How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

[djkester]

The effect I'm working on building is for a Fantasy Hero campaign.

 

The basic idea is that magic users of various types can learn to Enchant Weapons.

 

To enchant a weapon they must:

1. Have the Rea; Weapon they intend to enchant

2. Use oils and other valuable elements

3. Spend an hour for each 10 AP in the enchantment

4. Determine the power of the enchantment

5. Determine how long the enchantment lasts (on the time table)

6. Cost no END to cast the enchantment

 

The enchantment should be applied to the Real Weapon. It should not need any END to maintain the enchantment. The enchantment should not go away even with the death of the caster or the character using the weapon.

 

If you are willing to help out I'd like to come up with two examples:

 

1. Give a weapon armor piercing.

2. Give a weapons +1 DC.

 

Your help will be much appreciated.

[Tom Carman]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

You can make this as complicated as you like... What it really comes down to is a Heroic game where you buy equipment with money instead of character points. In this case, you are using the purchased spell components to convert a standard purchased weapon into a slightly better/different weapon, possibly with added Complications like "Glows" or "Magical Aura". It's just SFX.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

Aid would work for incrreasing DCs but I don't think advantages. I'd probably go with some sort of Transform, but would have to think on it more.

[djkester]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

@bigbywolfe

 

Yeah, I think that is also what Tom was suggesting. I thunk it is just the ticket for what I want to do as well.

 

Thanks guys. I'll post what I come up with.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

Another possibility is the Time Limit modifier, bought to whatever length of time you want the enchantment to last. This simplifies things compared to using Aid, as there's no "fade rate" to worry about; the full power of the enchantment is in effect until the Time Limit expires.

 

I think Time Limit will work for pretty much anything: Characteristics, Powers, extra DC's and naked Advantages. (If that's mistaken, then "my bad.")

[Hyper-Man]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

Here's an example of a similar ability that could easily be modified to match the OP's basic idea.

 

Temporary item enchantment power

[Panpiper]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

In my games, if a player wants a magic item that they have not found in the game, they can buy it with points. They buy their normal armor and weapons with cash. Magic item creation in the game world also happens with actual points, which keeps items relatively rare, as few mages in the world are willing to sacrifice their own life energy to create items. However I also stipulate that one thing that 'is' done in the world by mages wishing to create items is that they pay people to siphon off some of their life force (character points). I define this as a transform effect that transforms the donor into a slightly lower point character, with the difference going into a point pool that the mage can then vest into created magic items (the creating mage needs other appropriate skills and knowledges). Needless to say, donors expect a pretty penny to be paid for their life force.

 

Of course there is also the evil variant on this, where such life is stolen by an evil mage through a sacrifice ritual.

 

Enchanting mages 'do' need other things, in addition to the siphon life spell, such as much of what the OP described. They also need knowledge skills appropriate to what they are creating, and inventor if they are making up new enchanted items.

[Tom Carman]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

For permanent magical items, yes, this is a good way to go. For a lasting-but-not-permanent enchantment-augmented mundane weapon, I think it's a bit much. I don't think I'd use Aid or Transform (in fact I'd ignore the stats of the original weapon altogether). The spell would wholly define the characteristics (damage, OCV, DCV, special attacks and Complications) which would replace those of the mundane weapon for the duration of the spell. Aside from the magical energy cost to cast the spell, the monetary cost for spell components might be anything from half to twice the price of a mundane weapon with equivalent stats (depending on how common or long-lasting you want such enchantments to be).

[djkester]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

@Tom

 

I do agree that this is simply a conversion of one item into another with a special effect. In the campaign I'm creating the ability to enchant can be purchased separately (for a lot fewer points) from the ability to cast spells. Since in any case there is a significant advantage to having an enchanted weapon it seems that the ability to enchant should cost CPs. So the power/mechanism of the conversion should cost the character CPs.

 

What I've determined is that since the BODY of weapons and Armor is quite low a Tranform is relatively cheap to purchase and reflects both the intent I have around enchanting magic items as well as the availability/flexability/capability I want around enchanting.

 

So the ability to enchant will be reflected by the Enchant ability of the character purchased as a Transform (see below.)

 

However, since players aren't paying for magic items in this campaign with CPs the actual item or level of the enchantment will simply be handled by the cost of enchantment components.

 

I think there are a lot of ways to handle this situation but in the spirit of the Heroic Campaign, I'm creating, where equipment and items don't cost the CPs charging CPS for relatively low value of the enchants seems out of line. Of course this will be limited by the nature of the enchantments I allow into the campaign. Also, I will have AP limits on weapons that help balance things just as I am applying Levels to spells in order to keep balance with the weapons.

 

Thanks again for all the advice and feedback on this is of course welcome.

 

Here is the powers(s) I am allowing players to purchase. Each level will be able to be upgraded to the next level by finding appropriate training (after initial character creation.)

 

4 Augmenter: Major Transform 2d6 (equipment into magical equipment), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Day, -4), OAF Durable Expendable (Very Difficult to obtain new Focus; -1 1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2), Limited Target ([Limited]; -1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

6 Enchanter: Major Transform 3d6 (equipment into magical equipment), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Day, -4), OAF Durable Expendable (Very Difficult to obtain new Focus; -1 1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2), Limited Target ([Limited]; -1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

7 Master Enchanter: Major Transform 4d6 (equipment into magical equipment), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Day, -4), OAF Durable Expendable (Very Difficult to obtain new Focus; -1 1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2), Limited Target ([Limited]; -1/2), No Range (-1/2)

 

The enchantment recipes will be built using Aid or other power, but like spells each recipes will not require the player to spend more CPs.

[Tom Carman]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

Costs might vary not only for raw power, but also utility. For instance, the cheap products would be the flashy obvious Magic Sword! with +1DC and +1OCV. The really pricy one is the dagger that hits like a battleaxe, with Invisible Power Effects to prevent it being recognized as enchanted without close examination on a high PER roll.

[Kraven Kor]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

Technically, yes all the creator is doing is a transform on the object into the object + powers.

 

But giving the players that transform power can get a bit out of hand if you aren't careful.

 

The best way to handle it, for me, is to let them invest character points in making items with the appropriate limitations, and come up with RP reasons why maybe the fighter's XP went into the sword the Mage created for him.

[Christopher]

Re: How to Build: Lasting Weapon Enchantments

 

For a lasting-but-not-permanent enchantment-augmented mundane weapon' date=' I think it's a bit much. I don't think I'd use Aid or Transform (in fact I'd ignore the stats of the original weapon altogether).[/quote']

When you asume a certain healing rate, the transform would work for short lasting.

 

Costs might vary not only for raw power' date=' but also utility. For instance, the cheap products would be the flashy obvious [i']Magic Sword![/i] with +1DC and +1OCV. The really pricy one is the dagger that hits like a battleaxe, with Invisible Power Effects to prevent it being recognized as enchanted without close examination on a high PER roll.

That would be +4 DC Killing (20 Base Points), No Endurance (+1/2), Fully IPE (both normal senses; +1) = 50 AP. I think the rules that are stated cover the utility very well already.