Editing Artifact

'''Artifacts''' are items that can be found on the [[Adventure Map]], obtained from objects on the map, defeated enemy heroes, from previously fired, retreated, defeated in battles with neutrals or disappeared after losing the last town heroes in a [[tavern]], gifted by an allied hero, bought from the [[artifact merchants]] or got as a starting bonus. Special artifacts, such as [[Spell book]], [[War machines]] and [[Grail]] have their ways to be obtained. When a hero picks up an artifact, it disappears from the map and takes its place in an appropriate slot. If the slot is not free, the artifact is stored in the hero's backpack. The backpack can hold up to 64 unequipped artifacts and when it is full, no more artifacts can be picked up even if its slot is empty. Any artifacts obtained from [[creature banks]] or defeated enemy heroes without the free space in artifact slots or in the backpack will just disappear. Artifacts from [[creature bank]]s taken with a full backpack will fill all the free slots, but it [[Talk:artifact#Distribution of a defeated enemy hero's artifacts with a full backpack and some free slots|not always works]] with artifacts from a defeated enemy hero. 
If a hero without free space in a backpack is trying to dig, he's getting ''"Searching for the Grail is fruitless. Your hero could not carry it..."'' message without losing movement points. The problem of the full backpack can be solved by [[Artifact merchants]] or [[Altar of Sacrifice]] (the last one is for [[alignment|good]] or [[alignment|neutral-aligned]] heroes only).

Equipped artifacts usually enhance a hero's abilities, either by increasing [[primary skill]]s, [[movement]], [[morale]] or [[luck]], enhancing [[secondary skill]]s, or providing [[immunity]] against a particular spell. However, equipped artifacts may also provide extra income for the kingdom or increase the productivity of creature dwellings in towns. Two similar artifacts will not stack their effect except for [[Quiet Eye of the Dragon]] and all the resource-producing artifacts.

An artifact placed on the Adventure Map can also be guarded even though it has no apparent creatures guarding it (this mechanics is not used in mainstream PvP templates). When a hero attempts to pick up a guarded artifact, text appears asking whether or not the hero wants to attack the guardians. If the hero manages to defeat the guardians, he will receive the artifact. If he is forced to [[retreat]] from the battle or dies during it, the defeated guardians will not regenerate. It should be noted, that if the map maker has set guards for the artifact without a text, then no question is asked and the guards attack immediately.

== Slots ==
Equipped artifacts are placed on squares on hero menu called slots as seen on the picture below. Slots represent different parts of the hero's body, and every slot can hold one artifact at the time.

{| 
| rowspan=16 | [[Image: Hero_artifacts_numbered.png]]
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 1 –''' [[Template:Artifact Helmet|Helmet]]: Typically gives bonus to [[knowledge skill]]. 
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 2 –''' [[Template:Artifact Cape|Cape]]: Varies.
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 3 –''' [[Template:Artifact Necklace|Necklace]]: Varies, but commonly gives spell immunities.
|- style="height: 28px;"
| '''Slot 4 –''' [[Template:Artifact Weapon|Right hand]] (offensive): Typically gives bonus to [[attack skill]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 5 –''' [[Template:Artifact Left Hand|Left hand]] (defensive): Typically gives bonus to [[defense skill]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 6 –''' [[Template:Artifact Torso|Torso]]: Typically gives bonus to [[spell power]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot 7 –''' [[Template:Artifact Ring|Ring]] (right and left hand): Varies.
|- style="height: 28px;"
| '''Slot 8 –''' [[Template:Artifact Feet|Feet]]: Typically gives benefits to hero's movement.
|- style="height: 28px;"
| '''Slot 9 –''' [[Template:Artifact Miscellaneous|Miscellaneous]]: Varies greatly.<br><span style="font-size:90%;">'''Note:''' In {{roe}} and {{ab}}, there are just four misc. slots.</span>
|- style="height: 28px;"
| '''Slot A:''' Reserved only for [[Ballista]] (or [[Cannon]]{{-}}{{withhota}}).
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot B:''' Reserved only for [[Ammo cart]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot C:''' Reserved only for [[First aid tent]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot D:''' Reserved only for [[Catapult]].
|- style="height: 28px;"
| '''Slot E:''' Reserved only for [[Spell book]].
|- style="height: 27px;"
| '''Slot F:''' Backpack where can be stored up to 64 unused artifacts.
|}

[[Combination artifacts]] consist of several regular ones. When equipped they block all the slots belonging to their parts, but take just one slot in the backpack.

There are 12 [[combination artifacts]] in {{sod}} ([[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's blade]] works as a combo in the campaign only). Traces of 3 unrealized ones are in the game files: it's Diplomat's Suit, Mire of Neutrality and Ironfist of the Ogre. They were introduced in {{hota}} as [[Diplomat's Cloak]], [[Pendant of Reflection]] and [[Ironfist of the Ogre]], alongside with [[Golden Goose]] as an hommage to Heroes of Might and Magic II.

== Cost ==
See:
* [[Altar of sacrifice]]
* [[Artifact merchants]]
* [[Black market]]
== Class ==
Artifacts are split into 4 categories roughly rating their power and usefulness. The Class rating is not listed on the item in the game, but it afflicts the chances to get an artifact in [[creature bank]]s and the strength of guarding units on [[adventure map]]. The map editor allows the placing of a random artifact by the certain class, allowing for creating a variation in that map from one play through to the next.

The 4 classes are Treasure, Minor, Major, and Relic. Their [[AI value]]s are 2000, 5000, 10000 and 20000 respectively.
Only Treasure class artifacts are used for quests by [[Seer's Hut|Seers]] at randomly generated maps, but the map maker can choose an artifact of any class for this.

[[Spell scroll]]s have no class and their [[AI value]] is 500 for the 1st level spell scroll and 2000/3000/4000/5000 for 2nd/3rd/4th/5th levels.

{{withhota}}{{-}}'''Note:''' in {{hota}} the values of 4th and 5th level spell scrolls were raised to 8000 and 10000. [[Town portal]], [[Water walk]], [[Fly]] and [[Dimension door]] scrolls' [[AI value]] was raised to 20000.

{{:Template:treasure_artifacts|no_links=|float=left}}
{{:Template:minor_artifacts|no_links=|float=left}}
{{:Template:major_artifacts|no_links=|float=left}}
{{:Template:relic_artifacts|no_links=|float=left}}
{{:Template:combination_artifacts|no_links=|float=left}}

<div style="clear:both;"></div>

== See also ==
* [[List of artifacts]]
* [[List of artifacts (HotA)]]
* [[Artifact Events]]

[[Category:Artifacts|*]]