Fabled Items

Each fabled item begins as a marvelous item (see Spheres of Power crafting feats) that can be used once per day, except that the item is treated as a minor artifact and is indestructible except through a specific method. Its powers grow over time, increasing in caster level (and, sometimes, complexity) to match the character level of its bonded partner. A fabled item may skip an increase at a level it would normally gain something in order to ‘save up’ and get a more valuable increase later. As artifacts, fabled items are unaffected by antimagic fields and similar effects. Fabled items are always masterwork items.

At higher levels, the correct number of uses per day for the basic power depends on the item (since this is unrelated to complexity). In general, only some relics and items with minor effects should get unlimited uses for the base effect - and even then, be careful about allowing unlimited use of anything too strong. When in doubt, limit the basic power to one use per CL, to a maximum of 5, especially if the effect gains additional talents or supporting powers beyond level 5. Base powers are meant to be either weak but usable at-will, or strong but limited in uses per-day.

The powers of fabled items are always the same for any specific user, but may differ if used by someone else. However, it takes either one day of carrying the item or spending two uses of mythic power as a full-round action to attune to a fabled item and gain access to its powers after it has bonded to someone. Unbonded items often bond with qualified users the moment they are picked up and are none too subtle about the process, frequently glowing with holy light, bursting into flames, or otherwise making a show of their presence, though unbonded items occasionally wait to reveal their powers until they believe the time is right. Only bonded users can use fabled items as anything more than mundane objects, and the current bonded user must either willingly permit the transfer to someone else or be dead in order to let it bond to someone else.

Fabled items are split into three levels that cover their total growth. Curios advance until level 9, heirlooms advance until level 14, and relics have no level limit. Curios and heirlooms do not grow stronger or increase their caster level once their level limit is reached, even if the user’s level goes above their cap.

At 5th character level, a fabled item also gains additional powers as an apparatus, charm, implement, marvelous item, spell engine, or enchanted weapon, armor, or shield. Further growth as an item depends on the type of additional powers your item has. Most growth is only additive - fabled items gain new or increased effects, rather than replacing old effects - but at the GM’s discretion, replacements for stronger versions may be allowed when thematically appropriate. For example, a fabled weapon could improve from the flaming special ability (a +1 bonus) to the flaming burst special ability (a +2 bonus). All such bonuses count the full item level for their progression, rather than starting from the level they became available at.

At 10th character level, a fabled item gains another category of growth from the list above. This cannot be the same category chosen previously (except for charm, which may be taken more than once in order to grant benefits from different categories).

Additionally, some categories have additional rules as follows:

• Weapons, implements, armor, and shields gain the equivalent of a +1 bonus at every even level, to a maximum of +5 regular enhancement bonus and the rest in special abilities. You may craft in additional effects that only cost gp at half of their regular cost. Fabled items in these categories may have special abilities without a prior enhancement bonus; while normal items must have an enhancement bonus before gaining special abilities, fabled items often display other traits. For example, it is possible to have a +0 flaming longsword as a fabled item.
• Apparatuses increase in power the same way marvelous items do (+1 caster level and maximum complexity per character level).
• Metamagic apparatuses require a CL of 5 for their lesser form (when fabled items can first gain such effects), 10 for their normal form, and 15 for their greater form.
• Charms grant one type of charm bonus at their earliest caster level for each upgrade, with the effective caster level equal to your character level. For example, a fabled item could grant a +1 deflection bonus to armor class at 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc. levels, or a +1 competence bonus to a skill at every level.
• Spell engines improve every even level, increasing their caster level as normal and gaining an additional magic talent or spell point.

Fabled items cannot be crafted by ordinary means. Instead, they must be found or given to characters. New fabled items are usually only created through rituals directed by deities, by epic-level characters, or as part of long, arduous quests. Fabled items usually have no magical aura while unbonded, and an overwhelming aura of all appropriate spheres when bonded. As artifacts, fabled items are priceless, and their stubborn nature means that buying and selling them is usually pointless because their powers cannot be guaranteed to customers.

Identifying Fabled Items: Unlike most items, fabled items only indicate their current power and effects when evaluated through methods like the detect magic spell or the basic divine ability of the Divination sphere. Many identify as entirely mundane when not bonded to a creature, but can be identified as artifacts once they have a partner.

Fabled items should always grant thematically-appropriate powers (as decided by the GM), rather than providing whatever a player thinks is mechanically ideal for their build. As such, the best way to create a fabled item is to start with a name or a story behind the item’s creation and what people have done with it in the past.

