Wondrous Items in Project Eternity

[mcmanusaur]

 

 

The difference is that a mage has trained to throw fireballs, and that is what they enter combat planning to do. Now, I'm not opposed to having to adapt to the circumstances, but the character (or other party members' characteristics) should always be at the center of combat, not the random magical items you have, and especially not the one-use items like potions that really have nothing to do with the rest of your character if you are playing a warrior. Potions and scrolls just seem woefully disconnected from characters and the progression of things, and I'd say their use is a bit less than tactical...

 

As opposed to a mage throwing a fireball? Potent items and tatical use of them can turn the tide of battle?    Say it isn't so!!!!!

1. Read Effect

2. Metagame (quite possibly) knowledge of which kind of enemy this would be good to use against

3. Purchase and stash in inventory

(Anywhere from fifteen minutes to a few months later...)

4. When the time comes let it loose!

This is why I call it a non sequitur. Perhaps if these items expire relatively quickly, require some kind of upkeep, or must be prepped before going into a battle, that could help a bit.

 

Which is why I ask agian - how is that different than a soldier with a grenade? How is that different than a mage redying a sell?

You know what items/spell X does and you use it when the moment is right. A scroll could be a fighters tool as much a sword is.

 

 

A) Grandes?

 

B) If these items are turning the tide of combat, that suggests that not using them is putting a significant dent in how competitive your character and/or party can be. If the big guns are all magical, then what's the point of trying to be anything else other than a mage? If developers want to make types of magic specific to warrior classes, fine. But currently all warrior characters tend to get in these games are one-use items and weapon enchantments that are ostensibly hand-me-downs from more magically skilled characters who have the ability to make them (with the seeming purpose of making these otherwise weak warriors capable of competing with mages). And to think some people have requested that society/all types of character be /more/ dependent on magic..

 

A) Yes grenades. And example of an item that has nothing to do with your soldier...and is still used.

 

B) You seriously want to be competetive when DELIBERATEVLY choosing not to use powerful lequipment? When next? Will you refuse to use magical swords? Because..you know...magic?I mena, WTF were you expecting? In a world where magic is the the most powerful lthing, OF COURSE magic items can change the course of the battle. It's like refusing to use high-tech gadegtry because you don't want technology to overshadow your soldier, and then demand that your soldier beats the asses of everyone using power armor and laser rifles.

A) All kinds of soldiers use weapons that utilize some sort of explosive (whether to propel bullets or otherwise), and there aren't really grenades made for every single situation that turn the tide of combat. Each character tends to get equal grenades, there's no reason why they favor certain classes, and they all have pretty much the same effect in most situations. Therefore it's not non sequitur or really so detached from the character. Plus FPS games are not about filling a distinct social role, even if there are multiple classes it's just not the same as in an RPG.

B) The thing is this. If your character is a warrior swinging around a normal, non-enchanted sword, they suck. Which is bad, because that's the essence of the class. You have to use something external to the essence of a class to make that class balanced, that means it is unbalanced. If you had to use a sledgehammer to make a ranger class competitive, that defeats the point of having a ranger. But how can the ranger expect to be competitive if they deliberately choose not to use the powerful sledgehammer, amirite? Your reasoning is shortsighted and you fail to recognize that all of this is controlled by mechanics and design decisions. I'm arguing that the equipment is too powerful if it puts any characters who don't use it at a disadvantage even though it doesn't really make sense for them to use it. Historically the point of warriors was arguably that they didn't use magic, but now that everything has been unnecessarily saturated with enchanted +5 magical gear (to the point that a normal well-crafted weapon is worth absolutely nothing), warriors can no longer stick to their essence. What if a mage had to use warrior weapons and armor to be effective? This is probably realistic, but it defeats the point of a mage. While mages can use this stuff in Project Eternity, it's optional and I'm sure they could get along fine without it. This is because magic forms the essence of the mage class, not weapons and armor. Why shouldn't it be the same for non-magic using classes?

 

It's not really about killing mages, it's about actually managing to be something other than a mage dressed up as a warrior. I simply think that if warrior classes cannot be equal to mage classes without pulling magic out of a bottle (because they're too stupid to use it directly), or having their weapon magically enchanted out the wazoo (with little effort of their own going into this process of enchantment), then you have a class with an identity crisis, and also just an uninteresting class balance to begin with.

