Tables 113 through 119 should be used to determine the properties of an intelligent weapon: the number of powers, unusual properties, alignment, and special purpose of the item (if any). Such weapons are useful to give higher-level fighters some additional tactical options and limited-use special abilities.
The DM is encouraged to design unusual magical weapons along special themes and for specific campaign purposes, using the tables as guidelines and for inspiration. Just because a power is rolled doesn't mean it must be given out. If the DM feels a combination is too bizarre or powerful, he can simply change or ignore it.
The first step in creating an intelligent weapon is to determine its general capabilities. These are found by rolling 1d100 on Table 113. Then, move onto Tables 114 - 118 until all the capabilities of the weapon have been specified.
| R100 Roll |
Intelligence | Communication | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-34 | 12 | Semi-empathy* | 1 primary ability |
| 35-59 | 13 | Empathy | 2 primary abilities |
| 60-79 | 14 | Speech** | 2 primary abiliites |
| 80-91 | 15 | Speech** | 3 primary abilities |
| 92-97 | 16 | Speech** | 3 primary abilities† |
| 98-00 | 17 | Speech and Telepathy*** | 3 primary abilities†† +1 extraordinary power |
- * The possessor will receive some signal (a throb, tingle, etc.) and feel urges when its ability functions.
- ** The weapon will speak the character's native tongue plus one or more other tongues as indicated on Table 118 below.
- *** The weapon can use either communication mode at will, with language use as any speaking weapon.
- †: The weapon can also read languages/maps of any nonmagical type.
- ††: The weapon can read languages as well as magical writings.
Intelligent Weapon Alignment[]
Any weapon with intelligence will have an alignment. Note that holy avenger swords have alignment restrictions. All cursed weapons are absolutely neutral.
| D100 Roll | Alignment of Weapon |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Chaotic good |
| 06-15 | Chaotic neutral* |
| 16-20 | Chaotic evil |
| 21-25 | Neutral evil* |
| 26-30 | Lawful evil |
| 31-55 | Lawful good |
| 56-60 | Lawful neutral* |
| 61-80 | Neutral (absolute) |
| 81-00 | Neutral good* |
- * The item can also be used by any character whose alignment corresponds to the non-neutral alignment portion of the weapon's alignment (i.e., chaotic, evil, good, or lawful). Thus any chaotic character can use a weapon with chaotic neutral alignment.
Any character whose alignment does not correspond to that of the weapon, except as noted by the asterisk above, will sustain points of damage equal to the number of ego points (see Table 119) of the weapon. This damage is suffered every time (or for every round) the character touches any portion of the weapon unless the weapon is in the grasp or possession of a character whose alignment is compatible with the weapon.
Weapon Abilities[]
Using the number of capabilities determined by Table 113, the weapon's specific abilities are determined by rolling on the appropriate tables below.
If the same ability is rolled twice or more, range of the power is double, triple, etc.
All abilities function only when the weapon is held, drawn, and the possessor is concentrating on the desired result. A weapon can perform only one function at a time, and thus can fight or detect but one thing at a time.
Other abilities can be created by the DM.
If the same power is rolled twice, the uses/day are doubled, etc.
Powers function only when the weapon is drawn and held and the possessor is concentrating upon the desired effect. Most powers require that the character stop and concentrate for a full round.
