Armaments of Courage and Resolve!

[crimsonqueen]

Hey me again yes I got a lot of questions I know XD Anyway this time I am working on some items that will be found in my campaign as the current "job" the characters are doing is crawling through a dungeon to find some ancient relics of an old kingdom. And these are those relics.

Armor of Courage
Type: Mithral Full Plate
Size: Medium
Armor Bonus: +8
Max Dex: +3
Arcane Spell Failure: 25%
Special Effect: The wearer is immune to ability draining effects.

&

Armor of Resolve
Type: Mithral Full Plate
Size: Medium
Armor Bonus: +8
Max Dex: +3
Arcane Spell Failure: 25%
Special Effect: The wearer is immune to ability damage effects.

Any suggestions on these? Im debating on if their two powerful or if they need to be weaker.

Next we have the swords these are the ones I am having the most trouble with.

Blade of Courage
Type: Adamantine Great Sword
Size: Medium
Damage:2d6
Critical: 19-20 x2
Special Effects: As a full round action the user of this sword may perform a ranged touch attack for 2d4 damage of either force or positive energy. This ability may be used a number of times per encounter equal to your Wisdom modifier.

&

Blade of Resolve
Type: Adamantine Great Sword
Size: Medium
Damage:2d6
Critical: 19-20 x2
Special Effects: As a full round action the user of this sword may perform a ranged touch attack for 2d4 damage of either force or negative energy. This ability may be used a number of times per encounter equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Are these swords too powerful? Do you have any suggestions or thoughts? Also I went with wisdom modifier as the idea is their special power is fueled by their will.

[Jeff the Green]

It depends entirely on their level. The powers of all the relics are easily obtainable as spells.

[Jeff the Green]

Well, I introduced a bug.

[crimsonqueen]

It depends entirely on their level. The powers of all the relics are easily obtainable as spells.

This is for level 10 characters.

[Jeff the Green]

In that case they seem fairly weak. The armor abilities are nice, but can be replicated for the most part with a few cleric spells starting at level 3. The weapons can be duplicated by a wand of magic missile. Better even, since they only take a standard action to use and don't have a daily limit.

[Snowbluff]

Armor of Courage. An item with the word courage in it, but doesn't affect fear effects in any way.

[pffh]

I'd make them stronger and modify the effect. Something like:

Armor of Courage
Type: Mithral Full Plate +3
Size: Medium
Armor Bonus: +8
Max Dex: +3
Arcane Spell Failure: 25%
Special Effect: The wearer is immune to fear effects. The armor casts off an Aura of Inspire Courage (see the Bard ability) equal to a bard of 1/2 the wearers ECL for 30ft around the wearer.

Possibly even adding something like: When used with the Blade of Courage the auras power increases and becomes equal to that of a bard of the wearers ECL and doubling it's range.

Edit: Right range.

[Jeff the Green]

I'd make them stronger and modify the effect. Something like:

Armor of Courage
Type: Mithral Full Plate +3
Size: Medium
Armor Bonus: +8
Max Dex: +3
Arcane Spell Failure: 25%
Special Effect: The wearer is immune to fear effects. The armor casts off an aura of inspire courage (see the Bard ability) equal to a bard of 1/2 the wearers ECL.

Not a bad idea, but if you go with this you should specify a range. Inspire Courage affects any ally who can hear the bard, so the armor would either have no effect (since it's not singing) or affect every ally in the entire world. I don't think you want either of those.

[crimsonqueen]

In that case they seem fairly weak. The armor abilities are nice, but can be replicated for the most part with a few cleric spells starting at level 3. The weapons can be duplicated by a wand of magic missile. Better even, since they only take a standard action to use and don't have a daily limit.

Its not a daily limit its an encounter limit :) Basically after each encounter it resets. How would you enhance them to make them better?


I'd make them stronger and modify the effect. Something like:

Armor of Courage
Type: Mithral Full Plate +3
Size: Medium
Armor Bonus: +8
Max Dex: +3
Arcane Spell Failure: 25%
Special Effect: The wearer is immune to fear effects. The armor casts off an Aura of Inspire Courage (see the Bard ability) equal to a bard of 1/2 the wearers ECL.

Possibly even adding something like: When used with the Blade of Courage the auras power increases and becomes equal to that of a bard of the wearers ECL.

I'd have to give it a range limit lol.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Blade of Courage
Type: Adamantine Great Sword
Size: Medium
Damage:2d6
Critical: 19-20 x2
Special Effects: As a full round action the user of this sword may perform a ranged touch attack for 2d4 damage of either force or positive energy. This ability may be used a number of times per encounter equal to your Wisdom modifier.

