Not really. It's not like attacks stack directly. If our defensive dice are significantly higher than the flying sword's then it's unlikely to hit us. And with our armor buffs even if it does hit us it's unlikely to do any meaningful damage. Instead of playing the "flying swords ram into each other" game, it's better for us to take advantage of our ability to defend against their flying sword, and use ours to attack them directly.
Moreover, doing health damage isn't actually something we're bad at. If we get our debuffs up then we can do a lot of health damage quite fast with HC. A bigger concern is people with high armor. Against them, we either have to move away from music or rely on draining with elegy - which takes a while. Improving our ability to deal with armored targets in a way that synergises with our current strategy is arguably our best move here. Thus, either high AP + bonus qi damage, or something that does qi damage on hit. Qi damage is good because that synergises with our attrition strat, rather than health damage which works better with HC against unarmored targets.
I get where you're coming from. It really depends on the specifics of what's possible. High AP and bonus damage on touch is my thinking, but significantly higher Qi drain might be better, depending on the numbers possible.
I guess I'm just worried that we'll whittle down their Qi while getting wounded, and then they'll pop a pill or two and we'll still be bleeding. Where something focused more on health/durability might end things more quickly.
Or it could be weak enough that it fails utterly, leaving us no better off. Depends on the specifics.
The gate was a tall arched structure, a dozen meters high or more, stretching over a road wide enough for several horses to pass side by side. She wasn't the only disciple on the path, but neither was there exactly a crowd or heavy foot traffic, so very quickly her gaze caught on a figure that seemed likely to be her tutor. He looked a few years older than her, though she was aware how little that could mean. He looked fairly tall, enough to match her at least, and had a head of shaggy and untamed black hair that faded to light blue at the tips, his bangs hung down over his eyes, concealing his face somewhat as he plucked at the strings of a lute of some kind.
She always had trouble remembering the exact names of the different types, though now that she thought of it, his name on the note had been written with the same character as the instrument, the ruan, so that seemed a likely guess. He glanced upward as she approached, idly scanning the light traffic with a lazy gaze. He was pretty handsome she could admit, he also very clearly kept up on his physical cultivation, given what she could see due to the loose blue and white robe he wore. It hung pretty far open in the front, she had no idea how he kept it from falling off his shoulders.
If our flying sword has to fight another flying sword, the traits that will help us win are bonus dice, bonus damage, durability and armor*. Only the first two are useful offensively. We've been told straight up to get an offensive domain weapon and Yrsillar didn't even provide us examples of defensive domain weapons. Domain weapons take half damage from anything except another domain weapon, so domain weapon vs domain weapon combat is something we can expect ours to be involved in with some regularity.
We want our domain weapon to be built in such a way that it has an edge against other flying swords, or at least is competitive with them without compromising its offensive role.
Bonus dice determine whether or not it can hit a rival domain weapon and whether a rival domain weapon hits it, as well as whether or not it takes damage if we use it to block an attack. Bonus damage is also highly effective since domain weapons have low health compared to people. 2 to 3 hits could easily be all it takes for one domain weapon to destroy another and we want to be on the winning end of that equation.
*(occasionally AP, but yrsillar has said that armor on domain weapons is rare)
We want our domain weapon to be built in such a way that it has an edge against other flying swords, or at least is competitive with them without compromising its offensive role.
Alright guys, time to compile a voting list out of the suggestions offered. These are the ones I found most compelling as choices. I have attempted to avoid too much overlap in the choices made, which is why some were not selected. There will be some remixing and editing as I distill the suggestions into voting options.
[] Night Blooming Lotus Blade:
A half blooming lotus made of black metal forms the base, carved with silvery filigree patterns on it's curving petals, and from the centre emerges a long smooth spike of pitch black, carved from an Umbral Shard. The emerging spike appears to consume all light it touches, and the lotus blades surrounding much of it's length are sharp enough and positioned such that glancing blows can turn into messy wounds. A majestic and beautiful weapon, but equally ominous and cruel. Dexterity+Stealth. DV 9. AP 4. Deals 3 semiperfect damage on a successful hit, and deals one additional bleed per turn for three turns. Gains a two die bonus for each point by which it's users initiative exceeds that of it's target to a maximum of 10. Health 10
A featureless chakram which spins through the air, letting out a sharp whistling sound despite not having holes in it to facilitate such a thing. The note it plays as it flits through the wind is the dying wail of qi and air being dragged into it's pitch black depths, along with something more.
