Medallion of ESP questions

[Red Baron]

Medallions of ESP: These devices are usable by all classes of characters, even Dwarves, but the device malfunctions on a roll of 6, so whenever in use roll a six-sided die to check it.

Why are these items available to all character classes, and what happens when they malfunction?

[delta]

Aren't most miscellaneous magic items usable by all classes?

I'd assume the malfunction is just faulty or information, or maybe just reporting nothing regardless of what's being scanned (like a spell not being cast). Looking at AD&D DMG, it says "with no results" in parentheses on the malfunction.

[geoffrey]

I assume that a malfunction = nothing happens.

[doublejig2]

I have the medallion devouring the user, leaving only a gebbeth, bound to the lich who made the medallion - just kidding!

[hamurai]

A malfunction might still be ESP, but the P will mean Projection - the thoughts of the user are projected to all creatures within range. That might not only alert monsters but your party member may suddenly be aware of your amorous feelings towards them, hehe.

[aldarron]

Feb 26, 2020 21:03:46 GMT -6 Red Baron said:

Medallions of ESP: These devices are usable by all classes of characters, even Dwarves, but the device malfunctions on a roll of 6, so whenever in use roll a six-sided die to check it.

Why are these items available to all character classes, and what happens when they malfunction?

Well, the ESP medallion was a Blackmoor thing imported into D&D. It shows up in David Megarry's pre D&D Dungeon's of Pasha Cada (Dungeon Boardgame) rules but there is nothing there about a chance of failure. In Blackmoor, Arneson did like for magic to have a chance to fail, but we don't see any clearly stated rules applying specifically to items until Garbage Pits of Despair (1986) where wands and staves are given a chance to fail and you have to roll against your Intelligence to get it working again, but can't do anything else while trying.

So, if GPoD is any kind of guide, nothing happens when they malfunction. The item just doesn't work.

[dicebro]

Feb 26, 2020 21:03:46 GMT -6 Red Baron said:

Medallions of ESP: These devices are usable by all classes of characters, even Dwarves, but the device malfunctions on a roll of 6, so whenever in use roll a six-sided die to check it.

Why are these items available to all character classes, and what happens when they malfunction?

Why? Because it’s cool.  What happens? Anything the ref wants.

[Zenopus]

In Dungeon! the Medallion is used to let you know what monster is in a room so you can decide if you want to go in or not. This would be highly useful in a D&D dungeon crawl. Perhaps Gygax thought it took too much of the uncertainty out of the game, hence the chance for a malfunction occasionally.

So if used in the same way in D&D, I'd say a malfunction would prevent a PC from seeing what monster it is (or even knowing if any monster is there), because the PC can't read any thoughts of that monster. In general, I'd rule that a malfunction means it won't work on whatever creature(s) it was tried on, and perhaps lets the monster know what the wielder is thinking (perhaps with a 2nd roll to see if that happens).


* * * * *

The "even Dwarves" is interesting, because why are Dwarves alone called out here? In Vol 1 Dwarves have a "high level of magic resistance" (giving improved saving throws), but IIRC there aren't any magic items in the rules that Dwarves can't use. Is this an artifact of a rule that limited what Magic Items a Dwarf could use?

[delta]

Apr 17, 2020 18:28:23 GMT -6 Zenopus said:

The "even Dwarves" is interesting, because why are Dwarves alone called out here? In Vol 1 Dwarves have a "high level of magic resistance" (giving improved saving throws), but IIRC there aren't any magic items in the rules that Dwarves can't use. Is this an artifact of a rule that limited what Magic Items a Dwarf could use?

AD&D does have this (DMG p. 129):

Rings can be used by any race of character, but those worn by gnomes, dwarves, and halflings have a 20% chance per use of malfunctioning. If a malfunction occurs the ring simply does not work. This applies to cursed rings (contrariness, delusion, weakness) as well; if they do not work they are recognized and can be removed.

The "malfunction... simply does not work" seems reminiscent, but I can't think of any place in OD&D where this is expressed or given as a general rule.

[dicebro]

speculation about answers to the the second question. What happens when they malfunction? They just don’t work. But why are the medallions failing to work 1/6th of the time?

Speculation 1: the medallions are ancient alien technology and they are losing battery life. So they are flickering on and off like an old flashlight.
Spec 2: the medallions are interacting with a fluctuating high energy field that is blocking the channel of information flow from mind to mind.
Spec 3: The character’s own impure thoughts are uncontrollable and thereby block perception 1/6th of the time.
Spec 4: magic is leaking out of the medallions themselves
Spec 5: the medallions are self recharging 1/6 of the time.
Spec 6: It’s the sixth sense after all. who claims to know everything about it?
Spec 7: there’s a little demon inside of each medallion and he needs some down time every once in a while.

[cometaryorbit]

Those are pretty cool! I like the idea that the user's own thoughts might interfere.