For example, if the old sword hanging above your family’s fireplace is goblinburner, perhaps it gains the flaming special ability at 5th level (total bonus +1) when it first unlocks special abilities as a weapon, then bane (goblinoids) at 6th level (total bonus +3) as it advances.

The wielder must be chaotic, evil, good, lawful, or neutral on either axis.

The wielder must have a specific alignment, such as neutral good.

The wielder must have a specific ancestry, such as royal blood (often from a specific lineage) or a sorcerer bloodline.

The wielder must be chosen to bear the item, often by a deity or similar legendary figure.

The wielder must have at least one level in a specific class.

The wielder must have accomplished a specific deed, such as slaying a particular type of creature or healing a certain number of people.

The wielder must be a member of a specific church, usually that of a deity who made the item.

The wielder must give at least 20% of their total wealth to the item, which stores all the wealth inside a private, otherwise inaccessible dimensional pocket. This wealth cannot be retrieved by any means. Fabled items with this focus usually accept items of any value, but may insist on being given certain types of items (such as gold coins or gems). Keep a running total of how much wealth the item has been given to determine whether or not it continues to function for its wielder. This focus can only be given to relics.

The wielder must meet a minimum level requirement (usually level 6 or level 11).

The wielder must give one mythic power to the fabled item each day they use it.

The item must be worn in a specific slot and negates the effects of any other worn items in the same slot.

The wielder must have at least three talents in a specific combat or magic sphere.

The wielder must have a specific casting or martial tradition.

The wielder must have ranks in a specific skill equal to at least half their Hit Dice (rounded down, minimum 1).

Step 1: Choose a name and a theme. Fabled items are always at their best when they have some degree of story significance. It doesn't have to be a long or particularly detailed theme, but you should have a sense of what the item is supposed to be and how it fits into your world before you go any further.

Step 2: Set the power level. Remember that curios only gain power until they're level 9, heirlooms gain power until level 14, and relics have no limit on their growth. The best way to decide the item's power is to look at its theme and figure out the most appropriate power level for its story. An item that's generally considered 'weaker' or 'limited' in its background probably shouldn't be a relic, even if you plan to go to high levels. Alternatively, you can simply set the power level based on what you want it to be for your game. That's just as valid an approach. Remember that the power level is the upper limit for the item, and not all of its powers need to reach this limit. It's perfectly acceptable to have an heirloom that stops gaining powers at level 10, for example.

Step 3: Set the form for the item. This is the physical shape of the item and determines how people must wear or hold it. Fabled items can have any shape - including being slotless and just needing to be carried, or floating around the user like an ioun stone. In general, though, their shape should match their function somehow.

Step 4: Set the Focuses. Typically, stronger fabled items are stingier about who they're compatible with, and therefore have more focuses. A fabled item should never have more than three focuses.

Step 5: Set the Basic Power. This is the power available as soon as the fabled item bonds to someone. This is usually something available at first level, but if the item has the Powerful focus (which requires a high-level user), it could be stronger. In most cases, a basic power should be something you could create with a marvelous item (a stronger power usable 1/day, with a complexity of 1 at first level with or without drawbacks, or a cantrip-style effect usable at-will). Effects with limited uses should usually gain more uses as the item levels up (to a maximum of 5 per day at level 5). In addition to having their caster level increase, basic powers can gain the effects of additional talents (at a rate of one per level). These powers should generally do just one thing, rather than offering a set of choices to the user. Most basic powers should have the effects of marvelous items, but at the GM's discretion, you can apply other effects (such as stat-boosting charms) instead.

Step 5b: You can get creative. The following are the guidelines for regular fabled items, but you can get creative based on the type of item you want to make. For example, maybe the item starts off with casting an enchantment to raise the user's Strength score for 1 minute/caster level, but changes to offering a permanent boost starting at 5th level. Fabled items are always at their best when their powers follow their story and theme, so it's okay to deviate from the normal guidelines a little as long as you have a good reason for that. Fabled items are also artifacts, so it's okay to give them entirely unique powers as long as those are appropriate for your game.

Step 6: Set the 5th-level Power. These powers are more freeform than the Basic Powers, and can be almost anything you can create using the spheres crafting rules. You could give another X/day power like the basic power, or it could be a charm raising numbers, a spell engine that allows a user to cast specific effects, or an implement that raises the user's caster level and grants them new talents. Just like the basic power, this effect should get stronger as the user's level gets higher, typically at the rate when improved effects would first become available if you were crafting. For example, a charm that gives a bonus to a particular skill increases every level, but a charm that provides an enhancement bonus to an ability score only increases at every even level, to a maximum of +6 at 12th level. Refer to the crafting feats (see the Magical Items page) for the guidelines for each item type.

