Wombatant
2014-08-17, 12:24 AM
Hello,
First, some backstory so my question becomes clear. I am looking for ideas for home brewed item.
I am currently playing a level 5 campaign with some friends, and we will be keeping the same characters and leveling up until the character dies. We are employed by a demonic agency who brought us back to life once our characters died (as part of a required back story, we invented a life for our character, and how he/she died). This is important to note because the timeline that our characters once knew is no more, since the demonic agency works on a variety of planes.
In my backstory, there was a pair of unique daggers i referred to as Duobos - a pair of returning daggers that are given to individuals by a supernatural force to use for their (supernatural force's) purpose. I would like the demonic agency to recreate the daggers, but there are some unforeseen consequences of trying to recreate a 'legendary' pair of daggers that were once employed by a supernatural force with their own agenda.
On to the question/premise of the questions:
First, let me say the DM is very flexible in allowing us to create our own items with unique characteristics to add depth and fun to the game. Often, the effects and price are tweaked to the DM's liking, but the 'core' of the unique item remains the same. Basically, since i created a rich back story for Duobos, i wanted them to be unique. Not exactly 'cursed', but similar, in order to create a more interesting and fun item (and to drop the price, since bad things can happen. DM agreed to this). Since the demonic agency will be creating a unique item from a timeline they may not be familiar with, we have been playing with the idea of some unforeseen side effects of Duobos. We are having a few problems resolving some of the finer aspects of the daggers, and could use some guidance with ideas to resolve.
Some of the ideas were modified from what is currently in the book, others are made up. Note lots of homebrew here if you haven't figured that out.
"Whenever you throw one of the daggers, there is a 20% chance that a random effect will happen when you throw the dagger, despite the thrower's wishes.
If you roll less than 20%, roll a d4. (If you roll 21%+, the daggers hit intended target and return as normal).
If D4 is a:
1: Dagger hits intended target, but does not return. 20% chance to become incredibly possessive (drop what you are doing and go straight for the dagger, stopping at nothing to retrieve it), 80% chance to be insistent on getting daggers back immediately (still able to move/act freely, as long as you are constantly moving closer to the dagger(s)).
2: Everyone within your 'range' makes a will save. The returning dagger will redirect itself to the person who scored the lowest will save. Dagger returns as normal. (may strike teammates or yourself. After throwing the blade, instead of flying straight, it alters it's path to strike the lowest will save, then returns to thrower as normal)
3. Dagger hits intended target, then returns blade first (dagger 'chooses' to mis-rotate or whatever, character cannot choose to simply not catch dagger) and the thrower takes either A) full damage from throw, as it was resolved from hitting intended target, or B) seperately resolved damage (unresolved between A and B).
4. ?? or 'dagger flies randomly?'"
My first question: does anyone have any fun ideas for a fourth random effect? we want to keep other players involved, and take random effects out of the occasion and rely more on rolls (for example, having players making a will save rather than 'who has done the most evil thing in 24 hours'). We toyed with the idea of the dagger targeting a random target determined by a simple roll, but an issue of range came into play.
My second question: In respect to range on a returning dagger, does it always return just as far as it is thrown? for example, my effective range is 25 feet with a thrown dagger (10 feet standard, +5 feet per strength modifier point, which is currently a 3). If i chose to throw the dagger 30 feet, i would simply take a -2 to the attack, and i assume the dagger would return 30 feet. what if a unique effect caused the dagger to direct to a target outside of my effective range? would forcing a -2 per 5 foot increment be a good way to resolve, or would the dagger simply travel the 25 feet, turn around, and return, since i didn't intend to throw it farther?
Third question: Any comments on sudden strike (random #2)? for example, i need a good way to resolve who would be caught flat footed if the dagger chose to hit a teammate if i had, for example, used ghost step first?
Fourth question: Any good ideas on how to resolve damage done to myself (random #3)? Should i add strength modifiers of the returning dagger to damage myself? Full damage? half damage? does the dagger return at the same speed thrown or slow down?
This is fairly difficult to explain (since homebrew) now that i have this all written out, but any help is appreciated. I am available to fill in any gaps and clarify anything that needs clarifying.
