Artifacts
In a world of flaming swords and cursed axes, some magical items are on a level above and beyond what can be found in a wizard's tower or a demon’s lair. These potent relics are the stuff of bard tales and cultural epics, unique and powerful items that leave marks upon history and spawn legends in their wake—when one of them is found, it can easily signal major changes felt far and wide.
The appearance of an artifact in a campaign is not to be taken lightly. Artifacts are not typically found by everyday adventurers and are as much plot points as they are equipment. The search for an artifact can be the goal of an entire adventure or long term quest: to reclaim it from a villain, to traverse the dangerous demiplane of a demigod and acquire it, or even keeping it from two factions in a stalemate war.
Recognizing Artifacts
Due to their eminent place in history and the countless tales told about them, artifacts can often be recognized even without anyone realizing everything about the item. Success on an ability check to recognize an artifact reveals something from its Legends and Lore, but not anything a typical check to identify a magic item would reveal.
Artifact Clues
When an adventurer succeeds on a check to recognize an artifact, they might instead learn one of the following, either chosen by the Narrator or determined randomly by rolling 1d6: 1—where the artifact was last seen, 2—when the artifact was last seen, 3—a story about an adventurer that used the artifact, 4—name of a book regarding the artifact or a sage known to be an expert on matters regarding the artifact, 5—who created the artifact or how it came into being, 6—one of the artifact’s magic properties.
Artifact Properties
Artifacts have properties like other magical items, but these are of a greater magnitude than what the average adventurer will come across in their lifetime. In addition to their inherent abilities, artifacts may have other properties that can be either beneficial or detrimental, either chosen by the Narrator from the following tables or randomly determined. Properties such as these often shift each time an artifact appears and are not permanent. Narrators are also encouraged to create new properties.
Artifact properties are either benefits or detriments and have one of two intensities (lesser or greater). An artifact can only have a maximum of four lesser benefits and two greater benefits, and no more than four lesser detriments and two greater detriments.
Unless otherwise noted, the following properties apply when you have attuned to an artifact and are wielding it or have it on your person. Any cantrips or spells granted by an artifact are chosen by the Narrator.
Lesser Artifact Benefits
1–20 Sage. The artifact lends you knowledge. You gain one skill proficiency (chosen by the Narrator).
21–30 Panacea. The artifact’s presence is a panacea to the body and soul. You gain immunity to diseases .
31–40 Mind’s Bastion. The artifact strengthens your mind against fear and manipulation. You gain immunity to the charmed and frightened conditions.
41–50 Bulwark. The artifact prevents certain types of damage. You gain resistance to one damage type (chosen by the Narrator).
51–60 Minor Magic. The power of a single minor manifestation of magic radiates within the artifact. You can use an action to cast a cantrip from the artifact.
61–70 Spell Weaver (Basic). The artifact allows you to cast a simple spell. You can use an action to cast one 1st-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
71–80 Spell Weaver (Advanced). The artifact allows you to cast a spell of light complexity. You can use an action to cast one 2nd-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
81–90 Spell Weaver (Mastery). The artifact allows you to cast a spell of moderate complexity. You can use an action to cast one 3rd-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
91–100 Aegis. The artifact shields you from harm, granting you a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
Greater Artifact Benefits
1–20 Perfectionist. The artifact seeks to enhance and elevate its user to greater heights. One of your ability scores (chosen by the Narrator) increases by 2, to a max of 24.
21–30 Healer. The artifact continually reinforces your lifeforce. As long as you have at least 1 hit point, you regain 1d6 hit points at the start of each of your turns.
31–40 Warrior. The artifact thrives in battle. When you hit with a weapon attack, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the same weapon type.
41–50 Strider. The artifact makes your movement lighter and easier. Your Speed increases by 10 feet.
51–60 Magus Magic (Basic). The artifact allows you to cast a spell of some power. You can use an action to cast one 4th-level spell from the artifact. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
61–70 Magus Magic (Advanced). The artifact allows you to cast an impressive spell. You can use an action to cast one 5th-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
71–80 Magus Magic (Mastery). The artifact allows you to cast a spell of considerable complexity and power. You can use an action to cast one 6th-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
81–90 Magus Magic (Epic). The artifact allows you to cast an impressively potent spell. You can use an action to cast one 7th-level spell from it. Once a spell is cast, roll 1d6. On any result but 6, you cannot cast this spell again until the next dawn.
91–100 Pure Body. The artifact protects against most afflictions of the body. You gain immunity to the blinded , deafened , petrified , and stunned conditions.
Lesser Artifact Detriments
1–5 Magic Magnet. You’re highly susceptible to magic and have disadvantage on saving throws against spells.
6–10 Ruin. You ruin gems and jewelry, reducing the value of any gem or jewel you touch by half. A gem or jewel can only be ruined in this way once.
11–15 Obscured Sight. When you are separated from the artifact by more than 10 feet you become blinded .
16–20 Bad Reaction. You have disadvantage on saving throws made to resist poison.
21–30 Foul. Your scent becomes nearly unbearable and is noticeable from 10 feet away.
31–35 Desecrate. You contaminate holy water within 10 feet of you, instantly destroying it.
36–40 Unwell. You become physically sick. You have disadvantage on Strength and Constitution ability checks and saving throws .
41–45 Swollen. You gain 1d4 × 10 pounds in weight.
