TW sword of annihilation

[Tor]

I was wondering, based on the model of the Flaming Sword which takes an instant spell (firebolt) and gives it a duration via another spell (wall of flame I think) is there any spell out there with a duration which could possibly mesh with Annihilation? I can't think of one (I figure you can't just use wall of flame since the spell needs to be similar, so in this case we need something anti-matter based?) but wondered if someone else could.

Another problem that occurs to me with this sword... would it be possible to use it safely? Annihilation doesn't just have primary damage, but also AoE damage which could not only harm the wielder but also the TW item itself.

Is there any way people can think (appropriate spell to build into the item) to shield the TW handle or the wielder from the area-effect aspect of the Sphere of Annihilation spell?

Being able to unleash that AoE every attack would be sweet if fighting groups but unless you were invulnerable or some high-MDC god, it would wreck you pretty badly too, plus I think even a single secondary explosion would destroy a TW sword-handle so I'm trying to figure out a way to insulate the handle...

All I can figure is perhaps build Invincible Armor into it (cast twice) to protect the handle or wielder, since even if the damage rolled exceeds it, the IA spell absorbs the remainder. Of course it would mean having to re-cast it every swing or two to deal with the repercussions... but it could be worth it.

Another option might be if there were a way to avoid the damage entirely. Like how Impervious to Fire is built into the Flaming Sword...

But I don't know what would protect someone from anti-matter. It seems like something possible beyond the protection of Impervious to Energy or Invulnerability. Does anyone know any slpell which avoids anti-matter damage types? That would also be a good tool against Demon Knights since they fire those.

[eliakon]

I was wondering, based on the model of the Flaming Sword which takes an instant spell (firebolt) and gives it a duration via another spell (wall of flame I think) is there any spell out there with a duration which could possibly mesh with Annihilation? I can't think of one (I figure you can't just use wall of flame since the spell needs to be similar, so in this case we need something anti-matter based?) but wondered if someone else could.

Another problem that occurs to me with this sword... would it be possible to use it safely? Annihilation doesn't just have primary damage, but also AoE damage which could not only harm the wielder but also the TW item itself.

Is there any way people can think (appropriate spell to build into the item) to shield the TW handle or the wielder from the area-effect aspect of the Sphere of Annihilation spell?

Being able to unleash that AoE every attack would be sweet if fighting groups but unless you were invulnerable or some high-MDC god, it would wreck you pretty badly too, plus I think even a single secondary explosion would destroy a TW sword-handle so I'm trying to figure out a way to insulate the handle...

All I can figure is perhaps build Invincible Armor into it (cast twice) to protect the handle or wielder, since even if the damage rolled exceeds it, the IA spell absorbs the remainder. Of course it would mean having to re-cast it every swing or two to deal with the repercussions... but it could be worth it.

Another option might be if there were a way to avoid the damage entirely. Like how Impervious to Fire is built into the Flaming Sword...

But I don't know what would protect someone from anti-matter. It seems like something possible beyond the protection of Impervious to Energy or Invulnerability. Does anyone know any slpell which avoids anti-matter damage types? That would also be a good tool against Demon Knights since they fire those.

When building devices more powerful than the personal weapons of the greatest gods (the most powerful rune weapon of legend does 1d6x100 damage which is less than annihilate) And in the process making the most powerful instant spell in the game a duration melee spell....I don't think actual justifications matter anymore. Just give your sword what ever stats you feel like and go forth and hack and slash.

[Tor]

The PPE cost would be tremendous though, and I am exploring what such a sword would be like. Now that we have TW rules, someone like The Three of Dweomer is bound to be able to create it as some secret weapon.

Damage isn't everything, the rune weapons that gods have are indestructible, which is a huge deal, a TW annihiSword that could be vaped by an energy blast would not hold up under long use, which is probably more important to gods.

[ShadowLogan]

Another problem that occurs to me with this sword... would it be possible to use it safely? Annihilation doesn't just have primary damage, but also AoE damage which could not only harm the wielder but also the TW item itself.