 

So the abiltiy to use a magic scroll means your fighter is now a mage?

 

You got to be trolling me.

 

Yes, warrior classes without good items/weapons and proper equipment and preparation SHOULDNT be equal to mages. If they were, I'd never bother playing a mage.

I'm sorry but the profession of a warrior is BY DEFINITION tied to equipment.

The fact that a fighter is more reliant on magic than any other aspect of fighting means that your fighter is a mage, yes. Just see how far you can get without a magical weapon. My point is why are all the good items magical when only some of the classes supposedly are magic-users at their essence? The problem is that the "proper equipment" you refer to is defined as being magical, which is biased toward magic-using classes. If you want to argue that magic is at the basis of every class, that's fine. But I'm not sure everyone would be happy with that. And I think that the equipment should be tied to the profession, not the other way around.

 

But yes, potions and scrolls are poor mechanics in my opinion. I'd rather magic be something that it took actual magical skill to use rather than being poured out of a bottle by anyone, but let the warriors and other still be competitive using their respective skills.

Edited March 8, 2013 by mcmanusaur

[maggotheart]

Ring of the Sentinel

 

This is a silver ring with a large pearl inset. When activated, the pearl detaches from the ring and starts to float around the user in a circle, slowly at first but rapidly gains momentum until there is a blinding ring of white light surrounding the caster. Anyone who gets in the way is smashed by the pearl, suffering blunt trauma from the high velocity impact. The pearl can also deliver an electrifying shock that damages and knocks creatures back once it starts to gain momentum. When it is fully engaged, any creature who touches the white circle causes an explosion of magical energy that harms all nearby creatures (not the caster) and deactivates the ring, with the pearl returning to its place.

 

Once its power has been expended, it takes a day to recharge.

 

When it recharges, the pearl turns black and the rings power changes. This time, the sentinel is much slower and has the effect of a gravity well, drawing nearby allies and enemies closer to the caster. Any creatures caught in the effect will have their stamina drained at a steady rate. Creatures without any stamina are knocked unconscious. Once it has drained a certain amount of stamina, it casts forth a dark nova that stuns all creatures in a large radius before the pearl returns to the ring.

 

I originally envisioned the ring as having only two states, flipping between them as it is used, but there could be many settings on the ring, shuffling the pearls color and powers every time it used. Red, its a tiny fireball, green, it's a glob of virulent acid, and so forth.

[JFSOCC]

Green Cypher stone

 

Once touched to the forearm the stone is absorbed into skin.

Grants the wielder the ability to hear the surface thoughts of anyone nearby unable to shield their thoughts.

Can't be removed except by a remove curse spell/ritual/PE equivalent.

If living creatures are nearby, at sleep wielder must pass a will save or fail to rest.

If the wielder continues to fail to rest, for every three failed attempts, he or she will lose a wisdom and an intelligence point.

When the intelligence or wisdom drops below 10 (average for DnD, so PE equivalent) the stone drops out and the wielder falls into a comatose slumber for a week. after this the former wielder will never be able to use the stone again. After three weeks, intelligence and wisdom begin to recover.

[Merlkir]

I suppose this could go into the fanart thread, but technically it IS a magical item, so here goes!

 

----------------------------------

 

(Background: During the last hours of the Kickstarter video stream, Chris Avellone expressed a certain opinion on swords. To quote (from memory), it was "Swords are boring!". When I protested in the chat, he continued to say that "If you like swords, there's something seriously wrong with you."

 

I should probably mention that I absolutely love swords. Swords, to me, are super interesting, I could read about their evolution, design, decoration and other aspects for hours and hours. And not only are they very cool as tools with a certain purpose, their role throughout history (other than "you poke people with the pointy end") is fascinating as well.

 

I decided I would attempt to prove Chris Avellone wrong.

 

The next day after the stream, I was sitting on an early morning bus, heading to the city where I went to school at the time. It was dark, the engine's humming made me sleepy, but all of a sudden, an idea for a sword struck me. I kept thinking about it the whole time and quickly typed it all in my phone, so that I didn't forget any of the brilliant ideas. (:D)

 

Then I got really busy with school and illustration work, so the sword didn't get painted until today. I found myself with a free evening and having backed the Torment Kickstarter, it reminded me of the sword design in my desk's drawer.)

