I've been thinking about this for a few days but haven't taken the time to stat anything up. This is a concept following a certain black blade of a certain Melnibonean king.
My thoughts derived from the original concept are this:
- A capped stat bonus - something that would increase anyone's strength and constitution to X (probably 20) regardless of prior stats
- A mechanic that allows the user to heal after using a coup de grace, initial thought is 5 or 10hp's per HD, this would reflect the soul/spirit essence stealing effect. Another option is for it to provide a fast healing 5/10 for a number of rounds equal to the HD of the creature slain (I like this option better, but is a bit extra bookkeeping).
- An addiction mechanic (this is the one I'm really struggling with). Something that reflects a building addiction where the number of souls AND HD of the souls increases the addiction proportionately. I've thought of trying to do it with the number of HD taken and could conceivably increase quicker than I had accounted for. The other idea was by number, but that makes the soul of a commoner equal to the soul of a demon lord which seems out of scale.
- Ability to summon more powerful demons based on the addiction score.
- Increase to stats based on the addiction score
- Uncontrollable bloodrage based on failed saves to keep the addiction under control
Looking for any thoughts or suggestions before I go and make the mechanics, obviously the biggest part that needs a bit of help is the addiction mechanic.
Ok, so had some time to work on it, tell me what you think:
Demon Blade - +2 Keen Wounding Bastard Sword (Minor Artifact)
- Infernal Strength - Any being carrying this blade for 24 hours gains an increase to their base Strength and Constitution. Using this sword grants a bonus to the wielder's base Strength and Constitution scores raising them both to 20. Any items or spells increasing these abilities stack normal as if the characters natural score were 20.
- Steal Soul - The wielder of the blade may steal the soul of any fallen victim. Using the swords magic, any time the wielder uses a Coup de Grace action against a fallen foe, their soul is ripped from them imparting their vitality to wielder gaining the ability Fast Healing 10 for a number of rounds equal to the slain creature's Hit Die. Subsequent uses of this ability simply extend the duration.
- Soul Addiction - Using the Steal Soul ability comes at the price of a powerful addiction to its euphoric effects. The wielder of the sword can go without stealing a soul for 3 days, in growing discomfort. After this time, the character must make a Will check each day (DC 10 + 1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Beings that take nonlethal damage equal to their total hit points begin to take lethal damage instead. Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from the addiction are fatigued. Nonlethal damage from addiction cannot be restored until a soul is taken - not even magic that restores hit points heals this damage.
- Addiction Level - This chart determines the wielders level of addiction, the benefits and penalties gained from that addiction level and the number of Stolen souls required to reach that level.
Addiction Level:
- Mild - Less than or equal to the wielder's wisdom score - No bonus
- Moderate - Greater than Mild, but less than or equal to double the wielder's wisdom score - +1 Infernal Strength/Constitution Bonus
- Enhanced - Greater than Moderate, but less than or equal to triple the wielder's wisdom score - +2 Infernal Strength/Constitution Bonus
- High - Greater than Enhanced, but less than or equal to quadruple the wielder's wisdom score - +3 Infernal Strength/Constitution Bonus
- Critical - Greater than High, but less than or equal to five times the wielder's wisdom score - +4 Infernal Strength/Constitution Bonus
- Uncontrollable - Greater than Critical - +5 Infernal Strength/Constitution Bonus - Uncontrollable Rage
- Mild - Less than or equal to the wielder's wisdom score - No bonus
- Uncontrollable Rage - The addiction of the blade controls the wielder's actions causing him to attack the person physically closest that he would consider a friend, colleague, or close personal relation. The wielder attacks this person to the fullest of his ability and does not stop until their soul is stolen or he is slain. If successful, the wielder suffers a -1 permanent loss to wisdom and the addiction level is reduced to Mild.
Intelligent - Chaotic Evil
Intelligence - 12
Wisdom - 12
Charisma - 20
Languages - Demonic, Common
Senses and Communication: Empathy, Telepathy
Ego (+8)
I've been thinking about this for a few days but haven't taken the time to stat anything up. This is a concept following a certain black blade of a certain Melnibonean king.
My thoughts derived from the original concept are this:
- A capped stat bonus - something that would increase anyone's strength and constitution to X (probably 20) regardless of prior stats
- A mechanic that allows the user to heal after using a coup de grace, initial thought is 5 or 10hp's per HD, this would reflect the soul/spirit essence stealing effect. Another option is for it to provide a fast healing 5/10 for a number of rounds equal to the HD of the creature slain (I like this option better, but is a bit extra bookkeeping).
