matrix3 Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 What item stands out in your mind? Maybe it's something you came up with for your PC used, maybe it's something relatively ordinary that you or another player used in an innovative fashion, or maybe it's something you as a GM gave out that had unintended consequences. One that I heard about, but unfortunately never encountered myself, was TRAM, Troll SPAM. A resealable canister that held a block of magically suspended Troll flesh. Open the canister, it would start to regenerate, slice a chunk off into a hot pan (to stop the regeneration), and close the canister. Created as a fluke and intended as rations of last resort, it proved to be a great distraction generator. Sneak behind enemy lines, slice off a chunk or two (or twelve) of TRAM, scatter near the enemy tents, and evacuate the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? My personal favorite came out of the old Hero Games supplement Magic Items, for the first edition of Fantasy HERO (before the rules for the various Hero games were amalgamated into the Fourth Edition ruleset). The item was a great troll-forged battle axe named Harvest Moon for its crescent-shaped blade. Harvest Moon was fashioned from a material called "blood iron," iron mined from beneath a battlefield. Besides having great damaging power, blood iron weapons tended to pick up additional powers over time based on how they were used. Harvest Moon was employed by the trolls in wars against humans, so it absorbed the trolls' hatred of them. Humans wounded by the axe would bleed twice as fast as for normal wounds. Harvest Moon also generated a constant mental aura of antipathy which tended to make humans angry and hostile toward whoever possessed the axe. Cool name, interesting background, unique powers and a complication-inducing "curse" all made this an item I enjoyed introducing into my campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alibear Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Similar type of thing. The idea was that I wanted to hand out Magical Items to the players but that the items would not need to be upgraded as the power level increased. I also wanted to promote heroism in the players. HERO BLADES. Ten magic Items made by the worlds most powerful ever Articifer to arm his country's generals in a rebellion against an evil empire. 800 years later and one turns up and works it's way into a PC's hands.. The blades themselves are twinned with the wielder and start to take on the characteristics and power level of him (or her). The more Heroic the wielder is the more powerful the weapon becomes. A side effect of the blade's power was that the blade bought off the NCM for the wielder. I never told the player that, I wanted to wait and see if anyone was willing to pay to go beyond that threshold and then I was goona tell 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Duh. Holy Ice Cream Cone of Smiting. Sheesh. Ask a silly question... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygoneyrs Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Hmmm Cauldron of Souls - Magic item if used with the correct magical rituals, and if one sacrafices a virgin victum by adding their blood to the cauldron's mix and then they can make depending on the rituals used and power expended different Undead like; Skeltons, Zombies, Ghouls and the like. Other undead are also possible, but it all depends on the rituals used. Penn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrix3 Posted December 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Duh. Holy Ice Cream Cone of Smiting. Sheesh. Ask a silly question... Well, of course, but you could tell us how you came to possess a frozen confection created by Steven Long. And, did you have the Weapon Familiarity before or after acquiring it? If you already had the WF, then that could be a story on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? This was ages ago. I was sitting in the NGD, back before I had 100 rep and those with 100 rep were considered 'ascended' and I got into a pissing contest with Alice the Owl, as I was generally annoyed by the whole "We are G-ds here!" thing. And I demanded, if G-ds they be, that they produce an Ice Cream Cone. None of them could do it. And I stated, again, "All I want is an ice cream cone! With which to SMITE MY ENEMIES!" And down from on high, from the highest peaks, came a figure wrapped in holy tweed garments, bearing spectacles of deep insight! And lo, he turned unto me, and I was humbled. And he spoke, saying "A holy ice cream cone, huh? That's easy enough." AND BEHOLD! I was granted a Divine instrument of destruction! I've never let it out of my sight since. There can be no other signature, as this one is simply too perfect. And that is the (heavily embellished but totally true) story of how I received my Weapon of Choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? And that is the (heavily embellished but totally true) story of how I received my Weapon of Choice. After hearing that tale, I had to confirm it for myself: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41284 . Not really embellished at all, apart