 

Last note: I had NOT yet played Planescape: Torment when I came up with the idea, I was actually bringing my old CD of PT with me on the bus! I played it about a month later and when I got to Dak'kon and read the description of his sword, I thought: "Oh."  

I have to wonder, it seems like the only sword there is in that game. Did Avellone write it? That'd make me SO mad. :D

 

Wailing Sword of Eír Glanfath

 

Lore: This ancient elven short sword is made of obsidian, inlaid with copper, the copper handle decorated with opal. Powerful yet unknown magic has been used for its making - the obsidian blade does not shatter on impact, if it's wielded by a warrior of strong will. Mages speculate that the copper inlay transfers the impact and vibrations into the handle, where the opal heads with tongues stuck out connect it to the soul of the user. This puts the mind under pressure, similarly to how ciphers use their gift sometimes.

The stronger the warrior's soul and will are, the more powerful the sword becomes. However, one moment of weakness, one break in concentration and the user may end up blank eyed and babbling, wiggling on the floor in a pool of urine. As a reflected wave, this energy flows back into sword and comes out of the opal heads on the pommel, transformed into sound. It's form and intensity range from subtle humming to blood-curdling wailing.

It is rumored that if an especially weak minded person draws the sword, it'll break in the slightest breeze. Or it may even shatter and kill its bearer with an explosion of burning obsidian shards.

 

 

Design ideas: As far as I know, the ancient elves of Eír Glanfath are described as quite primitive, technology-wise, yet with impressive knowledge of astronomy and so on. I went with a very simple, yet ellegant bronze age design - a short leaf blade and a cone pommel. The sword is vaguely reminiscent of celtic weapons, but I didn't stick too close to any historical style. It's magical after all, so it's longer than any obsidian weapon we could reasonably imagine. Beside obsidian I chose the most primitive metal I could think of - copper. No idea if the elves actually used metal or not, this one has that ancient look for sure. Opal is just cool, I really liked the idea of it being a magical transformer for soul energy.

Obsidian I chose for obvious reasons, but also because it's supposed to (perhaps as an urban legend) hold an edge one molecule wide and thus able to cut anything. (if only it wasn't fragile! hey, magic solves that problem! )

The copper inlay all revolves around sound. The blade decoration looks a bit like a signal, a sine wave and a snake (Ouroboros? I know they got rid of that, it's an old idea). The guard ended up looking a lot like pointy elven ears, but that was NOT intentional. Maybe it was subconscious. The arms holding the "signal" symbolize the user's soul grip on things being the only thing keeping the sword intact.

The opal faces are pretty self explanatory - the handle ones dig into your palm, make it slightly uncomfortable to use, reminding you of the responsibility you have when you draw the sword. 

 

Possible system uses: 

 

- obviously more damage or armour piercing if the user's willpower or soul power (uh, whatever stat you choose :D) is higher

- regular roll checks if the sword breaks and hurts you?

- maybe there's a chance the wailing (if you do a critical?) scares some of your opponents and breaks their morale?

- maybe you can do sonic attacks by waving it wildly? Or if you hit the ground?

- penalties to sneaking or diplomacy if the sword is drawn? :D

 

So, that's. It'd be kind of cool if I could mod it into the game one day, but who knows how that turns out. 

 

Let me know what you guys think.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Merlkir

[AGX-17]

Isn't your anti-disease incense burner going to require incense ammo to burn? Isn't it the incense that matters, then?

[AGX-17]

The bauble of heart's delight

 

Whomever sees it must pass a will save or be enchanted and utterly in love with this trinket.

Some see a necklace, others a ring, some a useful small tool. Each what they would value highly.

Can be used as a bribe.

 

The cheater's bauble of heart's delight

 

An updated version created by thieves guild craftsmasters. Does the same, but returns the owner after a day. The Owner is set by a ritual.

...Ignoring, as usual, my belief that the entire concept of a "thieves' guild" is ridiculous, why would these "craftmasters" be part of a "thieves' guild" and not a "crafting guild"? Why would lay craftsmen be capable of creating magic kitsch that teleports "home" at the end of the day? Isn't that, what do they call it.... an en...chantment?

