Forum > Rolemaster
Play Balance Issues - have a PC with an OP weapon
pastaav:
If the weapon really is powerful enemies should have plenty of reason to develop magical countermeasures to take out the weapon. Let the player use the weapon in a meaningful fight and have the weapon damaged. After this, you can follow up with a quest to restore the weapon, but when the player succeeds the powers of the weapon have been altered.
You might also consider talking to the player and state your concern that other players are not enjoying the game as much as possible because the OP weapon gives the character an unfair advantage. Renegotiating the power level of the weapon to make the game more fun for the group might be acceptable for the player if he/she understands the alternative is losing access to the weapon.
rdanhenry:
If the weapon really puts the PC above his comrades in battle, any enemies familiar with them, even just by reputation, are going to focus their attacks on him.
The "narrative" way to dispose of such an item is to have it lost while doing something really cool, like killing some epic monster that is normally unkillable. It allows him to kill the monster, but is destroyed in the process. Or maybe it needs to be left in corpse to keep it dead.
Alternatively, if you're ready to move in that direction, give each of the other characters a powerful item and start chucking really powerful enemies at them.
netbat:
I would consider adding more enemies and challenges that the sword is not best against. Both non-combat situations and combat situations where slashing weapons don't work as well(consider half damage vs constructs or other solid things that would blunt a sharpened weapon) or things that are best dealt with at range.
Spectre771:
The examples you listed are pretty "out of the player's control" type of events. Breakage Factor is good, but if you haven't been using it all along, it will seem too revengeful. If it is such a well crafted magic weapon, it will probably have a high resistance roll anyway.
However... if you introduce Elemental Companion into the mix, PEM (Proto Elemental Material) is a perfect way to possibly dissolve the sword. PEM is very dangerous and downright horrifying if from a high level elemental. You don't have to worry about introducing BF as this is a flat out RR.
Something more subtle is to have the party running into a recurring NPC, not even directly interacting with it, but seemingly popping up on the periphery from time to time. This NPC is an agent hired by the creator of the sword, a relative of the creator of the sword, an enemy of the creator of the sword, the sword's previous owner, decedent of the sword's previous owner. The agent will have been collecting information long enough to notice strengths and weaknesses of the sword owner and have intimate knowledge of the sword. Without knowing the sword's abilities, say it's a sword of heat, the NPC will have armour or a shield that negates heat crits. If using Elemental Companion, the NPC has armour or shield made of Catoatine <sp>, an elemental material the specifically cancels magic properties. Or even better, the armour is of elemental cold, ice, water, or air and only elemental magic can deal damage or crits.
Without adding EC to the mix, design your NPC baddies to have defenses vs. the sword's properties. Shield of +25 DB, Sword of Quickness (RMC-I or C&T 1) that gives +10 initiative bonus, 3 attacks per round, and floats in water! :) Since PCs can only parry 2 attacks max, the third attack has a very good chance of hitting the PC.
Druss_the_Legend:
Some thought provoking ideas posted here thus far. Thanks!
I have come to the realisation that the sword and the backstory of the sword he carries is a perfect opportunity to get the player to be even more invested in the setting.
Options for building the sword into the story
1) Ask the player to write a back story for the sword himself, Who created the sword? why did they create the sword? Where was the sword made? Let the player know that the sword will have a plot hook linked to its background that will play out in a future session.
2) Have the previous owner of the sword send a henchman/messenger to find it - they approach the PC with a message which is either an invitation to meet him or a warning that the sword needs to be returned to him within a number of days/weeks. The messenger could inform the PC that hired assassins will be sent against the PC if they do not show up at the stated time/place.
The messenger might be legitimate or an enemy who wants to lure the PC into a trap and take possession of the sword.
Its also possible the previous owner is legitimate and has a quest for the PC and needs his help (the quest might involve the destruction of the sword to be successful) or perhaps the owner has a warning for the PC about a drawback/curse the sword has that he is unaware of. Another quest to remove the curse which also powers down the power of the sword.
thoughts?
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