Favors and Gear and Prestige And Ancient Relics! (related to Digging for Lies)

[al_fredo]

HI..Three things!!

So I see the Favor/Prestige system got a tweak in the new Player's guide. I like it for the better. As an example, my level6 players of Prestige 3 with Risur...so getting an Uncommon item up to level 10 (which I don't even think they could afford) is instant. And if the party has more than 8 (i have 4 PCs), it takes "A Day".

So...It makes getting Uncommon much easier....and typically, a day wait. I feel that's fair. I will likely revoke my rule that made RHC evidence locker items 'not count'.

It says the party can call a favor per group per day, and uses the example of requisitioning a flaming sword. Are we saying that each item requisitioned is a favor, and if my PCs level up - only one PC can get a new item (or it takes a day per item)? I don't like that, and I'm thinking gear requests don't count against.



Secondly: Risur Favors:
* Level 1. An officer to provide back-up or investigate a lead for you.One soldier to fight alongside you. (See Allied Stats, page 60.)
* Level 2. Four officers or soldiers. A level 6 ritual caster who can
perform several rituals (the PCs pay for any ritual components).
* Level 3. A squad of twelve officers, or a unit of twelve soldiers.
A level 10 ritual caster.
* Level 4. A precinct-wide alert for all officers to assist. Four 12-soldier
units. A level 12 ritual caster.


Are there typos here?? I was thinking that 4 officers = 1 solider. Level 2 makes them equivalent. My party is venturing to the Ziggurat of Apet, and wants back up for the week. (+2). They can get a level 2 favor (now 4, for the week's time) done in 'a day', with prestige of 3. which means "4 Officers or Soliders". Using the last version...I think that should be 4 Officers or 1 Solider? And these dudes will be hanging with them to the Zigguraut. Does that sound right?

In addition: The player's guide has Allied officer (level 1 minon) and the Allied Solider (level5) with normal attack powers actions that you roll for. In Digging For Lies the Allied Solider is a Level 6, with the auto hit powers. Also...the rules changed. So far, these Allies couldn't die unless the PC died. Now, they get knocked out on 1 hit...or die if hit for more than 11hp.

Which is the correct to use?



FINALLY:
My group likes the Ancient artifacts. But, we don't have a staff or greatsword user. Similarly with other 'special' items in the campaign...what is the process for getting the magic transferred to a weapon/armor that a PC can use? Or upgraded to a +2/+3 version of the same? But story-wise...would Hans Weber allow the transfer to occur? These are historical artifacts!!!!

Thanks!!

 

[RangerWickett]

1. Requisitioning between adventures doesn't require using Prestige. Requisitioning in the middle of an adventure does, and it counts as a favor. Our general idea was that the party wouldn't necessarily change their magic gear immediately upon leveling up during adventures -- this provides some incentive to use the magic items they discover, even if they're not a perfect fit for the party. They can requisition some new items, but a complete item swap is probably out of the question.


2. If you want someone for a fight, call in a soldier. If you want someone to do police work, call in an officer.

We changed the rules a bit to get rid of auto-hitting and to allow for NPC death. It make things less gamist and adds more verisimilitude. I suggest you use the new stats presented in the Expanded Player's Guide.


3. There's a ritual in 4e to transfer enchantments. I think it was something like 5th level. And you can use the normal 'Enchant Item' ritual to increase the enhancement bonus of gear.

Weber would want the artifacts available for his exhibition (and the physical item is more interesting to him than its magical powers), but if the party wanted to keep the items they could requisition them. National security takes precedence over historical exhibits.

 

[al_fredo]

Thanks for this.

I think I'm going to ignore the gear request as favors. It will turn too much into a book-keeping exercise for my players- who got to upgrade this day, why do I have all this gold and nothing to buy, etc. A favor also includes just buying some Uncommon potions...which to me seems more like a service the RHC would provide, and not a 'favor' per se. A simple Gravespawn potion needs a favor. And you can't ask for that plus something you really might need (like a ship).

The ritual you speak of is "Transfer Enchantment" which limits on a per implement basis and limits on "type only":

The receiving item must occupy the same magic item slot (head, waist, armor, and so on) and be the same type (wand, rod, weapon, and so on) as the original item. The enchantment to be moved must be valid for the receiving item, so that you cannot transfer ranged weapon properties to melee weapons, cloth-only armor properties to chainmail, and so on.

So, I take this as the Staff of the Ancients can only go to another staff (which makes me wonder why you would want to do this in the first place). Furthermore, the Blade of the Ancients lists its possible weapons as "Greatsword" - and looking at the last line, it would seem that this is a greatsword only property, and therefore cannot be moved to Longsword.

I might let this slide as well, though. It's not fun having money you can't spend, items you discover and can't use...and debating with your party who gets to upgrade their armor today. So far, zero of the found items in the adventure are in my party's hands. I want to concentrate more on the story than inventory logistics.

 

[RangerWickett]

I assumed that the transfer enchantment would let you move a weapon enchantment to any other weapon, armor to armor, implement to implement.

I see no problem whatsoever with having a wand of the ancients, dagger of the ancients, or spiked chain of the ancients.