Possible Effects: Environmental Qi drain and AP, with potential bonuses to draining Qi upon successful clashes with other Domain Weapons and Arts?
Yue shi =
lunar eclipse 月食
musician 乐师
Even more and more 越是
The Darkest Night
Very light, this razorsharp Vantablack double-edged Chakram is almost completely silent in flight, and so dark it looks like a hole in reality rather than a true material object. You are slightly worried about it as you often end-up losing track of it.
Darkness Element.
Improved Initiative.
Improved Damage Value.
Improved Armor Penetration.
Improved Damage to all offensive clashes against unaware targets.
Night's Eye
A flawless disc of pure midnight, set with a droplet of argent liquid in the very center. In darkness, the Eye moves unseen, consuming the essence of what opposes it. In light, the Eye opens, and the Eye turns reflective, releasing that which it had stolen from its foe back onto the source.
The punnery on and Ling Qi-ness both amuse me here, so I've done a bit of work to combine the various chakram ideas into something fun
[] Sharp Note/Yue Shi(to be decided if selected)
A matte black, featureless chakram which spins through the air, letting out a sharp whistling sound despite not having holes in it to facilitate such a thing. The note it plays as it flits through the wind is the dying wail of qi and air being dragged into it's pitch black depths, along with something more. DV6. AP 5. Dexterity+Expression. Darkness Deals two additional semi perfect damage on hit. While active, this weapon reduces the qi recovery abilities of enemies by three each turn, and halves the effects of recovery items. When damaged, or upon winning a defensive clash, this weapon releases a counter attack at the aggressor, which, on hit drains an amount of qi equal to the amount the target has spent in the last turn(Max 8). Health 12
A jagged shard of darkness, unrefined and pure, with none of the additions that would make it resemble a weapon. If anything it is more ragged and brutal than the fragment it was carved from. Its edges have edges, not that they can be seen, as the weapon absorbs any light or qi that would be used to sense it.
Suggested effects: Can use stealth with the same bonuses as the wielder, extra dice if striking before the target has acted or from stealth, ap/semiperfect/damage bonuses.
[] Night's Edge
A jagged shard of darkness, unrefined and pure, with none of the additions that would make it resemble a weapon. If anything it is more ragged and brutal than the fragment it was carved from. Its edges have edges, not that they can be seen, as the weapon absorbs any light or qi that would be used to sense it. DV 12. AP 6. Dexterity+Stealth. Darkness. Each turn, this weapon makes a stealth attempt with the same pool as it's wielder as an instant action. When attacking an unaware opponent, this weapon receives a ten die bonus to it's pool, and deals four additional semi perfect damage. If striking the same target twice in a row, on the second attack, one of this damage becomes perfect. Health 10
A twisting obsidian blade that releases a mist between its coils. It pulses frequently, sending small burst of boundless Hunger, coveting all before it's glorious sight. The holes that line it's white bone hilt release a terrifying inhuman whistling screech as it soars through the air.
