Does unlocking the archmage lose the item I give?

[Morikal]

The only arcane powered artifact I've found so far is the rod of annulment... but I don't think I want to destroy it...
If the item gets destroyed I'll wait and hopefully find another soonish, but if I get to keep the item (e.g., he just uses it briefly and gives it back), then I'd not wait...

[KaynDarks]

Item is gone forever.

[Hunter]

Just keep going. There are enough arcane powered artifacts that eventually you'll find one that basically useless for you. The bosses all drop an artifact, so one of them will likely have an arcane one.

Personally, though, if you're only far enough into the game to have a single arcane artifact, I'd just hand that rod over and start a new character. An...archmage, for instance.

Or keep your current character -- the rod is okay but there are much better artifacts at that tier, and surviving as a new player (which I assume you are) requires some practice dealing with many more common dangers than the ones the Rod deals with.

[64legos]

Just keep going. There are enough arcane powered artifacts that eventually you'll find one that basically useless for you. The bosses all drop an artifact, so one of them will likely have an arcane one.

Personally, though, if you're only far enough into the game to have a single arcane artifact, I'd just hand that rod over and start a new character. An...archmage, for instance.

Or keep your current character -- the rod is okay but there are much better artifacts at that tier, and surviving as a new player (which I assume you are) requires some practice dealing with many more common dangers than the ones the Rod deals with.

You can't give the Rod of Recall.

[grobblewobble]

Luckily, annulment is not recall.

Keep the rod, it might come in handy some time. You'll find a worthless arcane artifact soon enough.

[64legos]

Luckily, annulment is not recall.

Keep the rod, it might come in handy some time. You'll find a worthless arcane artifact soon enough.

...I really should have read that more carefully.

[Hunter]

Luckily, annulment is not recall.

Keep the rod, it might come in handy some time. You'll find a worthless arcane artifact soon enough.

...I really should have read that more carefully.

It happens. Though, if you think about it, the Rod of Recall can't be arcane powered because that would pretty much strand antimagic characters in a rough situation, especially in those few areas like Last Hope Graveyard where the stairs out disappear.