Hail, friends!
Long time lurker of the forums and avid roleplayer here, looking for some helpful feedback from the community I've grown to love! You all rock!
As I'm sure your apex reading skills have lead you to believe, this thread will contain legacy weapon ideas that I throw out because everyone knows if you throw enough crap at the walls, etc. etc.
First, let me lay down some ground rules for what I'm looking for, to help everyone:
1. Rule of Cool
I'm looking for cool. I strive to create cool. I want one of my players to say that word every session because that makes me feel like an awesome DM. If you feel like proposing something that might not work mechanically, but would be TOTALLY. FREAKIN'. METAL. Instead of trying to balance or tweak one of my existing ideas. Then please, go ahead.
2. Critique, Not Criticize
Please, for the love of Gary Gygax, be gentle.
3. There's Lots of Brew In This Home Game
These weapons are designed for a.. how to best describe it.. high octane, high thrills, high risk-high reward type of game. High Fantasy. As such, my ideas may not always follow proper progression (which is intentional, I swears) or do things that can't be mechanically justified. Keep this in mind. The power level may just be over 8000, just go with it, it's for a gestalt character game with a small number of players. Balance is still important to me, so let me know if a penalty is not steep enough, or a challenge not hard enough!
4. Flavor Me Hard
Crunch is something I'm not so worried about. I have a huge imagination and I am brimming with ideas. If I want to make it work, I will. If you want to write a bit of fluff here and there, expand a story, tweak it, PLEASE. DO IT. HARD. I love fluff more than anything.
5. Find the Path
These weapons are for the Pathfinder D20 System only, not 4th, not 3rd, not nuttin' but Pathfinder.
6. Help?
I can't figure out how to properly code HTML to take spaces. Any suggestions?
7. Thank You
Being appreciative is not a rule, but I thought I'd just out it here, to thank you in advance.
So, without further ado, I introduce the first Legacy Weapon: Yoru Akuma - The Night Demon.
A finer blade one could not find in all the realms of men and beasts. Everything about this sword compliments everything else, from the delicate wooden handle sanded and smoothed until the blackened wood was like silk upon the hands, and then wrapped in the finest black chain and black silks so the grip of a wielder might never slip. The flowing handguard forged of thin interlacing black steel to create a unique latticework many times stronger than a single piece hammered out to create a lesser blade's guard. But all of this pales before the actual blade Yoru Akuma possesses; darker than the soul of any man, more deep and consuming than the hunger of all the damned in all of hell and so sharp and finely made it cuts flesh, bone, wood, steel and near every other material as if it were but paper and if held at certain angles the blade seems to disappear, even when plunged into an enemy.
Non-legacy Game Statistics
+1 Ebon Iron Katana. Everything about Yoru Akuma is completely silent; drawing, parrying and attacking make no sound at all.
Omen
Yoru Akuma trails deep, black smoke filled with violent whispers with each swing and if left unsheathed or used in combat will quickly fill a five foot square in one round.
History
Kagini Saiten was an angry child, and far beyond what any normal child should have been. He was abnormally large among his people and quite strong, but he was not as valued as he wished because he was prone to accidents that often left many injured or even a few dead. In a short time he was regarded as bad luck and avoided as such which only increased his anger and what he viewed as unfair prejudice. As honor was as important to Kagini as any other, he decided to try and become a student at his village's only dojo to become a master with the sword and earn the respect of the villagers. This only exacerbated the problem, as even with only a wooden sword Kagini's blows were deadly and his outrage at being unable to quickly attain the level of mastery he sought saw him forcefully removed from the temple by the master of the dojo after a few short days. Kagini's misery deepened to a new low, and one night he lit his house on fire with his family inside and set out from the village in the middle of the night, away from the burning beacon in the night that was his home and the screams of his family.
(Knowledge (History), DC 20: Remembrance of Saiten.)
