Published in October 1993 and designed by David "Zeb" Cook, the Book of Artifacts (TSR 2138) is one of the definitive hardcovers of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition era.
Core Philosophy & Design Shift
Prior to 2e, artifacts were often defined primarily by their devastating power and randomized tables of abilities. The Book of Artifacts introduced a distinct design framework focused on story integration:
Narrative Integration: Every entry emphasizes how to introduce the item into a story, build an entire campaign arc around it, and—crucially—how characters can permanently destroy or remove it.
Fixed & Resonating Powers: Rather than relying entirely on random tables, each item features curated, thematic abilities.
Set mechanics introduced Resonating Powers—unique bonuses unlocked only when multiple related relics (such as items from the Regalia of Might) are wielded together. Dynamic Curses & Price of Power: Curses shifted from instantaneous mechanical penalties to thematic narrative burdens, heavily featuring Artifact Possession (the item forcing its will onto the user) and Artifact Transformation (gradually altering the wielder physically and mentally).
Catalog of Artifacts
The book compiles 50 major artifacts spanning classic greyhawk lore, multi-setting releases, and brand-new items created specifically for the volume.
50 ARTIFACTS │ ┌────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ Classic Relics Setting Extensions 2e Debut Relics (Eldritch Wizardry/1e DMG) (Realm-Specific Expansions) (New Additions) • Hand & Eye of Vecna • Acorn of Wo-Mai (The Horde) • All-Knowing Eye of Yasmin Sira • Axe of the Dwarvish Lords • Artifurnace (Spelljammer) • Coin of Jisan the Bountiful • Baba Yaga's Hut • Obsidian Man of Urik (Dark Sun)• Psychometron of Nerad • Rod of Seven Parts • Axe of the Emperors (DL) • Rod of TeethKey Entries Across Campaign Settings
Greyhawk / Classic Lore: The Hand and Eye of Vecna, Sword of Kas, Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, Rod of Seven Parts, The Machine of Lum the Mad, Mighty Servant of Leuk-o, The Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty, The Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar, Teeth of Dahlver-Nar.
Setting-Specific Adaptations:
Dark Sun: The Psychometron of Nerad, The Obsidian Man of Urik.
Al-Qadim: The All-Knowing Eye of Yasmin Sira, The Coin of Jisan the Bountiful, Seal of Jafar al-Samal.
Spelljammer: The Artifurnace (a helm drawing power directly from a sphere's sun).
Ravenloft: The Apparatus.
Dragonlance: Axe of the Emperors, Triad of Betrayal.
(Note: The Wand of Orcus was notably omitted due to TSR's early 2e policy restricting demon/devil iconography, later appearing in 1995's Encyclopedia Magica IV.)
Structure & Rules Systems
The book is organized into three primary sections:
1. Introduction & Campaign Advice (Pages 3–10)
Demystifies common DM misconceptions regarding high-power items.
Outlines structural templates for history, campaign hooks, categories of power (Constant, Invoked, Random, Resonating), and methods of destruction. 2. The Artifact Descriptions (Pages 11–106)
Forming the core of the book, each artifact features a uniform layout:
Appearance & Physical Form
Detailed History & Lore
Campaign Use & Adventure Hooks
Powers & Mechanics (Constant, Invoked, Random)
Curse / Side Effects
Means of Destruction
3. Creation & Recharge Systems (Pages 107–160)
The latter third of the book expands into subsystem rules for player characters and DMs:
Creating Magic Items: Comprehensive processes outlining required spells, exotic components, lab construction, time investments, and chance of failure for crafting standard 2e magic items.
Recharging Magic Items: Explicit subsystems detailing how to recharge limited-use wands, staves, and rings.
Random Power Tables: A 20-page appendix categorizing random powers into tiers (Minor/Major Combat, Detection, Movement, Abjuration, Malicious Effects) for customizing or randomizing artifacts.
Impact on 2e Product Line
The Book of Artifacts established a blueprint for several major late-2e adventure boxed sets and campaign modules centered around artifact recovery, including:
The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga (1995)
The Rod of Seven Parts boxed set (1996)
Axe of the Dwarvish Lords (1999)
Integration of the Book of Artifacts (2e) into a campaign requires treating these items as narrative catalysts rather than mere stat boosters. Unlike standard magic items, artifacts in AD&D 2nd Edition are designed to drive entire campaign arcs, force moral choices, and reshape world politics.