Status effect - left to QM as I would love to see what he could do with this
Edit: did I do good senpais D: it's my first time trying to be creative like this ~~
[] Singing Mist Blade
A twisting obsidian blade that releases a mist between its coils. It pulses frequently, releasing bursts of boundless Hunger, coveting all before it's glorious sight. The holes that line it's white bone hilt release a terrifying inhuman whistling screech as it soars through the air. DV 8. AP 4. Dexterity+Expression. Darkness. This weapon provides a five die bonus to all offensive musical arts cast by its user. This weapons basic attack targets spiritual defenses and strikes a fifteen meter radius. On hit the targets receive a two die penalty to spiritual defenses, which stacks up to five times and lasts five turns. If a target has three or more stacks on them at the start of their turn, they must make a five success resolve test or lose two qi for each stack. Health 9
[] Tailor's Regret
A single, large sewing needle which reflects no light. It weaves through the boundary of light and dark, slipping between enemy defenses and perceptions unpredictably to do its work. Seeming to evade detection the harder one looks, trailing umbral threads, bone-piercing cold, and the fresh well of blood drawn are the only hints it ever existed. DV 8. AP 4. Dexterity+Stealth. Darkness. Each turn, this weapon makes a stealth attempt with the same pool as it's wielder as an instant action. Against unaware targets, this weapon receives two additional DV and AP, and deals one additional perfect damage on hit. Targets damaged by this weapon have their dexterity and dodge reduced by 1. If Dexterity is reduced to zero, the target becomes immobilized. This effect counts as a three die darkness technique technique for the purposes of dispelling. Health 10
A thin, sharp hole in the world, this flying weapon has made use of a rare umbral shard by pounding it flat and then shaping it thin. It is powerfully attracted to qi and barely visible, even during the day.
It is also, clearly, a chopstick.
A scoundrel's tool, its shape reflects its purpose. It drinks in qi with staggering ease, but is, relatively speaking, less deadly than other flying weapons of its calibre, and, indeed, can be worn safely as a hair ornament by a third realm cultivator.
Instead, during a successful clash where it successfully drains (insert appropriate number) qi, it can instead 'eat' the opponent's lowest level passive buff and apply it to Ling Qi, her spirit beasts, or itself.
Larceny + Dexterity
Qi Drain
Buff Stealing
[] Real Bat
A thin, sharp hole in the world, this flying weapon has made use of a rare umbral shard by pounding it flat and then shaping it thin. It is powerfully attracted to qi and barely visible, even during the day. It is also, clearly, a chopstick. A scoundrel's tool, its shape reflects its purpose. It drinks in qi with staggering ease, but is, relatively speaking, less deadly than other flying weapons of its calibre, and, indeed, can be worn safely as a hair ornament by a third realm cultivator. DV 4 AP 2. Dexterity+Larcency. Darkness. On hit, this weapon drains an additional 3 qi, for every three qi drained this way it may attempt to dispel a technique of one dot, to a maximum of three dots at nine qi. This dispel attempt receives a five die bonus in addition to any the user may have. On successful dispel the sword applies the dispelled technique to the user or their spirit beast. Techniques applied this way have a duration equivalent to the turns the original user had left. Active effects of stolen techniques cannot be used. Health 10
[] Lace of Loss
A wide web of ever shifting intricate loops and knotwork arranged in a spiraling pattern reminiscent of a whirlpool dragging unfortunates to their demise in sunless depths. The floating fabric's hunger is comparable; even the slightest brush against the diaphanous edge will set it to greedily lap up the qi of the unwary. DV 4. AP 0. Dexterity+Larceny. Darkness. On hit, this weapon will grapple with its target, using its normal dice pool. While targets grappled by this weapon may still move and attack, they receive a four die penalty to all clashes, and lose three qi per turn while they remain grappled. In addition, when beginning a turn grappling an opponent, this weapon will attempt to dispel the targets lowest ranking buff, with a bonus of four. For every three qi this weapon absorbs, it regains one health. Health 6
Okay Doods, my brain is now pretty fried from all this mechanical nonsense, so have it. This vote will be APPROVAL based. You may each vote for multiple weapons, in this case, up to three per person. Have at it.
Alright guys, time to compile a voting list out of the suggestions offered. These are the ones I found most compelling as choices. I have attempted to avoid too much overlap in the choices made, which is why some were not selected. There will be some remixing and editing as I distill the suggestions into voting options.