What Kagini did next is lost to time, though what is known is that he was not seen for many many years, long enough for people to move forget about him and all he had done. Some thought maybe the child had died in the mountains or left the land of his birth altogether, or perhaps even sought elightenment to atone for his crime. Sadly, the truth is much more tragic. Kagini did indeed head into the mountains, high enough to see many towns like his, filled with hateful villagers that weren't even aware of Kagini's pained existence and dojo's that taught everything he could never learn. He raged at the injustice of the world and tragically was trapped by a landslide inside the cave he had taken refuge in, and could not escape. Every curse he could summon was hurled at the stone wall that would cause his slow death, but he was well and truly trapped. Then, as if some kind of demon straight out of nightmare, legends all over Tian speak of a shadowy swordsmen who slaughtered anyone in his way without provocation or mercy, including all the masters of every dojo it came across. This continued for 7 years, with no one able to stop this demon, and just as suddenly as it had appeared the demon vanished without a trace.
(Knowledge (History), DC 25: Journey of Kagini.)
Eventually, the Imperial Army intervened in what is now known as the Battle of Blood Shadow Pass. At the highest mountain in Tian, the Army clashed with but a single creature that people had taken to calling Yoru Akuma - the Night Demon. Records are shady about the actual battle, save for official imperial records detailing that it was without incident and heroic in the extreme. Anyone who actually saw the battle would have witnessed rivers of blood, nightmarish amounts of brutality and slaughter, and at the end of it all, on the highest peak, an emaciated man so withered and old and small he looked like a child from far away knelt and committed ritual suicide with the blade the Night Demon wielded, though as Kagini had no friends or remaining enemies his ritual could not be completed properly, and he died in anguish. And if one stood at that the same spot Kagini died, they would see Kagini's sleepy old village.
(Knowledge (History), DC 30: Rite of Blood.)
Legacy Rituals
Remembrace of Saiten
Test: You must travel to the village where Kagini Saiten was born, which is now but a dilapidated forgotten ruin somewhere in the mountains of Tian and spend 1 week in meditation, burning incense in 12 hour shifts, where you may do nothing each day but sit in the burned ruins of his house and think upon one lesson Kagini could never learn: Patience.
Cost: 10,700 GP, 500 XP.
Feat Granted: Least Legacy (Yoru Akuma)
Journey of Kagini
Test: You must travel to the seven towns Kagini Saiten visited after acquiring Yoru Akuma on his mad quest for power and meditate at the grave of each master he killed, each time burnign powerful incense to honor their memory. These master's souls do not rest easy, and you must defeat them in honorable combat using only Yoru Akuma before they can find rest.
Cost: 26,000 GP, 1000 XP.
Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy (Yoru Akuma)
Rite of Blood
Test: You must travel to the tallest mountain in all the land and burn very specific incense over Yoru Akuma for 1 hour, at the end of which the user will be transported to a shadowy dojo in which Kagini Saiten's tormented soul resides. No record exists of what can be found within this terrible place, but whatever it is it can be certain that only true redemption or true death can be the outcome after this test is begun.
Cost: 45,000 GP, 1,500 XP.
Feat Granted: Greater Legacy (Yoru Akuma)
Abilities
Path of the Acolyte
Benefit: Beginning at 5th level, when the first ritual is completed, Yoru Akuma awakens and becomes an intelligent item. Yoru Akuma has an Intelligence of 13, a Wisdom of 13 and a Charisma of 8. Its alignment is Neutral and it communicates only via empathy. Being awoken yet still quite weak, the blade encourages its wielder to engage in fights they know they can win, but shies away from bigger challenges. The katana can see and hear to a range of 60 feet. Its Ego score is 5 + its enhancement bonus.
Twice-Striking Slice
Benefit: Beginning at 6th level, whenever deals damage to a creature that has not been damaged in the current combat, if the attack is successful, all numerical aspects of the first attack are maximized.
Shadow Limbs
Benefit: Beginning at 8th level once per day, as a standard action the wielder of Yoru Akuma may extend the reach of his hands and feet to entangle and toy with others. The wielder is considered to have a 30 foot reach for the purposes of combat maneuvers only and may perform any combat maneuver they know with regular bonuses.
