2023-05-10 Magic swords

Bruce Springsteen is singing sad stuff on the mono…

In B/X related games up to halfling level caps (if you have them): what’s the drawback of being a halfling? I have this discussion every now and then with players. Here’s a whole blogpost that discusses fighters vs. halflings, too.

Are Halflings just better than Fighters? – BXraw: Fighter VS Halfling

BXraw: Fighter VS Halfling

I guess in my games they are. You really have to believe in the glory of magic long swords for fighters to come out on top.

The world needs more magic swords!

Let’s see what my mini-setting generator for a 30×10 map contained:

my mini-setting generator

• The long sword Meteorstrike +1/+3 vs. dragons, an old elven sword forged in the Dragon Wars.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes commemorating the slaying of the green dragon Poison Tooth of the Trees.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its owner: Fanthalom.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its maker: Goeolwen.
• The orcish sword Monkey Slicer +1/+3 vs. humans used by Gorlúk in The Year of Winter.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its maker: Edledhiagwathui.
• The holy long sword Angelfire +1/+3 vs. undead, forged in Asgard by Ásvaldur Newmold during the Vampire Wars.
• The long sword Moonfire +1/+3 vs. lycanthropes, inscribed with silver runes of death and banishment, forged by the high inquisitors of Yzarria.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its maker: Rhosgdir.
• The holy long sword Angelfire +1/+3 vs. undead, forged in Asgard by Lonin Gembreaker during the Vampire Wars.
• A dwarven short sword +2 with dwarven runes naming the owner: Gunnálvur Oakenfield of Thunder.
• A dwarven short sword +2 with dwarven runes naming the owner: Frarar Bronzetrickle of Star.
• A dwarven short sword +2 with dwarven runes naming the owner: Bofvari Cragstore of High Star.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes commemorating the slaying of the green dragon Verdant Despair of the Valley.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its maker: Galceleb.
• An elven long sword +1 with elven runes naming its owner: Ruindir.

So, what do we have?

• 16 magic swords
• 8 of them being +1 swords usable by thieves, humans and elves
• 3 of them being +2 short swords usable by dwarves and halflings as well as thieves, humans and elves
• 5 of them being +1/+3 special purpose long swords usable by thieves, humans and elves

I guess it’s somewhat OK? Would you change that distribution?

​#RPG ​#Halberds and Helmets ​#Hex Describe