46–50 Shapeshift. Your appearance changes. The Narrator determines details of your new appearance.
51–55 Stolen Sound. When you are separated from the artifact by more than 10 feet, you are deafened.
56–60 Malnourished. Your weight drops 1d4 × 10 pounds.
61–65 Anosmia. You lose your sense of smell.
66–70 Ill Wind. Nonmagical flames within 30 feet of you are snuffed out.
71–80 Insomnia. Creatures within 300 feet of you cannot take short or long rests.
81–85 Flora Bane. Plants that aren’t creatures take 1d6 necrotic damage from your touch.
86–90 Unnatural Presence. Your presence causes animals within 30 feet to become hostile towards you.
91–95 Gluttony. Each day you must consume 6 times your normal needs of food and drink.
96–100 Flawed. Your flaws are exacerbated. The Narrator determines how this manifests.
Greater Artifact Detriments
1–5 Atrophic Affliction. Your body slowly rots. At the end of the first day, you lose your hair. By the end of the second day you lose your finger and toe tips. On the third day’s end your lips and nose are lost. Finally your ears rot away at the end of the fourth day, and the rotting finally stops. You may restore your lost body parts through the use of the regenerate spell.
6–10 Wandering Worldview. You gain a different alignment trait each dawn. Roll a 1d4: 1—chaotic, 2—evil, 3—good, 4—lawful.
11–15 Quest Giver. You are given a quest determined by the Narrator, which you must complete as if you were under the effects of the geas spell. This effect occurs the first time you attune to the artifact and once the quest is completed, you are no longer affected by this property.
16–20 Possessive. A formless entity is imprisoned within the artifact. When you use an action to utilize an artifact’s properties, there’s a 50% chance the entity tries to possess you instead of the item. Make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the entity claims your body as its own. You become an NPC under the Narrator’s control. The entity can be banished through the use of the dispel evil and good spell.
21–25 Deadly Aura. Plants and creatures of Challenge Rating 0 drop to 0 hit points when they are within 10 feet of the artifact.
26–30 Eldritch Prison. A forgotten god is imprisoned within the artifact and struggles for freedom. When you use an action to activate one of the artifact’s properties there’s a 10% chance it breaks free, appearing within 15 feet of you and attacking you.
31–35 Bearer of Hatred. The Narrator chooses a creature type (other than humanoid). Creatures of that type have an unnatural aggression towards you and are always hostile towards you.
36–40 Potion Thinner. Magical potions within 10 feet of the artifact are instantly diluted and lose their magical properties.
41–45 Ink Eater. Magic scrolls within 10 feet of the artifact are instantly erased.
46–50 Vampiric Desire. In order to use an action and activate one of this artifact’s properties, you must first satiate its bloodlust by using a bonus action to draw blood from yourself, a willing supplicant, or an incapacitated victim. To do so the creature must be within your reach and you must use a slashing or piercing weapon to draw blood (dealing 1d4 damage).
51–60 Overwhelming. The power of the artifact is too great to easily contain and it strains your mind. You gain a long-term mental stress effect.
61–65 Psychic Scream. The mental feedback from this artifact deals 4d10 psychic damage after you attune to it.
66–70 Path of Filth. Slime collects in a trail behind you. Creatures have advantage on checks made to track you.
71–75 Fickle Fate. The first time you attune to this item, an enemy of the Narrator’s choice experiences a substantial stroke of good fortune. This can be the recruitment of a new unexpected ally, an upgrade of their forces, or even the surprise advancement of one of their goals. The Narrator is encouraged to let you know exactly how your attunement has advanced the goals of your enemy.
76–80 Ability Drain. One of your ability scores is reduced by 2. Roll 1d6 to determine the ability score: 1—Strength, 2—Dexterity, 3—Constitution, 4—Intelligence, 5—Wisdom, 6—Charisma. This decrease to your ability score can be restored through the use of a greater restoration spell.
81–85 Double Trouble. A nearly perfect duplicate of you appears within 90 feet. Your duplicate has the singular goal of killing you to permanently claim your existence in the world. The Narrator uses your statistics for the duplicate (as well as any tricks or tactics you commonly employ), though it may take days or weeks for it to gather the resources to attack.
86–90 Stolen Voice. You lose the ability to speak.
91–95 Weakness. The artifact weakens your body and mind. You become vulnerable to all types of damage.
96–100 Divine Reclamation. When you attune to this artifact there is a 10% chance that you attract the attention of a divine authority who sends an avatar to take it from you. The avatar vanishes with the artifact if it is successful in reclaiming it.
Destroying an Artifact
The very heart of legends rests in the hands of the adventurers, yet they could well seek to destroy it—such a task might not be folly but absolutely necessary. The destruction of such a powerful magical item is a matter of a campaign’s plot, and otherwise artifacts are indestructible. Despite the enormous power they wield however, every artifact has its own weakness (though finding and utilizing such a vulnerability may be a quest in itself, as can stopping a villain from destroying an artifact).
While the Narrator decides how a particular artifact can be destroyed, here are some suggestions:
- Fulfill an ancient prophecy—or defy one.
- Return it to its place of origin or creator to make it vulnerable to damage.
- Ritual that takes place at a sacred site in an opposite aligned plane.
- Thrown into a specific volcano tied to its power.
- If sentient, it may desire an appropriate ritual or location to create a body of its own, leaving the artifact to dissipate into dust.