&

Blade of Resolve
Type: Adamantine Great Sword
Size: Medium
Damage:2d6
Critical: 19-20 x2
Special Effects: As a full round action the user of this sword may perform a ranged touch attack for 2d4 damage of either force or negative energy. This ability may be used a number of times per encounter equal to your Wisdom modifier.


Ok, so the only difference between the swords is the difference between Postive and Negative energy. Thats..... kind of lame, no offence. Unless there is a fluff reason for these items to be near clones of each other, its frankly boring for the players, even disregarding their weak effects. I'd throw in Paladin's fear immunity feature, whatever its called, on the Courage Armor, and maybe some kind of triggered Fear cleansing effect on the Courage sword.

Resolve armor could grant Mettle, or some form of Mettle Lite. Maybe the sword granting Temp HP on a hit?

[crimsonqueen]

Ok, so the only difference between the swords is the difference between Postive and Negative energy. Thats..... kind of lame, no offence. Unless there is a fluff reason for these items to be near clones of each other, its frankly boring for the players, even disregarding their weak effects. I'd throw in Paladin's fear immunity feature, whatever its called, on the Courage Armor, and maybe some kind of triggered Fear cleansing effect on the Courage sword.

Resolve armor could grant Mettle, or some form of Mettle Lite. Maybe the sword granting Temp HP on a hit?

Their supposed to be twin armor and weapons that were used by rival brothers one was a paladin king who strived for peace and bloodless combat while his brother wanted to be king and his jealously caused him to become a blackguard so he had a black smith and evil cleric create the Armor and Sword of Resolve to be clones of his brothers but with negative energy.

The story became known as the War of Royal Knights. With neither side giving an inch the Good brother fighting to protect his people while his brother never stopping in his attempts to become the ultimate dictator. Infact even in death they refuse to stop fighting as their wills poured into the armor and swords.

[T.G. Oskar]

I agree with many in regards to the equipments. They're not really that powerful, as they're basically regular mithral full plate suits with only a fraction of Death Ward's immunities at all times. They make little sense. The sword's abilities are nicer, but they aren't so different.

The Armor of Courage could grant a minor ability to anyone who wears it, and a greater benefit to Paladins and characters with Inspire Courage; if using 3.5, I'd also go with the Marshal and its auras (I'd venture Cavalier if you're using PF, however). Essentially, the Armor of Courage could be a magical mithral full plate (anything from +1 to +5) which grants an aura of courage like that of a Paladin on any nonevil creature that wears it. If a Paladin wears it, it grants a specific benefit; if a Bard wears it (how is a good question, but it should be nonetheless thought of), it grants a bonus when using Inspire Courage, and if used by a Marshal, it grants an ability when using the aura. Something like this:

Armor of Courage: This +3 mithral full plate was the prized possession of a legendary king and paladin. Any non-evil creature who wears it becomes immune to all fear effects, and any creature within 10 ft. of the wearer gains a +4 bonus on all saves against fear effects. If a Paladin wears it, [insert ability here]. A Bard that gains the ability to wear this armor may [insert ability here] when using its Inspire Courage ability.

Suggestions for the Paladin aura are: extend its Aura of Courage to 20 ft., grant a +2 bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks to any creature within the aura that's shaken (essentially negating the penalties for the shaken condition but as long as they're close to the paladin), a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls while under the effect of the aura. Suggestions for the Bard are: the bard uses inspire courage as a character of 7 levels higher than the norm (or Inspire Courage's morale bonus increases by 1, whichever you like), expend a daily use of bardic music to negate the effects of fear on one creature within range of the aura, plus 1 creature for every three class levels. Now, don't go adding all of them at once, but they're mostly creative.

The Armor of Resolve should be somewhat equal, but not mithral. I'd make it an Adamantine Full Plate, and go with the suggestion given somewhere of granting the mettle ability. Make it so that everyone, not just evil creatures, that wear it gain the benefit, and that someone with mettle gains "improved mettle" instead (think Improved Evasion).

The Blade of Courage shouldn't be a greatsword. IMO, it should be a longsword, as you'd expect a paladin wearing a shield. It can remain as an adamantine weapon, particularly if you're going for the pitch of Armor of Resolve being an adamantine suit of armor. There's already an excellent special quality for a blade of courage (the Resounding quality in Magic Item Compendium), and it might also grant another quality related to courage.