 

Oh, great. Double post, again. Good thing these things can't be deleted!

Edited March 10, 2013 by AGX-17

[TRX850]

Isn't your anti-disease incense burner going to require incense ammo to burn? Isn't it the incense that matters, then?

 

Only if it was of the mundane kind.  Magic rings and amulets that provide continual protection from disease require no upkeep, so by classifying the Censor as a magical (Wondrous) item, it also follows that logic.

[JFSOCC]

Melkir, that sword looks beautiful. You're very talented at drawing!

 

 

The bauble of heart's delight

Whomever sees it must pass a will save or be enchanted and utterly in love with this trinket.
Some see a necklace, others a ring, some a useful small tool. Each what they would value highly.
Can be used as a bribe.

The cheater's bauble of heart's delight

An updated version created by thieves guild craftsmasters. Does the same, but returns the owner after a day. The Owner is set by a ritual.

...Ignoring, as usual, my belief that the entire concept of a "thieves' guild" is ridiculous, why would these "craftmasters" be part of a "thieves' guild" and not a "crafting guild"? Why would lay craftsmen be capable of creating magic kitsch that teleports "home" at the end of the day? Isn't that, what do they call it.... an en...chantment?

Oh, great. Double post, again. Good thing these things can't be deleted!

I can see how the term thieves guild is off-putting. It was a rather straight-forward reason though, it's a fantasy staple for any type of organised crime. I don't really care what it's called. Call them the Mafia, the Syndicate, the longfingers, call them the yakaveta family. Whatever you like to call it.

 

The Craftsmasters would be part of the thieves guild and not a crafting guild because the thieves would quickly realise the value of this item, they would then proceed to "make them an offer they can't refuse" And they wound up working for the thieves, who pay them more anyway, and provide protection to their businesses.

I suppose we can add a layer to the production, so yes, after the teleporting one is made by the craftsmasters it doesn't yet teleport, a theives guild associated enchanter does that part. would that satisfy you?

 

I'm trying to come up with fun and interesting items to use in your game world, and I admit, I hadn't figured out all the lore.

 

One of these days you got to explain why you're so keen on being so negative, on finding fault with everything anyone here posts. On trying to find reasons why it wouldn't work rather than how it could. Maybe you're just feeling crap and this is how you channel your feelings, but I'm getting a little tired of the negativity. I'm sure it's doing you no good either.

Edited March 10, 2013 by JFSOCC

[maggotheart]

The Anthology of Malefic Arcanum

 

These magical Grimoires were penned and bound with soul magic in ages past by Aygrk the Insane and his three mad disciples. They are powerful spellbooks containing forbidden spells and long forgotten incantations. The books are designed to work together, drawing power from each others presence and increasing the potency and effects of the spells within for each volume that is owned. The powers increase if they are all physically present, and if all five books are equipped to five different mages, they can each stand as the point of a pentagram and summon the spirit of Agryk to aid them in combat.

 

Volume I - "Suffering"

This vile smelling, fluid stained notebook was the spellbook of Agryk the Insane. His original research dealt with pain. He explored pain of the flesh to gain new magical insights. As he marked his own flesh, he learned to make those marks appear on his enemies. Invincible to the pain, Agryk watched his enemies wither from the agony.

Anthology Bonus: health regeneration (slow)

 

Volume II - "Despair"

This misshapen collection of papers is bound by a thick wooden cover. It contains Agryks research into Despair. He visited loss upon his test subjects and tormented them, all to study them when they fell into despair. That moment of defeat when he broke them, he was able to capture its essence and force the experience upon others.

Anthology Bonus: stamina regeneration

 

Volume III - "Fury"

A heavy, leatherbound book, this volume is the first written by one of Agryks disciples. He sought to use anger to choke his enemies on their own rage. When they felt righteous or vengeful fury, he could spit their bile back at them and stop them in their tracks.

Anthology Bonus: bonus spell damage

 

Volume IV - "Fear"

A smaller, blackened tome, this is the spellbook of the second disciple. His notes are neatly written, and the unimaginable terror he brought to his test subjects is starkly laid out in a clinical fashion. From his experiments, he became soaked in the cold sweat of fear and exuded it upon others like a ground fog.

