[DF] Ninja Killing Strike Ability and Orichalcum, Shatterproof, and/or Magical Weapon

[DAT]

So a Ninja’s Killing Strike ability (DF12.5) is said to be hard on weapons, so that it can only be used once a minute for each given weapon, at risk of damaging/destroying the weapon. It encourages a character to carry multiple weapons.

Had a player ask, and I thought I would ask opinions here:
How would Killing Strike work with:
- A magical weapon?
- A magical weapon with Shatterproof?
- An Orichalcum weapon?
- A Fine weapon?
- A Very Fine Weapon?

[mr beer]

Weapons that can't break, can't break, at least under any mundane circumstance. So Shatterproof, Orichalum and dragon bone items are not going to break.

In terms of only using once a minute, that's more a game balance issue and without reading up on the ability, an unbreakable weapon probably shouldn't be a way around that limitation.

[sir_pudding]

The way the ability is written is one use per weapon, the fragility thing is just fluff.

[evileeyore]

The simplest answer is to disallow Shatterproof and Orichalcum for Ninja Weapons.


Or, you just accept that the character has spent enough money to overcome a 1 or 2 point disadvantage and let them Killing Strike every blow with an indestructible weapon. Alternately let them by a Perk: Ultimate Orichalcum Weapon Strike (or whatever) that let's them ignore the restriction for a specific weapon of theirs.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Or, you just accept that the character has spent enough money to overcome a 1 or 2 point disadvantage and let them Killing Strike every blow with an indestructible weapon. Alternately let them by a Perk: Ultimate Orichalcum Weapon Strike (or whatever) that let's them ignore the restriction for a specific weapon of theirs.

On Killing Strike 1, the Once Per Weapon Per Battle Limitation is worth [-0.5], and basically just serves to let the Power Modifier (also [-0.5] actually give a discount). On Killing Strike 2, it's worth [-1]. So, it really wouldn't be unbalanced to allow indestructible weapons to bypass this Limitation (as you note, the character has spent a lot of cash to get past the Limitation), and certainly a Perk would be legitimate. Note, however, that you're bypassing a lot of the flavor of being a DF Ninja - the primary purpose of the Limitation seems to really be setting up a paradigm where ninja carry a small armory of weapons with them, constantly switching things up, rather than just having one really nifty ninja-to they use for everything.

Note also the "hard on the weapon" is part of it, there's also a note of needed mental focus, which might be sufficient. After all, I think technically that Limitation would allow a ninja to strike with a mundane weapon, toss it to his ninja buddy and let him strike with it, and so forth. You could have an entire squad of ninja use the same kunai with Killing Strike over a single battle.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Note, however, that you're bypassing a lot of the flavor of being a DF Ninja - the primary purpose of the Limitation seems to really be setting up a paradigm where ninja carry a small armory of weapons with them, constantly switching things up, rather than just having one really nifty ninja-to they use for everything.

It's one Power-Up that sets this definition. There are other Power-Ups that move in a different direction.

But otherwise I agree with you.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

It's one Power-Up that sets this definition. There are other Power-Ups that move in a different direction.

But otherwise I agree with you.

There aren't any Ninja Power-Ups (yet).

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

There aren't any Ninja Power-Ups (yet).

Pyramid, Dec 2012, "Power-Ups for Assassins" by Peter V. Dell'Orto (the Ninja author):

"Dungeon Fantasy 12: Ninja introduced the ninja template
for dungeon delvers. It also introduced the assassin. The ninja
came with a natural power-up path – various ways and paths
and a great assortment of leveled traits to add to your ninja.
Assassins were left in the darkness, without any power-ups."

He seems to think the Ninjas book does them pretty well, and certainly by the standards of DF 11 Power-Ups, it passes the very minimal Name, Cost, Prerequisites, and Traits tests. The words "power-ups" aren't capitalized unless referring to the book, because they're not a game mechanic term of any significance, unless you mean "the stuff in DF 11 Power-Ups" or "the stuff in the Power-Ups chapter of DF 3".

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Bruno

He seems to think the Ninjas book does them pretty well, and certainly by the standards of DF 11 Power-Ups, it passes the very minimal Name, Cost, Prerequisites, and Traits tests. The words "power-ups" aren't capitalized unless referring to the book, because they're not a game mechanic term of any significance, unless you mean "the stuff in DF 11 Power-Ups" or "the stuff in the Power-Ups chapter of DF 3".

DF 11 at minimum has the section with limits for traits for each template which there currently isn't for Ninja. I also imagine there exists room for improved and additional ninja abilities.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

It's one Power-Up that sets this definition. There are other Power-Ups that move in a different direction.

But otherwise I agree with you.

The Ninja is required (via the Template) to have competence in at least 3 armed melee combat skills (1 at [8], 2 at [4] each) and 1 ranged combat skill (at [4]), his Enhanced Parry can only be purchased for All Weapons, the only version of Weapon Master available to him is for Ninja Weapons (covering multiple weapons over multiple skills), and the book makes multiple mentions of them tending to use a variety of weaponry. It seems to me that part of what defines a DF Ninja is his penchant for using an array of weapons, and Killing Strike is meant to capitalize on this. You certainly don't lose the other traits nudging this way by allowing the character to buy off the Limitation (and having it as a Perk basically says "My Ninja is Different"), but it does weaken the effect a bit.