Three Chains
Benefit: Beginning at 9th level, by spending a move action and 4 points of Ki, the wielder of Yoru Akuma may generate three spiked shadowy chains that coil around him like living snakes. He may then as a free action designate these chains to perform one action for one round, limited to the following: Target a single enemy up to 30 feet away and attack it (D20 + Wielder's BAB + Wielder's Wisdom Modifier) targeting CMD. If successful, the target is blinded for 2d4 rounds. Cause a chain to fly forward and ensnare an enemy, allowing the wielder to cause the opponent to suffer half the damage it suffered from the wielder's attack in the previous round. Finally, the wielder of Yoru Akuma may wrap a chain around the feet of their prey and entangle them, with Yoru Akuma counting as an opposing force.
Hidden Moon
Benefit: Beginning at 10th level, 3 times per day by spending 1 point of Ki, the wielder may be considered ethereal during a charge, and this effect ends when the charge is complete but before any attacks are made.
Sight's Betrayal
Benefit: Beginning at 12th level, by spending a swift action and 3 points of Ki the wielder of Yoru Akuma may create a perfect double of themself to confuse enemies. This double may not move or attack unless the wielder "transfers" those actions to the copy, in which case the double may take any action it is given immediately, though it can never full attack and may only attack at the wielder's highest BAB, and can move at the wielder's full speed and use all modes of movement available to the wielder. This copy lasts a number of rounds equal to the wielder's wisdom modifier, but disappears early if no actions are transferred to it for three consecutive rounds. If the wielder possesses the Vanishing Trick Ninja Trick, they may use it after creating the double as a free action, at normal cost.
Path of the Learned
Benefit: Beginning at 13th level and after the second ritual is completed, the second part of Yoru Akuma awakens and joins with the first. Yoru Akuma's Wisdom and Intelligence increase to 17 and it gains the See in Darkness universal monster ability. It also gains the ability to communicate in Tian and Common to its wielder, and encourages violence in all forms and its Ego score increases to 10 + its enhancement bonus. In addition, Yoru Akuma can be employed as though the wielder were unarmed: the wielder benefits from feats such as Deflect Arrows or Snatch Arrows (although he can redirect attacks but not catch them if he has no hands free), and a monk treats the blade as a monk weapon for use in his flurry of blows.
Steel Rain Defense
Benefit: Beginning at 15th level, as an immediate action once per round the wielder of Yoru Akuma may dodge a melee attack but must move as part of this action. The wielder may move up to their speed but this movement is subtracted from their available movement in the next round. In addition, the wielder of Yoru Akuma may throw a single thrown weapon at the target they avoided with Steel Rain Defense. This attack is explicitly an attack action, and not a standard action.
Starfall
Benefit: Beginning at 16th level, when using Steel Rain Defense, the wielder's speed is not subtracted from their movement next round if they move while using Steel Rain Defense. In addition, the wielder may sacrifice 15 feet of movement that will be subtracted from their movement next round to throw an additional thrown weapon, up to their maximum movement speed or the maximum amount of attacks the wielder can make.
Two Cuts
Benefit: Beginning at 17th level, Yoru Akuma ignores half the armor bonus or natural armor bonus any creature possesses, except for enhancement bonuses.
Path of the Master
Benefit: Beginning at 18th level, after the final ritual is complete, Yoru Akuma fulls awakens. Its Wisdom and Intelligence increase to 20 and it gains the ability to communicate with its wielder telepathically, the katana gains blindsense out to 120 feet and can share all of its senses with its wielder, which gives the wielder's eyes an unnerving red glow when it is doing so. Its Ego score increases to 17 + its enhancement bonus.
Shadow Reaping
Benefit: Beginning at 19th level, once per day on command, you can frighten all creatures to death within 30 feet, as the Wierd spell. In addition, Yoru Akuma's wielder heals 15 hit points per creature killed in this way and also gains a +4 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls until the end of their next turn. The save DC is 25, or 19 + your Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher.
One Cut
Benefit: Beginning at 20th level, Yoru Akuma ignores all the armor bonus or natural armor bonus any creature possesses, except for enhancement bonuses .
