Terrifying GM Statements

[Frost]

Originally Posted by dripton

The only reasonable explanation I can come up with for common cursed items is that they're the result of critical failures on enchanting rolls. It's not that there are a bunch of wizards making -1 swords on purpose; they're aiming for +1 swords and rolling 18s and then extracting some salvage value. But how realistic is that really?

I am not sure that its realistic at all but having master craftsmen selling factory seconds on the side doesn't signify next to many things in a typical DF world.

I have always assumed something similar, however I have always felt that (mostly for comedy value) it made more sense if its servants or apprentices doing the selling. The rule here is that selling the enchanters occasional banjax is a legitimate perk of the job- as long as you don't get caught. The enchanter still gets most of the money back either in apprentice fees or reduced care and feeding and establishes plausible deniability while he sells off his failures.

[corwyn]

To the speedster in a street supers game when facing a fast feral demon:

So your speed is 12 point 0, right?

Everybody but the player in question turned their heads and went "oooh".

[Erling]

"His shots lands at gap in your body armor".

[lachimba]

Originally Posted by VariousRen

GM: "Alright, anyone have First Aid?"
Players: "Ya, best 1 point ever!", "Obviously, after last time we all got it."
GM: "Did anyone actually buy first aid supplies..."
Players: "Oh... right"
GM: "Roll First Aid at -5"

CPR is real world ok with no supplies. Probably comes up less often in games than it does real life.

[Tomsdad]

"just checking you said you took your gauntlets off to avoid the penalty didn't you?"

[Tuk the Weekah]

Originally Posted by Frost

I have always assumed something similar, however I have always felt that (mostly for comedy value) it made more sense if its servants or apprentices doing the selling. The rule here is that selling the enchanters occasional banjax is a legitimate perk of the job- as long as you don't get caught. The enchanter still gets most of the money back either in apprentice fees or reduced care and feeding and establishes plausible deniability while he sells off his failures.

I had always thought of them as being the work of apprentice enchanters; either from a 'it's simpler to curse than to buff' theory, or that they were the magical equivalent of the off-centre pots you make when first learning how to use the wheel. There are always more apprentices than masters, so the idea that most magical items are quirk-level cursed items (or minor buff items) never seemed off to me.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Tuk the Weekah

I had always thought of them as being the work of apprentice enchanters; either from a 'it's simpler to curse than to buff' theory, or that they were the magical equivalent of the off-centre pots you make when first learning how to use the wheel. There are always more apprentices than masters, so the idea that most magical items are quirk-level cursed items (or minor buff items) never seemed off to me.

For me, there is also the aspect of "And Some enchanters have Imps for Familiars"

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Tuk the Weekah

I had always thought of them as being the work of apprentice enchanters; either from a 'it's simpler to curse than to buff' theory, or that they were the magical equivalent of the off-centre pots you make when first learning how to use the wheel.

I've encountered a model where magic had an intrinsic balance, and thus you had to enchant as much darkness as light, or debuff as buff. This would suggest there are vast caches of cursed items, made by enchanters as a cost of doing business, and unsellable.

[Disliker of the mary sue]

I remember a line from the fanfiction harry potter and the natrual 20 where Milo was confused how one could have a whole shop filled with wands since the exp cost to make that many magical items would drain a epic level wizard to level 1 or something....

I guessing the exp cost is more or less a way in dungeon crawls to have character discouraged from making their own item as oppose to going inside a cave to find better stuff.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by Disliker of the mary sue

I remember a line from the fanfiction harry potter and the natrual 20 where Milo was confused how one could have a whole shop filled with wands since the exp cost to make that many magical items would drain a epic level wizard to level 1 or something....

I guessing the exp cost is more or less a way in dungeon crawls to have character discouraged from making their own item as oppose to going inside a cave to find better stuff.

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's due to the fact that enchanting can potentially break the limitations of Vancian magic and the so-called balance of that particular edition. That, and it takes magic item control out of the hands of the GM, creating more imbalance. So it costs the caster power in exp.