Anthology Bonus: resistance boost

 

Volume V - "Desire"

This robust, gold bound book is the spellbook of the last disciple. A misanthrope, she hated her kin and sought to prove their weakness by using their twisted desires to destroy them. One by one, her subjects fell into ruin and in time she could coax them into losing thier minds for a time to the object of their desire, attacking close friends and allies in their madness.

Anthology Bonus: faster cast speed

 

The Spirit of Agryk

If there are five mages in the party and they each have one of the volumes equipped, they can summon Agryk to do their bidding once per day. He is a powerful ghost in combat, but the party can also speak to him and learn many secrets and unlock further powers of the books.

[Iucounu]

Infernal Gaunlets

 

These gaunlets allow the wearer to touch the very soul of a being, which enables him to grip and move it.  The wearer may rip the soul out of a creature by sheer force, although, depending on the soul of the creature, this requires a tremendous amount of strength or some similiar power. Furthermore, it requires great dexterity and speed to get a grip on the soul of an opponent in the midst of combat.

Álternatively, for a skilled thief it's possible to "pickpocket" a soul. The thief uses his pickpocket skill and his general deceiving skill to steal a soul with the least possible resistance, and without the unfortunate victim even noticing anything before it's too late. The necessary skill to accomplish such a feat is measured by the soulpower of the victim, which directly correlates with the selfawareness of the vicitm.

 

As soon as the soul in the posession of the wearer, he may store it through some magical means, simply let it loose, or swallow up the soul into his own. The latter provides the user with a temporal boost in power and additionally, enables him to wear the stolen soul like a mask. Within the essence of the stolen soul usually still fluctuates an echo of it's former manifestation. This enables the wearer to turn into some corrupt form of his former victim, with all the victim's abilities at his disposal. However, this is a deeply unnatural process, and puts the wearer into danger of losing himself. He may turn into an abomination of some sort, consisting of several souls that are incompatible to each other, and yet behave as one. It is also possible that a soul is torn apart in the process, and through some weird metaphysical process, two or more souls arise that manifest beings which are inherently incomplete and wrong. 

 

The origin of the infernal gaunlets is unknown. However, they once were in the posession of a legendary orlan thief, who soon turned into an emissary of "hell", which gave the gaunlets their name. He stole the souls of many powerful mortals, and instead of using them himself, traded them with a demon for youth and power. He lived several hundred years, wielded power beyond what most mortals could ever hope to achieve, but was unsatisfied. At some point in his long life, he grew weary of his existence as a mere mortal. He wanted to be more, turn into a higher being. Before he disappeared from the face of the world, he planned to steal the soul of the very demon with whom he had traded souls. if he succeeded is unknown.

 

The infernal gaunlets, being both material and ethereal, can penetrate any physical obstacle and any known magical defense, including the arcane veil. 

[Nonek]

Casket of the Inconcievable.

 

A small and ornate box, such as a rich dowager might store her jewellery within, but there is a certain omnipresent gravity about the humble container. No one can tell what the Casket contains, for no one remembers, but all users will attest to its magnificence and worth. Among the knowing and the wise it is said that the Casket is a repository of memory, thought and even the soul song of its past users. For when an individual stares into the Casket his mind and soul will be drawn within, to experience the most precious captured moments of previous users lives, and to have the sweetest seconds of his own existence drawn into the velvet lined depths as payment.

 

The Casket has lingered in this world for untold ages, and so its memories are as diverse and vast as a thousand minds could hold: From memories as simple as primitive hunters exulting in the fierce success of the hunt, thick fur to clad them against the ice, warm blood and meat to fill their guts, bone to make tools and trinkets and blubber to rub into their aching joints. To devious generals, leaning forward in their saddles to watch their opponents take the bait and with a raised hand order the encirclement, engagement and eradication of a hated enemy, knowing that this day their land is safe, their children secure and their way of life proved superior. All these memories and everything in between lie within the Casket,  the few brief scraps of happiness that the lowest beggar clings to, and the heady refined enjoyments that alleviate an Emperors ennui.

