Technic Artifacts
Technic Artifacts are devices of marvelous power, capable of performing various tasks ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary.
Crafting Technic Artifacts
Every Technic Artifact has an associated level. Some may be created at one of a few levels, with varying power based on its level. Crafting one requires the Craft Technic Artifact feat. The cost of creating it is (Artifact level squared)*1000 sy. Crafting a Technic Artifact takes one day per 1000 sy in its cost. Each day, the crafter must make a Craft (gizmo) or Craft (alchemy) check with a DC of 20 + 2 * Artifact Level. Failure indicates no progress was made. Failure by more than 5 means that 500 sy worth of materials were damaged and must be replaced. Skilled laborers may be hired to assist as long as they have 3 or more ranks in either Craft skill (they need not have the feat).
Technic Artifacts typically sell for twice the creation cost on retail markets, although in places where they're plentiful, the price is often closer to 150% of the cost.
Using Technic Artifacts
Artifacts that have a range in their description act as though this was a spell range with a caster level equal to twice the artifact's level. For example, a 5th-level artifact with a short range could affect something up to 50 feet away. Technic artifacts that appear to take an item slot (such as one described as a belt or an armor) do not occupy a magic item slot. However, a similar technic artifact may not be worn at the same time (e.g. cannot wear two technic artifact cloaks simultaneously). Wearing two identical technic artifacts (such as the Chirurgeon Sphere) provides no benefits from the second artifact.
List of Artifacts
Amber Casement
Level: 1-10
Form: A series of short, rounded tubes and hoses about 12 inches long
Effect: When activated, it solidifies the air in a 10-foot cube of space, the center of which must be within short range of the device. The air is turned into an amberlike substance, and those trapped in it will likely suffocate or starve. The device has a number of uses equal to its level. The effect can be avoided with a Reflex save (DC 11+Level). A trapped creature can break free of the casement by making a Strength check with a DC equal to the Reflex Save DC as a standard action. This check can only be attempted once per minute. The amber casing has hardness 5 and 20 hp.
Amulet of Safety
Level: 1-6
Form: A plain metallic disk on a chain
Effect: When keyed to a particular firearm, this amulet prevents it from firing for anyone but the amulet’s wearer. The number of firearms it can be keyed to is equal to its level. A character can only wear one amulet of safety, as their fields conflict with one another.
Analyzing Shield
Level: 4
Form: A transparent synth shield
Effect: The bearer can see through this shield, and it has a display that analyzes the best place to strike a foe viewed through it. The bearer can use their Intelligence or Wisdom modifier in place of Strength for damage with weapon attacks while wielding this shield.
Armored Flesh
Level: 1-5
Form: Appears to be a collection of organic armored plates, like a carapace or very large fish scales
Effect: When placed on the wearer’s flesh, the armor grafts on permanently. It provides Natural Armor equal to its level.It also grants a +2 alchemical bonus to Constitution. However, the benefits come at a cost. Fibrous tendrils extend into the wearer’s flesh and eventually reach the spine and brain, permanently reducing Intelligence by 2 points. This process takes one week. The lost points cannot be regained unless the armor is somehow removed. This artifact can be upgraded by paying the difference in sy between the existing version and the upgrade; note that both the user and the crafter must devote time to this upgrade.
Automated Cook
Level: 2
Form: A small metal and synth cube that has metallic arms and tools
Effect: This automaton prepares food on command. It must be given raw materials (water and organic compounds), but with those it can prepare and serve a hot, nutritious, delicious meal. It takes 5 minutes per portion.
Battle Armor
Level: 5
Form: A full suit of mithral carapace armor, covering the entirety of the wearer’s body
Effect: This mithral armored carapace is entirely sealed and has its own eternally renewed internal atmosphere, which completely protects against poison gases and allows the wearer to operate in an airless environment. The suit’s Armor value also applies to touch AC.
Battlesuit
Level: 6
Form: A bulky suit of adamantine carapace armor, covering the entirety of the wearer’s body
Effect: This adamantine armored carapace is entirely sealed and has its own eternally renewed internal atmosphere, which completely protects against poison gases and allows the wearer to operate in an airless environment. The suit’s Armor value also applies to touch AC. Also, due its adamantine construction, it gains the usual DR 3/-. In addition, the wearer gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Strength thanks to a number of small engines within the armor.