The Blade of Resolve, on the other hand, might remain as an adamantine greastsword, probably one with the Bodyfeeder quality (temporary hit points equal to damage dealt with a critical hit). As for the resolve quality...not much of a clue; the ranged attack abilities of both are nice, but not really fitting.

I'd also suggest looking at the magic item sets properties from Magic Item Compendium, because everything has the feel of two sets of magic items that when complete grant greater properties. One of the suggestions is that, the more items you have from the set, one of the specific items becomes intelligent, representing fragments of one of the brothers reuniting. They have the unmistakable feel of intelligent magic items (as you mentioned, their "battle" has not yet ended), but that way you can make it interesting enough without resorting to having multiple magic items that act essentially the same. You could make them "unique", by making them unable to replicate (an exception to the rule that you can duplicate the remainder of one magic item set so as long as you have a part of it), akin to minor artifacts.

[crimsonqueen]

I agree with many in regards to the equipments. They're not really that powerful, as they're basically regular mithral full plate suits with only a fraction of Death Ward's immunities at all times. They make little sense. The sword's abilities are nicer, but they aren't so different.

The Armor of Courage could grant a minor ability to anyone who wears it, and a greater benefit to Paladins and characters with Inspire Courage; if using 3.5, I'd also go with the Marshal and its auras (I'd venture Cavalier if you're using PF, however). Essentially, the Armor of Courage could be a magical mithral full plate (anything from +1 to +5) which grants an aura of courage like that of a Paladin on any nonevil creature that wears it. If a Paladin wears it, it grants a specific benefit; if a Bard wears it (how is a good question, but it should be nonetheless thought of), it grants a bonus when using Inspire Courage, and if used by a Marshal, it grants an ability when using the aura. Something like this:

Armor of Courage: This +3 mithral full plate was the prized possession of a legendary king and paladin. Any non-evil creature who wears it becomes immune to all fear effects, and any creature within 10 ft. of the wearer gains a +4 bonus on all saves against fear effects. If a Paladin wears it, [insert ability here]. A Bard that gains the ability to wear this armor may [insert ability here] when using its Inspire Courage ability.

Suggestions for the Paladin aura are: extend its Aura of Courage to 20 ft., grant a +2 bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks to any creature within the aura that's shaken (essentially negating the penalties for the shaken condition but as long as they're close to the paladin), a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls while under the effect of the aura. Suggestions for the Bard are: the bard uses inspire courage as a character of 7 levels higher than the norm (or Inspire Courage's morale bonus increases by 1, whichever you like), expend a daily use of bardic music to negate the effects of fear on one creature within range of the aura, plus 1 creature for every three class levels. Now, don't go adding all of them at once, but they're mostly creative.

The Armor of Resolve should be somewhat equal, but not mithral. I'd make it an Adamantine Full Plate, and go with the suggestion given somewhere of granting the mettle ability. Make it so that everyone, not just evil creatures, that wear it gain the benefit, and that someone with mettle gains "improved mettle" instead (think Improved Evasion).

The Blade of Courage shouldn't be a greatsword. IMO, it should be a longsword, as you'd expect a paladin wearing a shield. It can remain as an adamantine weapon, particularly if you're going for the pitch of Armor of Resolve being an adamantine suit of armor. There's already an excellent special quality for a blade of courage (the Resounding quality in Magic Item Compendium), and it might also grant another quality related to courage.

The Blade of Resolve, on the other hand, might remain as an adamantine greastsword, probably one with the Bodyfeeder quality (temporary hit points equal to damage dealt with a critical hit). As for the resolve quality...not much of a clue; the ranged attack abilities of both are nice, but not really fitting.

I'd also suggest looking at the magic item sets properties from Magic Item Compendium, because everything has the feel of two sets of magic items that when complete grant greater properties. One of the suggestions is that, the more items you have from the set, one of the specific items becomes intelligent, representing fragments of one of the brothers reuniting. They have the unmistakable feel of intelligent magic items (as you mentioned, their "battle" has not yet ended), but that way you can make it interesting enough without resorting to having multiple magic items that act essentially the same. You could make them "unique", by making them unable to replicate (an exception to the rule that you can duplicate the remainder of one magic item set so as long as you have a part of it), akin to minor artifacts.

mhmm interesting thoughts and I like your suggestion for the armor of courage. Now then I suppose i should reveal the inspirations for these armor & sword combos.

Courage Set:

http://images.wikia.com/cardfight/images/c/c3/Unit_rp01.jpg

Resolve Set:

http://images.wikia.com/cardfight/images/d/de/Blaster_Dark_2.jpg

And now thats out of the way I have to say I like your idea about how they become intelligent as you get more of the pieces together :)