tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post5342678898070175504..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: growing into the awesomeJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-44591364110391957142010-05-11T11:54:56.284-05:002010-05-11T11:54:56.284-05:00Reminds me of a magic item we had available locall...Reminds me of a magic item we had available locally for Living Greyhawk, when 3.0 had just come out and things were not as stratified as they became. This item was a +1 weapon, but you kept track of the next 20 critical hit rolls you made with it and what circumstances they were under. Once you'ld accumulated those 20 critical hits, the local folks in charge of the campaign would look over that list and give your weapon a special ability based on how it had excelled in the past.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14934359516519013740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-83753584968943594612010-05-09T16:34:07.774-05:002010-05-09T16:34:07.774-05:00I was considering something like this, but have th...I was considering something like this, but have the PC suffer an experience point penalty in exchange for a new power every other level beginning at 2nd level. That is, should the character receive a legacy weapon at 1st level, it will develop its first power at 2nd level, then at 4th, 6th, 8th, and so on.<br /><br />I am not sure how much of a penalty I will impose (maybe +10-15%/level), nor what kind of abilities I'll permit for the weapon in question.<br /><br />Oh, and I was thinking that only fighting-men [and MAYBE clerics] can wield weapons of legacy. Magic-users - particularly at higher levels - simply have too much going for them (though I am willing to be persuaded...).<br /><br />FotHmactavishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17863937666133661581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-40933428354031023732010-05-07T10:19:42.527-05:002010-05-07T10:19:42.527-05:00Really good idea. The early 3rd edition module Nem...Really good idea. The early 3rd edition module Nemoren's Vault had a sword like this in it, with the powers lined out at each level - not random, but otherwise similar. I liked that idea, hated Weapons of Legacy. <br /><br />The best thing about this approach IMO is that it eliminates much of the "magic item as commodity" syndrome (other than maybe potions and scrolls) as there are far fewer swords etc laying around because once the players find one, they don't need to find a better one every few levels to keep up the power curve. It means a 5-man party only needs to find 5-10 weapons over the course of their career instead of 20-30 or more.Blacksteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16289298640828309072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-33199208963810572972010-05-07T02:08:51.404-05:002010-05-07T02:08:51.404-05:00We have a few grumpy young women as well.
At a lo...<b>We have a few grumpy young women as well.</b><br /><br />At a local convention a couple of weeks ago, I had a middle-of-the-night lobby chat with a 13-year old girl (and a large group of her friends) which mainly consisted of her griping about WotC's 4th edition and talking about her searches for alternatives.<br /><br />This was partly delightful, and mainly just an excuse for me to feel really, REALLY old.<br /><br />Fortunately, after a while the conversation shifted to the topic of pixel art.S. John Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284417121877141161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-87786945317425761562010-05-06T14:19:51.263-05:002010-05-06T14:19:51.263-05:00I wrapped up a 2E campaign recently where the play...I wrapped up a 2E campaign recently where the players powered their own artifacts through the souls of their slain enemies, much like any of a number of video games you might have played. When their item accumulated enough Soul Points, they got to infuse it with a 29th Level Daily Attack Power of their choice from the 4th Edition PHB. It was a hit.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10964150978134157535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-43614055384263558452010-05-06T13:05:31.329-05:002010-05-06T13:05:31.329-05:00Good over all solution, and elegant too. Nice!Good over all solution, and elegant too. Nice!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997164906328234122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-91804176893463039642010-05-06T12:55:55.301-05:002010-05-06T12:55:55.301-05:00Chiming in with ideas for handling this in 4e. Jus...Chiming in with <a href="http://blogofholding.com/?p=129" rel="nofollow">ideas for handling this in 4e.</a> Justin, I mentioned a lot of the same problems with legacy-style items as you (for instance, an improving sword counts as a +1, +2, +3, etc sword), although not the hilarious weirdness specific to the Weapons of Legacy implementation.Paul Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04147503570146953297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-91783212663034512902010-05-06T12:54:18.249-05:002010-05-06T12:54:18.249-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Paul Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04147503570146953297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-11759568153555899472010-05-06T11:43:23.325-05:002010-05-06T11:43:23.325-05:00One thing to watch out for with systems like this ...One thing to watch out for with systems like this is the issue of treasure. What you have with an item like this is a periodic, semi-automatic rewarding of treasure: When the weapon powers up from +2 to +3, it's functionally little different from the PCs finding a +3 weapon in a stash of treasure.<br /><br />This has two major impacts:<br /><br />(1) Does this reduce the thrill of treasure-finding? If the PC already has a power-up sword, does this turn any magical swords they may find into hum-drum?