SamAndrews/ArtifactLacing

Artifact Lacing

Artifact lacing is a simple concept I came up with a while ago. Basically it's a "one-dot" artifact, which allows you to apply the properties of one of the magical materials to an otherwise mundane item. The downside is, applies a 2-mote attunement cost to the item. The upside is, any type of Exalt can attune to any sort of artifact lacing.

Artifact lacing cannot be applied to things already constructed from magical materials. It does, however, give the weapon artifact-like properties (such as how difficult they are to break). Depending on the metal (and Storyteller), the process may cost different amounts to different characters. Lacing a weapon with Jade, for example, is probably only a Resources 3 expenditure, while lacing a weapon with Starmetal is a nearly impossible task (so much so that you might as well just find a whole Starmetal artifact!)

Note that weapon speeds cannot be reduced below 3 with Jade lacing.

Comments

Interesting idea! I wonder as to whether attunement and Resources costs should take the specific item into account; I'd expect a laced greatsword to require more essence and Magical Materials than a laced knife. On the other hand, does anyone really want an itemized list of item lacing costs for dozens of armors, weapons and miscellaneous devices? - Quendalon

Nobody does. And I'm fairly sure that a plausible justification for a single attunement cost can be devised. Here's mine - The lacing is a web in a magically auspicious design that always has the same amount of material. It doesn't need to cover the entire weapon, and it can be folded and compressed to fit onto smaller weapons. It takes the same amount of Essence to power the diagram regardless of weapon. Of course, it's not my artifact. - Han'ya

I agree with Han'ya. This way, the rules are simple, and easily implemented. The only reason I devised them is so a character who has a 3 dot specialty in a mundane weapon, or otherwise has an heirloom weapon, etc. can still reach towards artifact level. - SamAndrews

I also like this concept - I would suggest, if you are worried about better items being laced, making the lacing attunement equal to the cost of the object being laced (minimum Attunement 1). - FrivYeti