Magic Weapon Rune Tattoos

[Demonsong]

Magic Weapon Rune Tattoos

 

Stealing, Err… Um… Barrowing form “The Death Gate Cycle†Books, Rifts Tattoo Magic, and the tattoos that the Chinese Triads and Japanese Yakuza are know to cover them selves in; I am creating a form of Rune Tattoo Magic. Basically they will just be purchased as normal spells. Example:

 

Rune of Shielding

Armor PDr 8, EDr 8

-1/4 Visible: When activated the character is cover in a dark seamless suit of Full Plate mail, covered in various Runes. When not active it is just a Rune Tattoo that is identifiable by any one with the knowledge skill: Runes roll with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-3 in this case).

-1/4 Gestures: Character must Touch the Tattoo

-1/4 Noisy: Any magically active character with in 50 hexes that has line of sight on character will know a spell is being used

-1/4 Requires Activation Endurance

-1 Increased Activation Endurance X5

-1/2 Requires Rune Tattoo Skill Roll for activation with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-3 in this case)

-1/2 Side Effects: on failed Activation Roll, 1D6 Normal Damage Direct

Active Points 24

Real Cost 6

Activation Endurance Cost 10

 

All in all it’s not perfect but it is very close to the effect I am looking for. Input? Thoughts?

 

The Problem I am having is with weapon creation. The idea is touch the tattoo and a solid magical weapon appears in the characters hand that functions in almost every way as a real weapon. The problem is Endurance and the initial creating of the weapon. I am implying by taking the following limitations….

 

-1/4 Requires Activation Endurance

-1/2 Increased Activation Endurance X3

-1/2 Requires Rune Tattoo Skill Roll for activation with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-2 in this case)

 

….that the charter must spend ½ Action creating the weapon spending the Activation Endurance and making a Skill Roll. Once that happens the sword remains in play until it is turned off by the Character, Dispelled, the Character is Stunned or KO’ed, the Character goes to sleep, or the sword is destroyed. Once the sword is in hand it is used normally with a normal endurance cost (2 + STR in this Case).

 

Rune of Swords

1D6+1 HKA (+ STR)

-1/4 Visible: When activated the is suddenly holding a Black Sword covered in various Runes (The exact description and type of sword is left of the Character and is set at the time of creation). When not active it is just a Rune Tattoo that is identifiable by any one with the knowledge skill: Runes roll with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-2 in this case).

-1/4 Gestures: Character must Touch the Tattoo

-1/4 Noisy: Any magically active character with in 50 hexes that has line of sight on character will know a spell is being used

-1/4 Requires Activation Endurance

-1/2 Increased Activation Endurance X3

-1/2 Requires Rune Tattoo Skill Roll for activation with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-2 in this case)

-1/2 Side Effects: on failed Activation Roll, or the destruction of the weapon by normal physical breaking: 1D6 Normal Damage Direct

-1/2 Restrainable: All normal effects of restraining a normal weapon, Disarm, Lock, Break…Ect.

Active Points 20

Real Cost 5

Activation Endurance Cost 6

Normal Use Endurance is 2 + STR

 

Well am I on the right track or am I off some where in Never Never Land?

[prestidigitator]

Re: Magic Weapon Rune Tattoos

 

Originally posted by Demonsong

Rune of Swords

1D6+1 HKA (+ STR)

-1/4 Visible: When activated the is suddenly holding a Black Sword covered in various Runes (The exact description and type of sword is left of the Character and is set at the time of creation). When not active it is just a Rune Tattoo that is identifiable by any one with the knowledge skill: Runes roll with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-2 in this case).

-1/4 Gestures: Character must Touch the Tattoo

-1/4 Noisy: Any magically active character with in 50 hexes that has line of sight on character will know a spell is being used

-1/4 Requires Activation Endurance

-1/2 Increased Activation Endurance X3

-1/2 Requires Rune Tattoo Skill Roll for activation with a penalty of -1 per 10 active points of the Tattoo (-2 in this case)

-1/2 Side Effects: on failed Activation Roll, or the destruction of the weapon by normal physical breaking: 1D6 Normal Damage Direct

-1/2 Restrainable: All normal effects of restraining a normal weapon, Disarm, Lock, Break…Ect.