<br /><br />OTOH, I suspect the fun of randomly checking/generating the powers at level-up probably serves to replace this thrill-moment with something equivalent.<br /><br />(2) Is it disrupting the balance of the game? If you allow magic items to be sold (and if you don't, I'm always curious what the PCs are supposed to do with magic items they don't have a use for), you're effectively bumping up the total treasure haul (because they'll be selling those magic swords instead of swapping them out).<br /><br />And even if you don't allow magic items to be sold, you still want to watch out for unconsciously adjusting the treasure hauls: You don't want to stop giving magic swords just because the PCs are "sworded up" with their power-up items. In this scenario, the PCs end up with a wider array of more powerful magic than they would have otherwise.<br /><br />I had a post awhile back spit-balling <a href="http://www.thealexandrian.net/archive/archive2009-02b.html#20090211" rel="nofollow">ideas for handling this in 3.x</a> (including my own excorciating critique of the sub-par WoL). They probably work less well / are less necessary for the unbalanced older editions of the game, but similar ideas can mitigate these issues. (Possibly while suggesting cool alternatives: For example, vampiric items that can drain the mojo out of other magic items for their own benefit. But they require a living conduit to channel/convert the energy, which is where the PC -- and the energy potential of the PCs' soul as expressed through their level -- comes into play).Justin Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02227895898395353754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-52626775491601652752010-05-06T07:32:13.321-05:002010-05-06T07:32:13.321-05:00I came close to buying WoL a week or so ago (it wa...I came close to buying WoL a week or so ago (it was heavily discounted). I'm glad I passed. I am a 3.5 player and even I think it sounds like overkill.<br /><br />Someone wrote about this concept in an issue of The Crusader (not sure if it was Steve Chenault or not). It was the same general concept, but much less formalized. Basically, rather than distributing magic weapons and such in loot stashes, why not let a PC's weapon grow in power as he grows. Random tables are always fun, but the GM could simply rule that a sword has gained hill giant slaying power because it was used in a bad-arse hill giant battle.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14530179506824150455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-11497414035464278802010-05-05T21:45:59.083-05:002010-05-05T21:45:59.083-05:00"DM: I don't know. This is just an examp...<i>"DM: I don't know. This is just an example and Jeff's still working out the details."</i><br /><br />Thanks very much. I was trying to drink tea while I was reading that. And I'm wearing a white jacket.Shaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17634710504662517005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-11613091834497007962010-05-05T21:36:21.859-05:002010-05-05T21:36:21.859-05:00When I was GM'ing Earthdawn I had a variant ru...When I was GM'ing Earthdawn I had a variant rule on the legendary weapons. This allowed for the mundane weapon that a player had to get magical the more heroic things they did with it.<br /><br />This had an interesting side-effect of making my players (and there-by their characters) become useful, heroic good people, rather than the bumbling evil players they usually are.telliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01594595988337944332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-21858034387962320692010-05-05T19:21:48.783-05:002010-05-05T19:21:48.783-05:00you have to check out this post from matt . . .
...you have to check out this post from matt . . . <br /><br />http://matt-landofnod.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-does-1d10-damage-look-like.html#comment-form<br /><br />what more could you want from a great sword?Clovis Cithoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208194219083373456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-87053087217311400062010-05-05T18:22:19.270-05:002010-05-05T18:22:19.270-05:00Ooooo! How about those random tables from Stormbri...Ooooo! How about those random tables from Stormbringer for when you put a demon or an elemental in an item?Ragnorakkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03812860633134547618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-79819687682825558602010-05-05T17:11:04.828-05:002010-05-05T17:11:04.828-05:00The really excellent "3.75" game Fantasy...The really excellent "3.75" game FantasyCraft from Crafty Games has an artifact system that allows you to level-up your magic items. In addition to experience, heroes earn Renown, which can be spent to buy specific reputations, contacts, property, and magic items (in fact, even if you build your own magic item, you have to dedicate Renown) to it). You're capped as to how many "prizes" you can carry, so it encourages players to have one or two really awesome items, rather than tons and tons of crappy ones.<br /><br />Because Renown is spent at the player's choice, it's up to them to decide whether they want to slog along with a weaker magic item that they found earlier, while accumulating other Renown0based rewards, or cashing in points to upgrade the item. When an artifact is upgraded, the player and GM are encouraged to come up with a cool subplot-adventure that explains the sudden influx of juice into the item.<br /><br />That said, I love the idea of the random roll; I'm all for players having to be surprised and not being able to plan their advancement.Adam Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16931127741458835543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-91914838568989228912010-05-05T16:48:28.571-05:002010-05-05T16:48:28.571-05:00I have each class (the 5 I use) get a different ty...I have each class (the 5 I use) get a different type of "Character Item".