Tuesday, June 5, 2018

+1 Dagger Replacements

I like to give players a +1 dagger early on, as a nice, but not game changing reward. I don’t think a player has ever been remotely excited. Here are some less boring alternatives:


Grenadagger - stout, pointy blade and a wide, heavy handle with a safety lever along the grip. A pin and ring hang from the pommel. The dagger will explode into shrapnel a round after the pin is pulled and the safety lever released. The explosion does extra damage to whoever it's stabbed into.

Dagger of Binding - Long, thin blade. Does no damage if stabbed into someone, unless removed, or the victim moves 30’ away from the control ring. Roll the damage when first stabbed, the victim can tell how bad removing it will be. If the victim is restrained before stabbed, a critical is guaranteed.

Desperate Dagger- curved blade. All hits are critical hits. On each it, the wielder loses a random finger. (i.e., lay hands flat down on table, number fingers 1-10, left to right. Roll a d10, and lose that finger) Losing a pinky isn’t a big deal. Losing two fingers on one hand or either thumb will impart serious disadvantages.
Masterwork Fake Dagger - telescoping blade filled with fake blood. Makes for a very convincing (and totally safe) spectacle when stabbing someone.

Stone-carver - short, stubby blade. If heated red-hot, it can carve stone like butter. You’ll need some serious oven mitts to hold it. Double damage against enemies made of stone!

Dagger of teleportation - throwing dagger. If you throw it, and the blade hits living flesh, you are teleported next to the dagger. Holds three charges. Regains a charge by dealing a killing blow.

Rewind Dagger - shiny and rectangular. Any damage done with the dagger is undone in a couple of seconds. No lasting damage can be done. Feel free to add a tragic twist, like it won’t rewind if used against the wielder’s true love.

Salmon Dagger - salmon shaped grip. If placed in a river, will swim upstream, even up a waterfall. Can pull two people, or one if going up a waterfall. Balance it on your fingertip, and it will spin to point towards a body of water.

Magnetic Dagger - rough iron. Strongly magnetic. Good at parrying and disarming metal weapons. Completely ineffective against metal armor.
Dagger of Silence - smoky finish on a pointed blade. Anyone in contact with the blade cannot make any vocal noises.

The Assassin’s Friend - rusty red blade. Soaks up any blood like a super-absorbent sponge. Can hold the blood of three fatal stabbings. Unscrew the pommel to drain.

Bacchus’ Dagger - golden, erotic hilt. Does no damage, but each stab is the equivalent to the target taking two shots.
Undead Slave Dagger - thin and gray. Leave it in after the killing blow, and the victim will rise as a loyal, undead servant. Taking the dagger out undoes the spell.