Immortals Handbook - Grimoire (Artifacts, Epic Magic discussion)

[Farealmer3]

So it might have Hardness 20* but because it has 4-5 inches of thickness in places, that would be akin to DR 100/-

Do those stack or overlap?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hello there!

Do those stack or overlap?

Its a multiplier.

Hardness = per inch (as defacto standard)
Damage Reduction = Hardness x #inches.

Of course in this scenario it would be possible to lower a targets Damage Reduction by striking the same area with specific blows.

 

[Farealmer3]

U_K how much damage would you have a monomolecular longsword. You said you have 80 damage for a lightsaber(medium i would assume). Also would a monoblade ignore hardness.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey dude!

U_K how much damage would you have a monomolecular longsword. You said you have 80 damage for a lightsaber(medium i would assume).

I honestly can't recall offhand exactly how much. But I think I have monomolecular weapons at a lower progress level than lightsabres. So the damage would either be two-thirds (PL 7) or half (PL 6).

Also I don't recollect saying I would have a lightsabre deal 80 damage. I may have said 8d10 or something like that (allowing a potential 80 base damage).

PL2 = standard weaponry 1d8 for medium
PL3 = Mercurial weapons 2d6 for medium
etc.

PL8 = (Lightsabre) 8d8 medium, 12d6 two-handed, or 8d10 for bastard sword version.

Also would a monoblade ignore hardness.

Yes, but not force fields.

 

[Farealmer3]

Also I don't recollect saying I would have a lightsabre deal 80 damage. I may have said 8d10 or something like that (allowing a potential 80 base damage).

Yes, i just used the maximum when i refered to it.

Yes, but not force fields.

What about nonsupernatural Damage reduction?

 

[EarthSeraphEdna]

So each PL above 2 increases the base damage by one step, just like how each VSC also increases your base damage by one step... how does this fit in with the artifact system? What if an immortal was willing to settle for a lesser enhancement bonus on his weapons, in exchange for upgrading his neutronium bastard swords to neutronium monomolecular bastard swords?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy!

What about non supernatural Damage reduction?

non-supernatural damage reduction = hardness.

e.g. Barbarian DR = hardness, DR x/epic = supernatural

 

[Upper_Krust]

So each PL above 2 increases the base damage by one step, just like how each VSC also increases your base damage by one step...

Correct, but new technologies often add new features beyond mere damage (such as bypassing hardness etc.).

how does this fit in with the artifact system?

What if an immortal was willing to settle for a lesser enhancement bonus on his weapons, in exchange for upgrading his neutronium bastard swords to neutronium monomolecular bastard swords?

Progress Level weapons are an excuse for giving lesser beings (specifically mortals) artifact level destructive capability. They are not designed to give immortals further power ups. Remember at a certain juncture, magic and technology become indistinguishable.

So while you could have a god with advanced tech weaponry, they are unlikely to be more powerful than artifacts they would otherwise have.

I still vividly remember an adventure where Thrin was attacked on his home plane by two squads of dimension jumping Powered Armour 4th-level soldiers from a Cyberpunk 2020 campaign world. Exceptionally tough armour and repeating Grenade launchers almost finished off the nigh-invincible one.

 

[EarthSeraphEdna]

Progress Level weapons are an excuse for giving lesser beings (specifically mortals) artifact level destructive capability. They are not designed to give immortals further power ups. Remember at a certain juncture, magic and technology become indistinguishable.

So while you could have a god with advanced tech weaponry, they are unlikely to be more powerful than artifacts they would otherwise have.

But what if you were playing, say, a Greater Deity with double Science portfolios that has Strength only adequate to wield weapons made out of 0.003% Orichalcum? What if you wanted to trade in some of your enhancement bonus budget to make your weapon a monomolecular blade or a lightsaber to increase its base damage and make it bypass hardness?

 

[Farealmer3]

non-supernatural damage reduction = hardness.

e.g. Barbarian DR = hardness, DR x/epic = supernatural

Now your confusing me, so i'll just cut to the thing thats bugging me, if a monoblade strikes a modern tank will it do /anything at all? If not how far up the tech ladder do you need to climb before a single PL6 tank isn't completely invulnirable to melee weapons not weilded by rediculusly strong people/mechs/power armor?