TW Flaming Sword has a similar issue with protecting the wielder since it uses "Impervious to Fire" in its spell chain (IIRC it is mentioned in the RMB and it IS in RUE description when its used on pg130-1 as an example). For "Annihilation" Spell you are probably looking at something like "Impervious to Energy" or "Invulnerability" for an equivalent protection spell depending on how one views the damage in the primary spell in terms relating to various impervious spells. There are also a few spells that warp physics/reality (don't recall the names off hand) that might help in using it safely too (like temporarily making the character intangible or something like that). Some of these may require going outside conventional magic to specialist branches though (ex Temporal).

For increasing the duration. That I'm not sure of if you would have to use another spell to manage, but per the RUE description in the Rules you could extend the duration by decreasing the power output of the Annihilation spell for time (pg129 in the example to use "Carpet of Adhesion" spell to make sticky tires), though how that would work with an instant spell I'm not sure so you might require a time management spell to form the basis (or treat instant as time of a typical attack/action and work from there).

[Glistam]

I think you'd need a spell chain that looks like this: Annihilate, Invulnerability, Reality Flux or Warped Reality, and Impenetrable Wall of Force. Here's my reasoning:

• Annihilate: The base spell. The damage of the weapon will be equal to the damage of the spell vs its initial target.
• Invulnerability: This is anti-matter being played with here! It may or may not be considered energy, but this protection spell covers a lot of bases and honestly, you can't be too cautious. Duration of the blade will also be based on this spell's duration.
• Reality Flux or Warped Reality: These spells function to turn the AoE aspect of the spell off. Without them it would be a bit of a disaster. The higher level one is the superior one here, but Reality Flux would work if you don't care about the S.D.C. damage it would turn the AoE turn into.
• Impenetrable Wall of Force: All things considered, you're taking a ball of antimatter and trying to make it into a sword. I see this spell as the reason why it shapes into a blade and it also adds some nebulous protective value to the weapon.

Obviously, this is not only an expensive weapon to make, but a crazy expensive weapon to activate. Without twinking out the design rules from Rifts Ultimate Edition, I'd give this an activation cost equal to the normal P.P.E. cost of Annihilate (and that P.P.E. can't be stored ahead of time) or twice that amount in I.S.P..

I also envision many, many techno-wizards annihilating themselves before this weapon is able to be actualized.

[Tor]

In all likelihood we would probably see TW annihilation-grenades instead. This is about the only spell where it seems worth destroying a perfectly good gem for a one-shot use.

Even then, an annihilation-launching cannon would probably be a better investment than a grenade, though harder to conceal or lug around.

Perhaps before thinking of Annihilation-Sword we could explore the middle ground of a Particle Beam sword.

Also wondering something about that Lightning Rod... the damage is like a level 1 call lightning, so if a level 10 TW made a Lightning Rod, I wonder if it could be better competition for the LightBlade.

[Bill]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

[Glistam]

For an Annihilation Cannon I'd replace Reality Flux and Warped Reality with Sub Particle Acceleration but I'd keep the rest of the spells in the chain. Unlike the sword I'd let it store the activation P.P.E. for one shot (same P.P.E. Or I.S.P. cost as the sword) at a time. Still ridiculously expensive to fire and I still expect many Techno-Wizards to have Annihilated themselves in pursuit of this knowledge. This seems slightly more reasonable than your sword idea, and could be something that folks in Tolkeen were desperate enough to try and make.

As far as something within reach of player characters, I think the grenade (as a single-use item) is the way to go. Either of these ideas make more sense than a sword.

[Glistam]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

[Nightmask]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

[Bill]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

Emphasis mine. Is that wishful thinking? Or have you got a source?

[ShadowLogan]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

I thought it already did have creations that are pretty close to Rune Weapon quality in terms of power if not durability.

[AzathothXy]

There is the Rift Weapon from the dwarven iron ships, thats pretty powerful. And under Marduk's entry in Pantheons, if you have the tablets of destiny, you could potentially create a TW device of godly proportion.

[Glistam]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

What retcon?

[AzathothXy]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

What retcon?

In PW, the dwarfs have been usung TW for centuries if not longer, as one example.

[Glistam]

Is it Techno-Wizardry, or just something similar? I thought the Phase World magic stuff was just similar.

[eliakon]

Is it Techno-Wizardry, or just something similar? I thought the Phase World magic stuff was just similar.

