Treasure: Sword of Puissance

Treasure: Sword of Puissance

A recent discussion in multiple places at the same time really made me think. Depending on the enchanting system in use and some other factors, sometimes it is more economically efficient to enchant a weapon with extra damage than to make it Fine or Very Fine.

For this example let us use a thrusting broadsword (LT, p. 65). It costs $600. First, let us make a typical sword +1 using the Puissance spell I made. In this case, it will add +1 to thrust damage and +2 to swing damage.

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +1

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +1 – as an enchanted item (using Sorcery)

This thrusting broadsword (LT65) deals additional +2 swing damage and +1 thrust damage.

Statistics: Striking ST 2 (Magical, -10%; One Attack, This weapon, -60%) [3]. Always On; Weapon, Metal, x0.45; 2 EP.

            TL3 Price: 2 x ($30 + 2 x $320) = $1,340.

            TL8 Price: 2 x ($600 + 2 x $1,180) = $5,920.

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +1 – as an enchanted item (using Sorcery) (KYOS)

This thrusting broadsword (LT65) deals additional +2 swing damage and +1 thrust damage.

Statistics: Striking ST 2 (Magical, -10%; One Attack, This weapon, -60%) [1]. Always On; Weapon, Metal, x0.45; 1 EP.

            TL3 Price: 2 x ($30 + 1 x $320) = $700.

            TL8 Price: 2 x ($600 + 1 x $1,180) = $3,560.

As we see, this is way too cheap. A fine thrusting broadsword would add only +1 to any kind of attack and cost $2,400 at TL 3. A very fine thrusting broadsword would add +2 to any kind of attack and cost $12,000 at TL 3

Not long ago I found a link to PK's post on SJGames forums detailing a new imbuement skill that accomplishes the same task - Mighty Blow. Let's first make a Sorcery buff spell using this skill and then compare the costs.

Weapon of Puissance

Keywords: Weapon Buff.

Full Cost: 44 points for level 1 + 16 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Three minutes.

Regardless of the type of damage the weapon does, it does more of it. The weapon does +1 basic damage. This is not a follow-up; add it directly to the damage roll before subtracting DR and calculating injury. This bonus is applied after the roll, and is thus unrelated to limitations of ST (e.g., minimum ST, draw ST).

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on weapons, -20%; Advantage, Weapon of Puissance 1, +340%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [44]. Additional levels add further Weapon of Puissance to the Advantage enhancement (+160%) [+16]. Notes: “Weapon of Puissance 1” is 34 points, per Enhances or Transforms an Existing Attack (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 11). Each additional level removes -2 in effect penalties. This spell is based on the Mighty Blow imbuement by PK.

  

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +1 (Alternative)

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +1 (Alternative) – as an enchanted item (using Sorcery)

This thrusting broadsword (LT65) deals additional +1 base damage.

Statistics: Imbue 3 (Limited Skill Access, One Skill, -80%) [8] + Unusual Training [1] + Mighty Blow (VH) DX [8] modified by Cosmic, No die roll required (+100%), Magical (-10%), Reduced Fatigue Cost 1 (+20%), and Visible (-10%) [34]. Always On; Weapon, Metal, x0.45; 16 EP.

            TL3 Price: 2 x ($100 + 16 x $320) = $10,440.

            TL8 Price: 2 x ($2,000 + 16 x $1,180) = $41,760.

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +2 (Alternative)

Thrusting Broadsword of Puissance +2 (Alternative) – as an enchanted item (using Sorcery)

This thrusting broadsword (LT65) deals additional +2 base damage.

Statistics: Imbue 3 (Limited Skill Access, One Skill, -80%) [8] + Unusual Training [1] + Mighty Blow (VH) DX [8] modified by Cosmic, No die roll required (+100%), Magical (-10%), Reduced Fatigue Cost 1 (+20%), and Visible (-10%) + bought off -2 penalty [50]. Always On; Weapon, Metal, x0.45; 23 EP.

            TL3 Price: 2 x ($150 + 23 x $320) = $15,020.

            TL8 Price: 2 x ($3,000 + 23 x $1,180) = $60,280.

Now this feels better, to be honest.