1. Core Mechanics & Modes of Integration
The Book of Artifacts provides several unique structural tools to integrate artifacts into play:
Artifact Possession & Moral Conflict
Artifacts with strong wills or alignment requirements test the wielder's agency:
Ego & Alignment Pressure: The item subtly nudges or outright controls the character toward its specific goals or alignment (e.g., The Hand and Eye of Vecna driving a wielder toward secretive ruthlessness).
Roleplaying Catalyst: Rather than taking away player agency immediately, use subtle shifts—give the wielder distinct urges, altered perceptions, or alignment-tracking consequences to create dramatic internal conflict for the party.
Resonating Powers (Relic Sets)
Several artifacts interact with other specific items, granting new powers when united:
Thematic Sets: Collecting pieces of the Regalia of Might (Crown, Orb, and Sceptre) unlocks Resonating Powers—bonus abilities that manifest only when all pieces are held by a wielder of matching alignment.
Campaign Structure: This creates a natural multi-stage campaign arc where the party must track down multiple pieces across different dungeons or outer planes before a villain (or the party) can unlock their full combined potential.
Tailored Destruction Quests
Every artifact in the book includes explicit, highly specific "Means of Destruction."
Artifacts cannot be broken by standard disintegrate spells or simple high damage.
Quest-Based Removal: Destroying an artifact requires fulfilling a legend or performing an extraordinary task (e.g., throwing a ring into a specific volcano, bathing an item in the tear of a solar, or feeding a tome to a ancient dragon). This provides an immediate late-campaign climax once the item's purpose is served.
2. Campaign Roles & Narrative Uses
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
│
┌────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┐
│ │ │
MacGuffin Arc The Threat The Double-Edged Sword
(Party must retrieve/protect) (In the hands of the BBEG) (Party uses at great cost)
• Seal/Contain a greater evil • Villain powers up over time • Power comes with corruption
• Deliver to a holy sanctuary • Heist or assassination plot • Phyiscal/Mental transformation
Option A: The MacGuffin (Objective-Driven Campaign)
The campaign revolves around locating, securing, or destroying an artifact before an enemy does.
Example: The party must reassemble the Rod of Seven Parts to banish a powerful entity, journeying through disparate planes to recover each segment.
Role: The artifact serves as the primary compass for the campaign, dictating where the party goes and who they interact with.
Option B: The Antagonist’s Weapon
Give the artifact to the main campaign villain rather than the players.
Example: An evil archmage discovers The Machine of Lum the Mad or The Apparatus, using its powers to manipulate the region's climate, alter planar barriers, or construct construct armies.
Role: This introduces immediate urgency. The party's objective becomes finding the artifact's weakness, discovering its destruction method, or staging a heist to disarm the antagonist.
Option C: The High-Cost Power Source
Allow a party member to find and attune to an artifact early or mid-campaign to face an otherwise insurmountable threat.
Example: Facing an invading empire, the party recovers The Axe of the Dwarvish Lords or a piece of the Regalia of Might.
Role: The item gives the party the strength to fight god-tier threats, but at the cost of gradual physical transformation, physical side effects (hair/skin change, loss of constitution, curses), or growing paranoia.
3. Integrating Non-Artifact Subsystems
Beyond the 50 major relics, the Book of Artifacts introduces practical, modular subsystems that fit smoothly into any standard 2e campaign:
Custom Magic Item Creation
Section 3 provides detailed downtime rules for player-driven magic item crafting:
Outlines necessary spell prerequisites, exotic monster component harvesting, laboratory construction costs, and formula research.
Campaign Use: Gives high-level spellcasters meaningful downtime projects and creates built-in quest hooks whenever they need rare components (e.g., needing the feather of a couatl to forge a specific protective charm).
Recharging Magic Items
The book provides explicit mechanics for recharging limited-use items (wands, staves, rings):
Campaign Use: Prevents players from hoarding useful charges indefinitely or abandoning empty magic items. It creates natural side-quests to locate ley lines, holy sites, or elemental conduits required to channel power back into their items.
Custom Power Creation Tables
The appendix's categorized tables (Minor/Major Combat, Movement, Detection, Abjuration) can be used by DMs to:
Custom Artifacts: Build original relics tailored directly to your homebrew setting's pantheon or history.
Blessings & Supernatural Gifts: Grant temporary or permanent planar blessings/boons to characters without giving them a physical object.
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