Unrand: "Fang of Corruption" {miasma, Stealth-}

[MainiacJoe]

The design space for this unrand is that there is no direct way that I know of to inflict miasma. I thought too that involuntary creation of miasma clouds would generate hopefully interesting tactical opportunities and decisions.

  Code:

+2 dagger "Fang of Corruption" {miasma, Stealth-}

"Once a magnificent tooth of some forgotten gargantuan monster, it is now pitted and decayed with a faintly glowing brownish fluid seeping out from its innards.  The stench is overpowering, corrupting its victims both before and after death."

This dagger has a 33% chance of inflicting miasma per hit, as if the target had spent one turn in a cloud of miasma ((3d12)/3 rot damage, poisoning, slowing).  Each turn when wielded, it also has a (corpses in LOS)/10 chance of casting Corpse Rot.  The stealth malus flavor is the stench of the dagger.  It is an evil weapon.

Since this seems strong to me, I wanted to give it a downside. The obvious one was to have some sort of similar corrupting effect on the wielder, but I rejected this because it is already very powerful for rRot species (indeed I'm worried it is too strong for VS in particular). So the stealth malus instead is the downside, giving stabbers a decision instead of a no-brainer. The low enchantment is a downside, too, as is the corpse destruction for some characters.

I'm not committed to the enchantment, Stealth- vs. Stealth--, or the chances of the brand triggering or of Corpse Rot; those are pure guesses.

[partial]

I think just having it produce clouds on-hit would be better balanced.

[le_nerd]

A) Having chance of triggering corpse rot is a big no no, do you want to control every thing step to not be accidently on a corpse? Incredibly tedious.

B) As to avoid swapping for basically any melee character ever (do one hit to slow, change to main weapon) it could have *rot (rot on unequip). Althogh Snake Bite artifact is similarly strong and that seems to be okay.

[MainiacJoe]

A) Having chance of triggering corpse rot is a big no no, do you want to control every thing step to not be accidently on a corpse? Incredibly tedious.

Ah. Good point, thanks.

[le_nerd]

You know what, it could give rMiasma, and reliably trigger corpse rot. This avoids tedium.

Then we also make it a pain dagger, so you have the conflict between using the pain brand/necromancy and the Fang destroying all the corpses. Which would probably make it useless, and/or encourage swapping...

[TeshiAlair]

Oooh this gives me a neat idea for an unwield penalty: have it confuse you for a very short duration and surround you with damaging clouds. So, it can be used as a panic button, but otherwise traps you.

Too strong?

[Igxfl]

It's important to differentiate this from both Snakebite and the Dagger of Chilly Death.

Random ideas:

  Code:

+6 rapier "Fang of Corruption" {Rot, rRot}
When this weapon deals damage, it deals an equal amount of rotting damage (MaxHP damage).


  Code:

+2 dagger "Fang of Corruption" {Drain, rRot, *Rot}
Players wielding this dagger trail short-lived miasma clouds.
Unequipping this dagger rots the player's MaxHP.


  Code:

-2 dagger "Fang of Corruption" {Drain++, rN+}
Applies three separate instances of the draining brand on hit.
Monsters reduced to zero effective HD die.


  Code:

+2 dagger "Fang of Corruption" {Rot, rRot}
Applies the Rot status on hit (Poison, but for MaxHP).