Active Points 20

Real Cost 5

Activation Endurance Cost 6

Normal Use Endurance is 2 + STR

 

Well am I on the right track or am I off some where in Never Never Land?

Well, I would actually make Requires End Only to Activate a +1/4 Advantage, since HKA usually costs End. HKA is also normally visible, so this would not be a Limitation. I would, however, also give the power a Focus Limitation if the sword can be knocked out of the character's hand, etc.

 

I think your Side Effects are a little lenient. Isn't the minimum Side Effect 30 active points? That's at least 3d6 (NND) in my book.

[Demonsong]

Well, I would actually make Requires End Only to Activate a +1/4 Advantage, since HKA usually costs End. HKA is also normally visible, so this would not be a Limitation.

 

Well actually the idea was that it sword uses endurance normally, But first you must spend a 1/2 Phase activating the sword first, and this requires Activation Endurance. But I am not sure that it is done right.

 

Activation Endurance Cost 6

Normal Use Endurance is 2 + STR

 

 

I would, however, also give the power a Focus Limitation if the sword can be knocked out of the character's hand, etc

 

I was under the impression that that’s what the ½ Restrainable Limitation was for. To duplicate the effects of having a real weapon with out it being a real weapon. If his sword is broken or dispelled he can reactivate the power and make a new one. Well that what I was trying for any way.

[eepjr24]

Re: Magic Weapon Rune Tattoos

 

Originally posted by Demonsong

-1/4 Gestures: Character must Touch the Tattoo

-1/4 Noisy: Any magically active character with in 50 hexes that has line of sight on character will know a spell is being used

-1/2 Side Effects: on failed Activation Roll, 1D6 Normal Damage Direct

 

If this is your game that you are GM'ing, you can probably disregard these comments.

 

1. I require gestures to be a bit more obvious and take enough time to be interfered with. I would suggest that a player trace the outlines of the rune in the air in front of him, perhaps.

 

2. Noisy does not require line of sight in my campaign, unless you mean LOS for Magic Sense. Since Magic Sense is based on the Unusual Sense group in my campaign, most phsical objects don't block line of sight. Som major magical devices or fields might.

 

3. I think you might want to look at the SE limitation again, this would probably qualify as a "minor" side effect, giving it a -1/4 (that is from memory, no book here).

 

Other than that, the constructs look okay to me. Might want to define what the "restrainable" means in this case. Can the weapon be disarmed (via the maneuver)? If so, does it poof? How about grab and takeaway or grab by? Just some things to think about.

 

- Ernie

[Demonsong]

1. I require gestures to be a bit more obvious and take enough time to be interfered with. I would suggest that a player trace the outlines of the rune in the air in front of him, perhaps.

 

I will give this one some thought.

 

2. Noisy does not require line of sight in my campaign, unless you mean LOS for Magic Sense. Since Magic Sense is based on the Unusual Sense group in my campaign, most phsical objects don't block line of sight. Som major magical devices or fields might.

 

Normal Sight LOS is required in my campaign, because I found Magical sense LOS with in 50 Hexes just too much of a disadvantage for only a -1/4 Limitation. I didn’t like mages using noisy like a blood hound to track down other mages. But I can see your point.

 

3. I think you might want to look at the SE limitation again, this would probably qualify as a "minor" side effect, giving it a -1/4 (that is from memory, no book here).

 

I think your right I will look in to it, when I get home.

 

Other than that, the constructs look okay to me. Might want to define what the "restrainable" means in this case. Can the weapon be disarmed (via the maneuver)? If so, does it poof? How about grab and takeaway or grab by? Just some things to think about.

 

My goal is that any thing that can happen to a normal sword can happen to this magical construct. Including getting disarmed, grabbed, broken, melted, you name it. If the character weapon is destroyed by physical damage he takes feed back. But if he turns the power off or it is dispelled he simply must spend another ½ phase (and END) to call another sword.