The devices are listed as TW devices. The schools train people as TWs.....Yes its TW, just a mature, advanced form of TW.

[Bill]

The text uses the terms Technowizardry and TW. While it could be argued that failing to make some distinction between the traditions is laziness on the part of the authors, it is canonically technowizardry. And, since they're deploying TW weapons that can vaporize starships, I'll concede that TW magic is more powerful than rune magic; even though it irks me to do so. I really prefer super-powerful magic to be rare and difficult to create, not mass produced as technology.

[Nightmask]

The text uses the terms Technowizardry and TW. While it could be argued that failing to make some distinction between the traditions is laziness on the part of the authors, it is canonically technowizardry. And, since they're deploying TW weapons that can vaporize starships, I'll concede that TW magic is more powerful than rune magic; even though it irks me to do so. I really prefer super-powerful magic to be rare and difficult to create, not mass produced as technology.

They aren't really mass-produced, and the Dwarven Iron Ships apparently require expensive maintenance spells which is a penalty that rune weapons don't have.

[Nightmask]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons? I am not convinced that it should in any area other than availability and perhaps flexibility.

Techno-Wizardry is still new to the Megaverse. Who knows what greatness it may be capable of.

Except it's not, after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

What retcon?

The original Techno-Wizard write-up refers to it as a unique discovery made on Rifts Earth but later writers started using it all over the place particularly with regards to Phase World and the Warlock empire where the dwarves in particular were advanced Techno-Wizards and they even have a TW power armor that's one of the most powerful power armor around. So it started as 'no one else in the multiverse has this but Rifts Earth' to 'Rifts Earth is just getting with the program and it'd been around for millenia'.

[Bill]

The text uses the terms Technowizardry and TW. While it could be argued that failing to make some distinction between the traditions is laziness on the part of the authors, it is canonically technowizardry. And, since they're deploying TW weapons that can vaporize starships, I'll concede that TW magic is more powerful than rune magic; even though it irks me to do so. I really prefer super-powerful magic to be rare and difficult to create, not mass produced as technology.

They aren't really mass-produced, and the Dwarven Iron Ships apparently require expensive maintenance spells which is a penalty that rune weapons don't have.

The First Warlock Fleet is made up of 30 thousand vessels according to DB13. Even though some of those ships are 5000 years old, to make up for the losses that the fleet suffers periodically they'd have to engage in some degree of manufacturing and mass-production.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Is it Techno-Wizardry, or just something similar? I thought the Phase World magic stuff was just similar.

The devices are listed as TW devices. The schools train people as TWs.....Yes its TW, just a mature, advanced form of TW.

And the Three Galaxy setting is a "Rifts" setting, where the style filter dictates that the common invocation mage type is the LLW and the magic item creating mage type is the Techno Wizard. It also dictates that magic items presented in the 3G setting books will be a TW magic items, even if it would be better as normal (non-TW) magic items.

While TW magic items can produce some huge physical effects, the one rune magic ability that TW stuff cannot duplicate is soul-drinking. The ability to instantly kill/neutralize a foe with but one hit.*shrugs*

The place for magic weapons that will do hundreds of points of damage (SD or MD) no matter what opponent have there place only as ship to ship weapons for space ships that run off of magic.
If I was presented in a real life setting, a character with the sword being talked about I would literally rip up the character sheet, and tell that player what he was outright, without being PC about it because that person might find it 'offensive' and they would complain to the moderator that he was told he is what he is.

While a magic anti-matter sword would be feasible to built via techno wizardry needing three spells....1) to create the Anti-matter and hold it in place...2) a spell to make a vacuum around the sword and 3) a force field spell that could contain any reaction between AM/M while also selectively letting matter in the FF.
The 1st would require modifying the annihilation spell or the use of the Anti-matter blast spell and the TK spell.
the 2nd would take the Vacuum spell modified so it would be bound to the AM summoned to fill the sword.
Third would take ether a modification of the Annihilation spell or the inventing of a whole new spell.

Duration......would need to be ether extended or made permanent.
End of duration effects....how to protect the user from any un-reacted AM? since the magic is ending and the AM will still be there.
Perm duration effects... how do you store it without cutting through everything?
How much AM does the sword contain when activated? Does it get replenished if all of the AM has reacted with Matter?

