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Once artifacts are turned in my assumption is they cannot be used or "checked out" . . . like, the Dawn Vault is not an artifact library . . . I'm seeing at the chroniclers that run the Dawn Vault dissemble the artifact or otherwise render it inoperable etc. In other words, if you turn in the artifact, it's gone as a useable object in the name of improving the Ark.

Is that how folks do it?

I'm wondering because group found a generator and one of the metaplot items needs a generator so it got me second-guessing myself. I know they could always find another if they turn this one in.

I ruled that the artifacts that are in the dawn vault are studied by the chroniclers and that's it. They can be used by the chroniclers if they (and the Elder) wants to and of course if the chroniclers know how to use them (the DEV for the Ark is high enough). So if the chroniclers and the Elder say yes to use an Artifact, then go, otherwise, the players have to find another. In the case of the metaplat, I would say that the Elder would never allow that so the players must find their own generator (or build one).

I would say that they could definitely use the artifacts in a sense of "borrowing" it from the vault,
Like if they have a fully functional old time "or even hover " car, that they have cashed in at the vault at a previous moment in time, they can certainly "borrow" it , granted that they would have a good enough reason for it.

I would paint the scenario like this.
"Elder, we wanna borrow the car?"
"What for?"
"To loot Nearby areas"
"Absolutely not, it is far to valuable, afraid you have to use dum-animal and carraige"

Contra for example.

"Elder may we borrow the car?"
"Why?"
"Well we found a mansion but it is surrounded by water, and we are unable to swim that far a distance , imagen what resources we could find and bring back on the car!"

(Let them roll for manipulate), and then reply accordingly.

I also think there should be a certain amount of risk that comes with borrowing from the vault, if the item is damaged or even worse destroyed, the PC should face consequences, such as minus the value of the artifact that was brought in, a very upset people, elder, etc.

Wheter or not they can use artifacts after the vault have examined them freely is up to you as a DM.
Personally I am leaning more towards not allowing them to for example present a Body Armor artifact, to the vault, get the stats up for the base, and then run around freely with it as if it was thier own permantly.

Half of the fun is the roleplay of "Do i keep it for myself, or do i help my people" gamble, it is also quite a source for interesting plot hocks, such as someone stealing your artifact, a Boss trying to recruit the PC to give HIM the artifacts instead of the base, promising you food and saftey if you do etc etc.

I think both work though, cashing it in to the vault, losing the ability to use it.
Or cashing it in to the vault, and retain the artifact.
OR Cashing it in to the vault, and only able to "borrow" it from the vault, depending of cource on the standing with the Elder, etc.

1 risk with allowing them to freely keep any artifact they have in the vault though, is that the PC will become OP quickly, and thus as a DM you might feel less inclined to let them find artifacts.

So i say, Lose the artifact to the vault, but able to loan it, and severge consicuenses if it deteriates,
and always the ability to keep the artifact and not cash it at a vault.


Damn i think i said all of this in like 6 different ways now, sorry lol but yeah my take ^^:

Interesting take but it does imply keeping track of the dev value roll for given artifact. one of the things I'm trying to do with structure my game to remove some of those complexities that made us move away from d&d to begin with. although I suppose if you were going to roll back the impact on the dev level you could simply reroll the dice it doesn't have to be the same exact number.

the other issue is we have five bosses in a game of thrones configuration in the ark and if the Elder simply didn't permit things the Elder might be killed sooner than later which would be kind of cool but I'm not sure if that's what I'm ready to do.

Anyhow I think I'm going to stick with you turn it in it's dissembled or otherwise messed with in a way that makes it non-usable anymore. That said I'll have to place a generator if the emergent randomization that I'm using almost all the time doesn't do that for me LOL

Lot of things to think about though and I love all this feedback