From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Keeping nasty weapons (was Re: Sowrds of Sharpness...)
Date: 2 Oct 92 17:48:15 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd2.cis.pitt.edu

In article <COVIN.92Oct1134356@despair.cs.uchicago.edu> covin@tartarus.uchicago.edu (David Covin) writes:
>In article <6578@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea
>Wasp) writes:
>	   Why do you place the weapon there at all then? No PC in their
>   right mind will use a weapon that is that nastily aligned, and that 
>   hurts them.

>Actually, this is one of the things I *don't* like about (A)D&D.  In
>fantasy stories, it's common for heroes of all sorts to find powerful
>weapons which are either outright evil or at least unpleasant, but to
>use them anyway because they need a powerful weapon.

	This is one of the things I *don't* like about a lot of fantasy
stories. Most of the protagonists of such stories are downright stupid,
or else they're cursed and have NO CHOICE. But then, if they could get
the curse lifted they'd drop the thing faster than a hot coal.

  This is why
>Elric carried Stormbringer; 

	Elric was also not a particularly nice guy. I believe he was also
cursed and/or chosen by a nasty demon to serve certain interests. (Been
a LONG time since I read any Elric; the series never impressed me.)

why the Sword of Chaos was summoned on 
>Darkover, etc.  IMHO, it rarely makes sense for an intelligent sword
>to have a *good* alignment-- it's made to be a weapon, and that should
>affect its outlook.  At the very least, it's going to be a bit
>bloodthirsty.

	Depends on what you believe. A Good sword would not want to kill
except in a Good cause. I believe that the human BRAIN developed as a 
weapon, but there ARE nice, non-bloodthirsty people out there.

>Evil swords just lead to too many interesting roleplaying situations
>to banish them from PCs hands.  PCs should be subtly *encouraged* to
>use them.
>
>   "The giants appear to have you surrounded."
>   "Damn.  Do you think they'll accept a surrender?"
>   "Souldrinker speaks in your head: 'Draw me.  I can take care of
>them...'"
>   "The last time I drew you, you tried to kill the rest of the party,
>as well!"
>   "'*Chuckle*.  Can I help it if I am... enthusiastic?  And-- do you
>have any other choice?  The giants will kill you otherwise.  If you're
>going to die anyway, at least let *me* have some fun...'"

	Uh-HUH. Dumb PC, or what? The LAST time should have been just 
that, the last time. I would have dumped the thing in a volcano. Assuming
that the rest of the party gave me a CHOICE about it, which they probably
wouldn't. Any problem some stupid chunk of edged steel can solve can be
solved better by a little advance thought... especially if there are other,
not-nasty, chunks of edged steel around.

	I had a couple characters with weapons like that. One of them
lost a will contest to me and I explained it the facts of life: It could
either do what I wanted, and NEVER, EVER betray me in any way, or it
could take a long drop into an erupting crater. The other one ended up
getting killed because of the damn sword.

	No, thank you, I don't play morons, even when they have low IQ's.


                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd