SRD:Artifacts

Artifacts
Artifacts are extremely powerful. Rather than merely another form of magic equipment, they are the sorts of legendary relics that whole campaigns can be based on. Each could be the center of a whole set of adventures—a quest to recover it, a fight against a opponent wielding it, a mission to cause its destruction, and so on.

No table has been included to randomly generate specific artifacts, since these items should only enter a campaign through deliberate choice on your part.

Minor Artifacts
Minor artifacts are not necessarily unique items. Even so, they are magic items that no longer can be created, at least by common mortal means.

Minor Artifact Descriptions
Described below is a selection of the most well-known (not necessarily the most numerous) minor artifacts.


 * Book of Infinite Spells
 * Deck of Many Things
 * Everfull Purse
 * Hammer of Thunderbolts
 * Libram of Gainful Conjuration
 * Libram of Ineffable Damnation
 * Manual of Puissant Skill at Arms
 * Manual of Silver Magic
 * Manual of Stealthy Pilfering
 * Philosopher's Stone
 * Rogue's Dice
 * Sphere of Annihilation
 * Staff of the Magi
 * Sutra of Tranquil Thought
 * Talisman of Pure Good
 * Talisman of Reluctant Wishes
 * Talisman of Ultimate Evil
 * Talisman of the Sphere

Major Artifacts
Major artifacts are unique items—only one of each such item exists. These are the most potent of magic items, capable of altering the balance of a campaign.

Unlike all other magic items, major artifacts are not easily destroyed. Each should have only a single, specific means of destruction.

Major Artifact Descriptions

 * Annulus
 * Axe of the Dwarvish Lords
 * Codex of Infinite Planes
 * Cup and Talisman of the Demigod
 * Eye of the Orc
 * Golem Armor
 * Invulnerable Coat
 * Iron Gauntlet of War
 * Psicrown of the Crystal Mind
 * Ring of Nine Facets
 * The Moaning Diamond
 * The Orbs of Dragonkind
 * The Saint's Mace
 * The Shadowstaff
 * The Shield of the Sun