D&D 4E Legacy Weapons Match 4e

[Gundark]

I really liked the idea of legacy weapons....hope to see it in the core....with different mechanics.

 

[Wormwood]

I really liked the idea of legacy weapons....hope to see it in the core....with different mechanics.

Precisely.

Add me to the 'great concept, poor execution' chorus.

 

[Greg K]

Add me to those that like the idea behind Legacy weapons, but would like different mechanics. Then again, I have been doing something like Legacy weapons since 1e without the need for hard rules.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Note however that as it stands right now you cannot choose what enhancements go into your legacy weapon. You're stuck with the progression spelled out in the weapon's description, save for DM's discretion of course.

I believe there is a feat that allows you greater mastery of what abilities your weapon has, as well as other feats to recharge abilities your item has.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Well, we also have Item Familiars from Unearthed Arcana. Sentient Weapons from one of the Books of Eldritch Might (I think it was #3), Artifacts of the Ages by The Game Mechanics, and I'm sure I'm missing an effort or two.

 

[MerricB]

The biggest problem with Legacy Items wasn't really the penalties - although there were instances where they were overly harsh. No, it was that the magic item abilities were - like most magic items through 3e - overcosted.

The most terrifying Legacy Item I've designed and had in play is a ring that is intelligent and can cast a 9th level Scorching Ray (that's two rays) at will. So, every turn in combat it emits two rays in addition to whatever its wearer does. That made the penalties worthwhile!

Cheers!

 

[Li Shenron]

1. They take a lot of gold to use.

2. They are more than just one type of item. This reduces the amount of items and gives players something 'cool'.

3. They increase in power as the character levels and allows the character and the item to grow as one.

Opinions? Been discussed to death already?

I would be happy if 4e items were like Weapons of Legacy, if and only if they removed the penalties associated with them (and if WoL were the standard rules for magic items, the reason for those penalties will not exist anymore).

 

[Holy Bovine]

I use legacy items in my games and always will from now on. I completely rebuilt the cost/benefit formula though to make it actually worthwhile for a character to keep them. It just took a little work and thought to see it through.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

D20 Rokugan had something similar that seemed to work quite well. It cost 1 feat to have the ability to bond with a weapon or armor. I don't have the rules on me right now but it was something like a +1 bonus (or +1 bonus equivalent) every other level with a gp and minor xp cost. The other thing was that only the bonder had access to these powers, but for everyone else it was just a normal weapon. There were no other penalties other than the cost of 1 feat. As it was Japanese Samurai inspired it allowed for people to use an ancestral sword throughout thier career, while at the same time preventing looting of the dead (which was disshonorable).

 

[Aristotle]

I've seen several different approaches to legacy or leveled items. I'd love to see some variation of that in the core. It makes for a decent replacement to constant weapon upgrades. The idea of a father's sword growing in power as the son learns to wield it seems pretty integral to fantasy.

Here's hoping.