Ditching all magic weapons; replacing with legendary weapons.

[takyris]

If you want fighters to still be powerful and customizable in a rare-magic game, you might consider allowing bonuses like the following:

(NOTE: ONLY for low or rare-magic games, where fighters need some bonuses to go toe-to-toe with standard D&D monsters)

Blades can be altered in many ways -- the entries below show the bonus given, as well as the Craft(Weapons) check necessary to make such an adjustment. Blades may come adjusted in such a fashion, but the average blade is just that -- average.

Hilt:

Wire-Wrapping: (DC15) A wire-wrapped hilt has a more secure grip and allows a bit more leverage. The weapon gains a +2 bonus on all Disarm checks, including checks to avoid being disarmed.

Leather Wrapping: (DC15) Because of the smooth grip, the wielder can draw it more quickly and bring it into play with greater ease. The wielder gains a +2 bonus to Initiative, provided that the wielder's first action is to draw or attack with his weapon. The wielder also gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls versus flat-footed creatures.

Blade:

Masterwork Single-Edge: (DC18) The weapon is sharpened on one edge but not on the other. This gives the wielder the ability to handle the back edge safely, or to deflect incoming attacks without fear of damaging his blade. The wielder gains a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls provided he can use his other hand (this is frowned upon in duels or honorable combat), or the wielder may instead choose to gain a +2 Dodge bonus to AC on any round in which he uses the weapon to attack.

Masterwork Double Edge: (DC18) The weapon is sharpened on both edges, making it an additional threat. On any round in which an attacker misses the wielder with a melee attack, the wielder may make an attack of opportunity on his opponent with a -4 penalty.

Keen Edge: (DC21) The weapon has been sharpened to gain an incredible nonmagical Keen Edge. The weapon's critical threat range doubles. After each encounter, there is a 10% chance that the weapon has lost its edge and needs to be resharpened.

Patterned Blade: (DC21) The weapon has a wavy, ripply blade that creates a jarring vibration, often throwing off attackers. When fighting defensively or using expertise, the wielder can choose one opponent who missed the wielder with a melee attack that round. The wielder then makes a disarm check as an attack of opportunity. Treat the wielder as having Improved Disarm for this attack.

Guard and Pommel:

Bell Guard (DC15): The wielder gains a +2 bonus on checks to avoid being disarmed, and gains a +2 bonus on bluff checks when they are used as feints in combat.

Back-weighted Pommel (DC18): The weight of the weapon is shifted toward the back, allowing the wielder to move it more quickly. When fighting defensively or using expertise, the wielder gains an additional +2 dodge bonus.

Dunno if they work for you, and that's just for swords.

-Tacky

 

[Geoff Watson]

Hong, perhaps I should have been more specific. When I say legendary items, I am referring specifically to the definition from Swords of Our Fathers; specifically, items that grow in power the longer a characater wields it. Certainly creating an item out of legend is a simple matter of backstory; however, the point of the post is to find out what problems I'm going to encounter doling out these items that are a) incredibly rare, and b) stick with a character for long periods of time.

In my campaign, I have a Feat called Signature Item, that covers the same sort of thing. It allows the character to spend XP to improve the item; paying 10% of the gp cost of the magic effect in XP. It also protects the item from casual loss or destruction. If the item is purposely destroyed or irrecovably lost, the character can recreate the item by spending 1% of the gp cost in XP.
The limit on magic in the item is half the value on Table 2-24 (Wealth by Level) in the DMG. The character may double this limit by taking the feat a second time for the same item.
The character may spend 100XP per day on the item, or 200XP if he does nothing else (except necessities like sleeping and eating) that day.

If you don't want it to require a feat, double the cost (20% of the gp value).

Geoff.

 

[Endur]

I have been thinking I'm going to exactly the same thing (and we had a discussion about this topic and a low magic world in the rules forum last week).

You might have to think seriously about your magic system. I mean, what level characters are we talking about here? If you are going to have 15th level characters running about, all of a sudden you have day long +5 GMW spells. The persistent spell feat and all of the other one hour per level spells that duplicate magic items may become an issue. While those spells are close to game-breaking in a world with magic items, they became very powerful in a low magic world.

Tom

However, what problems am I going to run into here? I've already thought of the problem with critters that can only be hit by enchanted weapons, and of the problems weaning standard D&D players off of the common magic item mentality. Any other ideas?

 

[Ravellion]

In Weis' Soulforge (or was it Brothers in Arms?), Raistlin tries to do research on the Staff of Magius that has been given to him by his order. It has many powers, but he only knows the command words for a few - though he bluffs that he has mastered the staff a lot more than he actually has at the end of Chronicles (If you should believe the annotations - which were given by Weis & Hickman, so no real reason not to)

Perhaps you could set a Knowledge (Arcana) DC which could be tried once per level for command word items, with many abilities at progressively higher DCs.

Rav

 

[333 Dave]

Yeah, last time I read Chronicles the only thing he did with the Staff of Magius was use it as a lamp or fighting stick. Shirak! Dulak!

 

[RodneyThompson]

You might have to think seriously about your magic system.

Oh, it's a completely different system. It's a spell point system, with a reduced number of spells, though each one can be altered by adding points to it -- a combination of the Wheel of Time magic system and the psionic point system. Characters that run out of spell points can "draw" magic from the world around them, though with negative effects. For example, if you've expended your personal energy for the day, you can draw to cast a healing spell, but it kills all plant life in a 10 foot radius as it draws energy out, etc. Items that are around magic or places of power, or significant events, can begin to draw automatically, thus creating magic items. There are very few characters capable of crafting a magic item, maybe two or three in the whole world, so legendary items can be integrated fairly quickly.

 

[Ravellion]

Yeah, last time I read Chronicles the only thing he did with the Staff of Magius was use it as a lamp or fighting stick. Shirak! Dulak!

He also knows how to use the ability to feather fall with it (when escaping from the inn). And apparently it increases his spellcasting ability (Reroll all 1s on d6s when rolling for damage or so)

Rav

 

[Rackhir]

A good fantasy book that has some of what you are trying to get at and might be a good source of ideas in any case, is Glen Cook's "The Swordbearer" (Same guy who wrote the Black Company Books). The primary sword is basically a stormbringer clone, but I think the attitude towards magic items is similar to what you are looking for.

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

Moridin, your suggestion of Legendary weapons reminds of a game a followed (but did not play in). It was a viking game where the group played for about a year and a half and only found three magic items, each one completely unique. The players loved it. If I see one of the players, I'll have him get in touch with you.

You might also consider allowing your PCs to create there own Legendary Weapon (similar to the Samurai's Katana from OA). This allows for the player to craft a cool weapon that
1) they have a great personal attatchment too
2) that they can customize as they see fit
They may not start with it (it could be currently owned by the character's father, lost or owned by a family enemy, or just a weapon the character is familiar with (like the King's blade)) and can create tons of adventure hooks.

 

[Plane Sailing]

However, what problems am I going to run into here? I've already thought of the problem with critters that can only be hit by enchanted weapons, and of the problems weaning standard D&D players off of the common magic item mentality. Any other ideas?

This is one of the things I did in my campaign world (and nixed the craft magic weapon feats - lost lore and all that).

One thing that is very useful is to include some additional grades of masterwork instead - perhaps one nation is renowned for its swordsmithing techniques and can create masterpiece swords (+2 nonmagic bonus), while the monks of Zag have a particular style of heavy mace which does +1 damage.

I.e. introduce world-specific "superior" weapons which are available at a cost (or by going there), and which act as differentiators in lieu of magic.

Cheers