Weapons and Magic Items

MrRoper

Well, I'm hoping to run my first OSH session over the next few weeks, and along with roughly fleshing out a scenario, I have been thinking of ways that I use OSH to run an extended campaign. I know that Kirin has alluded to the fact that he hopes to develop a "expert" and "master" rules-sets, and he has all of my support. I think his concept is great, so I hope my game brings more people into the fold, as it were.

Anyway, one concept that I have toyed with is that the weapons with which the characters begin play develop like any other PC? I am thinking specifically of The Mouser's Scalpel, or Grey Wand. The weapons aren't magical, per se, but they're special, nonetheless. They could be magical, I guess. It would all depend on the weapon's back story. For example, if a player decides that his fighter's very heavy weapon is a sword carved from the tooth of a vanquished dragon, that item begs for both plot immunity and special powers of some kind. Maybe it renders the fighter immune to fire, once per day. Maybe it conveys negative traits, too.

I'd love to hear what people think of this idea.

MrRoper

I guess I should explain a bit more. My idea is basically that a character's weapon begins to exhibit traits of its own. Maybe at 2nd level the weapon conveys a +1 to hit or damage. Maybe at level 3, the characters have the option of choosing a trait for their weapon. Perhaps the weapon needs to be awakened somehow. Perhaps the characters need to roll on a random table containing positive and negative traits?

BrentNewhall

Interesting idea!

I suggest going in the opposite direction. What if special weapons improves dramatically at each tier (5th level and 9th level)? Perhaps at level 5 it becomes a goblinslayer, and gets a +3 against goblins. This would make each special weapon very special.

BrownBeard

This is pretty cool. I've always liked the idea of weapons that became badass just from being wielded by badasses over time. I'd go with Brent's idea: treat them as normal weapons at first, then give the weapon a bonus if its owner sticks with it all the way into the Heroic Tier. This sounds like a great way to reward players that chose to remain true to zany character concepts (like a statue-wielding barbarian) even if it meant passing up a magic weapon that may have represented an immediate mechanical improvement.

MrRoper

That's my thinking exactly, BrownBeard. The weapons-in-question, whether they're statues, airplanes made of parchment, or iron lanterns on a chain, somehow become imbued with the wielder's essence. Their trademark, if you will. I think it definitely makes for more interesting characters.

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