"Didn't Vecna have a better hand once?"

[Michael Badger 99]

Does anyone have the original AD&D DM's Guide description for Hand of Vecna kicking around? There has been a suggestion that the current version of the Hand of Vecna might be best used for nasal excavation compared to what my players fondly but incompletely recall as the original Hand's powers. Anybody got an archive version of the old manual and willing to share?

[Pygon]

All the 1e DMG says is that it confers 18/00 strength and eventually turns the user to neutral evil. Also, using major powers reduces the chances of removing the Hand successfully, short of greater god intervention.

Otherwise, the powers of the Hand are blanks to be filled in by DM choice or dice roll.

The 2e Vecna Lives! adventure details the Hand fully, however. That may be what they remember (death from touch, cone of cold, disintegration, timestop, etc...)

[Tatterdemalion]

Certainly the original DMG allowed DMs to put together awe-inspiring (and frightening) collections of powers if they wished.

My guess is that what most versions of the Hand of Vecna that were used back then were abusively powerful (I think mine was).

Then again, it's an artifact. Who/what says its powers can't change with time? Shouldn't they be a bit beyond mortal understanding?

[Sir_Wulf]

With a dramatic flourish, the ancient grognard unwrapped a dog-eared text of mystic lore. "This, my friends, is Ye Boke of [u]Eldritch Wizardry[/u] (1976), wherein we find the earliest tales of the dread lich's remains..."

At that time, the hand:

Attached itself to the stump of an arm if pressed firmly.

Turned the possessor evil, but blocked the effect of detect evil on its owner.

Its suggested additional powers were:
Minor Powers

I-A: Levitation

I-L: Fly

I-O: Infravision

I-V: Detect traps and Secret Doors

Major Powers

II-B: Sleep (One creature of any level)

II-D: Double Effect Slow - two times/day

II-J: Finger of Death (-4 penalty on the saving throw)

II-K: Regenerate half of all hit points lost in combat

II-O: Teleport two times/day

II-R: Monster Summoning once/day

II-T: X-Ray Vision

II-U: Spell Turning

II-V: Death Spell two times/day

II-X: Touch turns a foe's bones to jelly once/day

II-Y: Locate treasure

Major Malevolent Effect III-M: After the primary power is used, the character is turned into a demonic minion of the item's creator.

Side-Effect of Use IV-J: There is a chance that the wielder will accidentally "go Ethereal" whenever put under stress.

Primary Power V-K: User of the artifact will always receive a premonition of danger before the event occurs.

Of course, in the First Edition DMG, it became even more potent...

[Kirth Gersen]

For Darl's use, I gave it a continuous unholy aura and bull's strength (host only), blasphemy 1/day, and a secondary touch attack equal to a slay living spell (DC 20 Fort neg, 3d6+20 if save), all at CL 20th. Any more abilities than that will likely never get used. Darl was about to daze the entire party with the blasphemy ability when the ranger PC reached him... and struck off the Hand with an incredibly fortuitous natural "20" with a vorpal sword.

[Chris Mortika]

Sir_Wulf wrote:

With a dramatic flourish, the ancient grognard unwrapped a dog-eared text of mystic lore. "This, my friends, is Ye Boke of [u]Eldritch Wizardry[/u] (1976), wherein we find the earliest tales of the dread lich's remains..."

Primary Power V-K: User of the artifact will always receive a premonition of danger before the event occurs.

Major Malevolent Effect III-M: After the primary power is used, the character is turned into a demonic minion of the item's creator.

Y'know, that's all good, until the Hand gives you a premonition of becoming a demonic minion, and then, whoop, bob's your uncle, there you are.

[Sect]

Chris Mortika wrote:

Sir_Wulf wrote:

With a dramatic flourish, the ancient grognard unwrapped a dog-eared text of mystic lore. "This, my friends, is Ye Boke of [u]Eldritch Wizardry[/u] (1976), wherein we find the earliest tales of the dread lich's remains..."

Primary Power V-K: User of the artifact will always receive a premonition of danger before the event occurs.

Major Malevolent Effect III-M: After the primary power is used, the character is turned into a demonic minion of the item's creator.

Y'know, that's all good, until the Hand gives you a premonition of becoming a demonic minion, and then, whoop, bob's your uncle, there you are.

Betcha they would've saw that one coming if they had the eye of Vecna, too.