 

To stare into the Casket of the Inconcievable is to leave a record of your happiest moments for future generations, and experience anothers joy as if it were your own, thus the Casket is prized and priceless. A glimpse of humanity across the ages, and perhaps the only true immortality that a soul can enjoy, though the Gods would fiercely disagree.

[forfs]

I already posted those in another topic, but I really like the idea behind some of them:

 

Can of whoopass

Upon activating, item vanishes, summoning a group of donkeys that plummet from the sky on unsuspecting victim. 

 

A necklace of inappropriate thoughts

Cursed item, that decreases ability to talk to opposite gender, while increasing chance of scoring critical hits (more focus on vulnerable areas)  

 

A sword of a thousand cuts

A relatively good damage sword that shatters and damages everything (player included) in <insert radius> exactly after 1000 cuts are made (big shatter damage).

 

 

Glass pistol

A high damage pistol that has an increasing chance to explode in hands of the shooter. Exploding effect is negated in hands of a mage, but he can't wear any armor.

 

Gold grinder

You can produce gold powder (it costs gold coins though) that when thrown in the air reveals invisible people (friendly fire possible). 

 

Rick & Roll

A powerful elven(?) weapons (sword & hammer) that when swung on the battlefield (only dual wielded) produce inspiring sound for the party and irritating sound for the enemies <insert appropriate bonuses to morale and hit chance>

[Nonek]

The Hand of Glory.

 

Thievery comes at a price, and for the bold prince of thieves that price was his death. Bold and slippery as an eel the prince would not let the matter end there however, consulting with a master Cipher and paying a price beyond any he had ever stolen the prince bound his soul into his skilled and subtle sinister hand, so that when he was inevitably caught he could live on and continue his craft.

 

Now his left hand is all that remains, a skeletal claw bound together by a strange magical thread, that some say is his immortal soul. When it is pressed to a door or any other locked portal it will come to life, its fingers scratching and skittering over the lock and gaining an impression of its complexity, it will then turn palm upwards and be still. It expects payment for every lock it opens, and the coins it recieves will simply vanish. When payment according to the complexity of the lock is given the hand will extend one finger into the lock, forming a unique skeleton key and open it with ease before going silent again.

 

It may have other powers worth experimenting for, but payment is not optional on any of its favours, the prince is a professional after all and has his standards to maintain, even in death.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Nonek

[Iucounu]

Orb of fatalism

 

Artifact, that "stores" a timeframe of any length, and than creates some sort of time warp. All damage and spelleffects that have been taken in the stored timeframe, are taken again by all people in a certain range of the artifact. 

[Tuckey]

*here are some cursed items for the lols

 

- Pewter of Flatulence ~ does this need a description? Will never run empty...

- Corpulent Figurine of (insert favourite god/goddess here) ~ transforms player into someone obese

- Orb of Fatal Outcomes ~ always see the worst way an event can unfold.

- Eye of Creepy vibes ~ now everyone will feel uneasy in your presence

- Mirror of half-truths ~ will show you a little truth and a little lie (but which is which?)

- Marionette of Chucky ~ the player becomes the puppet and chucky becomes the master

[TrashMan]

A) All kinds of soldiers use weapons that utilize some sort of explosive (whether to propel bullets or otherwise), and there aren't really grenades made for every single situation that turn the tide of combat. Each character tends to get equal grenades, there's no reason why they favor certain classes, and they all have pretty much the same effect in most situations. Therefore it's not non sequitur or really so detached from the character. Plus FPS games are not about filling a distinct social role, even if there are multiple classes it's just not the same as in an RPG.

 

 

Nope.

A mage can use non-magical items.

Poison flasks. Acid. Caltrops. Swords. Armor.

But now you say that warrior shouldn't be able to use magical stuff. Because it doesn't feel "right" to you.

 

 

 

Which is bad, because that's the essence of the class. You have to use something external to the essence of a class to make that class balanced, that means it is unbalanced.

 

Weapons and armor are NOT external to a warrior class. You seem to take umbarge at "magical" equipment, but are fine with non-magical one because?

By your un-logic, a warrior with a bronze sword should be equal in every way to a warrior with a damascus steel sword then.

 

Also, a warrior with a nonmagicl sword doesn't necessariyl suck.