There are so many fracking obvious questions/faults about the viability of such a sword that if the player actually thought about it they would see that not only is it a <adjective> idea, that the idea has so many faults with it that it would be impractical to own except as coupe for counting.

[Bill]

I think the ruination rod (better name imo), or the process necessary to create one, would make for a decent McGuffin. Details arent really necessary for a McGuffin though, above and beyond how much damage it does and what the operator error chance is for the weilder to disintegrate himself is.

[Nightmask]

The text uses the terms Technowizardry and TW. While it could be argued that failing to make some distinction between the traditions is laziness on the part of the authors, it is canonically technowizardry. And, since they're deploying TW weapons that can vaporize starships, I'll concede that TW magic is more powerful than rune magic; even though it irks me to do so. I really prefer super-powerful magic to be rare and difficult to create, not mass produced as technology.

They aren't really mass-produced, and the Dwarven Iron Ships apparently require expensive maintenance spells which is a penalty that rune weapons don't have.

The First Warlock Fleet is made up of 30 thousand vessels according to DB13. Even though some of those ships are 5000 years old, to make up for the losses that the fleet suffers periodically they'd have to engage in some degree of manufacturing and mass-production.

Which likely isn't that much more than the number of Rune weapons around, if not decidedly less than the number of Rune weapons around. Nightbane alone has thousands of them if not far more (the Atlantis Foundation alone has excavated thousands where they are) and Atlantis itself practically mas-produces the things.

[Bill]

You mean indestructible items that have been created for a million years have a tendency to pile up? Color me shocked.

Starships that get blown up in every bloody skirmish are not remotely the same situation. They need a constant production line to maintain numbers or the UWW would have a very different and much more tragic story.

[Blue_Lion]

Remember the GM has the final say so in what a TW device has regardless of what spells you apply the GM determines the affect that is the way TW rules are written. They are a guide to create an item but do not guarantee things will go the way you want them to.

[Thinyser]

In all likelihood we would probably see TW annihilation-grenades instead. This is about the only spell where it seems worth destroying a perfectly good gem for a one-shot use.

Even then, an annihilation-launching cannon would probably be a better investment than a grenade, though harder to conceal or lug around.

Perhaps before thinking of Annihilation-Sword we could explore the middle ground of a Particle Beam sword.

Also wondering something about that Lightning Rod... the damage is like a level 1 call lightning, so if a level 10 TW made a Lightning Rod, I wonder if it could be better competition for the LightBlade.

I made a TW Annihilate derringer pistol when RUE first came out with the rules on TW creation. I don't have the write up anymore but I remember it used a 500 carat chunk of Lapis Lazuli that was carved into the shape of the pistol and the other gems and wires were inlaid into this stone.

As to the original questions I think that impenetrable wall of force combined with impervious to energy, if set on the hilt to extend out in a plane where the cross guard would be, might block the effects from extending to the wielder and the hilt itself.

[Mack]

I think you'd need a spell chain that looks like this: Annihilate, Invulnerability, Reality Flux or Warped Reality, and Impenetrable Wall of Force. Here's my reasoning:

• Annihilate: The base spell. The damage of the weapon will be equal to the damage of the spell vs its initial target.
• Invulnerability: This is anti-matter being played with here! It may or may not be considered energy, but this protection spell covers a lot of bases and honestly, you can't be too cautious. Duration of the blade will also be based on this spell's duration.
• Reality Flux or Warped Reality: These spells function to turn the AoE aspect of the spell off. Without them it would be a bit of a disaster. The higher level one is the superior one here, but Reality Flux would work if you don't care about the S.D.C. damage it would turn the AoE turn into.
• Impenetrable Wall of Force: All things considered, you're taking a ball of antimatter and trying to make it into a sword. I see this spell as the reason why it shapes into a blade and it also adds some nebulous protective value to the weapon.

Obviously, this is not only an expensive weapon to make, but a crazy expensive weapon to activate. Without twinking out the design rules from Rifts Ultimate Edition, I'd give this an activation cost equal to the normal P.P.E. cost of Annihilate (and that P.P.E. can't be stored ahead of time) or twice that amount in I.S.P..