<br /><br />Warriors get trademark items, thieves lucky items, clerics relics etc.<br /><br />Each is given by a 2d6 check if something happens. ie, thieves get 7 after a heist, clerics doubles, warriors their opponents level or less. etc etc.Zzarchovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07714805545939725730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-23297689719536717352010-05-05T15:55:38.263-05:002010-05-05T15:55:38.263-05:00I am so gonna steal this... The idea, not your swo...I am so gonna steal this... The idea, not your sword. That would be wrong ;)Tenkarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159289652051155824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-37210415187298972192010-05-05T15:29:34.631-05:002010-05-05T15:29:34.631-05:00I think you have read your Weapons of Legacy wrong...I think you have read your Weapons of Legacy wrong, Jeff. You don't have take any feats or prestige classes to use the junk of legacy. You get the 'activation feats' for free if you do the required rituals or actions that unlock the item's powers. The actions are usually quests like slay a diamond dragon or climb the highest mountain or defend a red-haired old man.<br /><br />You can take additional feats etc to boost the abilities but usually it's not worth it.<br /><br />Secondly the book includes great rules for forging your own legacy. My players have used them to creating items which have powers related to the results of their adventures.Pekkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13104355467265113471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-48682729193201511132010-05-05T14:28:56.206-05:002010-05-05T14:28:56.206-05:00Dude...you have some of the most badass ideas of a...Dude...you have some of the most badass ideas of all time. Mmm...or wait, maybe I'm confusing you with D. Bowman over at Sham's. Well, whatever.<br /><br />This is a fantastic idea. If you don't publish this in a useable form I am going to make it a downloadable supplement and everyone else be damned!<br /><br />Growing into the awesome indeed!<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-89245942329694812622010-05-05T14:17:24.661-05:002010-05-05T14:17:24.661-05:00I like it! There was a setting for 3rd ed, called ...I like it! There was a setting for 3rd ed, called Midnight, where I think this idea originated. I'm going to use it for a campaign, some day.<br /><br />Random tables are a great addition to an already great idea.AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-88976507026772920102010-05-05T13:35:00.532-05:002010-05-05T13:35:00.532-05:00I like the idea, but perhaps you have to choose wh...I like the idea, but perhaps you have to choose which weapon you "unlock" when you gain the level. <br /><br />One problem I see is that the new power could be very underwhelming, and the player ditches the item in favor of an older one. Maybe that's okay, as in "this sword was wielded once for a few seasons by the Mad King Korgoth while he fought Ogres in the Ogre Hills". This could be easily avoided by letting the player pick the specifics of the power - like with your "choose a recently slain monster to gain +2 damage against". <br /><br />But it's also possible this could feel like opening the little prize from a toy machine and finding out it's a crappy orange spider ring.<br /><br />Overall it's a pretty cool way to do things. I've tried implementnig a similar growth-item in D&D before, but the player typically just obsessed over trying to level it up as quickly as possible. Tying it to a regular level-up sounds good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-90518881764921737612010-05-05T13:21:59.288-05:002010-05-05T13:21:59.288-05:00Very nice.
Earthdawn tied items to their history,...Very nice.<br /><br />Earthdawn tied items to their history, by discovering the item's history and following actions linked to the item's purpose, it gained more powers. You could do that by having the player suggest the legend of the blade and taking steps to "reforge" that legend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-67154228272272013672010-05-05T12:34:18.072-05:002010-05-05T12:34:18.072-05:00Of course I love the idea of a bunch of random cha...Of course I love the idea of a bunch of random charts to roll against. This feels like a really good implementation of the WoL idea, especially the adding the epithet part.<br /><br />I would probably have a few "Pre-made" weapons rolled up and placed in various locales. There's something about knowing the powers that are yet to manifest in advance to generate a story about the weapon.sycarionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13741233143540350684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-62691877253739252272010-05-05T12:20:48.797-05:002010-05-05T12:20:48.797-05:00My own ruminations on the game have run down this ...My own ruminations on the game have run down this path, but I never went the random route. Like all worhtwhile discoveries it was right there staring us all in the face all these years. I'm going to give it the unlooked-for approval the best way I know how. I'm going to steal it, work on it and use it right away. Thanks Jeff. <br /><br />P.S. - for hose that award XP for treasure... how would you figure the sword's XP value and when would it be earned?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-28755276756825927402010-05-05T12:11:43.092-05:002010-05-05T12:11:43.092-05:00Jeff, you have my approval on this.
You know, jus...Jeff, you have my approval on this.<br /><br />You know, just in case you wondered about that.Dr Rotwanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16750632906878388570noreply@blogger.com