Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Doctor X 03-13-05, 02:38 AM	This isn't so much a spoiler for those who haven't yet played the module... I just want a player of mine who I KNOW posts on these boards to stay out. Anyway... this player of mine is planning on having an adamantine greatsword and Improved Sunder for Whispers of the Vampire's Blade, and this raises one very vital concern. I'll put it in a spoiler block below. What happens if he sunders the Soul Blade? Yeah, I'm thinking that could definitely throw a wrench into the works... any thoughts?
Cloud Divider 03-13-05, 10:55 AM	You've got a couple options... 1) He's not going to be pressed into continuing to Karrnath anymore. 2) ...But he's still got that hench-vampire thing going on. So instead of just having a "mere" +whatever longsword, he'll be using his Energy Draining slam attack. That could actually be worse... Whether or not you consider him to still be in the thrall of the vamp that created him will make a pretty big difference, too. Plus, the PC's employer may be somewhat disappointed, too. They may still have had some interest in recovering the blade as well.
Tealgorthian 03-13-05, 02:22 PM	Add a new power. If XXX is shattered in anything other than the prescribed (defined as XXXX) way, tendrials of magical energy leapout, catching the flying shards of metal, pulling them back into place, where they instantly reform. This is a free action.
Straylight 03-14-05, 05:26 AM	There's an interesting line in the DMG that amounts to something like "artifacts cannot be destroyed except by a certain prescribed method," meaning that unless you pitch the ring (and perhaps an annoying lesser character along with it) into the fires of the mountain of ultimate evil where it was forged, you aren't getting rid of it. Now look under the rules for intelligent items. There's a line there that says, since you cannot recreate an exact intelligence, all intelligent items are, technically, artifacts (ie, unique magic items). I'd use this to your advantage: If/when the player tries it, have him describe pouring all his energy into a single mighty blow... and then watch his face fall as Lucian smiles coldly at him from over their crossed blades, having stopped the attack cold between his sword and his superhuman strength. Proceed then to have Lucian teach the character about what REAL swordplay is (in other words, beat him within an inch of his life). Failing that, you're the DM, and as such are the final arbiter of what happens or doesn't happen. If a player does or tries something that I know would fatally derail the plot, I simply rule that is fails, backfires, or isn't possible. If you don't like a rule, change it or remove it. Your world, your game, your rules.
Kid SixXx 03-14-05, 09:13 AM	Straylight probably has the best method. Rule that the Soul Blade is a minor artifact and cannot be destroyed by a mere Sunder roll. As was mentioned before, sundering the Soul Blade isn't the wisest tactic to utilize, as it will allow the Master Vampire controlling Lucan to regain her influence, as well as force Lucan to use his Energy Draining slam attack. The PC's probably aren't aware of the former, but should be aware of the latter, as they should be questioning why they're having such a relatively easy time dealing with a vampire.
Tealgorthian 03-14-05, 09:34 AM	There's an interesting line in the DMG that amounts to something like "artifacts cannot be destroyed except by a certain prescribed method," meaning that unless you pitch the ring (and perhaps an annoying lesser character along with it) into the fires of the mountain of ultimate evil where it was forged, you aren't getting rid of it. Now look under the rules for intelligent items. There's a line there that says, since you cannot recreate an exact intelligence, all intelligent items are, technically, artifacts (ie, unique magic items). I'd use this to your advantage: If/when the player tries it, have him describe pouring all his energy into a single mighty blow... and then watch his face fall as Lucian smiles coldly at him from over their crossed blades, having stopped the attack cold between his sword and his superhuman strength. Proceed then to have Lucian teach the character about what REAL swordplay is (in other words, beat him within an inch of his life). Failing that, you're the DM, and as such are the final arbiter of what happens or doesn't happen. If a player does or tries something that I know would fatally derail the plot, I simply rule that is fails, backfires, or isn't possible. If you don't like a rule, change it or remove it. Your world, your game, your rules. Okay, so your idea is better. Butbut.. Mine looks cooler :pbbbtt:
Radiating Gnome 03-14-05, 10:32 AM	This really shouldn't be an issue. From the SRD section on Magic Arms & Armor: Hardness and Hit Points: An attacker cannot damage a magic weapon that has an enhancement bonus unless his own weapon has at least as high an enhancement bonus as the weapon or shield struck. Each +1 of enhancement bonus also adds 1 to the weapon’s or shield’s hardness and hit points. The weapon you described, even though it's adamatine, is probably not enchanted high enough to be able to damage the soul blade. -rg
Magagumo 03-14-05, 10:45 AM	That was errated- magic weaponry is no longer necessary, thus allowing fire giants to actually be effective in that manner... among other people/creatures :-P Although, each plus adds 2 hardness and 10 hp, so its pretty hard to smash up anyways.
Jar Head 03-14-05, 03:45 PM	I'm a player in this game, and we found a better way. The character works for the Citadel. The Citadel wants that sword back. He's not going to sunder it.
Straylight 03-15-05, 05:51 AM	Fair enough, Jar Head, but I'd still have a fallback, personally. I can't speak for any of your group, but with mine, Viorr isn't going to trust any character who's psychotic enough to be slinging around an adamantine greatsword for the sole purpose of breaking things, and neither would I as DM. Besides, I like being able to occasionally shatter my player's spirits like watching Lucan stop the attack cold. It builds suspense, particularly when a formerly reliable trick suddenly stops working. It forces the party to switch tactics on the fly, which, in my opinion, makes for a good fight. Yes, I'm a bit of a mind**** DM sometimes.