OK
I have been playing dungeons and dragons for a while now. And with a character concept that I have I have become stuck on the development of it. A little background on it the character is a bard as well as a gnome. The item I am trying to create for it is composed of two items a deck of cards that are able to be turned in to a deck of illusions, with a dagger that if it is used to deal the final blow it'll steal the beings soul and transfer it to an ink well that will allow the character to draw the card and create it as a card in the deck of illusions. That dagger and card set I am having a hard time figure out the mechanics of it. Any help will be appreciated. What I know I do not want this as an image ability of the character. As the dagger and blank cards are family relics that are left from his family.. Turning it in to an interview ability will take from the character it self and how I have put this one together.
You have 2 artifacts?
Quote from: pyronic;947025The item I am trying to create for it is composed of two items a deck of cards that are able to be turned in to a deck of illusions, with a dagger that if it is used to deal the final blow it'll steal the beings soul and transfer it to an ink well that will allow the character to draw the card and create it as a card in the deck of illusions. That dagger and card set I am having a hard time figure out the mechanics of it.
1) Define precisely what is meant by a "Final Blow" It is not a term in the Pathfinder SRD or the D20 SRD
2) You don't need additional mechanics your description fully describes the two items assuming that the Deck of Illusion is the same one as this one (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Deck_of_Illusions).
As option you may decide
1) When the dagger deal the final blow that the soul is entitled to a saving throw
2) That drawing a card using the ensoulled ink requires a successful skill check by the character.
Implementing #1 and/or #2, adds an element of failure to the use of the two items on top of having to create an opportunity of administrating the final blow whatever that is. Note that there is no right or wrong answer here. The best answer is the one that works best with your mind eye's view of how the thing works as if you were standing there watching somebody use it. Do they struggle drawing the new card? Are some souls strong enough to resist the dagger's effect? Etc, etc.
Having said that, it my experience that basing a character around a concept item rarely works out well. It sounds cool and all but quickly become unsatisfying due to the one note wonder of the whole thing. Remember you are playing a character that a has a full life within the setting. Imagine if one of your best friends started focusing on juggling all the damn time. Like everywhere he goes he juggles, and tries to work in juggling into everything he does. It becomes pretty damn annoying after a while even if he is pretty good juggler.
Quote from: Sommerjon;947026You have 2 artifacts?
That was kind of my thought too.
The effect of stealing a soul and creating a monster -is- sorta' mechanically doable (probably some sort of Trap the Soul, crossed with a Summon Monster I-IX, or something, with some "fluffy" handwaving: "that's not a demon I summoned, but 'Bob the Orc Barbarian' who just uses the demon's stats!"). The problem is that that is some high level, expensive magic to be throwing around. And even then, Trap the Soul has limits (the target can be made to do -one- task, and they can save against the spell in some situations).
The Deck of Illusions isn't much of an issue; it's a standard Deck of Illusions (not an artifact, but some pretty uncommon magic). Now, having the gems from Trap the Soul be turned into (equally expensive) cards for your Deck doesn't seem like much of an issue; I'm sure some GMs would deny it, but I'd run with it. Making the cards in the deck -reusable- however does push it into the realm of being an artifact with a couple of pretty robust powers.
I'd be tempted to allow it though. Reusable Deck of Illusions (ah heck, make the items -real-), with a free casting of Trap the Soul for those targets you kill (any old means will do; it doesn't have to be the special dagger). The catch (and there -needs- to be a catch) is that every time you use it, there's a cumulative 1% chance the Deck adds you to its card (and your PC is effectively dead) and you can't reset this. Adding people to the Deck doesn't count, but sooner or later using the Deck will be the end of you, at which point all the beings you added are also freed (they are also released upon your PC's death or giving the Deck away). On the upside, there's a ton of cards to choose from.
Quote from: estar;947034Having said that, it my experience that basing a character around a concept item rarely works out well. It sounds cool and all but quickly become unsatisfying due to the one note wonder of the whole thing. Remember you are playing a character that a has a full life within the setting. Imagine if one of your best friends started focusing on juggling all the damn time. Like everywhere he goes he juggles, and tries to work in juggling into everything he does. It becomes pretty damn annoying after a while even if he is pretty good juggler.
The trick I think, from a player's angle, is to explore how the -character- deals with the item. The sword Stormbringer was a driving force and defining feature in the Elric stories, but the stories were still all about Elric, even if it was just "and here's how Elric reacted to Stormbringer killing his buddy for the umpteenth time".
Quote from: san dee jota;947044That was kind of my thought too.
That and the
"the character is a bard as well as a gnome" line. Makes me wonder...is gnome contagious?
Quote from: Sommerjon;947053That and the "the character is a bard as well as a gnome" line. Makes me wonder...is gnome contagious?
Sexually transmitted, like most species.
Sounds like a something that can be done with mostly description and a little mechanics. You do not need a new mechanic for every little thing. Despite what 3e teaches.
Estar has some good suggestions above. Especially for the soul stealing. Also note that that may well be considered an EVIL act and may well attract some very unwanted attention.
So what you have is a renewable deck of illusions with a special actuator. In this case the killing blow has to be done with the dagger. They are effectively a single item.
So have the target make a save on the killing blow to see if the soul is drained.
This gives me what I need to make this work more or less thanks all there are things to consider and no this not the only focus of the character it's only one element of it. Also defining final blow is also the same as killing blow
The same on if the soul is transferred or not is a good addition to items. It would be best to level restrict this all being as though you don't want a level one PC running around with a cr20 illusion though interesting but takes all the fun little of it.