| D100 Roll |
Ability |
|---|---|
| 01-11 | Detect "elevator"/shifting rooms/walls in a 10-foot radius |
| 12-22 | Detect sloping passages in a 10-foot radius |
| 23-33 | Detect traps of large size in a 10-foot radius |
| 34-44 | Detect evil/good in a 10-foot radius |
| 45-55 | Detect precious metals, kind, and amount in a 20-foot radius |
| 56-66 | Detect gems, kind, and number in a 5-foot radius |
| 67-77 | Detect magic in a 10-foot radius |
| 78-82 | Detect secret doors in a 5-foot radius |
| 83-87 | Detect invisible objects in a 10-foot radius |
| 88-92 | Locate object in a 120-foot radius |
| 93-98 | Roll twice on this table ignoring scores of 93 to 00 |
| 99-00 | Roll on Table 116 instead |
| D100 Roll |
Power* |
|---|---|
| 01-07 | Charm person on contact—3 times/day |
| 08-15 | Clairaudience, 30 yards range—3 times/day, 1 round per use |
| 16-22 | Clairvoyance, 30 yards range—3 times/day, 1 round per use |
| 23-28 | Determine direction and depth—2 times/day |
| 29-34 | ESP, 30 yards range—3 times/day, 1 round per use |
| 35-41 | Flying, 120 feet/turn—1 hour/day |
| 42-47 | Heal—1 time/day |
| 48-54 | Illusion, 120 yards range—2 times/day, as the wand |
| 55-61 | Levitation, 1-turn duration—3 times/day, at 6th level of magic use ability |
| 62-67 | Strength—1 time/day (upon wielder only) |
| 68-75 | Telekinesis, 250 pounds maximum—2 times/day, 1 round each use |
| 76-81 | Telepathy, 60 yards range—2 times/day |
| 82-88 | Teleportation—1 time/day, 600 pounds maximum, casting time 2 |
| 89-94 | X-ray vision, 40 yards range—2 times/day, 1 turn per use |
| 95-97 | Roll twice on this table ignoring scores of 95-97 |
| 98-99 | Character may choose 1 power from this table |
| 00 | Character may choose 1 power from this table, and then roll for a Special Purpose on Table 117 |
- * Saving throws apply as usual.
Table 117: Special Purpose Weapons[]
A. Purpose[]
Purpose must suit the type and alignment of the weapon in question. Killing is always restricted to evil when the weapon is of good alignment. Weapons dedicated to slaying monsters will always be either good and slay neutral or evil monsters, or evil and slay neutral or good monsters.
| D100 Roll |
Purpose |
|---|---|
| 01-10 | Defeat/slay diametrically opposed alignment* |
| 11-20 | Defeat priests (of a particular type) |
| 21-30 | Defeat fighters |
| 31-40 | Defeat wizards |
| 41-50 | Defeat thieves |
| 51-55 | Defeat bards |
| 56-65 | Overthrow law and/or chaos |
| 66-75 | Defeat good and/or evil |
| 76-95 | Defeat nonhuman monsters |
| 96-00 | Other |
- * The purpose of the true neutral version of this weapon is to preserve the balance (see "Alignment") by defeating/slaying powerful beings of the extreme alignments (lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good, chaotic evil).
B. Special Purpose Power[]
The power will operate only in pursuit of the special purpose.
| D100 Roll |
Power |
|---|---|
| 01-10 | blindness* for 2d6 rounds |
| 11-20 | confusion* for 2d6 rounds |
| 21-25 | disintegrate* |
| 26-55 | fear* for 1d4 rounds |
| 56-65 | insanity* for 1d4 rounds |
| 66-80 | paralysis* for 1d4 rounds |
| 81-00 | +2 to all saving throws, -1 to each die of damage sustained |
- * Upon scoring a hit with the weapon unless the opponent succeeds with a saving throw vs. spell.
Table 118: Languages Spoken by Weapon[]
The DM should determine languages spoken by the weapon based on his campaign and the history of the weapon. Thus, an intelligent warhammer fashioned by the dwarves would certainly understand dwarvish as one of its powers.
| D100 Roll | Number of Languages |
|---|---|
| 01-40 | 1 |
| 41-70 | 2 |
| 71-85 | 3 |
| 86-95 | 4 |
| 96-99 | 5 |
| 00 | 6* |
- * Or the result of 2 additional rolls ignoring a score of 00, whichever is the greater.
