Help with a magic weapon

[Wyldfire]

Hi Peoples,

I am very new to GURPS and was wondering if people might make some suggestions on a magic weapon idea I had for a character.

Basically, I am after something to help the casters in the group, I was thinking something that weakens an opponents defence against magic when I hit them with it. It's probably not a very cost-effective idea but it was something I was keen to try and figure out if there was a way to do.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

[Aldric]

There are probably several ways.
What kind of magic system are your mages using?

Afflicting magic susceptibility with each strike is the first thing that comes to mind..

[maximara]

Originally Posted by Wyldfire

Hi Peoples,

I am very new to GURPS and was wondering if people might make some suggestions on a magic weapon idea I had for a character.

Basically, I am after something to help the casters in the group, I was thinking something that weakens an opponents defence against magic when I hit them with it. It's probably not a very cost-effective idea but it was something I was keen to try and figure out if there was a way to do.

Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

Well high skill will do this as will an item that grants a higher skill only to spells can can be resisted. Note that missile spells require a good throwing skill to hit a target and, unless surprised, the target will get a defense roll.

[jason taylor]

Draw up an interesting history.

Have a quest made to get the proper Phlebotinium

Have a prophecy about it.

Have a gaess upon it.

[Stormcrow]

Here's an example of what Wyldfire is asking for. Someone check my work.

Rod of Magical Penetration: Affliction 3 (Negated Advantage, Improved Magic Resistance 3, +9%; Melee Attack, Reach C, 1, -20%; Breakable, DR 2, -20%; Can Be Stolen, Quick Contest of DX, -30%) [12]

This is a rod of lightweight wood about 15 inches long. When you strike an opponent with it, the opponent must roll HT-2 or lose three levels of Improved Magic Resistance for one minute per point the roll was failed by. It will work whether or not there is any mana in the area and cannot itself be affected by Magic Resistance. The rod does no damage and has DR 2.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Here's an example of what Wyldfire is asking for. Someone check my work.

Rod of Magical Penetration: Affliction 3 (Negated Advantage, Improved Magic Resistance 3, +9%; Melee Attack, Reach C, 1, -20%; Breakable, DR 2, -20%; Can Be Stolen, Quick Contest of DX, -30%) [12]

This is a rod of lightweight wood about 15 inches long. When you strike an opponent with it, the opponent must roll HT-2 or lose three levels of Improved Magic Resistance for one minute per point the roll was failed by. It will work whether or not there is any mana in the area and cannot itself be affected by Magic Resistance. The rod does no damage and has DR 2.

That would ony work on targets who _had_ Improved Magic Resistance which might not be anyone in soem game worlds. You want to afflict the Disadvantage of Magic Susceptability.

To maximize the explaantion to newbies, this is a Gadget (Characters p.116) that grants the power of Affliction (p.35) that would Afflict targets with as many levels of the Magic Susceptability Disadvantage (p.143) that you could pay for.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Here's an example of what Wyldfire is asking for. Someone check my work.

Rod of Magical Penetration: Affliction 3 (Negated Advantage, Improved Magic Resistance 3, +9%; Melee Attack, Reach C, 1, -20%; Breakable, DR 2, -20%; Can Be Stolen, Quick Contest of DX, -30%) [12]

This is a rod of lightweight wood about 15 inches long. When you strike an opponent with it, the opponent must roll HT-2 or lose three levels of Improved Magic Resistance for one minute per point the roll was failed by. It will work whether or not there is any mana in the area and cannot itself be affected by Magic Resistance. The rod does no damage and has DR 2.

There's also Affliction: Disadvantage, Susceptibility: magic

That kinda thing ought to be designable as some kind of spectrum. Sort of like how to make targets uglier you start by negating advantages of high beauty but then move on to adding disadvantages...

Or for example, negating Rapid Healing before adding Slow Healing...

Spectrum things like that should maybe be definable as Affliction: Beneficial Trait (CPx10) or Negative Trait (CPx1) with the x10 being adding advantages / negating disadvantages and the 2nd being removing advantages / adding disadvantages.

When it's a clear relationship you could just design it for a certain amount of Character Points and it would begin by removing advantages and then move to adding disadvantages.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

That would ony work on targets who _had_ Improved Magic Resistance which might not be anyone in soem game worlds. You want to afflict the Disadvantage of Magic Susceptability.

Wyldfire said "defence against magic," so I took that to refer to Magic Resistance. I agree that the rod I built would only work against those with Magic Resistance, and that was what I was aiming for.

But if Wyldfire meant all resistance rolls against magic, then yes, Magic Susceptibility is better.

[Wyldfire]

Sorry, I have poorly worded my request for help.

I beleive our ST is doing magic through advantages/powers, which I will admit I don't really understand a 100%.

Putting magic susceptibility onto someone is definately what I was hoping I might be able to do, that or help deliver ranged spells.

Can you combine the rod effect that was described on a weapon or is that too broken, it does feel a little cheesy?

Thanks again for all your advice.

[Aldric]

Sure you can link and affliction to an innate attack. Slap the gadget limitation on both and say it's a sword that also reduces magic resistance when it hits.

It's a bit tricky to build and not something I can do on my phone, mainly because to make a convincing sword you need to buy two innate attacks (one for swings and the other one for thrusts) as alternate abilities.

Need some time with a book open.

I should point out that and innate attack that mimics a weapon runs into some issues with skills and other advantages that work with real weapons. Nothing a GM can't fix