thedmstrikes
Explorer
I am running the Night Below campaign and I have decided to make the intelligent sword Finslayer into a Legacy Weapon. I drafted up the level mechanics and would like a little input on what I got now and what I got left to finish. The book allows for a little fudging with flavor/solid reasoning as the basis, so I took a liberty or two...
For those that are not aware, Finslayer is a Longsword +3, +4 vs Drow and Aboleth, and +5 vs Kuo Toa from the boxed set Night Below and has the following properties from 2D ed:
Intelligent with 17 INT and CHa, with Telepathy (and speaks a couple of languages), 120' Infravision, Detect Magic, Detect Secret Doors, and Detect Invisibility. It has the special purpose of slaying Kuo Toa granting the following powers in the course of that goal: Immunity to Kuo Toan Symbol of Insanity and the ability to never be stick to Kuo Toan armor like regular weapons, Strength as the spell for 18 hours, and inflicting Confusion upon any Kuo Toa that happens to survive meeting the sword. That, of course, is the short version.
Here is what I got for the conversion to Legacy so far:
The weapon starts as a +2 Longsword (the uppermost a weapon of legacy can actually start by letter of the book, but I am wanting the powers to be useful before the campaign is over also)...
5 +1 weapon enhancement from menu A
6 Comprehend Languages from menu A (restricted to Underdark languages that initially the sword whispers in the voice of its contained soul into the wielders head until the lesser power intelligence is unlocked)
7 Magical Cipher (granting the Detect Magic and Read Magic, although I am considering dropping the Read Magic since it was not in the original version) from menu A
8 See Invisible from menu A
9 nothing
10 Mutable Bane effect (a menu B option from the optional section at the back of the book. In short, you use a menu B option for 3 conditional menu A selections. As I understand it, this works as long as you have a trigger of some type and you are not able to use all three menu A selections "at the same time". In this case, the ornamental scabbard will have three different color gems near the top, one Onyx, one Termalane, and one Emerald. When one of the colors is depressed when the sword is drawn, that is the color that corresponds to the Bane effect that will be "in play". Onyx is associated with Drow, Termalane with Aboleth, and Emerald with Kou Toa. This is the way I can squeeze all three Bane effects into the sword without spreading them out all the way to level 20. This one I took liberty with a little, I think, but I also feel it is essential in order to keep all the original powers of the sword.
11 Major Intelligence Legacy from Menu D
12 nothing
13 nothing
14 Immunity to Symbol of Insanity (Kuo Toan only) from menu F. I also took liberty with this one because there is nothing that came similar to this particular power and I figure with limiting it to just Kuo Toan versions of the spell would make it similar or less potent than an immunity to Poison, which is the basis for the rating.
15 nothing
16 Ability Enhancement (+4 STR) from menu E. It was difficult to find a medium ground between spell usage per day that met the intent of the original writing and stayed in the framework of the Legacy Items, so I opted for just a permanent boost of the stat as long as it is in contact with the Legacy wielder, not to mention how long the character has to wait to get it.
17 Detect Secret Doors from menu D. I just had a hard time placing this earlier in the rotation because I needed the other powers for this range at their levels so they could be used at the appropriate times during the adventure and not too late.
18 This is where the final original power could go. The causing of Confusion to Kuo Toa when struck by the weapon. I am having difficulty adjudicating how far into the menus this should fall, but since I have already reached the Greater Power range, it really does not matter, unless someone has a justifiable way of making it Menu A-C somehow and I could squeeze it in earlier were it could mean something.
Here are some more details for the unlocking portion:
Omen: Mental: Pajarifan's voice declares the swords name and invites the likely wielder to pick up his calling..."I am Finslayer. With me, you can finish that which was begun, once, and long ago" or something similar to that. Gotta make sure I get their attention and they don't chuck another +2 sword into the leftover magic area to get sold or given to an unworthy minion.
Qualifications: BA +5 (hey, it wants a real warrior slinging it around) and any non evil alignment. It wants to keep it simple, so that will do. I am toying with the idea of a +2 racial enmity toward Kuo Toa as part of the original flavor, especially since it likes Rangers, but the chances of a player taking that before it is too late has me thinking to leave it out. I am instituting a negative level to any evil being that attempts to use the sword, until they get rid of it. I beleive that also is in line with the original weapon.
Least trial: I am open to suggestions on this one, but for now I am leaning toward a combination of research and communion with the sword to express a pledge vs Kuo Toa.
Lesser trial: I am thinking that the death in single combat of a Kuo Toan noble will suffice. Thoughts? I need to make sure that the lesser powers begin unlocking no later than during the sacking of the City of the Glass Pool (for those that don't know, it is ruled by Kuo Toa, in fact, it is primarily their city) and not after it is over.