 

Thanks!

[eepjr24]

Originally posted by Demonsong

My goal is that any thing that can happen to a normal sword can happen to this magical construct. Including getting disarmed, grabbed, broken, melted, you name it. If the character weapon is destroyed by physical damage he takes feed back. But if he turns the power off or it is dispelled he simply must spend another ½ phase (and END) to call another sword. [/b]

 

Hrm. One more thing, then. Since I just noticed the "takes feedback if destroyed" I would only allow them to turn it off or dispell it if they have it in their hands. This will prevent the "Oh, the enemy got my sword and is throwing it into the lava? I turn the power off." kind of thing. You can include this as part of the restrainable lim.

 

- Ernie

[Demonsong]

Hrm. One more thing, then. Since I just noticed the "takes feedback if destroyed" I would only allow them to turn it off or dispell it if they have it in their hands. This will prevent the "Oh, the enemy got my sword and is throwing it into the lava? I turn the power off." kind of thing. You can include this as part of the restrainable lim.

 

I like that!

[prestidigitator]

Originally posted by Demonsong

Well actually the idea was that it sword uses endurance normally, But first you must spend a 1/2 Phase activating the sword first, and this requires Activation Endurance. But I am not sure that it is done right.

 

Activation Endurance Cost 6

Normal Use Endurance is 2 + STR

Ah. I am sorry; I missed the 2 in addition to the Str. Using Str to add to damage always takes End (unless, of course, the Str itself was bought with Costs No End). In this case, there may be no Advantage or Limitation at all. I guess your application of Requires End to Activate could work. Or it could be a lesser form of Increased End Cost (lesser because there is only the extra cost at startup). The other option would be to use the Advantage Requires End Only to Activate, then apply a Str Min as a Limitation (see the weapons section at the end of the rulebook).

 

I was under the impression that that’s what the ½ Restrainable Limitation was for. To duplicate the effects of having a real weapon with out it being a real weapon. If his sword is broken or dispelled he can reactivate the power and make a new one. Well that what I was trying for any way.

I think Restrainable applies more to something which the character is kept from using as long as an opponent keeps him "held" somehow (whether physically or not). I think it could possibly still be a Focus, though maybe worth less of a Limitation.

 

Is the sword completely usable by other characters? Does it become a permenant item? Is this a heroic game? You might actually want to define this power as a Transform (to create a sword). Then the sword would be a sword, like every other sword (although it may remain "magical," depending on your Special Effects). Then you could require a roll equal to twice the Body of the normal item you wish to create (or Body equal to points/10, or the sum of the Body for a "normal" item of its type and points/10 for "extra qualities").

[Demonsong]

I think it could possibly still be a Focus, though maybe worth less of a Limitation.

 

I see where you are coming form, but a focus implies that you have to have it to activate the power and I don’t think that is the approach I am looking for.

 

Is the sword completely usable by other characters?

 

Strictly speaking I would have to say no it is not usable by any one else. Mainly because I didn’t take usable by others. But also because that’s not the purpose behind the power.

 

Does it become a permenant item?

 

No, It stays until destroyed (has the normal Body and Def of a normal sword), until it is dispelled, until it is deactivated by its creator, or untill the creator is Stunned, KO’ed, or goes to sleep.

[prestidigitator]

Hmm. It still sounds like it is a Focus. Keep in mind that Focus can mean different things. It can mean you have to be using the Focus the whole time the power is in effect, or it can only be necessary while you are activating the power (like a wizard's spell components that are used up when the spell is cast). I don't see why it can't also be a Focus which is not needed to activate the power, but which is needed any time you actually want to use the power on anyone. It would not be expendable, because you never really use it up. It could be Universal, so others can actually use the power (at least temporarily) without requiring Usable by Others.

 

If you have a problem with these Special Effects, make the rune itself a Transform which creates the sword, and the sword is the Focus for your HKA.