What is Brilliant Energy Really?

[unseenmage]

Where does brilliant energy (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Brilliant_Energy) originate both in real world gaming history and in the gameworld itself?

[Mordaedil]

Lightsabers.

[Eldan]

Not quite, is it? Lightsabers would still harm constructs. There's plenty of droids getting cut.

[Mordaedil]

It's asking where it originated from. The answer is lightsabers. The rules that it can't cut undead or constructs though? No idea.

[Feantar]

I think it's a positive energy spin off. That's why it only affects living things. Similar to a ravid's whip, but actually damaging - like the effect the positive has on living things.

But yes, lightsabers is the basis.

[Telonius]

I haven't been able to find any evidence of its existence prior to 3.0. Some of the grognards might be able to look it up - if it's around, it would probably be in the Encyclopedia Magica. (If it exists there, it would be in either volume 1 under "brilliant" or volume 4 under "sword, brilliant energy")

The ultimate origin of it would probably be with the "force-blade" from Isaac Asimov's "Lucky Starr" series (writing under the pen name Paul French). That was a big source of inspiration for the lightsaber.

[Mordaedil]

I feel like it has to be somewhere in some older D&D stuff though, because it was in the anime Slayers.

Unless that inspired D&D later, which is really messing with my mind. Albeit in Slayers, it is super effective against undead and the like.

[unseenmage]

Hmm, guess I was really hoping some 3.0 writer somewhere had taken credit for Brilliant Energy or perhaps that it was a sacred cow from a previous edition.

[Calthropstu]

Brilliant energy is simply energy with an 18 int score or higher. Hope this helps!

[flappeercraft]

Brilliant energy is simply energy with an 18 int score or higher. Hope this helps!

Oooooh, now it makes sense why the enhancement is worth +4

[Coventry]

I always assumed that Thundarr the Barbarian's (cartoon series from 1980) Sunsword (http://thundarr.wikia.com/wiki/Sunsword) was also a Brilliant Energy Weapon.

[Afgncaap5]

Part of me says that "swords made out of pure light and goodness is a longstanding staple of fantasy stories", though I confess I'm at a loss to come up with any examples off the top of my head, so perhaps I'm wrong there.

[Nifft]

Brilliant energy is simply energy with an 18 int score or higher. Hope this helps!

"Ow, that really smarts!"

[unseenmage]

I remember there being a counterpoint to the Shadow Plane in a Dragon Magazine called the Plane of Radiance (I think?)

Could it be that Brilliant Energy originates there?
Where in the campaign setting should/would it come from in games without Dragon Mag content?

[hamishspence]

I remember there being a counterpoint to the Shadow Plane in a Dragon Magazine called the Plane of Radiance (I think?)

Could it be that Brilliant Energy originates there?
Where in the campaign setting should/would it come from in games without Dragon Mag content?

You are correct (Dragon 321, July 2004).

It seemed to be more "rainbows" than "white light" though.