Bounding Boots
Level: 2
Form: Leather boots with small metal and synth devices worked into the sides
Effect: The boots negate gravity enough to make jumping and running easier. The wearer halves the DC of all jump checks and gains a +10 enhancement bonus to speed.
Brain Bud
Level: 1-6
Form: An organic pod, almost like a small, hemispherical bit of fruit. Once grafted to a host, it takes on the appearance of the host’s flesh
Effect: The pod grafts onto any living host (must be near the brain) and injects complex chemicals that greatly improve brain activity. This grants the host an alchemical bonus to Intelligence equal to the device’s level. Should the pod be removed or destroyed, the host takes 1d6 points of Intelligence drain, in addition to losing the bonus.
Carryall
Level: 1-6
Form: A 2’x2’x1’ metallic chest with tracked wheels on either side
Effect: This device comes with a small module that can be worn on a belt. Rolling along on its wheels, the chest attempts to follow within short range of the module (though it can be directed to remain where it is). It moves 30 feet each round. The chest can come to the module from a range of up to 10 miles away. The interior of the chest is mostly hollow and can hold up to 500 lb/level. Some sort of compression technology from a long-lost era makes the volume of the chest greater than it appears. It can hold up to 1 cubic meter of material per level.
Cellular Disruptor
Level: 5
Form: A small handheld device with a few simple controls
Effect: This device emits a faint short-range beam that affects only organic creatures and materials. Living targets hit by the beam take a negative level. Nonliving organic targets are likely destroyed. Using this device is an attack action. Note that armor (but not natural armor) still applies, though organic armors, such as leather, can be easily destroyed; if the attack exceeds Touch AC, then the armor becomes broken, or destroyed if it already was broken. The device can be used 5 times per hour.
Chameleon Cloak
Level: 2-10
Form: Very thin, lightweight, transparent cloth formed into a crude cloak
Effect: When activated as a swift action, the device takes on the colors and textures of everything around the wearer for one minute. This provides concealment to the wearer (20% miss chance). The cloak can be activated a number of times per day equal to its level.
Chirurgeon Sphere
Level: 1-10
Form: Small, spherical automaton about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter
Effect: This device comes with a small module that can be worn on a belt. Floating along, the automaton attempts to follow within immediate range of the module (though it can be directed to remain where it is). It moves a short distance each round. The sphere can come to the module from a range of up to 10 miles away. If the module is worn by an organic creature and that creature takes damage, the automaton moves to repair the damage with medical tools that restore 1d6/artifact level HP each round. This requires no action on the part of the creature being healed. Each day, the automaton can render aid for 5 rounds. The sphere can be switched on or off as a swift action.
Cohesion Stabilizer
Level: 6-10
Form: A wristband-mounted device with a few simple controls
Effect: Any attempt to affect the integrity of the wearer’s physical form by disintegrating it, encasing it, changing its phase, teleporting it, or otherwise disrupting it (such as with a disruption blade) fails if the wearer wishes it to fail. Doing so is not an action on the wearer’s part. Functions a number of times per day equal to Level - 5.
Combead
Level: 2
Form: Small, sphere of synth that fits into an ear and a frequency selector
Effect: This device can communicate with other combeads within 250 feet, so long as they are all tuned to the same frequency. Often, these are made in batches of 5 or more and tuned to a unique shared frequency.
Cypher Bag
Level: 1-6
Form: Synth bag
Effect: This bag can contain up to one Tinker Gadget per artifact level, as long as each is no larger than a typical hand-held device. These gadgets do not count against a character’s gadget limit. Retrieving a gadget from the bag is a move action. The maximum level of gadget that may be stored in the bag is equal to the bag’s level.
Dimensional Armor
Level: 3-10
Form: A full suit of steel carapace armor, covering the entirety of the wearer’s body
Effect: When activated as a standard action, this armored carapace shifts the wearer’s phase randomly for one minute/artifact level, as the blink spell. The time does not need to be spent all at once, but must be spent in one-minute increments.
Disruption Blade
Level: 1-5
Form: Slashing weapon with devices affixed to the blade and hilt
Effect: This weapon functions as a normal weapon of its kind. However, if the wielder uses a swift action to activate it, the weapon radiates a field of disrupting energy for one round. During that round, if it scores a hit, it inflicts an additional 2d6 points of damage. Can be used once per level each day.