Step 7: Set the 10th-level Power. This is only applicable for heirlooms and relics. Curios stop advancing at level 9, so they never have a 10th-level power. This otherwise functions the same as Step 6.

Step 8: Set a method of destruction. As artifacts, fabled items can only be destroyed in a specific way. This should tie in to their origin and purpose somehow, but can otherwise be as easy or as difficult as you want it to be.

You're done! Making fabled items can seem hard at first, but it's quite easy as long as you follow these steps.

Goblinburner is an old, rusty-looking longsword that often hangs up above fireplaces, a relic of its last owner’s youthful days slaying green-skinned menaces. It usually reveals its powers when some member of its family is threatened by goblins or similar pests.
Power Level: Curio, Focuses: Bloodline (family members only), sometimes bonds to a new family when its previous family is gone Shape Longsword
Base Power: Goblinburner can create a Diminutive-sized fire 1/day as the Create Fire geomancing of the Nature sphere; DC 10 + 1/2 CL, Increases At 5th level, this fire becomes a Tiny-sized flame and can be used an unlimited number of times per day.
5th Level: Goblinburner becomes a +1 flaming longsword Increases At 6th level, goblinburner becomes a +1 bane (goblinoids) flaming longsword. At 8th level, goblinburner becomes a +2 bane (goblinoids) flaming longsword.

Destruction: Goblinburner must be used by someone to willingly kill their last living relative, then to willingly kill themselves. After this, it will crumble to ashes.

This adamantine warhammer contains a tiny star in the intersection of its two heads that lights up in battle, blessing its wielder and making it easier to smite foes. A bonded creature can always use this fabled item as a weapon, regardless of their level, and it automatically bypasses defenses like an incorporeal creature’s resistance to corporeal attacks and a swarm’s immunity to weapon damage. (This does not automatically bypass damage reduction.)
Power Level: Relic, Focuses: Deed (act of great heroism, at significant personal risk), Major Alignment (lawful good), Trained (Profession (soldier)); Shape Warhammer
Base Power: Once per day, as a swift action, a bonded creature can use the hammer of majesty to gain the effects of the Hallow word of the Fate sphere (opposing evil) for one minute per level. Increases At 3rd level, the hammer of majesty gains the effects of the Align Object (word) talent when its base power is active, and the base power can be used two times per day. At 5th level, the hammer of majesty also provides the benefits of a single (totem) talent from the War sphere, chosen by its wielder, while its base power is active. This totem is centered on (and moves with) the hammer. Its base power can also be used three times per day. At 7th level, the base power can be used four times per day and illuminates the hammer’s wielder while active, rendering them and everything within 5 feet of them immune to all effects with the (darkness) descriptor (unless they willingly accept the effect). This includes, but is not limited to, all effects of the Dark sphere. This immunity cannot be bypassed except by mythic creatures with more tiers than half the bonded creature’s level or their mythic tiers (whichever is higher). At 9th level, the base power can be used five times per day and provides the Haste effect of the Time sphere while active.
5th Level: At 5th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +2 adamantine warhammer. Increases At 6th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +3 adamantine warhammer. At 8th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +3 thundering adamantine warhammer. At 10th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +3 bane (evil outsider and undead) thundering adamantine warhammer. At 12th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +4 bane (evil outsider and undead) thundering adamantine warhammer. At 18th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +4 bane (evil outsider and undead) speed thundering adamantine warhammer. At 20th level, the hammer of majesty functions as a +5 bane (evil outsider and undead) speed thundering adamantine warhammer.
10th Level: At 10th level, the hammer of majesty provides spell resistance 20. Increases At every level, this spell resistance increases by 2. This spell resistance does not block effects from allies.

Destruction: The hammer of majesty will lose all of its power if it is hurled into a black hole created by the death of an evil sorcerer.

