wayfare
2011-02-18, 03:40 AM
A friend of mine is running an AD&D game for me, one that is set in the Forgotten Realms. I am playing a multi-class Dwarven Fighter/Cleric of Moradin. We are using non-weapon proficiencies in this game, and I intend to create a master smith who creates magic weapons.
However, most magic items cannot be created until the character is level 11. So i've designed a lesser form of magic item enchantment that my character could specialize in at a lower levels. I'm looking for any critiques, from fluff to mechanics:
Dwarven Runecrafting
Dwarven Runecrafting is the means by which the ancient dwarven kingdoms created their unsurpassed martial arsenals. An exacting discipline, Dwarven runecraft allows for the creation of items that, while not magical in-and-of themselves, can be empowered by spells to manifest minor magical abilities. This form of enchantment ensured that even the lowliest dwarves soldier carried a weapon that could be imbued with significant mystic properties.
Runecrafting is still performed in dwarven kingdoms, though the practice is less common in the modern era. Clerics of 6th level spend much of their time empowering weapons as holy instruments for the defense of the dwarves nations. Dwarves who bear rune crafted weaponry or armor treat their items more like religious relics than simple weapons. Receiving a runecrafted weapon is a significant event in any soldiers life. Additional rune patterns inscribed on a weapon are tokens of esteem, a combination of military medal and holy blessing.
Weapons or armor that benefit from runecraft can be crafted by any character with the Weaponsmithing or Armorsmithing non-weapon proficiency. The weapon/armor must be engraved with a runic pattern when it is created or shortly thereafter. Each runic pattern imbued in an item increases the cost of the weapon by 10% and imposes a -1 penalty on Weaponsmithing/Armorsmithing rolls to craft the item. No item may be enhanced by more than 3 runic patterns.
A weapon marked with a runic pattern is NOT a magic item. The runic patterns engraved upon the weapon allows the weapon to generate a specific effect when imbued with divine energy. To imbue a weapon with divine power, a cleric must sacrifice a prepared spell as well as hit points equal to twice the level of the spell. After intoning an incantation lasting 1 minute per level of the spell sacrificed, the runes empowered glow with a bright light and the item begins to radiate magic. Thereafter, the runecrafted effect functions normally. Hitpoints lost in the empowering of a Runecrafted item can be recovered normally.
The runes inscribed on the item are permanent unless the item is reworked. However, the divine magic that powers these runes must be renewed periodically for the mystic effect to function. The level of the spell sacrificed determines how long the magic lasts:
Level 1 Spell: 2 days
Level 2 Spell: 5 days
Level 3 Spell: 10 days
Level 4 Spell: 20 days
Level 5 Spell: 50 days
Level 6 Spell: 100 days
Level 7 Spell: 200 days
Once a spell is sacrificed to empower a runecrafted item, subsequent spells have no effect until the duration runs out.
Only characters of 6th level or higher can learn how to create runic patterns. Any dwarven cleric of Moradin or Clangadin can imbue a runecrafed item with power. Few other deities know the secrets of rune crafting: Moradin shared the secret with Correlon to seal the friendship between their races, but the art is rare even amongst elven master-smiths. Oghma knows the secret of rune crafting, though his clergy have little use for it.
The mystic effects generated by runecrafting cannot be made permanent via a permanency spell or ritual. However, if a rune crafted item should be enchanted with a permanent magical ability, this enchantment in no way interferes with the runecrafting. Thus, a dwarf who has his runecrafted warhammer enhanced with the disruption quality, can still sacrifice spells and hp to gain the shock quality.
Runecrafted items do not detect as fully magical -- only the misinformed would buy such a weapon thinking it was truly magical. Dwarven deities look poorly upon those who sell these weapons to non-dwarves, particularly those who are disingenuous in their trading practices: the gods might punish such a dwarf by denying him access to spells, or preventing their magics from healing him.
Runic Patterns
Each runic pattern inscribed on a weapon generates a specific effect. If a weapon has multiple runic patterns, each must be enchanted individually. However, all active effects must have the same duration -- if a level 4 spell is used to activate one pattern, a level 4 spell must be used to activate all patterns.
