everful Backpack

One of Bucknard's worst ideas, this backpack "produces" extra camping supplies every few days. However, due to the nature of the enchantment, it just summons them from someone else's backpack (usually far away), on a failed activation roll it pulls something from the other party members backpack.

 

"Ah, now we truely see how it is, that is my tent you pulled from your so-called wonderous backpack!"

 

 

Spoon of Sharpness

Probably made by accident, the Spoon of Sharpness does damage simular to a dagger and has a chance (if the spoon inflicts BODY damage) of doing an additional 2D6 K, BODY only. Usually this results in the severing of the body part in question. Legend has it that there is a matching Sword of Stirring which can tunnel 1"/Phase through earth and soft stone (4 DEF) by its humorous stirring motion.

[Curufea]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

heh, after that spoon, you just HAVE to have-

 

Vorpal Club

This magically sharpened blunt instrument inflicts normal damage that is penetrating and armour peircing. If the remaining body of an object is destroyed the piece is completely severed.

[Basil]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

This is part of a sentence from Tery Pratchett. It's stuck in mind since I read it, even though I forget which book it's from.

"...flaming swords that burn all the way up the hilt..."

 

I'll leave someone else to design it in Hero System terms.

 

Bag of Moldy

Anything put into this medium-large leather sack instantly becomes old, decrepit, and covered with a thin film of mold and mildew.

Major Transform that lowers DEF of objects to about half, reduces PRE and COM of living things, etc.

 

Wizard's Stuff

A whole lot of useless flotsam and junk slowly accumulates around the person carrying this staff. It accumulates more rapidly the slower the possesor moves, and will eventually make it very difficult or impossible to move. If the owner takes it into his/her home, watch out -- s/he will need to be unburied in a few days!

Major Transform, air into junk.

 

EDIT: Oh, I almost forgot---

Wand of Blunder

The owner of this wand keeps falling down, dropping stuff, etc. Don't let him near a hammer and nail!

Drain DEX, Continuous, plus Mind Control, One Command (Keep this wand!!!)

[Curufea]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Dang, now I'm going to have to dig up some old D&D books - my memory isn't what it used to be (it used to be my liver).

 

Tensor's Floating Disc

This is a side effect of major spells that go wrong - especially those that require gestures. Phys Lim, frequent, total - you get random, incredibly painful, back pain. Necessitating in either hanging upside down for long periods, or intensive foot massages and chiropracty

(possibly this could be a wand as well, I guess)

(named for Tensor the hunchback... now)

 

Stone of Tru Seeing

Through any visual impediment, natural, man-made or supernatural - the user of this stone can watch Eliza Dushku. (N-Ray vision, possibly linked to mind control )

[Outsider]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Bag of Moldy

Anything put into this medium-large leather sack instantly becomes old, decrepit, and covered with a thin film of mold and mildew.

Major Transform that lowers DEF of objects to about half, reduces PRE and COM of living things, etc.

 

 

Could be pretty useful for a person counterfeiting ancient relics or other collectibles. Of course, in a world with this item, things like 'Sense Age, Discriminatory' might be available too, and make the scam much more dificult.

[APE]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Hart Braker:

This buitifly crafted sword easly seeks hitting the hart of your opponent, but does no real phisical damage. It causes the target to fall totaly in love with the wielder, and vishisly jealous of any one that the wielder seems to pay any kind of attention to.

[Basil]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Orb Of Drag-and-drop

The wielder of this approimately 50cm sphere (made out of some truly weird looking stuff we're not to speculate about) can, with but a thought, pick up anything of up to 1 ton in mass. However, he must drop it (not set it down) within one Turn, or it slips from his "grasp" and drops. It can only be used a dozen times per day.

 

TK, 28 STR, 12 Continuing Charges, OAF, etc.

 

Do not confuse this with the Orb Of Dragon Droppings!

[Curufea]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Orb Of Drag-and-drop

 

Reminds me of the really cute weapon in HalfLife 2

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Boots of Weight

These boots feel heavy (30 kg/66 lbs) even before placing them on your feet. Once worn, the wearer becomes heavier. However, they are good armored shoes to kick with. Although they are not cursed, it does takes a turn to take them completely off.

