Creating Sentient Magic Items (2014)
When you decide to make a magic item sentient, you create the item's persona in the same way you would create an NPC, with a few exceptions described here.
Abilities
A sentient magic item has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You can choose the item's abilities or determine them randomly. To determine them randomly, roll 4d6 for each one, dropping the lowest roll and totaling the rest.
Communication
A sentient item has some ability to communicate, either by sharing its emotions, broadcasting its thoughts telepathically, or speaking aloud. You can choose how it communicates or roll on the following table.
| | 1d10 | Result
| 1-6 | The item communicates by transmitting emotion to the creature carrying or wielding itSenses
With sentience comes awareness. A sentient item can perceive its surroundings out to a limited range. You can choose its senses or roll on the following table.
| | 1d4 | Result
| 1 | Hearing and standard vision out to 30 feet
| 2 | Hearing and standard vision out to 60 feet
| 3 | Hearing and standard vision out to 120 feet
| 4 | Hearing and Darkvision out to 120 feet
Alignment
A sentient magic item has an alignment. Its creator or nature might suggest an alignment. If not, you can pick an alignment or roll on the following table.
| | 1d100 | Result
| 1-15 | Lawful Good
| 16-35 | Neutral Good
| 36-50 | Chaotic Good
| 51-63 | Lawful Neutral
| 64-73 | Neutral
| 74-85 | Chaotic Neutral
| 86-89 | Lawful Evil
| 90-96 | Neutral Evil
| 97-100 | Chaotic Evil
Special Purpose
You can give a sentient item an objective it pursues, perhaps to the exclusion of all else. As long as the wielder's use of the item aligns with that special purpose, the item remains cooperative. Deviating from this course might cause conflict between the wielder and the item, and could even cause the item to prevent the use of its activated properties. You can pick a special purpose or roll on the following table.
| | 1d10 | Result
| 1 | Aligned. The item seeks to defeat or destroy those of a diametrically opposed alignment. Such an item is never Neutral.
| 2 | Bane. The item seeks to thwart or destroy creatures of a particular type, such as Constructs, Fiends, or Undead.
| 3 | Creator Seeker. The item seeks its creator and wants to understand why it was created.
| 4 | Destiny Seeker. The item believes it and its bearer have key roles to play in future events.
| 5 | Destroyer. The item craves destruction and goads its user to fight arbitrarily.
| 6 | Glory Seeker. The item seeks renown as the greatest magic item in the world by winning fame or notoriety for its user.
| 7 | Lore Seeker. The item craves knowledge or is determined to solve a mystery, learn a secret, or unravel a cryptic prophecy.
| 8 | Protector. The item seeks to defend a particular kind of creature, such as elves or werewolves.
| 9 | Soulmate Seeker. The item seeks another sentient magic item, perhaps one that is similar to itself.
| 10 | Templar. The item seeks to defend the servants and interests of a particular deity.