#Imbue Shield/Weapon

27 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

worthy kernel
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Downtime activity imbuement options for shields and light offhand weapons (e.g., parrying dagger, main gauche, swordbreaker, pick, hatchet, etc.).

Main motivation is for some more interesting defensive/utility options for offhand weapons for the Cloak and Dagger and Dual Wielder kits. But they make sense for shields too.

The King's Roar and Telekinetic Bulwark leveled magic shields were a key inspiration.

Imbue Shield/Weapon
Shields/Weapons imbued with an enhancement grants you special benefits while it is worn/wielded. Additionally, when the item receives its 1st-level enhancement, it also grants a +3 bonus to Stamina which adds to the Stamina bonus granted by other treasures. A 5th-level enhancement increases the Stamina bonus to +6, and a 9th-level enhancement increases it to +9.

Optional (nerf): use 2/5/9 progression instead.

Enhancement tables are below.

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1st-Level Enhancement

Calling I: As a maneuver, you can teleport this item to your hand if it is within 20 squares. You don't need line of effect. If you have line of effect, you may additionally teleport one size 1S or smaller object adjacent to this item to an unoccupied space adjacent to you.

Clinging I: Grants an edge on Climb and Ride tests and tests to maintain hold on climbed creatures.

Defending: You can't be flanked.

Disguise: You can use a maneuver to cause this shield/weapon to take the form of any size 1T item that you have been in the presence of—a paper fan, opera glasses, and so forth. The shield/weapon loses none of its protective qualities while transformed into this other item.

Phasing I: [same as armor enhancement]

Stance: As a maneuver, you can alter your stance for a -1 speed and +1 stability. Alternatively, you can alter your stance for a +1 speed and whenever another creature attempts to force move you, you treat your size as one size smaller than it is. Returning to a neutral stance also requires a maneuver.

Swordbreaker I: Once per turn when an adjacent enemy uses a melee strike ability, you can use a free triggered action to use the Grab maneuver against that enemy.

Trapping I: As a maneuver, you can create up to 4 invisible magic sigil traps within burst 2. Only 8 traps can be active at a time. Choose a different square and acid, fire, or poison damage for each trap. When an enemy enters a trapped square, they take 2 damage and the sigil is destroyed. Damage weakness is only applied once per creature per turn.

Additionally or alternatively, you can have each trap utter a short phrase aloud or telepathically only to you.

Warning: Choose one creature keyword at creation (e.g., goblin, kobold, etc.). The object glows when within 30 squares of a creature with that keyword. Neither you nor your allies within line of effect can be surprised by creatures with that keyword.

worthy kernel
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[in progress]
5th-Level Enhancement

Absorption: [same as armor enhancement]

Calling II: Each enemy in the return line path of the item takes fire damage equal to your primary Ability score.

Chargebreaker: [same as weapon enhancement]

Clinging II: While climbed or ridden by you, an enemy is bleeding and takes a bane on attacks against you.

Phasing II: [same as armor enhancement]

Reactive: [same as armor enhancement]

Swordbreaker II: You may make a free melee strike against an enemy that uses a main action while grabbed by you. Additionally, any enemy who uses the Escape Grab maneuver while grabbed this way takes a bane on the test.

Trapping II: The damage now equals your primary Ability score. Additionally, once per turn as part of a Disengage move action, you may create one trap in your path.

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[in progress]
9th-Level Enhancement

Calling III: Once per turn as a move action, you can spend any amount of your movement to instead teleport closer to this item. The first time on a turn you teleport, each enemy in the path takes fire damage equal to your primary Ability score.

Clinging III: While climbing, you can’t be subjected to forced movement unless you choose to be.

Invulnerable: [same as armor enhancement]

Phasing III: [same as armor enhancement]

Swordbreaker III: Once per turn, if you release an enemy from a Grab, you may use a free melee strike against that enemy.

Trapping III: [something...]

hollow edge
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The level 5 armor enhancements have some damaging triggers. Perhaps that's an opportunity to come up with some kind of riposte?

hollow edge
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A couple Warning upgrade ideas:
Level 5: you know the exact location of the nearest one within range, and they cannot benefit from concealment
Level 9: you know the direction to the nearest one on the same manifold

worthy kernel
# hollow edge The level 5 armor enhancements have some damaging triggers. Perhaps that's an op...

I took a first pass at Calling II and III. It works similarly to the College of Black Ash Shadow's Burning Ash ability, but it's in lines instead of bursts.

And since it's not the same, it still adds versatility to a College of Black Ash Shadow that would wield it (as opposed to being redundant).

I'm thinking the item prerequisite to makes these should be body parts from a College of Black Ash Shadow...

hollow edge
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Nice. I wonder if you can be a bit more generous with the teleport for Calling III? Being limited by your speed and using up your movement doesn't seem like much of an upgrade, especially for a tier 3 upgrade.

worthy kernel
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I'm very hesitant to increase the distance since there is already a 9th-level armor enhancement that does something similar.

hollow edge
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Hmm ok, didn't realize you did your homework on that already

worthy kernel
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The restriction that you have to move closer to the item (i.e., a loss of versatility) makes me feel better about adding the fire damage.

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It also requires investing in the entire chain.

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And one can always optimize by maximizing their speed (via kits or other magic items)

hollow edge
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True. Also, I missed the fire damage. Now, anyone (that can wield a light weapon or shield) can be a Black Ash Shadow!

worthy kernel
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Just have to get their hands on a dead one

hollow edge
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True, and they're notoriously slippery

worthy kernel
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Some juicy story-telling to be had in making one of these babies

hollow edge
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Maybe the tier 3 material can be the shadow creature from the Shadow's Umbral Form. Maybe its essence?

worthy kernel
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Yeah, maybe

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Would need a dead 6th-level Shadow at a minimum. Sounds like the right amount of pain in the butt.

worthy kernel
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I think the last I, II, III option I'll make will be some kind of trap (or curse mark) laying ability

hollow edge
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Something I was thinking, if there are too many I, II, III options; you could easily convert those into standalone leveled treasures

worthy kernel
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The standalone leveled blood-drinking dagger is coming next. There's going to be Blood Points to track.

hollow edge
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Nice

worthy kernel
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Griffon’s Saddlebag does the 2/5/9 thing. Seems weird, but maybe the Telekinetic Bulwark wasn’t a typo like I was thinking…

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It also combines shield and weapon which I wasn’t planning on doing.

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Having it split into 2 parts solves an issue with Calling I that I’ve been ignoring to see if anyone comments on it.