Shining Sword of Magic

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Leema Har'gachi
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Shining Sword of Magic

Post by Leema Har'gachi »

So I recently got the other 2 core rule books premium reprints for 1st Edition AD&D as well as the Unearthed Arcana that got the same treatment. I actually got the PDF/ Physical book bundle for all three of them since they were on sale at the DM'sGuild. Well I was looking through them and I started to think back when I first start D&D back in 2008 with my brother Joe (may Darwayne now rest in piece) and since Leema Har'gachi my starting character (who was originally human and just suppose to be an alternate version of my Lee Master character when I first start, So his first name Leema started out as a pun of Lee master name being shorten Lee Ma) was created under Joe's eyes and he basically was a 1st edition character. Well technically it was more like 1.5 edition since Joe literally use both 1st and 2nd edition book in a very malformed manor. when I started out Joe was DMing me and himself only (my sister would join the fray a bit later, but she was completely useless), so in order to get a handle how I'd role play Joe took me through a scenario, it wasn't I playing the character I had just rolls but rather a series of this is happen what do you do kind of thing (A Dm's test he called it). Well, by the end of it I (in the form of dwarf, Joe choice) came to an armory in this cave system after nearly dying to this demon that is currently chasing me.

Joe goes, "so the tunnel you choose led to to small 10 by 20 room, you can tell it some kind of armory with weapon and armor of every imaginable kind just sitting, what do you?"

Without missing a beat I reply, "I search for a sword that I could use to kill this FUCKIN DEMON!"

Joe said, "You search through the piles of weapon on a table until you come across a sword that seem to glow with power and when you pick it up your wounds heal. You feel confidante that you kill this demon now, so now what?"

In response I say feel a rush of excitement, "I walk back to the circle room with all the passages that I came from and wait for the demon to catch!"

Nodding his head a little, "ok, you go back the way you came but as soon as you get close it the room you notice the demon looking in the center turning it's head to view each of the five passages, trying to figure out which way do you went. It hasn't seemed to notice you, what do you do!?"

You can imagine what I said, "With my new sword I run to it as fast as I can and I slash it with my blade!"

Strangle Joe said, "ok, with one mighty swing of your sword you cut the demon in half as if it was butter." I was honestly surprise, Joe could tell as explain, "You realize now, that they sword had holy power and now with the demon dead you must decided which path you will choose to try to get out." This, this right here should have been the moment I realize exactly that kind of adventure Joe like to DM. This is where I should have realize just how ridiculous this sword really was.... but, I didn't. After choosing to go down the center passage out of five, I came to outside of the cave. Then Joe took Leema's character sheet (Which I wasn't play as during this "test") and wrote the name and first of the swords abilities. A blade that was the opposite of a weapon our Grandfather once allowed him to make when my namesake was Joe's DM and my sword name was The Shining Sword of Magic.
Quickly as soon as the 1st real session began weeks later Joe handed me his note book with an open page and told me that these where the abilities of the sword and that I should get a piece of paper and write all this down for myself, but I was curious in all the fuss he never told me what kind of sword it was, so I asked him. A bastard sword he said, I just could hold back a big grin. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I kind of have fetish for bastard sword - hell, its even why I first decided to have Eilistraee as my Patron her favored weapon was the bastard sword.

This sword as written by Joe is completely, disgustingly, utterly broken, power fantasy porn, and every since we started using 3rd edition and I stopped using it.... I have strangely become really really really attached to the sword. So after getting my reprints and reading through them again, I got the sudden to take out the shining sword of magic and rewritten using Joe work, but writing it clearly and completely as it would be if it where an official 1st edition item, however though I am trying to make a balance as possible, I am during everything I can to keep the original design and feel of this weapon which so powerful that it is more of an artifact than a magic weapon. Yet, it is so powerful it make all of the DMG artifacts look like cloaks of elvenkind and it all comes from one defining mechanic of this weapon and its counterpart it is based on, It gain special ability scaled by the wielders level. This one mechanic is so... terrible, unbalance that not only flat-out breaks first edition, but also 2nd edition. Ironically though, 3rd edition's unearthed Arcana actually has this very same mechanic as a option in a set of prestige classes. The difference is that those are designed waaaaay more conservatively then Joe Swords. Even if they were to brought into 3rd, 4th, or even 5th edition the Shining Sword of Magic and the Sorcerous Sword of Shadow they would so thoroughly destroy any enemy in the game and ruin any possible sense of balance that the game has that any DM you'd bring characters with these weapons to their table to would ban you out right and shun you for the rest of your life if they have any common sense.

but with that said, here is my rewritten version of Joe Baldridge's Masterpiece of Horrible DM game design. I bring to The Shining Sword of Magic.

[url][https://www.scribd.com/document/4587334 ... -Magic/url]

In a way you can say this was made in his memory.
CODENAME:Leema
Real Name:Leema Apollyon Har'gachi
Class:Variant Illusionist Favored Soul {gestalt}
Race:Shadow Drow
Height:5'8"
Weight:158 Ib.
Hair:Yellowish
Eyes:Purple(pinwheel)
Skin:Pitch-black(surrounded by Shadowy Purple Aura)
Deity:Eilistraee
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Irennan
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Re: Shining Sword of Magic

Post by Irennan »

I had missed this post when you made it.

