ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

This is meant as an alternative to randarts (which are hard to do well - maybe even impossible). However it could run alongside randarts too. The idea is simple - have random modifiers to existing artifacts in the game, so they're not the same every time you find them. This would add variety to artifacts, whilst still keeping strong design control on abilities given to players (and whilst also ensuring the artifacts are still *good* and valuable).

Simple stat variation is one element, but it can be stretched much further to change the elemental theme of artifacts and the abilities given. For example, here is the Staff of Destruction:
I suggest the following changes:

Damage type = cold OR darkness OR arcane OR fire
Power = 12 + 2d3
Increases damage type: 10 + 1d10 % of 1d3 elements (fire/lightning/acid/cold)
Spellpower = 8 + 2d2
Spell Crit = 10 + 2d5 %
10% chance of Mana pool increase (say 10-20 Mana)
10% chance of Magic stat increase (2-4 Magic)

Suddenly finding the staff is more interesting. It could be stronger than currently, or it could be weaker. Notably it won't be a *lot* stronger or a lot weaker, since it has set boundaries and a strict theme.

The same principles can be applied to a great deal of artifacts. Ringil, for instance, could be randomly generated as a different one-handed weapon type. It could have a fire theme that allows you to cast Flameshock and increases fire damage. Or a lightning theme that casts chain lightning. And so on. Each artifact can be defined to have varieties in their effects between games, whilst still staying the same sort of item with similar abilities. This is done without any major balance worries, and without turning artifacts into junk.

It'd quite easy to go through the whole list of current artifacts and suggest these sort of variations, with the exception perhaps of a few story-related items.

I'd really like to see this, too. I'm always a proponent of randomness. Darkgod, if you can invent syntax for item definitions in which we can have items choose X powers from a list given, I'm sure we can do everything else for you. Revamping current artifacts to include randomness would be fun.

I'm actually not a fan of this EXCEPT for perhaps randomizing elemental damage dealt/resisted and not numerical things were there isn't an obvious 'worse' or 'better' scale.

For the staff of destruction..I'd like if the type of element it dealt damage of, and the elements it increased damage resistances were random, but I don't like the NUMBERS themselves being random.

This is because elements aren't (usually)intrinsically better than others(monster resistances not whitstanding, and these vary), while having the same artifact be overall weaker or stronger across different games...I just don't like that.
As long as we are in the same setting, I like that some artifacts stay the same across playthroughs.

HOWEVER - the Ringil idea is different, and I like it. Sort of. Instead of having a 'base'Ringil which is slightly randomized each game, I'd simply have the boss drop a randart one-handed weapon with some 'forced' themes/qualities.

And we could do similar things for some other boss drops...
So a new artifact(randart), with constraints, rather than randomizing a fixed one.

I'd also enjoy a bit of randomization among artifacts, as it would add to variety and replayability. It's one of the features I've enjoyed the most from great dungeon crawls--once again Diablo 2 got it right there. I guess not everyone enjoys the idea that the Great Sword of Uberness may be a little less uber in the next game, but the randomization could be limited to not very significantly alter power level. e.g. if an artifact has +20 acid damage, make the range 16-24. Grey's ranges for the staff of destruction seem pretty good, but perhaps the spell crit range is a bit wide, as 12% vs 20% is pretty wide, and spell crit is *powerful*.

My favorite Angband variant, Hengband, has great charm in it from multiple standpoints, but in terms of artifacts, the random high resists/abilities are a great attribute. The base artifact stays the same e.g. Rohirrim with rBase, Sound, Conf, but it also has a chance to have rShard, rDisenchant etc. You'll always get the base artifact, but with a good possibility of an extra bonus. Rarely, such a bonus can even make the item a great deal more desirable.

As with all my posts, this is most definitely in my very humble opinion, but here's a +1 vote for randomization.

Actually, I've got second thoughts about my first post.
I might have came off as too strongly against this without providing much justification.

I'm actually ok with minor statistics variation(say instead of +10 to something, +8-12), even though I don't think it's particularly necessary.

What I wouldn't like is if there was significant power variation, as in - ending up with an artifact that is significantly better than another by way of having completely 'new' abilities rather than simply different ones.
Randomness as 'you get this, or you don't get this. if you don't get this...shame, you're not going to get a replacement'.

Here's an example, quoting the staff:

10% chance of Mana pool increase (say 10-20 Mana)
10% chance of Magic stat increase (2-4 Magic)

You could get neither. You could one but not the other. You could get both.

See, this is the problem for me: getting neither would make me go 'meh, the RNG screwed me', while getting only one..I'd accept it, although I'd be slightly disappointed knowing I could have gotten more. Getting both, of course I'd like but that's sorta obvious isn't it?

Here's what I'd prefer:

chance of Mana pool increase (say 10-20 Mana) OR chance of Magic stat increase (2-4 Magic)

You always get something, although you can't be sure in advance of WHAT you're getting.
Maybe one of these two things will be more or less useful to you.
But you DO get something nice, all of the time.

I agree Zonk. I tried to keep most of my suggestions there quite small in terms of variance, but admittedly it could be done better. The random variance shouldn't make a big difference to the artifact.

Some artifacts are developed so that there is a close connection between the types of resistances/powers/etc. and the object itself. Now that we are losing the Tolkien connection this will not be as serious (and several artifacts need rebalanced as artifacts keep providing higher and higher stat bonuses and armour/defense) but seeing Eowen Nazgul-bane sometimes have 30% resist to acid or something completely out of line with its design is kind of ugly to me.

Taxorgian, this can be catered per individual item. Not every artifact should be a free-for-all on all elements, but they could be constrained to an option of around 3 elements or effects that are consistent with its theme.