I also envision many, many techno-wizards annihilating themselves before this weapon is able to be actualized.

Out of curiosity, I built this via the RUE TW rules. Here's the result:

• Device Level 5 (could be higher/lower, but this is a common level for TW devices)
• Spells: Annihilate, Invulnerability, Reality Flux, Impenetrable Wall of Force
• Activation: 128 PPE
• Payload: None (user must supply PPE)
• Construction: 2,550 PPE & 1,275 hours (159.3 workdays)
• Gem carats: 25.5 Lapis Lazuli, 2 Diamond, 1 Opal (fire)
• Build Cost: 285,700 credits (does not include labor)

I focused on minimizing the Build Cost, but for a higher price you could continue to add gem carats and lower the Activation Cost. Also, this is just the math... good luck to anyone who attempts to role-play building this, or even finding a TW capable of the attempt.

[Glistam]

How's the Annihilate cannon look using these rules?

[Glistam]

I think you'd need a spell chain that looks like this: Annihilate, Invulnerability, Reality Flux or Warped Reality, and Impenetrable Wall of Force. Here's my reasoning:

• Annihilate: The base spell. The damage of the weapon will be equal to the damage of the spell vs its initial target.
• Invulnerability: This is anti-matter being played with here! It may or may not be considered energy, but this protection spell covers a lot of bases and honestly, you can't be too cautious. Duration of the blade will also be based on this spell's duration.
• Reality Flux or Warped Reality: These spells function to turn the AoE aspect of the spell off. Without them it would be a bit of a disaster. The higher level one is the superior one here, but Reality Flux would work if you don't care about the S.D.C. damage it would turn the AoE turn into.
• Impenetrable Wall of Force: All things considered, you're taking a ball of antimatter and trying to make it into a sword. I see this spell as the reason why it shapes into a blade and it also adds some nebulous protective value to the weapon.

Obviously, this is not only an expensive weapon to make, but a crazy expensive weapon to activate. Without twinking out the design rules from Rifts Ultimate Edition, I'd give this an activation cost equal to the normal P.P.E. cost of Annihilate (and that P.P.E. can't be stored ahead of time) or twice that amount in I.S.P..

I also envision many, many techno-wizards annihilating themselves before this weapon is able to be actualized.

Out of curiosity, I built this via the RUE TW rules. Here's the result:

• Device Level 5 (could be higher/lower, but this is a common level for TW devices)
• Spells: Annihilate, Invulnerability, Reality Flux, Impenetrable Wall of Force
• Activation: 128 PPE
• Payload: None (user must supply PPE)
• Construction: 2,550 PPE & 1,275 hours (159.3 workdays)
• Gem carats: 25.5 Lapis Lazuli, 2 Diamond, 1 Opal (fire)
• Build Cost: 285,700 credits (does not include labor)

I focused on minimizing the Build Cost, but for a higher price you could continue to add gem carats and lower the Activation Cost. Also, this is just the math... good luck to anyone who attempts to role-play building this, or even finding a TW capable of the attempt.

As a G.M., if I was presented with this I would rule (only after all the time and effort had been done to make the prototype) that whenever the sword is activated/turned on, and every time it hits something, the Annihilate blade gives off it's AoE damage to the radius as noted in spell but reduced to S.D.C. rather than M.D.C.. That's because of using Reality Flux instead of Warped Reality.

But it's surprisingly more "affordable" to make and use than I initially assumed it would be.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Okay here is a question I raised before but you all didn't seam to see it.

How do you get more then just one hit that does damage with this sword, since the anti-matter inside gets used up with the 1st hit?

Which is the base reason why I said the sword was impractical.

[Glistam]

Okay here is a question I raised before but you all didn't seam to see it.

How do you get more then just one hit that does damage with this sword, since the anti-matter inside gets used up with the 1st hit?

Which is the base reason why I said the sword was impractical.

The same way you get more fire from a TW fire sword when after the first hit the firebolt is used up. By magic.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Okay here is a question I raised before but you all didn't seam to see it.

How do you get more then just one hit that does damage with this sword, since the anti-matter inside gets used up with the 1st hit?

