Crystal Swords/Weapons

1st edition? 2nd edition? It doesnt matter! Let's just talk Palladium Fantasy.

Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones

Jung_Yul
Newb
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:03 pm

Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by Jung_Yul »

Does anyone know of any rules or stats listed anywhere that state definitively whether the Crystal Swords from Island at the Edge of the World can harm vampires?
User avatar
kiralon
Champion
Posts: 2800
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:05 pm
Comment: Kill it with Fire.

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by kiralon »

Im pretty sure the description of crystal devices says magic device, and they can pick from magic powers, so they are magic.
And the western empire book has the most up to date vampire info i think and im pretty sure it says magic, silver and holy water hurts them.
User avatar
Soldier of Od
Hero
Posts: 996
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Great Britain

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by Soldier of Od »

I'm pretty sure Kiralon is right. :-D
Rifter Contributor:
Rifter 61 – Purebred animal templates for Mutants in Avalon (After the Bomb)
Rifter 77 & 78 – Khemennu, City of the Eighteen Cosmic Gods (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 83 – The Prophet O.C.C. (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 83 – Half-Ogres (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 84 – Spellbound O.C.C. (Nightbane)
Rifter 85 – Relics of Empire: Elven Cities of the Old Kingdom (Palladium Fantasy)
User avatar
ShadowLogan
Palladin
Posts: 7401
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:50 am
Location: WI

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

"Island at the Edge of the World" on pg88 repeatedly describes this as a branch of magic, making the psionic devices magical in nature. It is even reinforced on pg89 when discussing the "Basic Powers & Data", and specifically Crystal Swords are on pg95 (and I'm sure there are other statements to this effect I am just not going to document them or look them up as it seems pretty clear with just these 3 references).

While "Western Empire" AFAIK doesn't consider Vampire vs Psionic Attacks, the Rifts RPG line does. In Rifts World Book 1 (original pg34, I'm not sure about the revised edition) it does consider the issue with regard to specific powers (at the time all part of the PF2E line) and they are capable of doing damage to a Vampire's H.P (short note some are more effective than others, and oddly enough PyroKinesis isn't addressed). This means that Megaversally, even if you don't consider it a magic device but a psionic device it should be able to damage PB's Vampires (other undead is another matter).
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17737
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

Jung_Yul wrote:Does anyone know of any rules or stats listed anywhere that state definitively whether the Crystal Swords from Island at the Edge of the World can harm vampires?

to answer the literal question...no, there is no text saying if they can or can't.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
User avatar
Soldier of Od
Hero
Posts: 996
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:32 am
Location: Great Britain

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by Soldier of Od »

Jung_Yul wrote:Does anyone know of any rules or stats listed anywhere that state definitively whether the Crystal Swords from Island at the Edge of the World can harm vampires?

Island at the edge of the world, page 96: "The basic ability of the [crystal] sword is to become a powerful magic weapon"

Western Empire, page 216: Magic weapons [etc.] inflict normal damage to the vampire.
Rifter Contributor:
Rifter 61 – Purebred animal templates for Mutants in Avalon (After the Bomb)
Rifter 77 & 78 – Khemennu, City of the Eighteen Cosmic Gods (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 83 – The Prophet O.C.C. (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 83 – Half-Ogres (Palladium Fantasy)
Rifter 84 – Spellbound O.C.C. (Nightbane)
Rifter 85 – Relics of Empire: Elven Cities of the Old Kingdom (Palladium Fantasy)
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17737
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

I will expand on my answer, While they never say that the [sup]1[/sup]Pionic devices that make up the body of work made by the so-called Crystal mage couldn't hurt Vampires. All I did say was a direct answer to the question posed was ....
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:to answer the literal question...no, there is no text saying if they can or can't.


However, since Pionic devices are mystical in nature, even though not literally 'magical', they IMHO do hurt vampires.

footnote 1: The book that includes the crystal mage text is from the 1st edition books, so the term 'Pionic devices' had not been created yet. As such the writer didn't have the technical terms to write into that book.
-And in the context of the 'time of 1000 magics' psionics, in which that section of text was written in, were considered to be a form of magic. Even though when speaking technically in modern terms, they are not magic.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
Curbludgeon
Hero
Posts: 1183
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 7:08 am
Comment: They/Them

Re: Crystal Swords/Weapons

Unread post by Curbludgeon »

To broaden the question, do the weapons created by DB15's Crystal Magic count as magical weapons? A couple of the spells e.g. Crystal Throwing Star explicitly mention charging a crystal with magic energy, but others don't. The question might well similarly apply to the weapons created by Pyromancy (Rifter 82).
Post Reply

Return to “Palladium Fantasy RPG®”