I appreciate any comments, concerns, suggestions, and criticisms.
First, some backstory so my question becomes clear. I am looking for ideas for home brewed item.
I am currently playing a level 5 campaign with some friends, and we will be keeping the same characters and leveling up until the character dies. We are employed by a demonic agency who brought us back to life once our characters died (as part of a required back story, we invented a life for our character, and how he/she died). This is important to note because the timeline that our characters once knew is no more, since the demonic agency works on a variety of planes.
In my backstory, there was a pair of unique daggers i referred to as Duobos - a pair of returning daggers that are given to individuals by a supernatural force to use for their (supernatural force's) purpose. I would like the demonic agency to recreate the daggers, but there are some unforeseen consequences of trying to recreate a 'legendary' pair of daggers that were once employed by a supernatural force with their own agenda.
On to the question/premise of the questions:
First, let me say the DM is very flexible in allowing us to create our own items with unique characteristics to add depth and fun to the game. Often, the effects and price are tweaked to the DM's liking, but the 'core' of the unique item remains the same. Basically, since i created a rich back story for Duobos, i wanted them to be unique. Not exactly 'cursed', but similar, in order to create a more interesting and fun item (and to drop the price, since bad things can happen. DM agreed to this). Since the demonic agency will be creating a unique item from a timeline they may not be familiar with, we have been playing with the idea of some unforeseen side effects of Duobos. We are having a few problems resolving some of the finer aspects of the daggers, and could use some guidance with ideas to resolve.
Some of the ideas were modified from what is currently in the book, others are made up. Note lots of homebrew here if you haven't figured that out.
"Whenever you throw one of the daggers, there is a 20% chance that a random effect will happen when you throw the dagger, despite the thrower's wishes.
If you roll less than 20%, roll a d4. (If you roll 21%+, the daggers hit intended target and return as normal).
If D4 is a:
1: Dagger hits intended target, but does not return. 20% chance to become incredibly possessive (drop what you are doing and go straight for the dagger, stopping at nothing to retrieve it), 80% chance to be insistent on getting daggers back immediately (still able to move/act freely, as long as you are constantly moving closer to the dagger(s)).
2: Everyone within your 'range' makes a will save. The returning dagger will redirect itself to the person who scored the lowest will save. Dagger returns as normal. (may strike teammates or yourself. After throwing the blade, instead of flying straight, it alters it's path to strike the lowest will save, then returns to thrower as normal)
3. Dagger hits intended target, then returns blade first (dagger 'chooses' to mis-rotate or whatever, character cannot choose to simply not catch dagger) and the thrower takes either A) full damage from throw, as it was resolved from hitting intended target, or B) seperately resolved damage (unresolved between A and B).
4. ?? or 'dagger flies randomly?'"
My first question: does anyone have any fun ideas for a fourth random effect? we want to keep other players involved, and take random effects out of the occasion and rely more on rolls (for example, having players making a will save rather than 'who has done the most evil thing in 24 hours'). We toyed with the idea of the dagger targeting a random target determined by a simple roll, but an issue of range came into play.
My second question: In respect to range on a returning dagger, does it always return just as far as it is thrown? for example, my effective range is 25 feet with a thrown dagger (10 feet standard, +5 feet per strength modifier point, which is currently a 3). If i chose to throw the dagger 30 feet, i would simply take a -2 to the attack, and i assume the dagger would return 30 feet. what if a unique effect caused the dagger to direct to a target outside of my effective range? would forcing a -2 per 5 foot increment be a good way to resolve, or would the dagger simply travel the 25 feet, turn around, and return, since i didn't intend to throw it farther?
Third question: Any comments on sudden strike (random #2)? for example, i need a good way to resolve who would be caught flat footed if the dagger chose to hit a teammate if i had, for example, used ghost step first?
Fourth question: Any good ideas on how to resolve damage done to myself (random #3)? Should i add strength modifiers of the returning dagger to damage myself? Full damage? half damage? does the dagger return at the same speed thrown or slow down?
This is fairly difficult to explain (since homebrew) now that i have this all written out, but any help is appreciated. I am available to fill in any gaps and clarify anything that needs clarifying.
I appreciate any comments, concerns, suggestions, and criticisms.