Re: Magic Swords « Reply #15 on Aug 13, 2007, 8:36pm »
The higher the intelligence of the sword the more likely it becomes that the sword picks the person instead of the other way around. Besides which there are innumberable ways to get even a cautious player to pick up an intelligent sword.
Note that per Vol. II all magic swords are intelligent and have alignment, it's just that the dumber ones (Int 6-) aren't able to communicate or do anything special.
One thing I find interesting about the Int table is the note for "Communicative Ability: None." It reads "Although the sword cannot communicate it will endow its user with the powers it has, but these will have to be discovered by the user." I think that's pretty cool. However, it seems to imply that magic swords with no communicative ability can still have powers, which doesn't seem to mesh with the table (i.e. a roll of 1-6 grants no powers).
Note that per Vol. II all magic swords are intelligent and have alignment, it's just that the dumber ones (Int 6-) aren't able to communicate or do anything special.
One thing I find interesting about the Int table is the note for "Communicative Ability: None." It reads "Although the sword cannot communicate it will endow its user with the powers it has, but these will have to be discovered by the user." I think that's pretty cool. However, it seems to imply that magic swords with no communicative ability can still have powers, which doesn't seem to mesh with the table (i.e. a roll of 1-6 grants no powers).
Am I missing something, there?
Just 'cause it ain't in the table doesn't mean you're not going to do it ... might as well have a guideline for when you do.
Note that per Vol. II all magic swords are intelligent and have alignment, it's just that the dumber ones (Int 6-) aren't able to communicate or do anything special.
One thing I find interesting about the Int table is the note for "Communicative Ability: None." It reads "Although the sword cannot communicate it will endow its user with the powers it has, but these will have to be discovered by the user." I think that's pretty cool. However, it seems to imply that magic swords with no communicative ability can still have powers, which doesn't seem to mesh with the table (i.e. a roll of 1-6 grants no powers).
Am I missing something, there?
Yeah its a hold over from Arneson's draft that Gygax didn't realize didn't mesh with the way he reworked Dave's rather complicated tables. The draft doc is the "Matrix" section in First Fantasy Campaign (pp. 45-47 , 1980 printing).
"Even if a Sword cannot communicate, it will endow the user with the powers listed in Section l, either automatically (such as languages) or as they are discovered such as Healing, being discovered only after a battle."
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Re: Magic Swords « Reply #21 on Mar 18, 2011, 9:28pm »
When you generate a magic sword, as a final step there's a 10% chance it will have a special purpose, which sets its Intelligence and Ego both to 12. When you do this, do you then apply the effects of a 12 Intelligence (e.g. exceptional powers) or stick with the powers associated with the intelligence rolled earlier? Another way to look at this is - do all special purpose swords have exceptional powers?
When you generate a magic sword, as a final step there's a 10% chance it will have a special purpose, which sets its Intelligence and Ego both to 12. When you do this, do you then apply the effects of a 12 Intelligence (e.g. exceptional powers) or stick with the powers associated with the intelligence rolled earlier? Another way to look at this is - do all special purpose swords have exceptional powers?
My take is that you ignore the earlier roll, so all special purpose swords do have exceptional powers. Perhaps though, if for some reason the purpose is "fulfilled" or somehow "foiled" then maybe the intelligence/ego reverts to the earlier roll.
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Re: Magic Swords « Reply #24 on May 24, 2011, 2:35pm »
What's interesting upon reading this section of the FFC, is that there were swords designed for magic-users (unsurprising as they could wield them in chainmail).
It looks like gary and arneson decided that staves would replace wizard swords, as arneson's magician's swords appear to have abilities similar to that of staves in d&d.
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Re: Magic Swords « Reply #27 on Jun 12, 2011, 8:07am »
@cooper - Very interesting stuff! However, I'm having a hard time seeing the correlation between staves in OD&D and Arneson's magic sword abilities. Could you be a little more specific on how you come to that conclusion? Looking through the description of staves in M&T, I'm not seeing it.
@cooper - Very interesting stuff! However, I'm having a hard time seeing the correlation between staves in OD&D and Arneson's magic sword abilities. Could you be a little more specific on how you come to that conclusion? Looking through the description of staves in M&T, I'm not seeing it.
Same here actually. The roll on the magic characteristcs table as shown in the excerpt is basically the OD&D roll on the "extraordinary powers" table, and the "special characteristics table" is mostly the same as the primary powers table. So not quite sure myself what Coop was referring to in regards to staffs.
Joined: Jul 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 561 Karma: 17
Re: Magic Swords « Reply #29 on Jun 13, 2011, 2:42am »
What I meant to say was that wizard swords in FFC use the same proto-intelligent sword chart as fighter's swords do in d&d. The two main ne plus ultra wizard staves (staff of power and staff of the magi) remind me of the wizard swords, but in staff form.
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