This swirling gem is filled with dozens of swirling colors. Scholars have tried to understand and predict the patterns of the colors, believing them to hold untold secrets of magic, but have never been able to adequately predict them. Rumors say that mischievous deities like tossing these where mortals can find them just to see what happens.
Power Level: Relic, Focuses: Classy (any casting class), Minor Alignment (chaos), Trained (Use Magic Device); acts as curio or heirloom for users who meet fewer focuses, Shape Spherical Gem
Base Power: The wielder of the jewel of chaos can trigger a Cantrip Wild Magic effect (see Wild Magic from Drop Dead Studios) as a standard action. This wild magic is unaffected by feats, class abilities, and other methods that could be used to modify its results; DC 10 + 1/2 CL, Increases None
5th Level: At 5th level, the wielder of the jewel of chaos can use it to trigger a Universal Wild Magic event once per day for every two levels they have. This otherwise acts as the base power; Increases None
10th Level: At 10th level, the wielder of the jewel of chaos can use it to trigger a Major Wild Magic event once per day. This otherwise acts as the base power; Increases None

Destruction: A jewel of chaos can only be destroyed by triggering all 100 different Cantrip Wild Magic effects in a row.

This silvery shield occasionally glows with a gentle blue light when in the hands of anyone devoted to the cause of righteousness.
Power Level: Heirloom; Focuses: Minor Alignment (good), Trained (Knowledge (religion)); Shape Shield
Base Power: The shield of the spirit can create a Hallow effect (as the Fate sphere effect) on the user, 1/day; Increases Starting at 3rd level, the user can affect one additional creature in close range for every 2 caster levels the shield of the spirit has.
5th Level: The shield of the spirit functions as a +1 blinding light steel shield. Increases At 6th level, it acts as a +2 blinding light steel shield. At 10th level, it becomes a +2 blinding spell resistance (13) light steel shield. At 12th level, it becomes a +3 blinding spell resistance (13) light steel shield. At 14th level, it becomes a +4 blinding spell resistance (13) light steel shield. Special The shield of the spirit sometimes becomes a shield of a type more favorable to its current user (such as a buckler, heavy steel shield, or tower shield) when it first bonds to them.
10th Level: The shield of the spirit provides a +5 enhancement bonus to its user’s Wisdom. Increases At 12th level, this enhancement bonus increases to +6.

Destruction: The shield of the spirit can be destroyed by an antipaladin who sunders it with a weapon made entirely from the body parts of good outsiders.

The staff of sacred light is a divine relic of the goddess of the dawn, a neutral good deity of life and light. Since only the chosen of the goddess can wield it at all, the church uses this item to find said chosen, and it acts as a symbol of authority within the church surpassed only by the goddess herself and the high priest who oversees the church. This staff can be used as a holy symbol and can be summoned to its bonded user’s hand across any distance (including planar boundaries). In mythic campaigns, the staff of sacred light is also a legendary item^MA.
Power Level: Relic, Focuses: Chosen (by the goddess), Faith (goddess of the dawn), Minor Alignment (any good), Sphere-Taught (Life or Light) Shape Quarterstaff
Base Power: The staff of sacred light can create a bright glow, as the basic power of the Light sphere, an unlimited number of times per day; DC 10 + 1/2 CL + bearer’s casting ability modifier, Increases At 3rd level, the staff gains one (light) talent selected by the bearer (though the user does not have to use it when activating this power). At 5th level, the staff gains the Ranged Light talent. At 7th level, the staff gains the Area Glow talent.
5th Level: The staff of sacred light becomes a +2 Light implement. The increase to the caster level affects the Base Power of this fabled item. It also acquires the special bonus detailed below. Increases At 6th level, the staff of sacred light also becomes a Life implement. At 8th level, the staff becomes a +3 implement. At 10th level, the staff becomes a +4 implement. At 12th level, the staff becomes a +5 implement. At 16th and 20th levels, the staff grants an additional talent from the Light or Life spheres.
Special: As a free action the bonded user can only take at the start of their turn, the staff of sacred light can change between being an implement and being an enchanted quarterstaff weapon. This change lasts until the bonded user changes it back to the other form. In this form, it acts as a +0 holy quarterstaff at 5th level. All enhancement bonuses and weapon special abilities granted by the staff of sacred light apply to both of its ends. Increases At 6th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +1 holy quarterstaff. At 8th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +2 holy quarterstaff. At 10th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +3 holy quarterstaff. At 12th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +4 holy quarterstaff. At 16th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +4 holy radiant edge quarterstaff. At 18th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +5 holy radiant edge quarterstaff. At 20th level, the staff of sacred light becomes a +6 holy radiant edge quarterstaff.
10th Level: The staff of sacred light grants a +10 competence bonus to Diplomacy. Increases The bonus granted by this effect increases by +1 for every level above 10th.

Destruction: The staff of sacred light can only be destroyed by extinguishing every star in the multiverse, at which point it will shatter of its own accord.

That’s a Powerful Item!