Drill Spear
Level: 1-10
Form: A wooden shaft with an affixed spearhead that appears to be a metallic drill
Effect: This spear functions as a normal spear. As a standard action, the wielder can make a special melee attack. If it hits the drill function activates, the wielder lets go of the spear, and it drills into the foe, inflicting an additional 1d10/level points of damage. Removing the spear is a move action requiring a Strength check (DC 20).
Ecstasy Paralyzer
Level: 1-7
Form: A handheld device with few controls
Effect: As an attack action, this medium-range weapon fires a beam of energy as a ranged touch attack that inflicts no damage. Instead, it affects the target’s mind, filling them with such pleasure that they lose their next turn, unless they succeed on a Will save (DC 11+level). On a success, the target is staggered instead on their next turn. This is a mind-affecting charm effect. The device may be used once per level per hour.
Exploding Arrow
Level: 1-10
Form: Arrow with a tiny metallic device attached to it
Effect: The arrow explodes when it strikes something, inflicting 4d10 slashing damage per level to all creatures in a 10-foot radius (Reflex for half, DC 11+Level).
Eye Spy
Level: 4
Form: Large synth sphere
Effect: When activated, the sphere stores up to 24 hours of visual and audio information around it. The sphere can “see” and “hear” as far as an average human, and information is recorded from a 360-degree perspective around it (though it needs to be held up or suspended by something). The information can be replayed on the sphere itself when it is activated again. Re-using the sphere wipes all the information from the last time it was used for recording.
Fearmaker
Level: 3-7
Form: A 4-foot-tall collapsible tripod with a metal cone at the top.
Effect: It takes two full rounds to assemble and set up this device. Once set up, it takes a standard action to activate. When activated, it affects the minds of all thinking creatures (Int >1) within medium range in a 90 degree cone. Those affected must make a Will save (DC 11+artifact level) or they are instilled with terror, causing one of the following effects (Roll a d100):
01-70: Frightened for 1d6 rounds
71-90: Cower (paralyzed) for 1d6 rounds
91-00: Faint (unconscious) for one minute or until roused.
This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Fiery Hellmaker
Level: 5-10
Form: A 7-foot-tall (2 m) collapsible metal stand with a large metal disc at the top and a control box in the center
Effect: It takes two rounds to assemble and set up this device. Once set up, it takes an action to activate. When activated, the disk fires a barrage of fiery long-range rockets in all directions. Creatures and objects within medium range suffer fire damage equal to 1d12/artifact level, unless they are within 5 feet of the device or behind total cover. Usable once per day per artifact level.
Filtration Straw
Level: 1
Form: A long, narrow synth tube
Effect: When used to sip liquids, water that passes through this tube is purified. Water-based liquids drawn through the tube come out as water. Other liquids, such as oils, do not pass through the straw.
Food Scanner
Level: 1-2
Form: A handheld device with a number of controls and a wide dish at one end
Effect: When activated and pointed at food, this device sounds an alarm if the food has any dangerous contaminants or poisonous substances. A level 2 device contains a display that shows the exact contaminant or poison.
Food Tube
Level: 1
Form: A synth tube
Effect: The device produces a tasteless grey paste that provides enough nutrition for one person for one day.
Force Dome
Level: 4
Form: A 4-foot-tall collapsible tripod with a large glass globe at the top and a control box in the center
Effect: It takes two rounds to assemble and set up this device. Once set up, it takes an action to activate. When activated, this device projects a powerful hemisphere of force with a radius of 20 feet. The field is immobile, impermeable, impenetrable, and blocks line of effect until it is brought down (hardness 10, 200 hp). Otherwise, it lasts for 24 hours or until deactivated, during which time it has enough air to support six humanoids.
Handy Hollow
Level: 4-10
Form: A square piece of black cloth
Effect: It takes one round to fold the black cloth across a flat surface such as on the ground,
draped down a wall, and so on, to cover a 5 foot by 5 foot area. The cloth becomes a permeable passage through the surface reaching up to 1 foot/artifact level through solid material. The permeability lasts for one hour and creates no instability in the surrounding structure.
Healing Blade
Level: 1-6
Form: A slashing melee weapon with an odd-looking synth hilt
Effect: When squeezed properly as a swift action, the hilt injects a healing substance into the wielder’s body, restoring 1d6/level hp, or healing 1/level points of ability damage. Usable thrice per day.
Hoop Staff
Level: 3
Form: Long wooden staff with a 6-inch bronze hoop attached to the tip.
Effect: Holographic images flicker to life in the hoop, warning of danger. The images are representative of the danger in some fashion. For example, approaching enemies look like threatening, amorphous creatures, and dangerous weather might look like lightning bolts coming from a cloud. For inexplicable reasons, sometimes it fails to deliver a warning.
Hover Belt
Level: 1-5
Form: Odd-fitting metallic mesh belt that has a metal box attachment with dial controls
Effect: When activated as a standard action, the wearer gains the ability to hover as though under the effects of the levitate spell with CL equal to the artifact level, except that they may also move 5 feet horizontally. Usable thrice per day.
Hover Square
Level: 4
Form: Folded 1’x1’ synth square that unfolds to 15’x15’
Effect: When unfolded and activated, this piece of synth forms a platform that moves laterally as directed by someone atop it. The platform moves up to 30 feet in a round, hovering about 6 inches off the ground. It can hold up to 5,000 pounds. It can squeeze through 10'-wide spaces.
Imager
Level: 2
Form: A small, rectangular handheld device with a clear synth panel
Effect: This device captures a perfect image of a nearby scene. It can store thousands of images, and any stored image can be shown on the synth panel. If the device is broken, all stored images are lost.
Instant Bridge
Level: 2-7
Form: A handheld device with a few controls
Effect: This device fires a cable with a powerful magnet in medium range. When the magnet strikes a suitable surface, it affixes itself, and the taut cable extends into a narrow bridge about 3 feet wide. The device can then be affixed to another magnetic surface to anchor the bridge. When deactivated, the magnets let go and the cable retracts. The maximum weight capacity for the bridge at any given moment is 250 lb/level.
Interceptor
Level: 2
Form: Shoulder-mounted device
Effect: Once per round, when a small, fast-moving physical object (arrows, thrown rocks, or other projectiles) coming toward the device reaches a distance within 10 feet, it fires a burst of energy that destroys the projectile. If a projectile enters the range of multiple interceptors roughly simultaneously, they will all fire on it at once.
Kinetic Shield
Level: 1-10
Form: A wristband or armband with a small metallic device attached
Effect: When a fast-moving physical projectile, such as an arrow, a bullet, or a rocket comes within 4 inches of the wearer’s body, a powerful energy field activates automatically and attempts to slow down or deflect the projectile, granting DR 10/- against the attack. This device can activate a number of times per day equal to twice its level.
Launcher
Level: 4-10
Form: A metal tube with a set of winding tubes wrapped around it.
Effect: This device launches anything about the size of a fist or smaller with great force with a range of 100 feet. An inert object, such as a rock, inflicts 1d6 per artifact level bludgeoning damage. A rocket (or other explosive) can also be launched to activate on impact, adding its damage to the base damage. Reloading the launcher is a move action and cannot be reduced in any way.
Light Spike
Level: 1-5
Form: A fingerless glove of semirigid synth
Effect: When the glove is activated as a swift action, a spike of solid, red-hot energy is emitted from the back of the wearer’s hand. This spike can be used as a light melee touch weapon that inflicts 1d6 fire damage, gaining a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the artifact level. It lasts for 1 min/level. Can be used thrice per day. Precision and sneak attack damage with this weapon is halved.
Liquid Armor
Level: 1-10
Form: An adamant silk belt with two metallic cylinders attached to it
Effect: When activated, a watery liquid sprays out of the cylinders on the belt. An electric field shapes this smart fluid, causing it to form a protective shell around the wearer, not unlike full body armor. The fluid becomes immediately (but selectively) rigid when struck, providing an enhancement bonus to AC equal to its level. It can be used over the top of clothing, but armor disrupts the electric field’s shaping attempts. The liquid armor lasts for sixteen hours or until deactivated. Usable once per day.
Liquid Weapon
Level: 1-10
Form: An adamant silk wristband with a metallic cylinder attached to it
Effect: When activated, a watery liquid sprays out of the cylinder on the wristband. An electric field shapes this smart fluid, causing it to form into the shape of a one-handed melee weapon. The fluid becomes immediately rigid, allowing it to be used as a normal weapon of its kind that inflicts 1 additional point of damage per artifact level. The weapon lasts for eight hours or until deactivated. Usable once per day.
Living Armor Sheath
Level: 3
Form: When not affixed to a creature, this looks like a mass of heavy fabric. On a creature, it looks like heavy, leathery flesh.
Effect: When worn over normal skin, this organic material adheres and conforms to the creature’s body shape. The wearer gains a +4 circumstance bonus to resist poison and disease. Further, they gain a +3 Natural Armor bonus to AC. However, they cannot wear armor over the living sheath because it’s too bulky.
Mephitic Staff
Level: 1
Form: A short metal-and-glass tube fitted onto a well-made wooden quarterstaff
Effect: When activated (which is not an action), the tip of the staff breaks, releasing a concentrated blast of noxious fumes in a 15-foot cone when it is struck against a solid creature or object. Affected creatures must make a DC 12 Fortitude save or lose their next turn to coughing and choking. Creatures that pass their save are instead staggered for one round. Creatures that do not breathe or are immune to airborne toxins are not affected. The staff can be ‘reloaded’ with a 50 sy canister as a full-round action.
Metabolism Bud
Level: 1-6
Form: An organic pod, almost like a small, hemispherical bit of fruit. Once grafted to a host, it takes on the appearance of the host’s flesh.
Effect: The pod grafts onto any living host (usually near the brain or spine) and injects chemicals that boost the creature’s metabolism. This grants the host an alchemical bonus to Dexterity equal to the artifact level. Should the pod be removed or destroyed, the host takes 1d6 points of Dexterity drain, in addition to losing the bonus.
Mind Imager
Level: 3
Form: A handheld device with a synth panel screen and wires that must be affixed to the head of a creature
Effect: This device shows a visual image of what a creature is thinking. The affected creature need not be conscious. Effects that protect against divination, scrying, and the like do not protect against this device.
Molecular Bonder
Level: 1-10
Form: A handheld device with a number of controls and a pointed end
Effect: When activated as a standard action, this device fuses two objects together. The objects must be touching each other and within 15 feet of the user. The break DC to separate the objects is 10+2*artifact level. If flesh bonded in this way (whether to an object or to other flesh) is torn apart, it suffers damage equal to 1d6/artifact level. Requires ten minutes to recharge after use.
Multidimensional Blade
Level: 2
Form: A one-handed slashing or piercing weapon with a large haft that has a few controls on it
Effect: This blade exists on many levels of reality at once. It inflicts damage as a normal weapon of its type, and it deals full damage to incorporeal/ethereal/interdimensional creatures (such as phase spiders and ghosts).
Murder Globe
Level: 5-9
Form: A 3-foot-tall collapsible metal tripod with a large metal globe at the top. The globe has a number of holes in it, but it is not hollow.
Effect: It takes two rounds to assemble and set up this device. It then requires a standard action to activate. When activated, this device does nothing for five rounds. After that, if a Tiny or larger creature moves within medium range of it, the globe fires a powerful projectile at that target. This is a ranged touch attack with an attack bonus of 10+artifact level. The attack deals 1d12/artifact level bludgeoning and fire damage (half of each). The device can attack up to ten times per round, but it never attacks the same target more than once per round. It remains on watch for 24 hours or until it has made one hundred attacks, whichever comes first. Once the device has made 100 attacks, it must be reloaded, at a cost of 100 sy per artifact level. Reloading takes ten minutes.
Nano-needler
Level: 2
Form: A small handheld device with a tiny tube
Effect: As an attack, this device projects a single needle—smaller in width than a human hair—up to 100 feet. The needle inflicts no damage, but it can carry poison or disease, and the injection is so tiny that the victim doesn’t feel it. The needle can penetrate up to DR 5/-. The base ammunition cost is trivial, but the payload may be expensive.
Nightvision Goggles
Level: 2
Form: A pair of synth goggles with dark, protruding lenses
Effect: The wearer can see in darkness as if it were daylight. In total darkess (such as magical darkness or a cave), this is limited to 30 feet. Should full light conditions occur suddenly (e.g. due to a light spell) the wearer must make a DC 20 Reflex save to rip off the goggles or be blinded for an hour. The goggles can adapt to minor or gradual changes safely.
Phasing Piton
Level: 1
Form: A metallic spike with a single toggle stud
Effect: When activated as a swift action, the piton phases and can be inserted up to 6 inches into almost any material. When deactivated as a move action, the piton becomes solid again and remains embedded solidly in the material. If used as a weapon (full-round action, touch attack), the piton inflicts 5 points of damage bypassing all DR and counts as a stake for the purpose of slaying vampires.
Plant Jar
Level: 1
Form: A large glass or clear synth canister (up to 1 cubic meter, determined at creation)
Effect: A living plant placed inside this device remains alive until removed regardless of light, water, or other conditions.
Poison Brain Implant
Level: 1-7
Form: Capsule
Effect: When swallowed, this implant travels to the brain and nests there. Henceforth, whenever a creature successfully establishes contact with the character’s mind (using mental attack, telepathic communication, mind control, and so on), the creature is attacked mentally. It is stunned for one round and takes Intelligence damage equal to the artifact’s level. This effect does not prevent the contact.
Psychic Hood
Level: 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10
Form: A lightweight mesh cowl
Effect: The wearer reduces ability damage (but not drain) to mental ability scores by ½ the artifact level. Further, the wearer gains an insight bonus on saves vs mind-affecting effects equal to half the artifact level.
Psychic Whistle
Level: 1
Form: A metal device 1 inch long with a single button
Effect: When the device is activated, a whistlelike sound is heard by all creatures of one type (selected at device creation) within 500 feet. The device doesn’t actually produce sound but instead stimulates the aural center of creatures’ brains. It has no effect on other creature types. No effect on creatures immune to effects that allow spell resistance.
Recorder Headband
Level: 4
Form: A leatherlike headband with a small device attached
Effect: This headband records everything the wearer sees as moving images that can be replayed and reviewed by connecting it to an Imager. It stores up to one hundred hours of images.
Redlight Clip
Level: 1
Form: A metal clip or pin easily affixed to clothing
Effect: This object flashes red when in immediate range of dangerous radiation or poisonous gas.
Repair Sphere
Level: 1-10
Form: A small spherical automaton about 8 inches in diameter
Effect: This device comes with a small module that can be affixed to a machine. Floating along, the sphere attempts to follow within short range of the module (though it can be directed to remain where it is). It moves up to 30 feet each round. It can come to the module from a range of up to 10 miles away. If the module is attached to a machine and that machine takes damage, the sphere moves to repair the damage with sophisticated tools that restore 1d6/artifact level hit points per round. This requires no action on the part of the machine being repaired. The sphere can render aid for 5 rounds per day.
Safe Corridor
Level: 3
Form: Two separate metal and synth capsules about the size of a human’s head, each with a large glass plate
Effect: When the device is activated, the space between the two capsules forms an invisible corridor of breathable atmosphere with a moderate temperature. It hedges out dangerous vapors, vacuum, insects, radiation, and other particulate matter. The corridor is 8 feet wide and can be up to 1 mile long. It must be relatively unobstructed—uneven terrain is fine, but walls, steep hills, and so on will block it. The corridor remains for 8 hours or until deactivated. Usable once per day.
Second Skin
Level: 1
Form: When not affixed to a creature, this looks like a mass of diaphanous fabric. On a creature, it is almost invisible.
Effect: When stretched over a Medium or Small creature’s normal skin, this organic material adheres and conforms to its body shape. While wearing the second skin, the creature gains a +2 circumstance bonus to resist diseases, poisons, and radiation.
Shatter Wand
Level: 5-10
Form: Broad, 8-inch synth stick with a single button
Effect: This weapon realigns the molecular structure of a living target, in effect crystallizing the flesh. It works at medium range but has no visible manifestation (no ray or projectile). When activated as a standard action, the device deals 1d4 Constitution damage to the target. A successful Fort save (DC 11+artifact level) reduces this to 1 damage. Further, if the target is slain by the device, the target shatters, exploding in a 10-foot radius with crystalline shrapnel that inflicts 1d10/artifact level points of damage. Usable once per day per artifact level.
Shock Manacles
Level: 1-10
Form: A lightweight pair of metal or synth manacles
Effect: Not only are these restraints binding, but they also inflict 1d4/artifact level nonlethal electric damage whenever the wearer attempts to break free. The break DC is 10+2/artifact level.
Skill Bud
Level: 2
Form: An organic pod, almost like a small, hemispherical bit of fruit. Once grafted to a host, it takes on the appearance of the host’s flesh.
Effect: This pod grafts onto any living host (must be near the brain) and injects complex chemicals that alter brain and muscle functions. This grants the host ranks in one skill (determined at creation) equal to their BAB (scaling with level). If the bud is removed or destroyed, the subject loses all ranks in the skill. A character may have a number of skill buds implanted equal to their Con mod. Any attempt to go over this limit overloads the nervous system, inducing a coma for 1d6 days.
Skull Blaster
Level: 1-10
Form: A headband with an attached cylinder that runs along the left side of the wearer’s head
Effect: This device emits a brilliant beam of focused light that has a range of medium. Targets hit by the beam take 1d6 points of fire damage. Using the device is an attack action (ranged touch attack) with a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the artifact’s level.
Stunner
Level: 1-5
Form: A handheld device that looks like a metal sphere with a handle
Effect: When activated as a standard action, this device fires a beam of energy as a ranged attack that stuns a target in short range for one round, making him lose his next action. Can be used once per day per artifact level.
Suspensor Belt
Level: 1-4
Form: A belt with a number of brass discs affixed to it
Effect: This belt negates gravity enough to make all movement easier, granting the wearer a size bonus to AC equal to the artifact level.
Telltale Glass
Level: 1
Form: Clear drinking glass
Effect: This glass turns red if anything poisonous is put into it, even in very small quantities.
Tendril Graft
Level: 4
Form: A whiplike length of organic material similar to flesh
Effect: This graft attaches to the host’s spinal column so that it can be controlled like a limb. The host can use it like a whip even if his hands are full. He can also use it like a prehensile tail that can hold as much as one of his normal arms. If the graft is ever removed, the wearer suffers 2d4 Con drain.
Transdimensional Spitter
Level: 2
Form: A one-handed simple ranged weapon that has a few controls on it
Effect: Ammunition fired from this weapon exists on many levels of reality at once. It inflicts damage as a normal weapon of its type, and it deals full damage to incorporeal/ethereal/interdimensional creatures (such as phase spiders and ghosts). It also ignores miss chance due to blink and similar interdimensional effects.
Trigger Trap
Level: 1-4
Form: A small, rather complex box of metal sensor plates, wires, and controls
Effect: A tinker gadget of virtually any kind can be added to this trigger device to turn it into a trap. First, the gadget is added to the device, and then various wires and plates are affixed to something—a nearby surface, door, hinge, and so on. When the trap is triggered, the gadget is activated, so people often use straightforward gadgets such as a detonation, a ray emitter, or a similar device.
The trigger can react to a specified movement within up to 5 feet/artifact level —a door opening, a creature or object moving past the artifact, and so on. The higher the level of the device, the more sophisticated the trigger. A level 2 artifact’s trigger can be based on a creature’s size or weight. A level 3 artifact can trigger based on a specific type of creature. A level 4 artifact can trigger based on recognizing an individual creature.
Vuechi
Level: 1-7
Form: A 4-inch silver sphere that hovers in the air
Effect: Once activated as a standard action, this device follows within 5 feet of you and attacks anyone or anything within 10 feet that attacks you. A vuechi attacks with a burst of electricity that deals electricity damage equal to 1d6/artifact level. A vuechi can attack once per round, and can be active for up to 10 minutes per day, which must be spent in 1-minute increments.
Weapon Graft
Level: 1
Form: One-handed melee weapon made of hard, chitinous material or metal, with a sleeve of softer, fleshy material
Effect: This organic graft fits over a hand or empty stump and affixes to the flesh of the host. It functions as a normal weapon of its type. The wielder is considered to be proficient with the weapon and can’t be disarmed, but cannot use the limb for any purpose that could not be performed with a weapon. Once affixed, the graft cannot be removed without causing serious harm to the owner, rendering the limb useless until a restoration spell (1000 sy) or similar effect heals the arm.