Monday, November 18, 2019

Add Gems.


For this post, I drew heavily from the "reputed magical properties of gems" listed in the 1E DMs Guide and turned those suggestions into mechanics.   Use these tables to turn any weapon, armor, or mundane item into a treasure (perhaps magical) based on the gem or gems that are encrusted upon it.

Roll 1d6 to determine how many gems are on the item (or multiple d6's if you really wanna go nuts.)  There is a 15% chance, for each gem, that it possesses the magical property listed next to it.  Multiple gems do stack.

Category of Gem....Roll 1d4

1.  Ornamental Stones
2.  Semi-Precious Stones
3.  Fancy Stones
4.  Gem Stones

Ornamental Stones (value is 1d4 x 10 GP).....Roll 1d6

1.  Hematite  (+1 to hit bonus)
2.  Lapis Lazuli  (+1 or 5% to retainer morale checks)
3.  Obsidian  (+1 or +5% on stealth checks)
4.  Blue Quartz  (light sources last twice as long)
5.  Tiger Eye  (+1 to initiative rolls)
6.  Turquoise  (25% more distanced traveled in a day)

Semi-Precious Stones (value is 1d4 x 50 GP).....Roll 1d6

1.  Bloodstone  (+1 to AC)
2.  Jasper  (+1 save vs. poison)
3.  Onyx  (-1 or -5% to enemy morale checks)
4.  Zircon  (+1 save vs. energy drain)
5.  Carnelian  (protection from evil lasts twice as long)
6.  Moonstone  (+1 to saves vs. lycanthropy)

Fancy Stones (value is 1d4 x 250 GP).....Roll 1d6

1.  Jade  (+1 to reaction rolls)
2.  Peridot  (+1 save vs. magic)
3.  Amethyst  (+1 on save vs. intoxication)
4.  Amber  (+1 save vs. disease)
5.  Topaz  (+1 save vs. evil)
6.  Garnet  (take 1/2 damage from fire)

Gem Stones (value is 1d4 x 1,000 GP).....Roll 1d6

1.  Diamond  (+2 on turn udead rolls)
2.  Ruby  (+2 on all saves)
3.  Emerald  (+2 hit points healed per die with curing spells)
4.  Sapphire  (targets of your spells save at -2)
5.  Opal  (+2 save vs. petrification/paralyze/polymorph)
6.  Jacinth  (+2 to damage rolls)

Just for the hell of it, let's say there is a 10% chance that the gem has even greater magical properties.....Roll 1d6  

1.  +1d4 to AC
2.  +1d4 to-hit
3.  +1d4 to all saves
4.  +3d4 hit points
5.  Can cast 1 randomly determined magic-user spell 1d4 times per day (spell level 1-4.)
6.  Can cast 1 randomly determined cleric spell 1d4 times per day (spell level 1-4.)

Let's say there's a 5% chance that a gem is cursed causing the owner to suffer ability loss while the item's in their possession....Roll 1d6

1.  -1d4 strength
2.  -1d4 constitution
3.  -1d4 intelligence
4.  -1d4 charisma
5.  -1d4 dexterity
6.  -1d4 wisdom




4 comments:

  1. I'm a sucker for systems where it's possible for players to figure out aspects of the setting, so I really like the idea of certain gems being associated with certain bonuses. That way, there's a potential that players will go "look at that big Ruby in his crown - spells won't affect him". But I would probably organize effects so that one class of gems held one class of bonuses. For example: gems - saves; fancy - spells; semi-precious - combat; etc.

    Anyway, cool idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Organizing by class is a good idea. So much potential with gems, we're really only scratching the surface.

      Delete
  2. It reminds me, in a small way, affixes from early Diablo games (for example, "Lapis Lazuli Cold Resist +5-15%"). But this looks much more immediately useful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kyana. As awesome as Diablo looks, I've never played it. Crazy right?

      Delete

Unnamed Traveller Girl

As rolled up with the Mongoose Traveller RPG 2nd Edition 2022 Update, a book I was at first skeptical about... Initial stats: Strength: 4 (-...