The following are runic patterns that can be placed on a weapon. The entries appear as follow:
Effect Name: Minimum Level to Inscribe: Bonus Provided
Seeking: 6th level: The wielder gains a +1 bonus to hit when using this weapon
Biting: 6th level: The wielder inflicts +1 damage on a successful weapon attack
Swift: 6th level: The wielder gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks while holding this weapon
Bright: 6th level: The wielder can take an action to cause his weapon to glow with light equivalent to a torch
Quick Draw: 6th level: At the beginning of combat, the weapon appears in the wielders hands
Fiery: 7th level: Adds 1 fire damage to a successful weapon attack
Sparking: 7th level: Adds 1 electric damage to a successful weapon attack
Chill: 7th level: Adds 1 cold damage to a successful weapon attack
Envenomed: 7th level: Adds 1 acid damage to a successful weapon attack
Sighted: 7th level: While the wielder holds this weapon, the range of his dark vision or infravision is doubled
Summoned: 8th level: The wielder can take an action to summon this weapon to his hands
Extra Range: 8th level: This ranged weapon increases is range increments by 50%
Greatreach: 8th level: This melee weapon has an additional 5 feet of reach when the wielder wills it
Baleful: 8th level: This weapon has a special hatred for a specific people, chosen when the weapon is created: typically giants, drow, goblins, or undead. When used against the chosen enemy, it inflicts 2 additional points of damage.
Lawful: 9th level: This weapon is the bane of chaotic creatures, capable of bypassing any weapon immunities a chaotic creature possesses (a demon immune to +2 weapons still takes normal damage from a lawful blade).
Holy: 9th level: This weapon is the bane of evil creatures, capable of bypassing any weapon immunities a chaotic creature possesses (a devil immune to +5 weapons still takes normal damage from a holy blade).
Heartening: 9th level: While holding this weapon, you can make two saves against any fear effect that targets you. You may choose the better result.
Vigorous: 9th level: While holding this weapon, you can make two saves against any poison or disease effect that targets you. You may choose the better result.
Vengeful: 9th level: If you were hit by an opponent in your last round, this weapon grants you +2 to hit against that opponent.
However, most magic items cannot be created until the character is level 11. So i've designed a lesser form of magic item enchantment that my character could specialize in at a lower levels. I'm looking for any critiques, from fluff to mechanics:
Dwarven Runecrafting
Dwarven Runecrafting is the means by which the ancient dwarven kingdoms created their unsurpassed martial arsenals. An exacting discipline, Dwarven runecraft allows for the creation of items that, while not magical in-and-of themselves, can be empowered by spells to manifest minor magical abilities. This form of enchantment ensured that even the lowliest dwarves soldier carried a weapon that could be imbued with significant mystic properties.
Runecrafting is still performed in dwarven kingdoms, though the practice is less common in the modern era. Clerics of 6th level spend much of their time empowering weapons as holy instruments for the defense of the dwarves nations. Dwarves who bear rune crafted weaponry or armor treat their items more like religious relics than simple weapons. Receiving a runecrafted weapon is a significant event in any soldiers life. Additional rune patterns inscribed on a weapon are tokens of esteem, a combination of military medal and holy blessing.
Weapons or armor that benefit from runecraft can be crafted by any character with the Weaponsmithing or Armorsmithing non-weapon proficiency. The weapon/armor must be engraved with a runic pattern when it is created or shortly thereafter. Each runic pattern imbued in an item increases the cost of the weapon by 10% and imposes a -1 penalty on Weaponsmithing/Armorsmithing rolls to craft the item. No item may be enhanced by more than 3 runic patterns.
A weapon marked with a runic pattern is NOT a magic item. The runic patterns engraved upon the weapon allows the weapon to generate a specific effect when imbued with divine energy. To imbue a weapon with divine power, a cleric must sacrifice a prepared spell as well as hit points equal to twice the level of the spell. After intoning an incantation lasting 1 minute per level of the spell sacrificed, the runes empowered glow with a bright light and the item begins to radiate magic. Thereafter, the runecrafted effect functions normally. Hitpoints lost in the empowering of a Runecrafted item can be recovered normally.
