Miedvied/Bladeless

Bladeless Daiklaive</b>
Artifact <b>•••• or •••••</b>
Daiklaive
Statistics Vary; See Description
Requires: Strength 1; Commitment: 0 (3 to harmonize)

The Bladeless Sword is a level 4 artifact. As a level 5 artifact, it is double-bladed, granting extra attacks as per the Hooked Daiklaives, and can be split in the center to use as two blades, still retaining the Hooked Daiklaives bonuses.

These blades were often forged as nothing more than a golden or silver hilt (most popular with stylish solars and mendicant lunars.)

The Solar hilts were often a stylized golden rod, with a closed claw at the bottom, and an open claw at the top, in whose palm is situated a tiny diamond (actually sunken /into/ the metal; the palm of the claw is entirely smooth and level). The entire rod was often laced with veins of starmetal and white jade, into fine spidery webs that wound about the rod - and, under extremely close scrutiny, proved to actually consist of very tiny writing, recounting the heroic deeds of the blade's (intended) bearer.

The Lunar hilts were more simplistic; though a few shared in the largess of their Solar mates, a grea majority simply enjoyed a moonsilver rod, slightly wider at the very base to provide a grip with which to keep the rod from slipping free of its belt-thong. It, too, possessed a diamond recessed into the top.

Regardless of its asthetic designs, as a reflexive action, the diamond will brighten to a light so white that onlookers may very well be blinded if they look directly at it while it activates. From the diamond and the top of the hilt issues forth a blade of humming light roughly a meter in length, and of varying shades (corresponding to the gem used in the blade; the diamonds were required as focusing crystals, but other gems may be placed deeper in the blade beneath the diamonds to create other colors, or a small amount of the bearer's appropriate magical matieral can be used, which allows the blade's color to change with the bearer's mood).

The blade is fairly handy as it is, though it's greatest power is in that it is always appropriate to it's bearer; depending on the Essence of the being wielding it, it's statistics change.

The blade can be used by Non-Exalts.

Note: Activation cost is paid once for the scene, and does not have to be paid again until the next scene, or unless the Exalt de-activates the blade early in the scene, and wishes to reactivate it.

Essence 1 Bearer

Requires 10 motes or 1 willpower to activate. Speed +1, Accuracy + 1, Defense +0, Damage 3L, Rate 2

Essence 2 Bearer

Requires 5 motes to activate. Speed +3, Accuracy +1, Defense +1, Damage 5L, Rate 3

Essence 3 Bearer

3 Motes to activate. Speed +5, Accuracy +3, Defense +1, Damage 7L, Rate 4 If parried by a weapon that /isn't/ made of the Magic Materials or otherwise potently enchanted (artifact level 2 or greater), subtract the attacker's Str+5 (his strength plus the lightsaber's damage) from the defender's Str+X (where X is his weapon's damage). The resultant is permanently removed from his weapon's damage rating. If the damage rating is ever reduced to 0, the weapon is destroyed.

Essence 4 Bearer

0 motes to activate. Speed +8, Accuracy +4, Defense +3, Damage 12L, Rate 6 Automatically destroys any non-Magic Material or non-potent artifact weapon used to parry the blade. Halve opponent's armor soak, rounding down. Magical Material armor ignores this.

Essence 5 Bearer

Speed +12, Accuracy +6, Defense +5, Damage 14L, Rate 8 Ignore opponent's armor. Halve, if artifact armor.

---

Magical Material bonuses, if harmonized:

• <b>Orichalcum: +1 accuracy and defense.
• Moonsilver: For 3 mote, the hilt can reform into a form that appears to be nothing but a simple - and tarnished, at that - silver rod. A Perc+Lore check versus difficulty 7 is allowed for anyone that sees the rod. 1 success allows one to know it is valuable, but no moreso than any silver candlestick. 3 successes allow one to know that it is an artifact of some sort, and 5 successes or more hint at it's great power. Naturally, most people mistake the rod as being entirely useless; great for a lone traveller.
• Starmetal: For an expenditure of 3 motes, the rod is compatible with all martial arts forms for the remainder of the scene, as if it is the weapon associated with that form.
• Jade: +4 speed.
• Soulsteel: as per Oricalchum, plus the usual essence-stealing.

---

Comments

Are the gem slots also Hearth Stone slots or are there any hearthstone slots in the weapon?- Alicrast

Actually, Hooked Daiklaves of Dual Prowess provide the extra attack. As far as I know, there isn't any official information about regular Hooked Daiklaves.

I think it should cost *more* essence to activate at higher Essence levels - you're fueling a fiercer and more intense blade. You've got more essence to spend, anyway. If you want you can spend less motes, but you get the lesser statistics. - Fade

Also, you've listed damage as (number)L. Is that Strength + (number)L like most weapons, or does it do flat damage? If the latter, you should add a note to the description. - Fade

So, if Orichalcum is equal to Soulsteel, but Soulsteel has Mote Stealing ability, why not give Orichalcum a little bonus, too? - Lunaris

It should get a bonus to rate, as per power combat rules