Which is the base reason why I said the sword was impractical.

The same way you get more fire from a TW fire sword when after the first hit the firebolt is used up. By magic.

Which would mean to reactivate it. Which will take up both a APM and more PPE.
Which means half the time your char is naked to attacks and is burning through whatever PPE they have stored up like water through a sieve.

[Glistam]

Okay here is a question I raised before but you all didn't seam to see it.

How do you get more then just one hit that does damage with this sword, since the anti-matter inside gets used up with the 1st hit?

Which is the base reason why I said the sword was impractical.

The same way you get more fire from a TW fire sword when after the first hit the firebolt is used up. By magic.

Which would mean to reactivate it. Which will take up both a APM and more PPE.
Which means half the time your char is naked to attacks and is burning through whatever PPE they have stored up like water through a sieve.

I have never seen the TW Fire Sword played in this manner but it's just another example of how we all play different versions of the same game.

[eliakon]

Okay here is a question I raised before but you all didn't seam to see it.

How do you get more then just one hit that does damage with this sword, since the anti-matter inside gets used up with the 1st hit?

Which is the base reason why I said the sword was impractical.

The same way you get more fire from a TW fire sword when after the first hit the firebolt is used up. By magic.

Which would mean to reactivate it. Which will take up both a APM and more PPE.
Which means half the time your char is naked to attacks and is burning through whatever PPE they have stored up like water through a sieve.

I have never seen the TW Fire Sword played in this manner but it's just another example of how we all play different versions f the same game.

The Firebolt spell though is just energy that then has its duration extended. Drew is asking how you can extend the 'duration' of an explosive. Since Annihilate isn't an energy spell, but actually a kind of summoning spell (which is why shifters cast it at a discount).
That extension by the way is the reason that the circle of flame spell is in the Firesword chain. It explicitly turns firebolt from a one-and-gone spell into a duration effect.

[Glistam]

Then add Dimensional Portal to the spell chain. Problem solved.

Edit: Also, new drawback - when the sword is active it will trigger the senses of anyone who can sense Dimensional Portals or Anomalies, like Shifters or Temporal spell casters.

[eliakon]

Then add Dimensional Portal to the spell chain. Problem solved.

Edit: Also, new drawback - when the sword is active it will trigger the senses of anyone who can sense Dimensional Portals or Anomalies, like Shifters or Temporal spell casters.

I would use Dimensional Portal to make the link, and sub-particle acceleration to feed the anti-particles in....
Hrmmmm
While I would not use the sword, I am suddenly visualizing a new TW powerplant for spaceships

[Nekira Sudacne]

The PPE cost would be tremendous though, and I am exploring what such a sword would be like. Now that we have TW rules, someone like The Three of Dweomer is bound to be able to create it as some secret weapon.

Actually none of the three of dweaomer have techno-wizard abilities.

[Nekira Sudacne]

The text uses the terms Technowizardry and TW. While it could be argued that failing to make some distinction between the traditions is laziness on the part of the authors, it is canonically technowizardry. And, since they're deploying TW weapons that can vaporize starships, I'll concede that TW magic is more powerful than rune magic; even though it irks me to do so. I really prefer super-powerful magic to be rare and difficult to create, not mass produced as technology.

I don't think so. Size is important. Remember that the phase world techno-wizard guns capable of destroying capital ships that do thousands of MDC per shot are also so large they can only be mounted on captial ships in and of themselves.

Remember, Techno-wizardy under the rules has the option to use more and larger gems to lessen the cost of activating it. And going by the example of phase world, creating a TW cannon that's 10x as powerful as most greater gods weapons requires a techno-wizardy device the size of a house that is needed to magnify the available PPE to that state.


So to say that techno-wizardy is more powerful than rune weapons is to say gunpowder is more powerful than rune weapons. after all, if you get a house-sized pile of gunpowder and light it off, it'll do hundreds of thousands of SDC damage equivlent to thousands of MDC damage.

So yes, size does matter. to get techno-wizard or even regular technological weapons that are more powerful than rune weapons, you have to have weapons that are far, far larger, more obvious and easier to dodge and avoid than rune weapons. Rune weapons are not the most powerful weapons you can get because they deal the most MDC, just the most miniaturized for the bang.

