Would You Brave A Deadly Dungeon For This Weapon?

[Lord Mhoram]

My character wouldn't - Monk. No need of weapons.

The concepts seems okay though.

 

[Herobizkit]

DE that shizz for some mad mats.

But both weapons are decent and their descriptions are well written.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I agree both weapons are very well written and sound interesting.

My current PC wouldn't quest specifically for either of them as he rather use a Falchion instead of a trident or earth breaker, though he does use an earth breaker as a secondary weapon when he needs to pound on things that are DR slashing/piercing. He'd definitely be up to braving a dangerous dungeon for the experiences he is sure to have down there and the other loot that he can possibly get/sell.

In general, I think questing for weapons is fun if I've heard rumors about an uber-powerful weapon that has been lost for ages in a dangerous place. At the very least I could sell it if not use it and see where things go with the battle of wills to control the ego. It could be a quest in itself on how to learn to control the weapon and break its will to be subverted by my PC.

 

[Tinner]

In my experience, players are not interested in weapons like these.
Anything with this serious of a drawback is immediately suspect, and when that drawback is possibly losing control of your character, which for all intents and purposes means not getting to really play the game, well, like Crothian said, who would want these?

If your goal is to use the promise of power to lure your characters into these dungeons. Why not simply tell them that deep inside the dungeon is a magical fountain that when they place their OWN weapon into it will imbue their blade with the power of a red dragon's soul?
My players would be much more likely to jump at that option than to knowingly quest for a weapon they may not be proficient in, and that might take them over. This way, it will be that much more of a surprise when the soul now bound in their weapon begins communicating with them.

 

[gamerprinter]

I've never created a dungeon, nor sent characters into a dungeon to find any single magic item, intelligent sword or otherwise. Such an item might exist within a dungeon, and gathering items from dungeons is part of any dungeon exploration. While material gain is a part of dungeon exploration, I've never limited my dungeons to that purpose alone. It's usually something grander, and that grand thing is never something you can buy or sell.

 

[jefgorbach]

The basic question is not whether the group would seek a SPECIFIC item (intelligent or not), but rather why presumably more experienced/prepared groups have not already deciphered the available Lore and recovered it – unless the foreshadowed grief of dealing with the potential fall-out/interested parties simply weren’t worth the effort of recovering it. For instance, a national/regional heirloom obviously remains their property and thus subject to immediate confiscation and criminal repercussions; profoundly limiting the group’s future options/movement.

On a side-note, the GM involvement for Intelligent items is essentially the same Familiars, Henchmen, and/or Special Mount sub-themes.