This mystical item appears to be a cheap
necklace, like any other sort of magical
necklace, until it is put on. It then turns
into a chain of silver with twelve small
globes of unidentifiable material suspended
from it. Each globe appears identical to the
others, but if a globe is pulled free of the
necklace (which may be done in one round),
the globe turns into a particular type of
material and the wearer's body takes on the
appearance and AC of that substance.
Though an identify spell, wish, or
similar magical effect will reveal something
of the nature of the necklace, no magic will
be able to divine which globe of the necklace
will have which effect.

Each of the twelve globes has a different
effect. Once removed, a globe cannot be
replaced on the necklace; its effects last for
2-8 turns and cannot be dispelled. Only
after one globe?s effect is ended can another
globe be removed from the necklace. The
necklace cannot be removed while its
wearer is under the effect of one of the
globes, except by the casting of remove
curse or wish, in which case the entire
necklace will vanish ? but the effect currently
taking place will still run its course.
The necklace can be taken off, exchanged,
and put on at will as long as one of the
globes is not activated at the time. Anything
being worn or carried by the user of the
necklace that normally affects his armor
class will be overriden by the effect of a
globe for as long as that effect lasts.

When a globe is pulled from the necklace,
the DM should roll d12 and consult the
following table to determine the composition
of the globe and the armor class bestowed
on the wearer of the necklace, as
well as the wearer's temporary skin and hair
color. Re-roll to prevent duplicate results,
perhaps using a smaller die (d8, d6, etc.)
when several of the globes become used up.
 

Die roll	Material & color	AC
1	Sandstone; light brown	8
2	Mithral; blue-silver	0
3	Gold; gold	6
4	Iron; dull grey	1
5	Platinum; silver	4
6	Granite; dull grey & red	3
7	Coal; dull black	9
8	Salt; dull white	10
9	Bronze; bronze	2
10	Adamantite; green-silver	-1
11	Lead; dark grey	5
12	Wood; brown	7

The necklace of alteration can be worn
and used by a member of any character
class or any humanoid of S or M size. Once
used, the globes are generally worthless
except as curios. The globes of gold, platinum,
mithral, and adamantite have values
of 1, 5, 20, and 50 gp respectively.

Experience Point Value: 1,000
Gold Piece Sale Value: 5,000
 

Also, can someone who uses the necklace of
alteration be affected by rust dust if they have
been bestowed a metallic composition? And if so,
what would their saving throw be? What do
metallic magical items get for a saving throw
against rust dust if their properties aren?t measured
by a +1, +2, etc.?

Charles Kluz
Schofield, Wis.
(Dragon #88)
 

Someone wearing a necklace of alteration
cannot be affected by rust dust; the wearer’s body
merely takes on the appearance of another substance,
not the its actual properties. And, if a
magic item doesn't have a “plus,” then it only
has a 10% chance of saving against destruction
by rust dust, as noted in the article.

— RM
(Dragon #88)

-
Globe power
-
Dear Dragon:
When wearing the necklace of alteration ("Five
new enchanted objects," #86), is the character's
dexterity adjustment overriden by the effects of
the globes, as well as the character's armor adjustment?
Also, does the necklace override the
effects of other magical items such as a ring of
protection or bracers of defense?

Tim Kornides
Latrobe, Pa.
(Dragon #91)
 

The article says that the effect of the necklace
takes precedence over “anything being worn or
carried by the user of the necklace.” This does
include magical rings, bracers, and other physical
items that affect armor class. It does not include
such things as a character’s dexterity bonus,
which is still applied as an adjustment to what
would otherwise be the user’s AC. The armor
class of someone being affected by the necklace
can be temporarily altered by some magical
means, such as a shield spell (which actually
changes armor class) or protection from evil
(which does essentially the same thing).

— KM
(Dragon #91)