Weapon Ego[]
Only after all aspects of a weapon have been determined and recorded can the ego rating of a weapon be found. Ego, along with intelligence, will be a factor with regard to the dominance of weapon over character, as detailed on Table 119.
| Attribute of Weapon | Ego Points |
|---|---|
| Each + of weapon* | 1 |
| Each primary ability** | 1 |
| Each extraordinary power** | 2 |
| Special purpose | 5 |
| Each language spoken | 1 |
| Telepathic ability | 2 |
| Reading languages ability | 1 |
| Reading magic ability | 2 |
- * Thus, a sword +1 has one ego point, but if it has another (higher) plus, these are also counted. For example, a flame tongue +1 has a maximum plus of 4, so it is +1/+4 for five ego points. In addition, weapons that have no extra pluses but extra powers (holy avenger, sharpness, etc.) add double their + rating for ego.
- ** If double ability, double ego points.
Weapons Versus Characters[]
When a weapon possesses unusual characteristics, it has a personality, which is rated by combining its intelligence and ego scores. The weapon will, of course, be absolutely true to its alignment, and if the character who possesses the weapon is not, personality conflict—weapon versus character—will result.
Similarly, any weapon with an ego of 19 or higher will always consider itself superior to any character, and a personality conflict will result if the possessor does not always agree with the weapon.
The personality score of a character is:
Intelligence + Charisma + Experience Level
Note that the personality score is reduced by one for every group of hit points of damage taken equal to the character's average number of points per level. Divide the character's total hit points by his level (round up). For example: A fighter of 7th level has 53 hit points: 53 divided by 7 equals 7.6. Thus for every eight points of damage he suffers, his personality score will be lowered by one.
Whenever personality conflict occurs, the weapon will resist the character's desires and demand concessions such as:
- Removal of associates, henchmen, hirelings, or creatures of alignment or personality distasteful to the weapon.
- The character divesting himself of all other magical weapons.
- Obedience from the character so weapon can lead the expedition for its own purposes
- Immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the weapon
- Encrustation of pommel, hilt, scabbard, baldric, or belt with gems and a special container made of precious substances for its safekeeping.
- Magical protections and devices to protect it from molestation when not in use
- That the character pay it handsomely for all abilities and powers the weapon is called upon to exercise in behalf of its possessor
- That the character carry it with him on all occasions
- That the character relinquish the weapon in favor of a more suitable person due to alignment differences or conduct
Any time the personality score of a weapon exceeds the personality score of the character who possesses it, the weapon will dominate its possessor, and it can force any or all of the above demands or actually cause any of the following actions:
- Force its possessor into combat
- Refuse to strike opponents
- Strike at its wielder or his associates
- Force its possessor to surrender to an opponent
- Cause itself to drop from the character's grasp
Naturally, such actions are unlikely where the character-weapon alignment and purposes are harmonious. However, the weapon might well wish to have a lesser character possess it so as to easily command him, or a higher level possessor so as to better accomplish its goals.
All magical weapons with personalities will desire to play an important role in the success of activities, particularly combat. Such weapons are rivals of each other, even if of the same alignment. They will be aware of the presence of any similar weapon within 60 feet, and try their best to lead a possessor into missing or destroying the rival unless this is totally inimical to its nature—a holy avenger, for example, would certainly not allow destruction of any other lawful good weapon and might encourage their discovery, even at the risk of having to face grim odds to do so.
Weapons of this nature will never be totally controlled or silenced by the characters who possess them, even though they may be heavily outweighed by personality force. They may be powerless to force their demands, but they will be in there plugging. Even a humble +1 weapon of unusual nature can be a vocal martyr, denigrating its own abilities and asking only that the character give it the chance to shatter itself against some hated enemy, etc.
Note: Most players will be unwilling to play weapons with personalities as the personalities dictate. It is incumbent upon the DM to ensure that the role of the weapon is played to the hilt, so to speak, with the DM assuming the persons of the weapon if necessary.