from Steve "descending from on high" and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? I'd also like to put in an Honorable Mention to the Rod of Seven Parts from the classic AD&D game. A super-weapon in several pieces that you have to find and reassemble provides so much story potential for quests, races against competitors, and rivalries between possessors of the fragments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? After hearing that tale' date=' I had to confirm it for myself: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41284 . Not really embellished at all, apart from Steve "descending from on high" and such. [/quote'] Hey man, I can't make this stuff up. It should be noted that Alice & I have been on pleasant terms ever since, and she has since repped me at random intervals, and been repped in return. LL, however, I occasionally smack with my ice cream cone because he gets outta line. That was one trip down memory lane, though. You must spread some rep around before giving it to the faceless, um... face again. Debt Paid: 12/14 @ 2:15pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Yuck Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? I've always loved D&Ds Wand of Force... Essentially a lightsaber that can also do some other nice tricks. Hmmmmm... I'll just have to make it for FH now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? There's about a half gazillion (yes, it's a real number, no don't look it up, just take my word on it) different builds for 'lightsaber' flying around here. I'm sure you could easily whip up something appropriately nasty. I always did love that thing. I was 13 or 14 when I first came across it in Unearthed Arcana and immediately went "OH! D&D LIGHTSABER!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonio Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? [...] gazillion (yes' date=' it's a real number, no don't look it up, just take my word on it) [...'] Gazillion Sorry, hadda do it. =/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Uppity kids... *hobble... hobble* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? What item stands out in your mind? Maybe it's something you came up with for your PC used' date=' maybe it's something relatively ordinary that you or another player used in an innovative fashion, or maybe it's something you as a GM gave out that had unintended consequences.[/quote'] My favorite story has got to the sword and the box. The PC went on a quest to get the most powerful magic sword in the world. Now, to prevent just ANYONE from getting the sword, whoever touched the box and was not Chaotic Evil would simply die. Player: "How big is the box? How heavy is the box?" GM: "It's just a box, big enough to hold the sword." And so the player had TWO magic items. A mighty powerful sword, and the box it came in. Player: "Is he Chaotic Evil?" GM: "How are you checking?" Player: "I hit him with the box. Is he dead?" GM: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrix3 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? My favorite story has got to the sword and the box. The PC went on a quest to get the most powerful magic sword in the world. Now, to prevent just ANYONE from getting the sword, whoever touched the box and was not Chaotic Evil would simply die. Player: "How big is the box? How heavy is the box?" GM: "It's just a box, big enough to hold the sword." And so the player had TWO magic items. A mighty powerful sword, and the box it came in. Player: "Is he Chaotic Evil?" GM: "How are you checking?" Player: "I hit him with the box. Is he dead?" GM: Hehe. Pretty good, though I'd be concerned if the most powerful sword in the world was Chaotic Evil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Hehe. Pretty good' date=' though I'd be concerned if the most powerful sword in the world was Chaotic Evil... [/quote'] He never said the sword was. He said the box was. If you're really very clever, then you put a sword -- even a powerful, good aligned one -- inside a box that can only be opened by someone who not only would have no ability to wield it, but no earthly interest in seeing it opened. Sort of an upside down Sword in the Stone. Can you imagine the work it would take to get some CE who actually knows what's in the box to open it? And if it's all powerful, etc. & so forth, and especially if it's going to judge you on your actions, then it likely knows how you got the box open, and could summarily reject you if you go about it the 'wrong way' or a way in which the sword disagrees. Just sayin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrix3 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? He never said the sword was. He said the box was. If you're really very clever' date=' then you put a sword -- even a powerful, good aligned one -- inside a box that can only be opened by someone who not only would have no ability to wield it, but no earthly interest in seeing it opened. Sort of an upside down Sword in the Stone. Can you imagine the work it would take to get some CE who actually knows what's in the box to open it? [/quote'] Good point! Very effective... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? Good point! Very effective... We make our contributions where we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrix3 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? I thought of another item, although this was not an item I admired. It was one that told me I wanted to get out the hell out of Dodge. Some years back, in high school, I went with a friend to play some D&D with another group of his friends I hadn't met before. We get there, and they break out some ridiculously characters (I forget exactly, but it was something like a half-giant fighter/thief/barbarian and a drow sorcerer/ranger/god of fiery death, and a super thief of some sort). I went with the flow, and they started their game while I watched and snacked. They were a little immature, but I didn't think much of it, until the fighter/thief/barbarian used his special, magical sword with the poetic name of 'DeathF***er', a soul sucking short sword that would leap from his codpiece at a command word. It remained attached to the codpiece, allowing him to 'triple wield' in battle. He had made no mention of this sword during his descriptive seduction of a barmaid earlier in the adventure, so things weren't as bad as they could have been, but I never did return to that gaming group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? If we could keep my emotional scarring to a minimum, that would be great. Are you sure these ---hats weren't playing FATAL or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayapuppies Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? My all time favorite was from my long running Rolemaster campaign: This is a story that took place in a long running Rolemaster campaign that I was running. In order to get the proper feel for what happens I think it is necessary to supply a little history. First, The Land: The players had recently arrived in a country that was populated by very eccentric magicians. These people had very long lifespans and operated completely with magic. Tools, weapons, clothing, everything was based on spells. Suffice it to say that these people were very bored and were constantly trying to keep up with "the latest fashion." The more unusual the better, platform shoes that were also mice cages, hats with small birds attached to the brim by strings and enchanted to constantly fly in circles, well you get the idea. The soldiers of this land wore armor made from an enchanted smoke. It was very strong and did not encumber in the slightest. The Player: Now Dave was one of those players that were always trying to do something to upset the other players or munchkinize his character. Every little thing he did was to get over on either me or one of the other players. It got so bad that my saying "No Dave you can't.." became synonymous with the game. The Situation: Dave had separated from the party and was cruising through the town when he happened upon a clothier. He went in and immediately started asking about some enchanted clothes (for better defense of course). The proprietor replied and the conversation went something like this: Dave: Can you make me some clothes that will protect me better? Clothier: Of course, I can make anything. Dave: Can you make me a smoke gi (a type of a shirt)? Clothier: Make you a smoke gi? Well, I've never done that before. It might be interesting. Dave: You did say you could make anything. Clothier: Yes I did. So you want me to make you a smoke gi? Dave: Yes. Clothier: A smoke gi. Dave: Yes, I want you to make me a smoke gi. Clothier: Are you sure you don't want anything else? I could make you into something much more colorful. Dave: No, I want you to make me a smoke gi. Clothier: OK, that will be one gold piece please. Dave handed over the one gold and after some chanting and waving of hands the clothier made Dave a smoke gi. To this day he is still hanging in that clothiers shop waiting for someone to buy him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? *groan* Up there with: PC: Okay, I glance inside the ice cave. Do I see anything? GM (or so I'm told): "There'snow Ogres in the cave." PC: Wait, what? Are there ogres or not? GM: There'snow ogres in the cave. PC: Okay... so there's no ogres in the cave? GM: Like I said. There'snow ogres in the cave. PC: Okay, I lead the party into the cave and... GM: THE SNOW OGRES ATTACK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayapuppies Posted December 13, 2007 Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? The beauty is every player in the group, except Dave, caught on but held their tongue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrix3 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2007 Re: What is Your Favorite Item? If we could keep my emotional scarring to a minimum' date=' that would be great. Are you sure these ---hats weren't playing FATAL or something? Sorry, I didn't mean to scar anyone's psyche. When I ran into Al Bruno's stories, I did remember this incident and think, 'Oh, so this is what it might have been like if that group had been the only game in town...' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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