Examples of Designing Mutable Legacy Items
of Enth-Kai, so you decide to make both components general. However, you specify types of gems that relate to a given Menu A ability and energy type: rubies for fire, sapphires for cold, and diamonds for electricity. You likewise limit the holy symbol options to two particular deities: Heironeous, god of valor, and St. Cuthbert, god of retribution.
CHAPTER 5
Variable Components
OPTIONAL RULES
Example 1: You are designing a legacy longsword with energy-related abilities that depend on the type of gem set into its pommel. It also has two suites of divine magical abilities, each linked to the specific deity whose holy symbol is tied on a leather thong around the crossguard. You select three menu A abilities as a menu B mutable legacy choice—linking them to the Finishing Touches Although the great advantage of mutable legacy items pommel gem—and two Menu E abilities as a Menu is their flexibility, their ability suites should share a F mutable legacy choice, linking them to the holy theme or otherwise relate to one another. It’s more symbol. Thus, depending on the components attached to the sword, it displays any of six different combinainteresting to wield a sword with three different tions of menu A and menu E legacy abilities. energy-related effects, or a variety of restorative abiliExample 2: You are designing a legacy staff with ties, or powers relating to the same faith or pantheon, three different sets of related legacy powers, and each than one that alternately heals, blasts with fire, or set is affiliated with a particular component: the stone summons a creature. Possible themes include energy set into the tip of the staff. You select mutable legatypes, alignments, the planes, monster or animal cies from Menus B, E, and H, then assign one ability abilities, a deity or pantheon’s portfolio or domains, from each trio of lower-level abilities to each of three ancestral wisdom, and schools of magic. Of course, different stones (say, obsidian, marble, and granite). you are free to design mutable legacy items with no unifying theme at all, but doing so makes them much Depending on the affixed stone, the staff will have one of three different sets of abilities, each progressing less special and weakens their symbolic value. all the way to 20th level.
USING VARIABLE COMPONENTS
The rules for actually using variable components in a mutable legacy item are simpler than those for Once you have chosen the item’s mutable legacy abilities, decide what variable components will actually designing such an item. As a player character, you unlock them, as well as which ability is linked to each simply need to discover and obtain the appropriate component. Depending on the item, variable comcomponent, affix it to the legacy item, and perform a ponents can be nearly anything: a sword’s blade, the brief ritual to activate the item’s new abilities. gemstone set in a ring, a staff’s capstone, a decorative feather hung from a club, or one of countless other Discovering Variable Components Some mutable items have very obvious variable comoptions. Let your creativity run wild—the only rule ponents, with few or no restrictions (Skull Lash, for is that components must be either general or specific. General components are a broad category of items example, accepts any skull of the appropriate creature or substances, any of which will suffice as the item’s types). Other mutable items, however, have variable components that are more esoteric, or for which fewer variable component. Specific components are just that—specific or even unique items (such as a crystal items will serve. Returning to the above example, the from the hoard of the ancient red dragon Durtaxsteinmutable legacy longsword accepts only three types of gakila). Mere limitations on appropriate components pommel gems and two types of holy symbols. If you are not sufficient to make them specific. were to attach another kind of gem, such as amethyst, In the above example of the longsword, you have to the sword’s pommel, the weapon would gain no new legacy abilities. already decided it will have two variable components: the pommel gem and the holy symbol tied to the Discovering each of a mutable item’s eligible guard. You’ve also decided to link the set of three components requires a DC 15 Knowledge (history) check if general, a DC 20 check if specific, and a DC Menu A legacy abilities to the pommel gem and the set of two Menu E legacy abilities to the holy symbol. 25 check if unique. For every 5 points by which you The unique variability of the sword is the focus, and beat the check DC, you discover one extra variable you don’t want the PCs to get derailed by side quests to component. For example, if you are seeking suitable find some legendary component, such as the Diamond components for the pommel gem of the example
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