Scribd won't let me make a trial account (because it rejects my card), so I couldn't download the sword writeup, but the post was an entertaining read regardless. Looks like Joe enjoyed making his players feel powerful, though maybe a bit too powerful, heh. That's a trait I can appreciate in a DM; enjoying when the players get their moments of glory (though we shouldn't overdo that, ofc), I like to do the same with my players, but in order to do so I use an entirely different system (D&D is kind of a turnoff when it comes to designing cool powers, tbh), and make the challenge an actual change when it matters (if a pivotal story moment leads to a combat, for example). In any case, it sounds like Joe was an easygoing DM with whom you could chill and have some wholesome&fun gaming time. I'm glad that this is how you remember him; it's a precious memory and I appreciate that you were willing to share it with us :)
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Leema Har'gachi
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Re: Shining Sword of Magic

Post by Leema Har'gachi »

Irennan wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:24 am I had missed this post when you made it.

Scribd won't let me make a trial account (because it rejects my card), so I couldn't download the sword writeup, but the post was an entertaining read regardless. Looks like Joe enjoyed making his players feel powerful, though maybe a bit too powerful, heh. That's a trait I can appreciate in a DM; enjoying when the players get their moments of glory (though we shouldn't overdo that, ofc), I like to do the same with my players, but in order to do so I use an entirely different system (D&D is kind of a turnoff when it comes to designing cool powers, tbh), and make the challenge an actual change when it matters (if a pivotal story moment leads to a combat, for example). In any case, it sounds like Joe was an easygoing DM with whom you could chill and have some wholesome&fun gaming time. I'm glad that this is how you remember him; it's a precious memory and I appreciate that you were willing to share it with us :)
I', glad you enjoyed reading it, A lot of the swords original Higher level abilities tended to do a flat large number of damage either with no save allowed or requiring attack. When A ability flat out deal 500,000 point of damage you know your in a power fantasy adventure... I wonder how many other players have had experiences like this in 1st and 2nd edition. You could probable clear the entire Apocalypse stone adventure and still shrug off the end of the universe with this baby.
CODENAME:Leema
Real Name:Leema Apollyon Har'gachi
Class:Variant Illusionist Favored Soul {gestalt}
Race:Shadow Drow
Height:5'8"
Weight:158 Ib.
Hair:Yellowish
Eyes:Purple(pinwheel)
Skin:Pitch-black(surrounded by Shadowy Purple Aura)
Deity:Eilistraee
User avatar
Irennan
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Posts: 703
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:13 pm
Location: Italy

Re: Shining Sword of Magic

Post by Irennan »

Leema Har'gachi wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:49 pm
Irennan wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:24 am I had missed this post when you made it.

Scribd won't let me make a trial account (because it rejects my card), so I couldn't download the sword writeup, but the post was an entertaining read regardless. Looks like Joe enjoyed making his players feel powerful, though maybe a bit too powerful, heh. That's a trait I can appreciate in a DM; enjoying when the players get their moments of glory (though we shouldn't overdo that, ofc), I like to do the same with my players, but in order to do so I use an entirely different system (D&D is kind of a turnoff when it comes to designing cool powers, tbh), and make the challenge an actual change when it matters (if a pivotal story moment leads to a combat, for example). In any case, it sounds like Joe was an easygoing DM with whom you could chill and have some wholesome&fun gaming time. I'm glad that this is how you remember him; it's a precious memory and I appreciate that you were willing to share it with us :)
I', glad you enjoyed reading it, A lot of the swords original Higher level abilities tended to do a flat large number of damage either with no save allowed or requiring attack. When A ability flat out deal 500,000 point of damage you know your in a power fantasy adventure... I wonder how many other players have had experiences like this in 1st and 2nd edition. You could probable clear the entire Apocalypse stone adventure and still shrug off the end of the universe with this baby.
Lol, 500k. Is there even a creature in the whole D&D universe that has that many hp? I'm picturing a sword that triggers a nuclear blast whenever it does as much as touching anything (though, knowing how stupid D&D damage calculations can be, a nuclear blast would probably only do as little as 3d8 dmg).
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
User avatar
Leema Har'gachi
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Posts: 235
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 2:19 am
Location: Currently Off Realms
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Re: Shining Sword of Magic

Post by Leema Har'gachi »

Irennan wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:01 pm
Leema Har'gachi wrote: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:49 pm
I', glad you enjoyed reading it, A lot of the swords original Higher level abilities tended to do a flat large number of damage either with no save allowed or requiring attack. When A ability flat out deal 500,000 point of damage you know your in a power fantasy adventure... I wonder how many other players have had experiences like this in 1st and 2nd edition. You could probable clear the entire Apocalypse stone adventure and still shrug off the end of the universe with this baby.
Lol, 500k. Is there even a creature in the whole D&D universe that has that many hp? I'm picturing a sword that triggers a nuclear blast whenever it does as much as touching anything (though, knowing how stupid D&D damage calculations can be, a nuclear blast would probably only do as little as 3d8 dmg).
Yeah, your probable right. that or a simple save vs death in 1st and 2nd edition.
CODENAME:Leema
Real Name:Leema Apollyon Har'gachi
Class:Variant Illusionist Favored Soul {gestalt}
Race:Shadow Drow
Height:5'8"
Weight:158 Ib.
Hair:Yellowish
Eyes:Purple(pinwheel)
Skin:Pitch-black(surrounded by Shadowy Purple Aura)
Deity:Eilistraee
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