Greater trial: Completely open to suggestions on this one...
Well, there it is so far...whaddya think?
For those that are not aware, Finslayer is a Longsword +3, +4 vs Drow and Aboleth, and +5 vs Kuo Toa from the boxed set Night Below and has the following properties from 2D ed:
Intelligent with 17 INT and CHa, with Telepathy (and speaks a couple of languages), 120' Infravision, Detect Magic, Detect Secret Doors, and Detect Invisibility. It has the special purpose of slaying Kuo Toa granting the following powers in the course of that goal: Immunity to Kuo Toan Symbol of Insanity and the ability to never be stick to Kuo Toan armor like regular weapons, Strength as the spell for 18 hours, and inflicting Confusion upon any Kuo Toa that happens to survive meeting the sword. That, of course, is the short version.
Here is what I got for the conversion to Legacy so far:
The weapon starts as a +2 Longsword (the uppermost a weapon of legacy can actually start by letter of the book, but I am wanting the powers to be useful before the campaign is over also)...
5 +1 weapon enhancement from menu A
6 Comprehend Languages from menu A (restricted to Underdark languages that initially the sword whispers in the voice of its contained soul into the wielders head until the lesser power intelligence is unlocked)
7 Magical Cipher (granting the Detect Magic and Read Magic, although I am considering dropping the Read Magic since it was not in the original version) from menu A
8 See Invisible from menu A
9 nothing
10 Mutable Bane effect (a menu B option from the optional section at the back of the book. In short, you use a menu B option for 3 conditional menu A selections. As I understand it, this works as long as you have a trigger of some type and you are not able to use all three menu A selections "at the same time". In this case, the ornamental scabbard will have three different color gems near the top, one Onyx, one Termalane, and one Emerald. When one of the colors is depressed when the sword is drawn, that is the color that corresponds to the Bane effect that will be "in play". Onyx is associated with Drow, Termalane with Aboleth, and Emerald with Kou Toa. This is the way I can squeeze all three Bane effects into the sword without spreading them out all the way to level 20. This one I took liberty with a little, I think, but I also feel it is essential in order to keep all the original powers of the sword.
11 Major Intelligence Legacy from Menu D
12 nothing
13 nothing
14 Immunity to Symbol of Insanity (Kuo Toan only) from menu F. I also took liberty with this one because there is nothing that came similar to this particular power and I figure with limiting it to just Kuo Toan versions of the spell would make it similar or less potent than an immunity to Poison, which is the basis for the rating.
15 nothing
16 Ability Enhancement (+4 STR) from menu E. It was difficult to find a medium ground between spell usage per day that met the intent of the original writing and stayed in the framework of the Legacy Items, so I opted for just a permanent boost of the stat as long as it is in contact with the Legacy wielder, not to mention how long the character has to wait to get it.
17 Detect Secret Doors from menu D. I just had a hard time placing this earlier in the rotation because I needed the other powers for this range at their levels so they could be used at the appropriate times during the adventure and not too late.
18 This is where the final original power could go. The causing of Confusion to Kuo Toa when struck by the weapon. I am having difficulty adjudicating how far into the menus this should fall, but since I have already reached the Greater Power range, it really does not matter, unless someone has a justifiable way of making it Menu A-C somehow and I could squeeze it in earlier were it could mean something.
Here are some more details for the unlocking portion:
Omen: Mental: Pajarifan's voice declares the swords name and invites the likely wielder to pick up his calling..."I am Finslayer. With me, you can finish that which was begun, once, and long ago" or something similar to that. Gotta make sure I get their attention and they don't chuck another +2 sword into the leftover magic area to get sold or given to an unworthy minion.
Qualifications: BA +5 (hey, it wants a real warrior slinging it around) and any non evil alignment. It wants to keep it simple, so that will do. I am toying with the idea of a +2 racial enmity toward Kuo Toa as part of the original flavor, especially since it likes Rangers, but the chances of a player taking that before it is too late has me thinking to leave it out. I am instituting a negative level to any evil being that attempts to use the sword, until they get rid of it. I beleive that also is in line with the original weapon.
Least trial: I am open to suggestions on this one, but for now I am leaning toward a combination of research and communion with the sword to express a pledge vs Kuo Toa.
Lesser trial: I am thinking that the death in single combat of a Kuo Toan noble will suffice. Thoughts? I need to make sure that the lesser powers begin unlocking no later than during the sacking of the City of the Glass Pool (for those that don't know, it is ruled by Kuo Toa, in fact, it is primarily their city) and not after it is over.
Greater trial: Completely open to suggestions on this one...
Well, there it is so far...whaddya think?
