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I'd recommend capping the number of modifiers allowed for a given work of art based upon its quality - Apprentice could have 1, Grandmaster 5. I would also recommend assigning modifiers randomly, or perhaps allowing for the artist to choose every other one (so a Journeyman artist could pick one of their two effects, and so on).
The list.
| Number | Effect |
| 1 | Increases happiness in 1 mi radius when accessible |
| 2 | Fires burn hotter in the vicinity |
| 3 | Plants flourish, harvest is especially fruitful (yield increased by 25%) |
| 4 | Morale bolstered in its presence: +1 to morale rolls |
| 5 | Revitalizes: when resting in its view, 1 extra hp/HD recovered |
| 6 | Abstract expression fuels magic: spells have an extended duration |
| 7 | Abstract expression fuels magic: spells' random effects are maximized |
| 8 | Sheltering: nonviolent individuals near the work of art are under the effect of a Sanctuary spell |
| 9 | Blessed: art turns undead, demons, devils, etc. as cleric of bard's level |
| 10 | Contemplative: after observing object, earn 10% more xp |
| 11 | Increases Int by 1 pt for short time |
| 12 | Increases Wis by 1 for short time |
| 13 | Increases Cha by 1 for short time |
| 14 | Shortens magical research time |
| 15 | Nullifies magic in the area |
| 16 | Pacifies those who see it |
| 17 | Enrages those who see it |
| 18 | Drives people mad |
| 19 | Inspires great lust |
| 20 | Conveys luck - +2 to a die roll when it would make a difference |
| 21 | Training times shortened |
| 22 | Symbol of authority: when near object, commands are more likely to be followed |
| 23 | Shortens construction time |
| 24 | Increases the quality of metal goods produced nearby |
| 25 | Increases the quality of wooden goods produced nearby |
| 26 | Increases the quality of stone goods produced nearby |
| 27 | Mineral veins more fruitful - mine 25% more resources than usual |
| 28 | People get intoxicated more easily near the artwork |
| 29 | Lies cannot be spoken near the object |
| 30 | The object acts as a universal translator for written languages |
| 31 | The object acts as a universal translator for verbal communication |
| 32 | The object emits a faint light |
| 33 | The weather is always sunny |
| 34 | It is always overcast |
| 35 | Animals attracted to the object |
| 36 | Object provides access to small, extradimensional space |
| 37 | Convey fire resistance |
| 38 | Convey cold resistance |
| 39 | Convey electrical resistance |
| 40 | Convey magical resistance |
| 41 | Artwork emits persistent, low-grade darkness |
| 42 | Artwork glows, emitting bright (white) light as a lantern |
| 43 | Holy: attempts to communicate with the Divines are more likely to succeed |
| 44 | Sacrosanct: Area within 50' of artwork is sacred ground (as a temple) |
| 45 | Unhallow: Area within 50' of artwork is unholy ground, providing benefits to undead creatures |
| 46 | Suggestive: A Suggestion spell is placed upon all who see the
work of art, with the specifics to be determined by the creator. |
| 47 | The artwork prevents violence within 25' |
| 48 | Criminals are enraptured by the artwork |
| 49 | People are compelled to toss a few coins towards the piece of
artwork; those who take the treasure are cursed |
| 50 | All attacks deal slightly more damage after witnessing the object |
I'd appreciate suggestions - I'd like a 200+ item list, at the end of the day.
There are things I really like about the ideas here. They're mostly subtle and therefore campaign friendly.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately - and this is a problem I find often with such lists - they suffer from imprecision. I would need to know what "enraptured by the artwork" meant, or exactly how long intelligence and wisdom was improved, how much magical resistance was given, what is "low-grade" darkness and so on. Why are only criminals enraptured by the work? Criminals of what degree? Is a murderer exactly as impressed as an embezzler? But of course these are quibbles - precise details can be added later.
My second hope would be a direct correlation between effects and the form of artwork produced. Would a really well-made dress have the same value as a madrigal? How would something fleeting like a poem compare with a marble statue? Seems to me that certain forms of art would produce certain effects - and that a player choosing to be a bard would need to choose which artwork to specialize in, giving up all those potential effects that came from other forms of art.
Finally, there needs to be a measure for degree. What are the effects of a first level bard's work versus a tenth level bard? What are the effects of working on a piece of art for 10 hours versus 100 hours? It is possible to work for 1000 hours on a opera - but 1000 hours would not improve a serenade. These are difficult questions to answer but are bound to be posed by players in game.
So it isn't as simple as this. But damn, this is a good foot in the door.
The vagueness was intentional - as you said, details can come later, to suit the needs of the campaign and designs of the artist.
ReplyDeleteYour second two points are absolutely spot-on, and an excellent way to expand the list.
I'll need to spend some more time considering the potential effects of different mediums - some are obvious - a live performance medium will more actively engage the senses and emotions of all who listen/watch,while a static work of art (sculpture, painting, etc.) are more suited to the contemplative benefits (the decreases to research time, improving item quality, etc.). Fashion, though, is a tricky one.
With regard to degree, I had two thoughts: first, as mentioned in the first post on bardic artwork, as one's level increases, the bard is able to spend longer to create more powerful artwork. The original idea was to allow for multiple effects within a single piece, but I could also see (now that you mention it) choosing the same effect multiple times to augment it.
Thanks for the critiques - time for round two.
I've expanded on the idea, incorporating your three points for an Architecture magical effect table: https://azintheen.blogspot.com/2016/07/artistic-mediums-many-d-bards_4.html
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think.