Topic: Enchanted Arrow Heads?

[Temujin]

My thought about enchanting arrowheads...arrows is from my point of view one of the most troublesome aspects of balancing alchemy. At least in any system that factor in the base cost of the magic item in the final price. Of course if you decide that base cost of the item doesn't change the price of the magic item it is no problem that arrows are very cheap to make, but that create other weird effects.

Yes, the pricing of arrows was one of the first points which created problem for me as the player of an alchemist.  It didn't make sense to me that I would pay higher cost for a single arrow (Wooden/Metal) than I would for a normal sword, when the former is only usable once per combat, assuming it doesn't break.  Which it tends to do.  Even more so because in the end, the bonus is averaged:  Use a +20M arrow with a normal bow, and you attack at +10.  Costlier, less durable, less efficient, etc.  How'd I get arround the problem?  I decided that since arrows were unreliable, might as well enchant them for single shots.  Single-use items cost 12,5% of the time and cost of a normal item, so enchanting an arrow for a single use sounds appropriate: I don't think it would statistically last more than 8 times anyway, at least up until the point where you make one out of Mithril.  And I can always put the side-effect (x2 Concussion, Flaming, etc.) into the bow itself, since unlike the Magical BO, that would be transfered into the arrow.  In the end, that works for me, more or less 8 single-use arrows with potentially different enchantments if I so choose for the price of a normal weapon.

[Doombot]

It's really going to depend on how you do the enchanting. If it's an artificer enchanting the arrow tip, having your arrows custom made to have screw off top attachments for all the bowws would be good, But there's a few problems with that. You would need to pay extra per arrow for the attachment. If you are trying to conserve the magic tip, figuring out how many you  have at one time. If you only have 4 magic tips, you can only shoot two rounds. If you go the other route and have a glass tube with alchemy potion inside the shaft of the arrow with a trigger to break the potion, then you have the whole weight balance issue. really depends on how your GM thinks of the mods, and if the are ok with creative solutions

[Hawkwind]

On the same topic of missile weapons. Do you as a GM let your PC's carry around a bow that is strung all the time? I tend not to and if they do I increase the chance of the string snapping.

Unlike (apparently) most of the GMs here, I do let my players walk around with their bows strung. I know its not accurate from a realism point-of-view, but then, neither is the ability to cast fireball    I also allow players to have a quarrel loaded in a crossbow - but only it they're actually carrying the crossbow. I had a player try and tell me that he had his crossbow loaded, but still strapped to his pack 

Hawk

[vieja escuela]

I do not know if I have understood you well. But I do not see any problem to manage to be charmed with only a part of the arrow.Only it depends on the conjuration that you want to imbue for example:
if you want that the arrow head which have Sudden Light spell that  Render useless a group of enemies. you do not have any problem. or a ball of fire, or a vacum, etc
Example of treasure companion: Jan the Alchemist might create small glass beads which have Sudden Light spells (5th level spell from the  Magician Base list, Light Law) imbedded in them. Because
Jan cannot yet create a Daily V item, Jan decides to make  five Single-use items instead. Jan further keys the items to  release the Sudden Light spell when they are broken. Jan?s  idea is to loosely sew the beads onto the front of his robes  and then just pull them off and use them as needed.
Unfortunately for Jan, after offending the village smith at  his local tavern, he is tossed head over heals into the walls  of said tavern. The impact crushes the beads and releases  all five Sudden Lights simultaneously. While this does  bring the bar fight to a sudden stop, it also sends poor Jan  deeply into unconsciousness.
other topic are the enchantament tipe arm. if you want that  an arrow of yours hand crossbow once shooted change in a big Lance(TWO FORM WEAPON ). or Worse once  strike in a mace ( what big hole , Though a problematic use). them the enchantament is over all de arm like rasyr saids.
(this tipe of echantment was used in one book of rolemaster to convert  small knifes in two handed sword once Thrown
Paragraph of the book:
For the sake of economy, however, GMs may allow their
Alchemists to create partially enchanted items. An item
that is partially enchanted only has the relevant parts for
its purposes actually worked with the appropriate Make
and/or Work spells. Thus, only a sword?s blade, an axe?s
head, a ring?s gem, etc., would actually be enchanted. This
leads to a large cost savings, though some items will be
weaker for it (and GMs should be sure that this fact is
always a danger).

[vieja escuela]

On my post, I refer to the rules of the companion of treasures. in rolemaster  appear several objects that skip the rules. And the alquemist would have to investigate his own enchantments to imbue them. An example would be this arm of the quarterly.
Vicar (Broadsword/?weapon? +25)
The Vicar broadsword is decorated with designs that
relate to healing and life. The hilt has a ?Tree of Life? design
with the tree?s ?head? as the pommel, which is covered with
tiny green leaves. The grip is the tree trunk, which appears to
be real bark. The roots of the tree entwine the quillian, (the
crossbar), and continue down the blade.
The symbol for medicine or healing is incised at base of the
blade (in modern times this would often be represented by the
intertwined snakes around a winged staff). The roots of the tree
seem to emerge from within the blade to shape the design.
If the blade is examined by an accomplished alchemist or
a sufficient ?Delving? type spell is used, it reveals that the hilt
can actually be removed and attached to any prepared
weapon?s tang of the proper quality, resulting in the exact
same magical weapon in a different form. When disengaged
from a blade, the hilt?s roots are fully visible. When attached to
a new blade, they will grasp that blade and they will ?grow?
into the blade. This means that the weapon could take any
form you, the GM want it to take when the PCs discover it.