- An addiction mechanic (this is the one I'm really struggling with). Something that reflects a building addiction where the number of souls AND HD of the souls increases the addiction proportionately. I've thought of trying to do it with the number of HD taken and could conceivably increase quicker than I had accounted for. The other idea was by number, but that makes the soul of a commoner equal to the soul of a demon lord which seems out of scale.
- Ability to summon more powerful demons based on the addiction score.
- Increase to stats based on the addiction score
- Uncontrollable bloodrage based on failed saves to keep the addiction under control
Looking for any thoughts or suggestions before I go and make the mechanics, obviously the biggest part that needs a bit of help is the addiction mechanic.
The addiction score could also increase the save if a character had a change of heart and tried to get rid of the addiction kind of like withdrawal in real life. Due to the evilness of the sword if the character does not make it through withdrawal they die or something similar.
What if the intended victim makes the save on the coup de grace? I know its not likely, but still should be addressed.
Ok, so had some time to work on it, tell me what you think:
Demon Blade - +2 Keen Wounding Bastard Sword (Minor Artifact)
[list]
Infernal Strength - Any being carrying this blade for 24 hours gains an increase to their base Strength and Constitution. Using this sword grants a bonus to the wielder's base Strength and Constitution scores raising them both to 20. Any items or spells increasing these abilities stack normal as if the characters natural score were 20. Steal Soul - The wielder of the blade may steal the soul of any fallen victim. Using the swords magic, any time the wielder uses a Coup de Grace action against a fallen foe, their soul is ripped from them imparting their vitality to wielder gaining the ability Fast Healing 10 for a number of rounds equal to the slain creature's Hit Die. Subsequent uses of this ability simply extend the duration. Soul Addiction - Using the Steal Soul ability comes at the price of a powerful addiction to its euphoric effects. The wielder of the sword can go without stealing a soul for 3 days, in growing discomfort. After this time, the character must make a Will check each day (DC 10 + 1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Beings that take nonlethal damage equal to their total hit points begin to take lethal damage instead. Characters who have taken nonlethal damage from the addiction are fatigued. Nonlethal damage from addiction cannot be restored until a soul is taken - not even magic that restores hit points heals this damage. Addiction Level - This chart determines the wielders level of addiction, the benefits and penalties gained from that addiction level and the number of Stolen souls required to reach that level.
** spoiler omitted **...
The sword should also grow stronger with each soul stolen which will increase its ego, and make it harder to resist as it is used more. The Soul addiction will force the user to kill when its unwise to do so, and when the user may not be in a condition to fight due to lack of victims*. I would have the sword lose power in some form if it does not drain a soul in a certain amount of time. That way it can be found in the hands of some lowly adventurer or a high level threat. I am not suggesting you give it to a low level character, but mighty objects ruining otherwise unremarkable people are common, and it might make for a good background history for the sword.
*There should be some backlash for not "feeding" the sword, but I dont have an idea of what it should be. The nonlethal hp damage may be the way to go.
good critique
The concept is more of a long term cycle than a short term addiction, I guess. Thinking on it more, I should probably rename it from Soul Addiction to Soul Hunger. The side effects are more like starving than they are actually addiction like. The addiction rules are basically the same rules for starvation out of the Core Rules book except wisdom based. A PC or NPC unwilling to take souls on a regular basis could hold out until their strength is dwindling and they must or simply die from starvation (once the starvation eats through non-lethal hit points, then their lethal damage total, they would fall unconscious at 0 and die at -Con).
A good character would regularly starve themselves losing temporary hit points then waiting until the situation got critical to use the ability, barring situations where the character really needed the healing powers in battle. Once the level builds up to uncontrollable (90 souls for someone with an 18 Wisdom score) the sword exerts its control at a time of its choosing and kills a friend/companion/lover/etc (which is its true goal) causing incredible guilt and grief while causing overwhelming euphoria. Then the cycle starts again, but the ordeal of killing someone close has weakened the resolve of the wielder (-1 Wisdom Permanent), meaning the sword via the hunger has a larger control over the wielder than before. This cycle continues until the wielder either dies in battle seeking souls, determines that they will starve themselves and die of hunger, or their despair drives them so low that they give in to the sword completely (Wis 3) and the sword claims their own life.
A Coup de Grace would be a guaranteed success with this type of sword.
It should also be considered a cursed item, but since the item aims itself initially at physically weak characters, getting rid of the sword could effectively render them useless.