How to hide a sword

[Black Omega]

Basic question. If someone wants to carry around a sword sheathed but not have it noticed by people until drawn, what would be the power for this? Change Environ to effect perception rolls? Invise with limitations? This is for a wuxia level game.

[ghost-angel]

Is the sword bought using a Focus (I'm assuming yes)? Then some form of Concealment Skill, otherwise Images: Set Effect- Sword is "something else", sight, touch groups.

If it's not through a Focus, then hiding the sword is SFX.

[mirage]

Basic question. If someone wants to carry around a sword sheathed but not have it noticed by people until drawn, what would be the power for this? Change Environ to effect perception rolls? Invise with limitations? This is for a wuxia level game.

A trenchcoat is all that's required.

Just watch Highlander.

[shadowcat1313]

depends on what your hiding it in for that matter, I have a cane with a rapier blade equivilant in it here, and I've seen a quarterstaff with a katana blade in it

[Curufea]

It really does depend on how you want to hide it. Taking it from a small space could be dimensional movement, or desolid, or just shrinking/growth. If it's hidden, it can be concealment, invisibility or mental illusions.

[sinanju]

Buy the sword as a power (HKA, etc) with the Limitation: Only In Hero ID. When you're Joe Schmo, man on the street, the sword doesn't show. When you confront another immortal--uh, I mean, another guy, you reach into your jacket, and--presto!--you pull out your big-*** sword! Now you're Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod! Or, uh, whoever.

[Black Omega]

Basic idea is more similar to Glyph of Obscuring I've seen in some books. Basically the item is not noticed by most people until attention is drawn to it.

So Highlander quotes don't help much, though they are amusing. It's not a limitation, so I won't use HIO. Though...concealment bought as a power might be perfect for this. It's not a big advantage, so should not cost a huge amount.

[Duke Bushido]

You could go the Harbinger of Bullets route---

just have the sword be someplace else, and build a Summon to bring it to you when you need it. If you don't have it, they can't find it.

And as G-A pointed out, and a player of mine once used to good advantage, if you didn't buy it as a Focus or with the Real Weapon Limitations, then the sword itself is just SFX-- simply announce that it's hidden, and it's hidden, findable only by GM fiat.

[Black Rose]

The Duke makes a good point above (no Focus = no sword until you say). Depending on your point levels, I'd say use Concealment; if it's something the sword (as opposed to the wielder) does, make it part of the sword's build, otherwise give the (N)PC Concealment, maybe with limited levels "only to hide swords". Like this:

Slipped This Claymore In Me Vest Pocket: Concealment 12-*/17- (13 Active Points) only to hide swords on person (-1). Total Cost: 8 points.


*Assuming a Dex of 13-17; YMMV.

[The Monster]

Would it be as simple as making the sword an Inobvious focus? People wouldn't notice it until it was used (maybe a modifier on the Inobvious), but it's still there if they really look for it.

[Duke Bushido]

Hmmm....
I'd almost think that this would be an individual GM's call, as there are going to be a lot of variables. For example, if it were a pendant that 'became a sword' when you needed it, then sure-- it's well hidden. Major bonus against searches.

But if it's a sword, well-- it's a sword. The sticking point here is the 'inobvious' part. Perfectly legal build, but an interesting dillemma. Obviously, we're taking it as given that the GM has approved the use of 'Inobvious' for this weapon, so we'll dispense with that part.

So it boils down to how to interpret the "Inobvious" part-- is it that the sword itself is somehow easily overlooked or concealed? Or is it that even when directly examined it does not point itself out as a valid, useful weapon? Perhaps it appears to be an ornamental trinket of some sort.

Yep. I'm gonna have to say that, assuming this build was allowed, the handling of concealing it would decidedly be a case-by-case GM call.

Neat quandry, though!

[steriaca]

Can I mention "Hammerspace", or has someone else beaten me to it?

[Michael Hopcroft]

Can I mention "Hammerspace", or has someone else beaten me to it?

You can mention it, but I'll have to send Akane Tendo after you if you do. All I'd have to say is "Your panties? I think I saw Sterica running off with them!" and you're in for a world of hurt.

And then you'll experience Hammerspace first-hand, and why it is best reserved for cimedy campaigns.

There was a serious use of something that might have been Hammerspace in the new Doctor Who, when Captain Jack had been stripped completely naked and tied down to a table and still managed to whip out a pistol and shoot two robots that were about to decapitate him. All he's saying is "You don't want to know where I got that."

And given Captain Jack's well-noted tendency to **** anything in the Unievsre that is capable of ****ing or beinf ****ed, I'd say he was absoltuely right.

[Duke Bushido]

Uhm...

Hammerspace? :thinking:

[steriaca]

You can mention it, but I'll have to send Akane Tendo after you if you do. All I'd have to say is "Your panties? I think I saw Sterica running off with them!" and you're in for a world of hurt.

And then you'll experience Hammerspace first-hand, and why it is best reserved for cimedy campaigns.

There was a serious use of something that might have been Hammerspace in the new Doctor Who, when Captain Jack had been stripped completely naked and tied down to a table and still managed to whip out a pistol and shoot two robots that were about to decapitate him. All he's saying is "You don't want to know where I got that."

Your right...I don't want to experence Akane's use of Hamerspace first hand.

Oh, and the most simplest way to explain Hamerspace in HERO terms is "It looks like a focus, but it is not".

Another example of this 'space' is Lunaspace, where Luna, Sailor Moon, and the other Sailor Scouts/Sailor Senshi keep all there wands and transformation devices.