It is! The staff of sacred light is an example of a greater artifact created under the fabled item rules, the kind of object a faith would treat as a major relic of their deity - but if you look closely, you’ll see that it breaks a couple of item creation rules. The truth is that sometimes, the guidelines presented in this chapter are not the best way to make a story-tied item for your game. If you have a good reason to bend or even break the rules, do not be afraid to do so - just be aware of the potential consequences if you give a character something that’s too good for their build. If you give a fabled item anything particularly special, consider limiting its other powers somehow to reduce the benefit characters can receive at any one time.

This mysterious book is covered with unreadable symbols and occasionally sprouts small tentacles to poke at nearby objects. It sometimes eats them.
Power Level: Curio, Focuses: Minor Alignment (chaotic), Powerful (6th level), Shape Book
Base Power: The user of the tome of eldritch lore can cast the greater Confusion (charm) of the Mind sphere, affecting 1 + 1 per 2 CL creatures (of any type, minimum 4 total) in close range, 1/day; DC 10 + 1/2 CL, Increases At 9th level, this power gains the Powerful Charm effect.
5th Level: The tome of eldritch lore becomes a Divination spell engine with 1 SP and the Augury (divine) and Divine Information (divine) talents. Increases At 6th and 8th levels, the tome of eldritch lore increases its maximum SP for this spell engine by 1.

Destruction: The tome of eldritch lore can only be destroyed by hurling it into the fiery maw of Azathoth.

Scholars are unsure how this slender, heart-topped wand was made but are about 70% sure it was for a joke.
Power Level: Heirloom; Focuses: Minor Alignment (any good), Trained (any Perform), Shape Wand
Base Power: This wand contains an extradimensional storage that can only hold one piece of equipment for each magic item slot (including two rings). The armor slot permanently contains a suit of +1 mithral chainmail enchanted to appear as a pink-and-white robe covered in ribbons. As a full-round action, a creature can add an item to any open slot within the wand, or remove any item except the armor. As a move action while holding the wand, the wearer can make a Perform check to swap all of their current equipment for the equipment stored within the wand, instantly equipping the new gear even if it would normally take longer to equip. (The result of this check does not matter, but they must make the check.) All equipment stored within the transformation wand changes its appearance to match the armor when worn, though this illusion fades if it is permanently removed from the wand. After one minute, the wearer’s equipment swaps back regardless of its distance from the wand, but the wearer may spend a swift action while their equipment is swapped to reset this timer. While the armor is clearly intended for female humanoids and remains so at all times, it will reshape and adjust itself to fit any body shape, including male, non-gendered, and other forms. The wearer takes a penalty on Stealth checks equal to twice their level while wearing the transformation wand’s armor as it becomes increasingly fancy, frilly, and elaborate with their growth. Increases At 5th and 10th levels, the mithral chainmail gains an additional +1 enhancement bonus.
5th Level: The transformation wand becomes a charm and grants a +1 deflection bonus to armor class while the user is wearing its enchanted armor. Increases At 6th, 9th, and 12th levels, this deflection bonus increases by +1.
10th Level: As a free action, the wielder may use the transformation wand to gain fast healing 5 for one minute per character level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in one-minute increments. Increases None

Destruction: The transformation wand can only be destroyed by using it to murder an innocent.

This gleaming faintly crackled with godly power, giving its bearer command of the oceans.
Power Level: Relic; Focuses: The trident of the sea king can only be used by said king, his family, and anyone the king gives it to; Shape Trident
Base Power: The trident of the sea king can control the weather within medium range, at a caster level equal to the user’s character level, as the base effect of the Weather sphere. At the GM’s discretion, effects may manifest differently when the trident is used underwater. For example, it may create and control currents instead of wind, or heat water instead of creating hotter air. Increases At 6th level, the trident of the sea king benefits from the Storm Lord talent.
5th Level: The trident of the sea king becomes a Destruction spell engine with the Electric Blast (blast type) talent and 1 spell point. Increases At 6th level, the trident of the sea king gains the Drowning Blast (blast type) talent. At 8th level, it gains one (blast shape) talent of the user’s choice. At all even levels after that, it gains an additional spell point.
10th Level: The trident of the sea king becomes a marvelous item with the Alteration sphere, the Ranged Alteration talent (twice), and the Anthropomorphic Transformation (transformation) and Aquan Transformation (transformation) talents. These powers are usable at-will. If the wielder is a mythic creature, they may expend one use of mythic power when activating this power to add the effects of the Permanent Transformation advanced talent. Increases none

Destruction: The trident of the sea king can only be destroyed by the god of the oceans, or the closest equivalent in a given setting, who can simply snap it in half (or repair it by putting the pieces back together).