What would a Roman Legion standard do in 3E?

[Emiricol]

What sorts of features and powers would the standard of a Roman Legion have? How about the individual Centuries that make it up?

I imagine, with nearly 1000 years of history going into it, that the Legion standard would be near-artifact quality, while the Century standards would be more like major wondrous items, and would like that to be the baseline assumption for this conversation.

Discuss and debate

PS - I shredded the muscles in my left shoulder and have a ton of internal bleeding, and more drugs than Columbia, at the moment - so I can't post very much during the next week or two but will monitor this thread

 

[Willtell]

Just a start

Minimum enchartment could be a bless like power on serving members of the unit if they are within x feet.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

If using a d20 mass combat system (if there are, or will be, any), I'd say it would also give a bonus to whatever morale game mechanic is used if it is within sight, and a penalty if it is seized and/or destroyed by the enemy.

 

[DM with a vengence]

Depends on the power level.

A new standard might have some sort of bless effect on nearby soldiers.

A more powerful one would also have a Minor Globe of Invulneability, and possibly a +2 morale bonus.

A really powerful epic one could make entire cohorts invisible (Mass Invisibility), haste troops, use some sort of mass bull's strength ability, and summon the spirit of dead legionaires to help their comrades.

SHARK would know a lot more about this, as his Vallorean Empire is sort of a high magic variation on Rome.

 

[Hygric]

I would guess that protective abilities would be very popular, such as being able to grant spell resistance, fire resistance etc. After all, how many legionares fit in a 20' radius burst?

A thought just occured to me. What if the standard could function kind of like a rod of absorbtion, but absorbing spells targetted on the legion itself rather than just the standard bearer?

 

[Left-handed Hummingbird]

I agree that standards warding against enemy spell casters would be most desirable. It is only logical that an army develops countermeasures against the technology (magic or otherwise) they are facing.

 

[Sanackranib]

legion

they would use shield wass extensivly and whomp on less well trained units in the field.

 

[Squire James]

I'd guess the standards would affect any member of the century that is "reasonably close" to it. This would usually be line-of-sight, but some allowances should be made for those who are over a hill from the standard (they "know" it's there). Effects would end immediately if the standard falls (and those out of sight would immediately "know" it's not there anymore).

Each standard should probably be different. Their effects are probably common knowledge in the Empire. For instance, the 23rd's standard does a Remove Fear, but the 36th's standard grants Divine Favor. Foreigners probably wouldn't know unless they fought that group before.

One interesting twist is to require the standard-bearer to be a proper class to cast the spell it grants, and the level of the bearer determines the caster level of the effect. A High Priest of 15th level would grant +5 weapons with the Standard of Greater Magic Weapon, while a 3rd level wizard holding the same standard would grant only +1 weapons.