[Bill]

Rune weapons are not the most powerful weapons you can get because they deal the most MDC, just the most miniaturized for the bang.

Excellent point! Though I think the Disintegration Mattock (also better a better name and it would probably be a good idea to put the annihilation effect at the end of a nice long pole just in case the weapon malfunctions), which appears to be legit under the TW item creation rules, calls into question whether you are correct. A single, handheld, device capable of reliably reproducing the affect of Annihilation at will would be pretty powerful; more so than lesser rune weapons in my opinion. I think a better argument in favor of rune-magic over technowizardry would be that TW devices are typically more focused and less versatile in their powers than rune weapons. Each rune weapon comes with at least seven standard abilities of incredible power, frequently feature a common range of other powers, and often possess one or more other unique abilities; while TW devices typically are purpose-built to perform a single task.

[eliakon]

Rune weapons are not the most powerful weapons you can get because they deal the most MDC, just the most miniaturized for the bang.

Excellent point! Though I think the Disintegration Mattock (also better a better name and it would probably be a good idea to put the annihilation effect at the end of a nice long pole just in case the weapon malfunctions), which appears to be legit under the TW item creation rules, calls into question whether you are correct. A single, handheld, device capable of reliably reproducing the affect of Annihilation at will would be pretty powerful; more so than lesser rune weapons in my opinion. I think a better argument in favor of rune-magic over technowizardry would be that TW devices are typically more focused and less versatile in their powers than rune weapons. Each rune weapon comes with at least seven standard abilities of incredible power, frequently feature a common range of other powers, and often possess one or more other unique abilities; while TW devices typically are purpose-built to perform a single task.

Just remember the TW info in the RUE is not hard rules, its guidelines. There are plenty of reasons to think that it may not even be possible. Annihilate may, in fact, require the 'huge size' mentioned under star ship weapons. After all the 'rules' mention things like limitations, and the MENTIONED device is an annihilate device, which in their example is vehicle mounted and not a hand weapon. While many people simply charge strait into the gems and chains even the guidelines we have explicitly say we need to determine form, and get the actual function (which may or may not be what is originally intended).

[Bill]

Maybe Nullification Torpedoes would be more likely.

[Tor]

Is technowizardry really meant to rival or even surpass more conventional magic items or rune weapons?

Eventually, sure, starships have already done it, all that's left is to miniaturize. Look at how far it has gone in such a short time on Rifts Earth. It essentially co-opts advances in both fields (tech and magic) and makes them their own, and can synergize such benefits.

after the retcon that made it no longer a unique discovery on Rifts Earth to something that's been discovered and been around for thousands of years it's a long-established magic school that should at a minimum have creations that rival the greatest of rune weapons.

If we are talking UWW stuff then, we know so little about them that they very well might have.

What we've seen in print is not necessarily the end-all of what exists, the door is left open for future sourcebooks and GM invention.

There is the Rift Weapon from the dwarven iron ships, thats pretty powerful. And under Marduk's entry in Pantheons, if you have the tablets of destiny, you could potentially create a TW device of godly proportion.

Speaking of Babylon, that pot-belly dude has that Red SAMAS which seems like it could stack up against one of Ahriman's demon PA.

In PW, the dwarfs have been usung TW for centuries if not longer, as one example.

Do we know that time passes in the Three Galaxies at the same rate it does in Rifts Earth?

If there was a relationship similar to Inner/Outer astral planes, it might well be that the centuries TW has been around in UWW has been the decades it's been bouncing around in Rifts for?

As for the 'where are your Battlefury Blades, Thraxus' bearded friend?' perhaps because Rifts has more conflict to drive innovation compare to UWW?

the one rune magic ability that TW stuff cannot duplicate is soul-drinking. The ability to instantly kill/neutralize a foe with but one hit.

after depleting their forcefield
and their body armor
and if they are a species capable of bleeding

The place for magic weapons that will do hundreds of points of damage (SD or MD) no matter what opponent have there place only as ship to ship weapons for space ships that run off of magic.

Why? If it works as a spell it should work as TW. As it is, there isn't anything stopping the production of Annihilation Scrolls and handing them out en masse to vagabond suicide bombers. Techno-Wizardry duplicating this would require more PPE and components.

