Intelligent weapon goals

[Baroncognito]

So, I'm running a pathfinder game, and one of my players has a bladebound magus. He's got a scorpion whip named Bernie. He's Neutral Good, so I'm trying to figure out a good special purpose for the whip.

[AuraTwilight]

Defeat Dracula.

[Baroncognito]

Why would a whip named Bernie want to defeat Dracula?

(I know already that the whip will be rather jealous and try to hide the gnome's other weapons)

[Amnestic]

Why would a whip [...] want to defeat Dracula?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlevania
http://castlevania.wikia.com/wiki/Vampire_Killer_Whip

It's what all whips aspire to, don't you know?

[ArcturusV]

That is the power of a Belmont.

Well, the basis I tend to use when dealing with Intelligent Weapons is trying to figure out the origins first. If this is a case where someone who was a mortal (Or other living being) was bound to a weapon, it's bound to have a different point of view than a weapon that was spontaneously made intelligent through magic or during the time of it's creation.

For example, a Neutral Good whip who was formed from an outsider Guardinal might see the existence as a weapon a cruel curse, maybe inflicted on it by some evil being. It's trapped in that limited form, unable to do what it was meant to do. It wants to destroy the weapon in order to free it's essence once more. However it can't ignore the fact that, as a weapon, it is often called into the service of Good in that form. It resents the fact it can't destroy itself due to the pressing need to vanquish the evils it is presented with. It strives to use it's power to make the wielder purify the world around it, and once secured, destroy it.

Now if it was a crafted intelligence then it's probably more dutybound and with less "Free Will" or driving goals. It was probably created with a purpose, and had that purpose ingrained in it's very essence right from the start. It should be a one track mind, focused entirely on the tasks it was made to complete. It doesn't give a rat's ass about anything else. It refuses to lend it's powers to aid the wielder when they are pursuing other goals that have nothing to do with it's purpose. When it is pursuing it's purpose it tries to take control of the wielder if it senses that it's current user isn't up to the task. If it is, suggests tactics and use of it's powers to the wielder within the scope of it's ability and mental scores.

[stack]

Well, I have a character who's black blade's goal is to make it's wielder achieve perfection through martial achievement and thus ascend to godhood. Its true neutral though.

For a whip...hmm.

[Psyren]

The Special Purpose Table (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items#TOC-Table-Intelligent-Item-Purpose) is a good start.

Note that the weapon can desire to "defeat" rather than "slay." This could be useful for a non-evil blade - wishing to test itself and prove it to be the greatest weapon ever created through a series of non-lethal duels. (And drag you along for the ride.)

[Baroncognito]

So how would I GM a special purpose?

"Hey! D'yaknow what sounds like fun? We should go burn some vampires! No? Not today? Fine, but I'm chucking your spiked gauntlet in the next river we go past."

[ArcturusV]

It's usually more of a "Target of Opportunity" thing.

Like say the character has his Belmont Whip and they're in a tavern and hear some rumor about "Oh, I heard the Orzovas up in the keep are a family of vampires"...

... your weapon hears it and starts going, "VAMPIRES! We must vanquish them, so that they can arise again in a few decades when the strength of men weaken and evil spreads!"

And it will continually bug the guy until he relents. It might "sulk" and not use it's powers if the player doesn't cooperate (At least for a while, let them get over it if the players are dead set against it).

Similarly if they come into a fight and suddenly you realize you're fighting Vampire Thralls it'll similarly go "Ooo, ooo, master vampire nearby! We must assemble the many pieces of it's body and use the flames to kill it!" or prod the user to focus on the vampires in battle rather than the other targets. Similarly as they get "punished" for not going with it, you might want to reward them for going along with the purpose, like occasionally giving a free use of one of it's X/day powers on the weapon's own initiative, so it doesn't cost the player anything and is done outside their control to simulate the intelligence at play.