Artifact Ideas

Inspired from this thread,

I thought of quite a few cool artifacts while pondering the implications, and figured we could create a thread to come up with more. Maybe some of the ideas will become actual artifacts in game .

For starters, I am hoping to discuss artifacts without direct combat use - no weapons, armor, combat buffs, etc, thats basic, vanilla stuff. Lets think up functions for use in the game world that could have possible potential for PVP (or PVE) - though not a combat-specific item-, but more simply just offer some unpredictability to player behavior, enrich the types of loot for PVE rewards, and add some unique angles to a player's experience.

I also advocate much more rareness of artifacts, and that they have a limited number - some only 3-4 in existence. Id like there to be some powerful artifacts with only one of its kind in existence. Some purely cosmetic artifacts can have like 500+ in existence. To balance the rarity, the number of types of artifacts are to be near limitless, and the odds of finding "some artifact" are very high for experienced players. The odds of finding "the artifact" are very low.

I am not advocating random generation of artifact abilities / attributes. That never works out for any games that have done it, except for simple combat gear with basic stat buffs.

Be creative in ideas, but also keep it simple - simplicity increases the likelyhood of it being implemented. If the above sounds too limiting, then lets start with a:

Necklace of Artifact Vision - Once per week, this necklace can be spoken to with the words that are the name of any other artifact. The necklace will respond with the approximate location of the nearest instance of that artifact, or that none have been created in Novia if one was never dropped.

Think of any challenges with this proposal for artifact loot in the game? Then come up with an artifact to balance that challenge in the players' favor.

I think having a situation where specific artifacts are extremely unlikely, but artifacts - period - are somewhat likely, higher level content will be much more fun. Of course, I like having formula defying features like this in games, so the lowest level players should still have some chance of coming across an extremely powerful artifact. And fate may decide that the same lucky level 5 adventurer uses the one time use kill any opponent instantly dagger on a nearby squirrel. Or he might flag pvp and take out one of the best of the best. Or all the adventurers in a scene. A rare occurrence, but entirely possible! With a...

Scroll of Armageddon - ok, not so original, but a super rare artifact that has a one time use of causing every avatar and npc in a scene to experience a 50% of knockdown every 1.5s, being dealt 1-50 environmental damage, for 180 seconds.

Perhaps its so rare that no one believes it could happen, but one day, a level 5 adventurer may find this between a dead skeleton's ribcage, and be curious as to what it does...

And of course, they dont need to be so extreme, or so rare. High level adventurers often find a:

Chili Pepper of Phoenix Fire - that, when eaten, makes one 99% immune for fire for 4 hours, and the effect is done once a % damage has been done via water magic. it also causes the consumer's avatar's skin to turn #FF0000 red for the duration of the effect.

...or something similar to a:

Boreas' Toke of Revelation - a pipe that, when used with the emote /smokethief, will reveal the location of the nearest avatar that has committed burglary (or any avatar, I guess). "The smoke cloud from your pipe reveals a vision: Black Tortoise has stolen an apple from Mildred, in Aerie!". This effect can be used once per day, and causes the thief to get an increased penalty for all Truth virtue losses, and a 1% penalty to all items bought or sold in that town for 1 earth day.

....which might be balanced by something like a:

Cacophonic Lute of Unvirtuous Dishevelment - which can, once a day, be played around 2 or more players. When the other players hear the music from this instrument, two players "at random" have their virtue ratings switched for 1 earth day. The players wont know if they were personally affected, only that they were in earshot ("You hear a most unvirtuous cachophony! You should leave the area at once!"). The player of the instrument takes a hit to all three virtues, anytime other players are within earshot. Players can infer if they were affected by visiting the oracle, and asking the oracle for the status on their virtue ratings, and noticing a change. If both players were "all virtuous" or "all unvirtuous", no noticeable changes would occur. This would mainly affect the "virtuous" swapping with "unvirtuous", once TBD game mechanics which react to virtue levels are implemented. Perhaps when the effect ends, the players see a message to the effect of, "youre feeling more like yourself again."

...or keep it simple with a:

Goggles of Nightvision - which, when worn, grant the user permanent nightvision status. durability lowers over time with use!

...or even more simple with a:

Ring that makes you look like a frog! Oh wait...

 

Robe of Presence: When worn, your /local chat carries further, but you have a fidget emote when you don't keep moving (or use another emote).

Boots of Striding: Leather boots increase your movement speed on the Overworld Map, but decrease your carrying capacity.

Staff of Winds: This staff does no real damage (0-1), but has a very high chance to cast Gust on your target. The rarer Staff of Forceful Winds also enhances the Push Range of the Polearm skill.

Monocle of Rich Sight: Greatly enhances range of Mining Survey for Gold and Silver nodes, but halves the Survey skill for all other node types.

 

Bracelet of Life: Bracelet allows resurrection from anywhere on scene map.

Anklet of Grace: Allows wearer to float above water or lava.

Horn of Misery: Owner can summon the undead to aid in Guild Battle.

Budner Undies: Plague of flies, locust, and, or slime follow wearer for a set amount of time. ( no disrespect intended to one of my favorite Avatars)

Ring of Entrapment: Kobald's newest death trap ensnares your enemy or enemies on the battle field. ( this one for the Pvper's)

Lava Wand of the Curmudgeon: No matter how kind, no matter how bold, this wand will instill upon you the gravest affliction.

 

Ghost Lantern: When held, this lantern provides Night Sight and enhances your Moon Attunement. However, it greatly reduces your Sun Attunement and causes you to take damage during the day!

Purifying Quartz: When worn around your neck, increases your resistance to poison and gives you a chance to break ongoing poison effects.

Wings of Truth: While wearing this winged helm, you cannot tell a lie (any untruth that would lower your Truth score will instead spout gibberish). However, you your holier than thou attitude makes vendors charge you more and enemies to do more damage against you!

Broken Wings: This used to be a beautiful set of golden feathered wings, but now only the frame remains. The mana within does make you run light on your feet, increasing your run speed. However, you take extra damage from falling and your Safe Fall skill is decreased.

Haunted Hurricane Lamp: A desk lamp that sheds light in a very large area, but seems to have a mind of its own and tends to flicker off if someone sits nearby.

Pirates Lute: This beachwood instrument has a red sash in place of a strap. While it *can* play any song, owners tend to become confused and play a sea shanty instead...

Aether Shield: This buckler was designed to protect a young mage, and functions as an off-hand focus (-15 fizzle). However, it is so tuned to Moon Magic that offensive spells from any other school have a small chance to turn into Chaos bolts.