The runes inscribed on the item are permanent unless the item is reworked. However, the divine magic that powers these runes must be renewed periodically for the mystic effect to function. The level of the spell sacrificed determines how long the magic lasts:
Level 1 Spell: 2 days
Level 2 Spell: 5 days
Level 3 Spell: 10 days
Level 4 Spell: 20 days
Level 5 Spell: 50 days
Level 6 Spell: 100 days
Level 7 Spell: 200 days
Once a spell is sacrificed to empower a runecrafted item, subsequent spells have no effect until the duration runs out.
Only characters of 6th level or higher can learn how to create runic patterns. Any dwarven cleric of Moradin or Clangadin can imbue a runecrafed item with power. Few other deities know the secrets of rune crafting: Moradin shared the secret with Correlon to seal the friendship between their races, but the art is rare even amongst elven master-smiths. Oghma knows the secret of rune crafting, though his clergy have little use for it.
The mystic effects generated by runecrafting cannot be made permanent via a permanency spell or ritual. However, if a rune crafted item should be enchanted with a permanent magical ability, this enchantment in no way interferes with the runecrafting. Thus, a dwarf who has his runecrafted warhammer enhanced with the disruption quality, can still sacrifice spells and hp to gain the shock quality.
Runecrafted items do not detect as fully magical -- only the misinformed would buy such a weapon thinking it was truly magical. Dwarven deities look poorly upon those who sell these weapons to non-dwarves, particularly those who are disingenuous in their trading practices: the gods might punish such a dwarf by denying him access to spells, or preventing their magics from healing him.
Runic Patterns
Each runic pattern inscribed on a weapon generates a specific effect. If a weapon has multiple runic patterns, each must be enchanted individually. However, all active effects must have the same duration -- if a level 4 spell is used to activate one pattern, a level 4 spell must be used to activate all patterns.
The following are runic patterns that can be placed on a weapon. The entries appear as follow:
Effect Name: Minimum Level to Inscribe: Bonus Provided
Seeking: 6th level: The wielder gains a +1 bonus to hit when using this weapon
Biting: 6th level: The wielder inflicts +1 damage on a successful weapon attack
Swift: 6th level: The wielder gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks while holding this weapon
Bright: 6th level: The wielder can take an action to cause his weapon to glow with light equivalent to a torch
Quick Draw: 6th level: At the beginning of combat, the weapon appears in the wielders hands
Fiery: 7th level: Adds 1 fire damage to a successful weapon attack
Sparking: 7th level: Adds 1 electric damage to a successful weapon attack
Chill: 7th level: Adds 1 cold damage to a successful weapon attack
Envenomed: 7th level: Adds 1 acid damage to a successful weapon attack
Sighted: 7th level: While the wielder holds this weapon, the range of his dark vision or infravision is doubled
Summoned: 8th level: The wielder can take an action to summon this weapon to his hands
Extra Range: 8th level: This ranged weapon increases is range increments by 50%
Greatreach: 8th level: This melee weapon has an additional 5 feet of reach when the wielder wills it
Baleful: 8th level: This weapon has a special hatred for a specific people, chosen when the weapon is created: typically giants, drow, goblins, or undead. When used against the chosen enemy, it inflicts 2 additional points of damage.
Lawful: 9th level: This weapon is the bane of chaotic creatures, capable of bypassing any weapon immunities a chaotic creature possesses (a demon immune to +2 weapons still takes normal damage from a lawful blade).
Holy: 9th level: This weapon is the bane of evil creatures, capable of bypassing any weapon immunities a chaotic creature possesses (a devil immune to +5 weapons still takes normal damage from a holy blade).
Heartening: 9th level: While holding this weapon, you can make two saves against any fear effect that targets you. You may choose the better result.
Vigorous: 9th level: While holding this weapon, you can make two saves against any poison or disease effect that targets you. You may choose the better result.
Vengeful: 9th level: If you were hit by an opponent in your last round, this weapon grants you +2 to hit against that opponent.