 

 

 

Your reasoning is shortsighted and you fail to recognize that all of this is controlled by mechanics and design decisions. I'm arguing that the equipment is too powerful if it puts any characters who don't use it at a disadvantage even though it doesn't really make sense for them to use it.

 

Why doesn't it make sense?

 

 

 

Historically the point of warriors was arguably that they didn't use magic, but now that everything has been unnecessarily saturated with enchanted +5 magical gear (to the point that a normal well-crafted weapon is worth absolutely nothing), warriors can no longer stick to their essence.

 

Bollocks.

For one, what the "essence" is is subjective.

Secondly, wether or nota nromal-well crafted weapon is worthless is part of balancing - and for the record I'm against it. A good steel sword is a good steel sword. Deadly.

 

 

 

What if a mage had to use warrior weapons and armor to be effective? This is probably realistic, but it defeats the point of a mage. While mages can use this stuff in Project Eternity, it's optional and I'm sure they could get along fine without it. This is because magic forms the essence of the mage class, not weapons and armor. Why shouldn't it be the same for non-magic using classes?

 

And here you are assumign that warrior wihout a magical items is DOOOOMED.

I'm curious as to where you draw the line.

How many magical items can a warrior posses before you call him broken? 1? 2? None?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fact that a fighter is more reliant on magic than any other aspect of fighting means that your fighter is a mage, yes. Just see how far you can get without a magical weapon. My point is why are all the good items magical when only some of the classes supposedly are magic-users at their essence? The problem is that the "proper equipment" you refer to is defined as being magical, which is biased toward magic-using classes. If you want to argue that magic is at the basis of every class, that's fine. But I'm not sure everyone would be happy with that. And I think that the equipment should be tied to the profession, not the other way around.

 

But yes, potions and scrolls are poor mechanics in my opinion. I'd rather magic be something that it took actual magical skill to use rather than being poured out of a bottle by anyone, but let the warriors and other still be competitive using their respective skills.

 

Seems to me you are just seeing what you want to see (or what you fear).

The fighter is realiant on equipment. It doesn't have to be magical.

 

How far you can get without a magic weapon? Depending on balance - quite far. Case in point: BG1. I finished the game and I wasn't decked out with all magical items.

 

Potions don't have to be magical. They can be herbal. I earlier expressed that I don't want magical healing potions, but rather medical potions that increase regeration, clese wounds or purge the body of poison. Not instant-fixes.

 

Scrolls? You don't technicly need them. But what is s difference between a scroll of fireball and a firebomb? Alchemy isn't magic. Yet the overall effect is the same. Fighters are OK with a flask or explosive liquid, but NOT with a scroll?

 

 

You basicly want artificial limiations.

You want the world and it's actors to act illogicly (shun the use of magic) to got some aesthetic you like.

Edited June 19, 2013 by TrashMan

[TrashMan]

The Sword of Awe

 

A work of art in itself, masterfully crafted from the finest steel and heavily adorned, this sword posses a supernatural abiltiy to catch everyones eye and stand out no matter the enviroment. It's spotless surface is decorated by many runes, some of unknown meaning or origin and it radiates an immense magical aura, easily felt even by those with no magical inclination whatsoever. With each swing it produces an unearthly humm that pieces trough any noise across great distances - even tough such a soft tone shouldn't be so keenly heard no travel that far.

On top of it all it can burn into flames so great that they engulf the wielder compeltely, but leave him unharmed... and everyone else for that matter.

For the Sword of Awe was created to make an apperance and demoralize the enemy with it's mere presence - and nothing else. Almost everything about it is illusory. While a fine blade it's not nearly as powerfull as it's apperance would suggest, but that hasn't stopped it for ending entire wars or routing armies when unsheated.

[JFSOCC]

Lucky coin.

 

Gives a passive bonus, +1 luck (if such a stat exists) or +1 reflex save. (likewise)

Has an 80% chance for falling tails up, If used as currency has a 50%+x% chance of returning to your pocket after the transaction. where x is the number of previous successful returns. (maxes out at 95%)

If given as part of a bribe increases the chance that a bribe is successful.

If spent on a bet, increases chances that the bet will turn out in your favour.

 

Skilled Ciphers WILL be able to detect that it's a magical object, unskilled ciphers may be fooled.

 

Always shiny, and slightly heavier than expected.