[] Night Blooming Lotus Blade:
A half blooming lotus made of black metal forms the base, carved with silvery filigree patterns on it's curving petals, and from the centre emerges a long smooth spike of pitch black, carved from an Umbral Shard. The emerging spike appears to consume all light it touches, and the lotus blades surrounding much of it's length are sharp enough and positioned such that glancing blows can turn into messy wounds. A majestic and beautiful weapon, but equally ominous and cruel. Dexterity+Stealth. DV 9. AP 4. Deals 3 semiperfect damage on a successful hit, and deals one additional bleed per turn for three turns. Gains a two die bonus for each point by which it's users initiative exceeds that of it's target to a maximum of 10. Health 10
A featureless chakram which spins through the air, letting out a sharp whistling sound despite not having holes in it to facilitate such a thing. The note it plays as it flits through the wind is the dying wail of qi and air being dragged into it's pitch black depths, along with something more.
Possible Effects: Environmental Qi drain and AP, with potential bonuses to draining Qi upon successful clashes with other Domain Weapons and Arts?
Yue shi =
lunar eclipse 月食
musician 乐师
Even more and more 越是
The Darkest Night
Very light, this razorsharp Vantablack double-edged Chakram is almost completely silent in flight, and so dark it looks like a hole in reality rather than a true material object. You are slightly worried about it as you often end-up losing track of it.
Darkness Element.
Improved Initiative.
Improved Damage Value.
Improved Armor Penetration.
Improved Damage to all offensive clashes against unaware targets.
Night's Eye
A flawless disc of pure midnight, set with a droplet of argent liquid in the very center. In darkness, the Eye moves unseen, consuming the essence of what opposes it. In light, the Eye opens, and the Eye turns reflective, releasing that which it had stolen from its foe back onto the source.
The punnery on and Ling Qi-ness both amuse me here, so I've done a bit of work to combine the various chakram ideas into something fun
[] Sharp Note/Yue Shi(to be decided if selected)
A matte black, featureless chakram which spins through the air, letting out a sharp whistling sound despite not having holes in it to facilitate such a thing. The note it plays as it flits through the wind is the dying wail of qi and air being dragged into it's pitch black depths, along with something more. DV6. AP 5. Dexterity+Expression. Darkness Deals two additional semi perfect damage on hit. While active, this weapon reduces the qi recovery abilities of enemies by three each turn, and halves the effects of recovery items. When damaged, or upon winning a defensive clash, this weapon releases a counter attack at the aggressor, which, on hit drains an amount of qi equal to the amount the target has spent in the last turn(Max 8). Health 12
A jagged shard of darkness, unrefined and pure, with none of the additions that would make it resemble a weapon. If anything it is more ragged and brutal than the fragment it was carved from. Its edges have edges, not that they can be seen, as the weapon absorbs any light or qi that would be used to sense it.
Suggested effects: Can use stealth with the same bonuses as the wielder, extra dice if striking before the target has acted or from stealth, ap/semiperfect/damage bonuses.
[] Night's Edge
A jagged shard of darkness, unrefined and pure, with none of the additions that would make it resemble a weapon. If anything it is more ragged and brutal than the fragment it was carved from. Its edges have edges, not that they can be seen, as the weapon absorbs any light or qi that would be used to sense it. DV 12. AP 6. Dexterity+Stealth. Darkness. Each turn, this weapon makes a stealth attempt with the same pool as it's wielder as an instant action. When attacking an unaware opponent, this weapon receives a ten die bonus to it's pool, and deals four additional semi perfect damage. If striking the same target twice in a row, on the second attack, one of this damage becomes perfect. Health 10
A twisting obsidian blade that releases a mist between its coils. It pulses frequently, sending small burst of boundless Hunger, coveting all before it's glorious sight. The holes that line it's white bone hilt release a terrifying inhuman whistling screech as it soars through the air.