Wielder Requirements
Improved Unarmed Strike
Stealth 6 Ranks
Perception 6 Ranks
Special: The wielder must sacrifice a single point of Ki to be able to awaken the weapon into a legacy item. This is regained when the wielder attains 20th level.
(NOTE: I can't actually figure out how to make tables properly work on this site, so for expediency's sake, I'll just post the totals here. Total Loss: -10 HP, -3 All Saves, -2 All Skills.)
Personal Costs
Level Hit Point Loss Save Penalty Skill Check Pen.Abilities
5th -1 -- -- Path of the Acolyte
6th -- -1 -- +1 Glamered Ebon Iron Katana, Twice Striking Slice
7th -- -- --
8th -1 -- -1 Shadow Limbs 1/day
9th -1 -- -- +2 Glamered Ebon Iron Katana, Three Chains
10th -1 -- -- Hidden Moon
11th -- -- --
12th -1 -- -- +2 Ki Intensifying Glamered Ebon Iron Katana, Sight's Betrayal
13th -- -- -- Path of the Learned
14th -- -- --
15th -1 -2 -2 Steel Rain Defense
16th -1 -- +4 Agile Ki Intensifying Glamered Ebon Iron Katana, Starfall
17th -1 -- -- Two Cuts
18th -- -- -- +5 Keen Agile Ki Intensifying Glamered Ebon Iron Katana, Path of the Master
19th -1 -3 -- Shadow Reaping 1/day
20th -1 -- -- One Cut
This seems like a good idea, aside from the name.
I'm sorry, it just sounds very corny to me.
Hah, thanks.
Duly noted IcyShadow.
Also, I never liked the fact that a Legacy weapon takes your stats away...
I found it a strange concept as well, but it seems to make sense that you would need to at least trade something for such a powerful weapon, often capable of many things mundane weapons were not. I suppose the intimate bond you forge with the weapon that allows you to carve out legends with it takes a very piece of your soul.
In the end, it's all really about having Night Demon, katana forged by otherwordly powers that is totally sweet 'n stuff than having a +5 Keen Katana, or so-forth.
I found it a strange concept as well, but it seems to make sense that you would need to at least trade something for such a powerful weapon, often capable of many things mundane weapons were not. I suppose the intimate bond you forge with the weapon that allows you to carve out legends with it takes a very piece of your soul.
In the end, it's all really about having Night Demon, katana forged by otherwordly powers that is totally sweet 'n stuff than having a +5 Keen Katana, or so-forth.
I too have always felt the penalties to stats, especially like attack penalties to a weapon, were counter intuitive. The fact that the item needs some sort of penalty to balance it does seem fair.
Instead of a bonus feat for Legacy-ing the item, how about a feat tax for each tier of Legacy?
Uhh..
Honestly I'm not sure! I don't actually like the term "Feat Tax" and to me, feats are so staple in what you want your character to do that having something you have to take will make you like whatever option you're being taxed for less.
But thanks! Definitely some food for thought, Ghost Knight! Different penalties on the weapons is something I will definitely look into. 8D
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You might want to take a look at the Expanded Battle Scion from Kobold Press.
In addition to the Battle Scion class and appropriate feats and archetypes, it also features three legendary weapons (the Sword of Gax, the Shield of Gax and the Armor of Gax) which scale in power as the character gains levels. It's basically a more balanced and elegant way to do weapons of legacy.
Check it out :)
@ The Ravin Winterwolf: I don't know what a Legacy weapon is to save my life. I want to be part of this thread though, and that's b/cause of this line:
I'm looking for cool. I strive to create cool. I want one of my players to say that word every session because that makes me feel like an awesome DM.
So I don't know how I can help, but you have my blade.
In my own homebrew I have a very dark fairy tale vibe going on and I wanted to have unique items that lent the wielders powers over time. In one quest at 3rd level I had the players use their weirdest powers and traits to shatter a minor artifact and cause a chain reaction of fey energy to "awaken" the power of these otherwise mundane items.