[Mider]

I have been thinking about this a lot and still have a problem with the whole concept of multiple spells on each part of a whole item.  But looking at some of the treasures where the goal is to assemble an item that has been breaken apart, each of the parts have a different power.  I think it is a Shadow World module that has a key that must be assembled that each of the rubies has a power, the cross has a power and so on.  But these are artifacts and take years or longer to assemble.
In looking at the time needed to imbed the spells in such items, would you take each one seperately, greatly reducing the time needed or say that since the item is part of another that you would treat the whole as 1 item and the compounding of needed time for multiple powers.
I have had one player who after reading this post has come back and calculated that they could put a couple of thousand magic spells on their clothing and equipment.  He wears either a leather jerkin with various buckles, rivets and such all over, or he wears a chain mail shirt, literally made up of hundreds if not thousands of individual links making a whole.  He wants to have his friend (an Alchemist) put intelligence on each so he could be able to cast the correct link. 

[yammahoper]

On my post, I refer to the rules of the companion of treasures. in rolemaster  appear several objects that skip the rules. And the alquemist would have to investigate his own enchantments to imbue them. An example would be this arm of the quarterly.
Vicar (Broadsword/‘weapon’ +25)
The Vicar broadsword is decorated with designs that
relate to healing and life. The hilt has a “Tree of Life” design
with the tree’s “head” as the pommel, which is covered with
tiny green leaves. The grip is the tree trunk, which appears to
be real bark. The roots of the tree entwine the quillian, (the
crossbar), and continue down the blade.
The symbol for medicine or healing is incised at base of the
blade (in modern times this would often be represented by the
intertwined snakes around a winged staff). The roots of the tree
seem to emerge from within the blade to shape the design.
If the blade is examined by an accomplished alchemist or
a sufficient “Delving” type spell is used, it reveals that the hilt
can actually be removed and attached to any prepared
weaponÂ’s tang of the proper quality, resulting in the exact
same magical weapon in a different form. When disengaged
from a blade, the hiltÂ’s roots are fully visible. When attached to
a new blade, they will grasp that blade and they will “grow”
into the blade. This means that the weapon could take any
form you, the GM want it to take when the PCs discover it.

Sounds like a modified "multiform" enchantment.  Spell Mastery and Magic Ritual are great skills.

lynn

[markc]

I have been thinking about this a lot and still have a problem with the whole concept of multiple spells on each part of a whole item.  But looking at some of the treasures where the goal is to assemble an item that has been breaken apart, each of the parts have a different power.  I think it is a Shadow World module that has a key that must be assembled that each of the rubies has a power, the cross has a power and so on.  But these are artifacts and take years or longer to assemble.
In looking at the time needed to imbed the spells in such items, would you take each one seperately, greatly reducing the time needed or say that since the item is part of another that you would treat the whole as 1 item and the compounding of needed time for multiple powers.
I have had one player who after reading this post has come back and calculated that they could put a couple of thousand magic spells on their clothing and equipment.  He wears either a leather jerkin with various buckles, rivets and such all over, or he wears a chain mail shirt, literally made up of hundreds if not thousands of individual links making a whole.  He wants to have his friend (an Alchemist) put intelligence on each so he could be able to cast the correct link. 

 I do agree that there has to be some limit on size and what type of spell. For example I would not allow a healing spell to be placed on a bead as IMO a bead has no function for healing. I might allow a healing spell to be placed on a bandage but IMO I would also roll for breakage after each use so there would be a limit.
 If you have the Arcane Companion you can also put limits on items that same way you put limits on bladerunes.

MDC

[vieja escuela]

Sounds like a modified "multiform" enchantment.  Spell Mastery and Magic Ritual are great skills.

no no. The hilt turns into magical the weapon that you put. And it has neither one, nor two, nor 100 forms does not have limit. It is not a Spell Mastery. But you forget the more important. Only the hilt is magic and you have a sword, morning star  etc  of +25 magic with multitude of power. Not all  the weapon. So that if in one combat someone  breaks your blade or the pole of yours mace for example The Vicar would not get damaged

[Arioch]

It depends ion how do you use Spell Mastery: according to SoHK you can use the skill to alter the parameters of a spell or even add completely new parameters...

[yammahoper]

Sounds like a modified "multiform" enchantment.  Spell Mastery and Magic Ritual are great skills.

no no. The hilt turns into magical the weapon that you put. And it has neither one, nor two, nor 100 forms does not have limit. It is not a Spell Mastery. But you forget the more important. Only the hilt is magic and you have a sword, morning star  etc  of +25 magic with multitude of power. Not all  the weapon. So that if in one combat someone  breaks your blade or the pole of yours mace for example The Vicar would not get damaged

It would become a +25 magic weapon.  Perhaps it would not gain the +20 to Strength for being of superior design, but otherwise the attached weapon would have the level protection and inhanced strength of a +25 magic weapon.  The advantage is in the ability to swap between weapons, or even to carry the hilt and appear weaponless.

lynn

[vieja escuela]

I cannot transcribe all the powers of the Vicar because they are two pages of a book of a whole of 18. But they are two pages of power if it has everything.
for yammahoper

[vieja escuela]

To add a new parameter is for example to do that a wall of fire advances to three meters for assault. Or could change his intensity. never changes the spell. if it is a wall spell it is a wall spell and not a fly spell.
look at it(Look at it as if they were persons and not objects) like a person to have it clearer. in principle the spell multiform concerns the same enchanted object (one itself) the list of spells BODY SHIFTING. whereas vicar transfers his powers (capacities) to another object list of spells MIND SHIFTING. (It allows to use the lists of other one) if you can use BODY SHIFTING with MIND SHIFTING I can use body shifting. it is not a new parameter theuy are two spells so diferent like fly and teleport.