RE: Cool stuff and NPCs

From: Stephen McGinness <stephenmcg_at_...>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 21:26:51 +0100

> That does sound quite convincing. Let me look back at the example I
> worked through at the time - my Humakti PC and her (bronze) sword. What
> would happen it if was iron?
>
> It's a sword - +3
> It has Gifts on it which add up to either +10 or +20 depending on
> circumstances.
>
> Assuming she's all prepared, her magic augments take her up about
> another +10 or so (varies depending on what's appropriate and whether
> she rolled for them).
>
> So that's +23 to her own skill plus other augments, as is.
>
> If it was iron?
> +6, not +3. Add 1/10 of its own magical rating, another +1 (wow!)
> So we're four up. Total of 27.
> But, her own magic is down by the total bonus of the sword. From (say)
> 1W average to 6 or thereabouts. So no magical augment - there goes that
> +10. Total of 17.
>
> She's perfectly capable of resisting enemy magic herself. Unless there's
> some iron removing her own magical skills...
>
> Thanks, but she's sticking to bronze.

Obviously the gifts make a difference here - and multiple magic augments aren't necessary with an iron sword - nor is there need for gifts etc. It's just there - ready independent of circumstances. You can see that the iron greatsword is, at +23, as good as your characters magically boosted weapon. Personally, I would want your character to have a significant advantage - it's far more interesting. :-)

I was thinking that instead of giving double bonuses for iron that iron weapons should nullify bonuses given for bronze armour and iron armour should nullify bonuses for bronze weapons. That avoids the huge bonuses but still provides iron enhanced characters with an advantage. I'd also allow enchanted iron armour to provide its armour bonus against magic and enchanted iron weapons a bonus to knocking down magical defences but not otherwise affect magic.

That makes iron more like the Gloranthan iron I remember....

Stephen