A non-masterwork bow for example suddenly transformed into a masterwork. Then a divine rune appeared making it +1. The PC using it is a cleric/ranger of Erastil with a strong focus on buffing and healing, so while holding the bow and using a Cure spell she can Maximize it 1/day.
Another PC is a power attacking dwarf fighter with a focus on a warhammer. He said early on in the game he wants to do extra Force damage at some point a la a thunder clap, so as his weapon has begun to pick up powers it's started sound bursting on confirmed crits dealing 1 extra damage and hinting at a new power he can then unleash.
I didn't know I was supposed to take stuff away from the players for these gifts? Please help me understand the process so I can make better suggestions.
I'm glad to have your blade, Mark.
A legacy weapon is just that, a legacy, usually wielded by some hero and part of some heroic quest, and often possessing powers beyond the ken of normal weaponry.
Some examples may be: a holy avenger used by an ancient paladin who slew an evil so potent that her holy avenger's very presence became inimical to undead and weakened them within a large radius around her.
A knife used by a rogue who prided himself on never being seen by his marks, and over a period of years the knife itself took on a measure of his ego, and whenever it could would cast invisibility to allow him to pass without a trace, or modify memory of targets or even of the wielder himself to keep the legend alive.
Or, like the nature of your game, legacy weapons can be forged in dire situations. Exploding fey energy at a critical moment could indeed awaken the powers of a legacy item.
The penalties of a legacy item are optional, really. The idea I got it from introduced penalties to, as I said before represent the binding of the wielder's soul with the item, and to give the item intelligence to set it apart from simple steel.
Your campaign sounds great! You're ideas sound original, and you aren't doing anything wrong, and you don't have to take anything away from your players at all. This is just something I'm going with, and who knows I may get rid of the penalties altogether.
So now, I pose a second question to this forum: If you were a barbarian, what, if in this situation you wield a magical weapon, what powers would you like your weapon to possess?
Dotting this for further thought later on.
I gave my barbarian a Vicious weapon called a Wyvern-Sting Axe. It's hilt was decorated by a wyvern's tail barb. Each time he attacked with the blade, the barb would sting him as well dealing 1d6 damage. Might be kind of fun and flavorful.
But to the barbarian legacy:
There are ancestral spirits or totem animals that watch over many tribes. Our shamans have found a way to commune with them in battle. But there are some heroes who are noticed by the spirits just by their sheer ferocity. When this happens, the spirits make themselves known.
The First Awakening usually occurs when the hero performs an amazing task in battle. Hereafter they find a Spirit Mark on their weapon or armor. This mark not only infuses the eldritch power into the weapon but acts like a lightning rod for future communion w/the spirits. (Weapon is now +1; this bonus will steadily increase at intervals throughout the lifespan of the character's use)
The Paths:
Many heroes noticed by the spirits end their journey there. Superstition, fear or pride holds them back from further communion with the beyond. For those brave enough to endure the shaman's rites, there are 3 known Paths for them to walk through the spirit world. There may be more, but our shamans do not know them.
The Path of Storms
The hero must undergo ever more dangerous trials exposed in the wilds amid violent storms. Each time the shamans prepare them for their quest and, should they survive they and their weapon return transformed.
The first power of the storms protects the hero against common weather (Endure Elements at will on self; +2 to Survival checks for weather). The second calls the lightning (+1d6 Electricity damage). The third produces great winds to howl at the hero's enemy (either Gust of Wind or some more powerful effect 3/day + Cha modifier; min 1). The fourth power sounds the thunder's fury (Mass Rage or a sonic effect). The final power calls down the tempest (summon huge or greater air elemental) to smite the enemies of the hero and the tribe.
The other 2 paths known to the people are the Path of Animals and the Path of the Umbra. While animals unleash the bestial nature of the hero the Umbra is a place of spirits, darkness and fear. Such paths are best left discussed another time.
I personally feel that the legacy weapons don't need any kind of penalty, especially since you're already giving gold and XP just to increase its power.
I also recommend one looks at Scaling Item system in Unchained for how PF handles the same concept (Though it may be more simplified than you'd like)