Status effect - left to QM as I would love to see what he could do with this
Edit: did I do good senpais D: it's my first time trying to be creative like this ~~
[] Singing Mist Blade
A twisting obsidian blade that releases a mist between its coils. It pulses frequently, releasing bursts of boundless Hunger, coveting all before it's glorious sight. The holes that line it's white bone hilt release a terrifying inhuman whistling screech as it soars through the air. DV 8. AP 4. Dexterity+Expression. Darkness. This weapon provides a five die bonus to all offensive musical arts cast by its user. This weapons basic attack targets spiritual defenses and strikes a fifteen meter radius. On hit the targets receive a two die penalty to spiritual defenses, which stacks up to five times and lasts five turns. If a target has three or more stacks on them at the start of their turn, they must make a five success resolve test or lose two qi for each stack. Health 9
[] Tailor's Regret
A single, large sewing needle which reflects no light. It weaves through the boundary of light and dark, slipping between enemy defenses and perceptions unpredictably to do its work. Seeming to evade detection the harder one looks, trailing umbral threads, bone-piercing cold, and the fresh well of blood drawn are the only hints it ever existed. DV 6. AP 4. Dexterity+Stealth. Darkness. Each turn, this weapon makes a stealth attempt with the same pool as it's wielder as an instant action. Against unaware targets, this weapon receives two additional DV and AP, and deals one additional perfect damage on hit. Targets damaged by this weapon have their speed and initiative reduced by two. If either speed or initiative is reduced to zero, the target becomes immobilized. This effect counts as a three die darkness technique technique for the purposes of dispelling. Health 10
A thin, sharp hole in the world, this flying weapon has made use of a rare umbral shard by pounding it flat and then shaping it thin. It is powerfully attracted to qi and barely visible, even during the day.
It is also, clearly, a chopstick.
A scoundrel's tool, its shape reflects its purpose. It drinks in qi with staggering ease, but is, relatively speaking, less deadly than other flying weapons of its calibre, and, indeed, can be worn safely as a hair ornament by a third realm cultivator.
Instead, during a successful clash where it successfully drains (insert appropriate number) qi, it can instead 'eat' the opponent's lowest level passive buff and apply it to Ling Qi, her spirit beasts, or itself.
Larceny + Dexterity
Qi Drain
Buff Stealing
[] Real Bat
A thin, sharp hole in the world, this flying weapon has made use of a rare umbral shard by pounding it flat and then shaping it thin. It is powerfully attracted to qi and barely visible, even during the day. It is also, clearly, a chopstick. A scoundrel's tool, its shape reflects its purpose. It drinks in qi with staggering ease, but is, relatively speaking, less deadly than other flying weapons of its calibre, and, indeed, can be worn safely as a hair ornament by a third realm cultivator. DV 4 AP 2. Dexterity+Larcency. Darkness. On hit, this weapon drains an additional 3 qi, for every three qi drained this way it may attempt to dispel a technique of one dot, to a maximum of three dots at nine qi. This dispel attempt receives a five die bonus in addition to any the user may have. On successful dispel the sword applies the dispelled technique to the user or their spirit beast. Techniques applied this way have a duration equivalent to the turns the original user had left. Active effects of stolen techniques cannot be used. Health 10
[] Lace of Loss
A wide web of ever shifting intricate loops and knotwork arranged in a spiraling pattern reminiscent of a whirlpool dragging unfortunates to their demise in sunless depths. The floating fabric's hunger is comparable; even the slightest brush against the diaphanous edge will set it to greedily lap up the qi of the unwary. DV 4. AP 0. Dexterity+Larceny. Darkness. On hit, this weapon will grapple with its target, using its normal dice pool. While targets grappled by this weapon may still move and attack, they receive a four die penalty to all clashes, and lose three qi per turn while they remain grappled. In addition, when beginning a turn grappling an opponent, this weapon will attempt to dispel the targets lowest ranking buff, with a bonus of four. For every three qi this weapon absorbs, it regains one health. Health 6
Okay Doods, my brain is now pretty fried from all this mechanical nonsense, so have it. This vote will be APPROVAL based. You may each vote for multiple weapons, in this case, up to three per person. Have at it.
These two are both neat and good. The best damage weapon (sneak attack every turn, synergizes with mists and other -perception, ridiculous damage) and the best support weapon (5 dice to our music).
I do not like any of the qi drain choices. It is an utter waste. Sharp Note is probably the best of them.
e: Dropping Singing Mist as it's competing with my preferred choice.