If I was presented in a real life setting, a character with the sword being talked about I would literally rip up the character sheet, and tell that player what he was outright, without being PC about it because that person might find it 'offensive' and they would complain to the moderator that he was told he is what he is.

I think that is illegal, his character sheet is his personal property. He would presumably have it from a previous game where the GM let him make/acquire the sword (since it is not a starting item) meaning you did not the create the sheet.

You mean indestructible items that have been created for a million years have a tendency to pile up? Color me shocked.

The Scathach Initiative should fix that problem eventually and free all those poor enslaved souls to go to whatever afterlife they are aimed at, assuming a deity has some way to claim them.

Actually none of the three of dweaomer have techno-wizard abilities.

Blah... well I'm sure Leizak would've picked it up by now. Their observation of the SoT conflict ought to have informed him of its value.

Even barring that, he has them working for him and knows the spell, so he could manage the project even if others do the assembly.

[Astral Pantheon]

Maybe you could get Marduk with the Tablets of Destiny to make one for you.

"...Marduk could learn to manufacture a Techno-God Device."

[Tor]

If he could make one I think he'd probably want to keep it amongst himself and maybe his dad. This is more along the lines of the Vanguard making this to kill alien things like Marduk trying to conquer the planet.

[eliakon]

If he could make one I think he'd probably want to keep it amongst himself and maybe his dad. This is more along the lines of the Vanguard making this to kill alien things like Marduk trying to conquer the planet.

The Vanguard is the LAST people I can see building this. Besides the fact that they are, according to canon, against TW anyway I really REALLY don't see them working to help develop super-duper insanely powerful magic weapons that can then be replicated and used against the CS. Nuh-uh not in a million years. The Vanguard are the sorts of people that are on the list of people that would show up to make sure that anyone they heard about developing such a thing ended up dead.

[Tor]

Techno-Wizard is an OCC available to the Vanguard in Sorcer's Revenge (SoT3p60) fulgilling jobs like weapons tech, mechanic and gunner.

Regarding the Rifts Adventures Sourcebook / Chi-Town 'Burbs page 20, their forgot to include the traditional Mystic OCC and Techno-Wizard but I don't see that as them being off-limits.

That whole 'haven't decided what to make of TW' statement is silliness. Reverence for science and tech making TW seem wrong makes no logical sense to me, when these guys are engaging in outright mysticism. At most I take this to mean that some of the non-TW members regard some of the TW members with suspicion like 'how dare you mix our resources like this' or something. Kind of like how some basketball players who bounce on trampolines in their spare time might still hate trampoline-basketball.

They use TW devices and Sot3 made it clear TWs among the Vanguard play an important role in outfitting the Vanguard.

[Mlp7029]

There is no way this device would be a pistol. It is more powerful that some starship cannons and it should be at least the size of a tank main gun. The prototypes would also need to have been created in a vacuum to protect against the anti-matter exploding. This device is just too dangerous. This spell summons anti-matter which then explodes on contact with matter when the magical sphere containing the anti-matter dissipates. What happens when you you strike something? You get an explosion not a cut. Another problem for the sword is Anti-magic Cloud. IMHO the anti-matter would not vanish when the sword was deactivated it would just blow up. Perhaps you could consider a weapon based on one of the spells that bypass armor? That would be cool. A parrying weapon in one hand and a Havoc blade in the other.

[Galroth]

There is no way this device would be a pistol. It is more powerful that some starship cannons and it should be at least the size of a tank main gun. undefinedThe prototypes would also need to have been created in a vacuum to protect against the anti-matter exploding. This device is just too dangerous. This spell summons anti-matter which then explodes on contact with matter when the magical sphere containing the anti-matter dissipates.undefined What happens when you you strike something? You get an explosion not a cut. Another problem for the sword is Anti-magic Cloud. IMHO the anti-matter would not vanish when the sword was deactivated it would just blow up. Perhaps you could consider a weapon based on one of the spells that bypass armor? That would be cool. A parrying weapon in one hand and a Havoc blade in the other.

You could just trigger it remotely during the test phase to keep it from blowing up in your hand.