[Lephys]

This is because magic forms the essence of the mage class, not weapons and armor. Why shouldn't it be the same for non-magic using classes?

I would actually say that, more specifically, the direct control of magic forms the essence of the Mage class. A Warrior bearing magical items (such as a helmet that glows in darkness) no more undermines the significance of the Mage class than a peasant wielding a crossbow undermines the significance of a masterful archer.

 

Just... FWIW.

[Diagoras]

The Talisman of Bladder Bursting, The Arquebusier's Aid, Amulet of Piss-and-Shot

 

This savage fetish is nothing more than a preserved and inflated pig's bladder tied round a simple cord, with morbid strips of disintegrating colored cloth, some with faint heraldry still visible, strung along the length of the cord. Most likely produced originally by a Glanfathan shaman as a practical joke, this artifact (and its many inferior reproductions) has found its way into various arquebusier units over the years, with a solemn tradition of adding the unit's colors to the cord giving it its grim reputation for bearing the regimental colors of long annihilated units.

 

When tapped three times, the talisman instantly fills the wearer's bladder with urine. This would be good for nothing other than obscene party tricks, but to an arquebusier this is a valuable item. When a gunpowder weapon is fired repeatedly, the barrel fouls with soot and grows too hot to touch. The traditional way to deal with this is to urinate into the barrel, swirl it around, and then pour it out to clean out the grime and cool the metal. However, this trick only works once - unless you can refill your bladder on command. Then a gunner can fire his weapon more often and more reliably than other soldiers, but only if he can withstand the smell.

[JFSOCC]

Tarbeana's Vanishing Tankard.

 

A Tankard always filled with Ale, or Mead or something suitably clichéd, until the user wishes to drink from it, when it vanishes into thin air leaving the contents mid air.

(hilarity ensues)

 

This does not happen if Tarbeana drinks from it.

[rjshae]

Gorget of Adra

 

Sculpted out of the shell-like material known as adra, this gorget is reputed to provide some limited protection against the biamhacs, the spirit-wind phenomenon that scours the ruins of Eír Glanfath. Although of little value to those with strong souls, these items are sought out by weak-souled looters so that they can hunt for treasures amidst the ruins. Wearing the gorget for extended periods can result in disturbing dreams that leave the subject restless and weary. However, it does provide some protection against sleep spells and similar magic.

[JFSOCC]

Everfull canteen

 

Always filled with water, vintage wine or lemonade, depending on the version.

A damaged one may produce poison instead.

-

 

Portal tent.

After setting up the tent, entering it will lead you to a room in your house. That room has an additional door to use to get back.

-

 

Lazy harp

This harp will produce a delightful tune no matter what cords are struck. A strong willed player can make the harp play what they want, otherwise it will be a random tune. An Actual Harpist may find the harp irksome.

[rjshae]

Bell of the Unseen Servant

 

When rung, this small brass bell summons an unseen servant of the air--a weak air elemental that will attempt to follow your instructions. The servant can lift objects that are low in weight, drag slightly heavier objects across the ground, activate simple mechanisms, or provide a distraction. In game terms it can be used to perform the following actions:

• Retrieve a small object from some distance away, even if the intervening space contains a chasm, river, or a trap.
• Remotely open an unlocked chest or door.
• Trigger a simple mechanism from across the room.
• Activate a basic trap that is sprung by mild pressure, such as a tripwire.
• Briefly reduce the attentiveness of a creature.

The servant is invisible to most creatures and is only harmed by strong winds. It is unable to perform any action that requires a skill check.

[rjshae]

Flask of Mutable Destiny

 

This unusual ceramic flask is filled with an oily liquid that glows with a faint inner light and has a nutty, slightly rotten odor, although it should be kept closed to avoid losing its potency. The oil is highly receptive to whatever material comes into contact with it, and will therefore transform into a specific potion in the presence of certain materials. Thus, adding the damp eggs of a tree frog will cause the oil to transform into a highly slippery fluid that can render an area of floor virtually impassible. Likewise, the tail of a desert lizard can transform the liquid into a highly combustible material similar to greek fire. The range of potential forms for this oil remain uncertain, although a number of tried and true recipes are available... for a price. Once the oil has been transformed into its final form, the flask becomes inert.