 

10PD / 10ED Armor, +1/4 Hardened, -2 Feet Only (Steel Boots)

+3D6 HA, 0 END, -1/2 Only to increase kick damage (Steel Boots)

-1 KB (Heavy Steel Boots)

 

Side Effect: While worn, wearer weighs an additional (130 kg/286 lbs) for the purposes of leaping, encumbrance and such. This additional weight and the weight of the shoes becomes distributed evenly, so the boots seem lighter to the wearer when worn.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Cloak Of Elven Kindness

This fine grey-green cloak increases the likelihood that the character will be treated kindly by any elves she encounters. [+10 COM, only vs. elves (-1)]

[Basil]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Some based on Fantasy Hero.

 

Armor of Heels:

This armor can only be worn by untrustworthy, sneaky sorts; rogues, ne'er-do-wells, heels, etc.

 

Batty Shield:

It can only be used by the slighty insane.

 

Elixer of Giant Ego:

Turns the imbiber into the worst egotist you ever met. This only effects little-e "ego", not all-caps EGO.

 

Potion of Underwater Comfy-chair:

Poured out, it creates the most *comfortable* overstuffed chair you've ever sat it. This big ol' thing is just a perfect fit, not to hard nor too soft; you just want to curl up in it a relax. Unfortunately, it only creates the chair when poured into water at least 4 hexes (8 meters) deep. And it is a big overstuffed chair --- as in, 100 kg. It's hard (but not impossible) to get it out of the water before it becomes too soggy. Oh, and it's 1 Continuing Charge of 1 hour.

 

Star with Sapphire Ring:

The wearer somehow lands up with a major role in every movie Sapphire is in. However, it grants no acting ability, nor any improvement to looks.

 

Wand of Fastening:

It glues itself to the wielder's -- or should I say victim's -- hand the first time he picks it up. Removing it takes a STR vs. STR roll against a STR of 30. And it does HKA when you get it off.

 

Irresponsible Blade:

The wielder doesn't really care who or what he hits. Roll randomly to see what the target is, each Phase.

 

 

And one not specific to any game system.

Ring of Three Fishes:

The wearer of this ring can Summon a fish of any sort (including sharks but not including cetatians) by rubbing the ring and crying out the name of the type of fish. It has only three Charges the never recover --- once the third fish appears, the ring crumbles to dust.

 

Do not confuse this with the Gin Ring: that causes a shotglass full of cheap booze to appear when activated. It also has 3 Charges, but they "recharge" every dawn.

But only if the wearer is hungover.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Rope of Submission

 

"When the victim is tied up with the Rope of Submission.... Umm, well, you see, you can command the victim to submit... No, I mean, give verbal commands while the victim kneels.... No, not like that, that's not what I had intended at all!" - Overheard while Wizard Greenleaf tries to explain how to correctly use his new magic item.

[Curufea]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Heh..

 

Anyhow, for darker items, can't go past the books of China Mieville (and not just because I'm attempting to convert them to Hero)...

 

Grindylow Statue

Rather ugly foot tall statue of a deep sea fish that contains the fin of a Grindylow mage. To activate this item, you must tongue-kiss the mouth and feed it a drop of blood.

Transdimensional movement - between molecules (can be treated as desolidification+speed+invisibility+flight). Sideffect - icthythic mutation (you gradually develop sea creature parts/features/mutations)

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Grindylow Statue

 

Wow. That's freaky.

[Basil]

Re: Twisted magic items

 

Lotion of Giant Stretch. This thick, viscous glop is rubbed on the skin. There is only enough to cover one limb, or about half of the torso. The area coated lengthens (but does not thicken) to about 4 or 5 times normal.

Unfortunately, the character gains no ability to actually use such a disproportionate body part. Thus, DEX is reduced, the character cannot lift the arm or walk on/with the leg, etc.

 

Use on the membrum virile is not recommended, as engorgement results in unconsiousness (no blood left to go to the brain).