The Pen IS the Sword...?

[craggle]

A bit like the pen from Percy Jackson as it has been pointed out: how would people go about modelling an enchanted item of a pen that can be transformed into a sword (or possibly vice versa to avoid the disarmed-by-counter-spell situation)?  Initial thoughts would be an effect strength item of 4 to apply a sticky aspect onto the item to last for a scene.  Would adding additional uses of this be sufficient to remove the aspect and allow it to be transformed multiple times from a pen to a sword and back again?

[wyvern]

Hm... Well, the simplest way I can think of to model that is as a sword that's been enchanted to be easier to conceal.  That way it's always usable as a sword, and each time it becomes plot important that you have it with you, you get to use the enchanted item power level as your deceit roll to have it on you - and if that's more than once per session, you can start spending mental stress as normal for enchanted items.

Alternatively, depending on your GM, it could be a simple -0 Item of Power; the comparison here is the Human Guise power, which shows that a single essentially cosmetic change doesn't cost refresh.

Or, you could spend an aspect on it; (again depending on your GM) that might be enough to justify its limited powers.  And even if not, it'd still give you the option to spend a fate point on just declaring that you've got the sword with you.

This does, though, beg a larger question: How does one structure transforming items in general?  Say you've got a shapeshifter who wants to have clothes that shift with them?

[Stormraven]

I had that come up - a game working up on another RPG site, I'm playing a character with an enchanted sword.  She can change the metal of the sword.  The GM gave me a basic enchanted item that she can use three times a session.

He set it up as putting a maneuver on the sword, changing its aspect.

[craggle]

This does, though, beg a larger question: How does one structure transforming items in general?  Say you've got a shapeshifter who wants to have clothes that shift with them?

Ah, the "Bruce Banner's Pants" question?

[Morgan]

I'd model it using Conjuration, hand weapons have a complexity of 3 to conjure so a Strength 3 Enchanted Sword/Pen could give you a Weapon 3 Sword once per session. If you wanted to give it more uses just add a point to the strength, or maybe lower the Weapon damage. But keep in mind you can always use an Enchanted Item that is out of uses by taking a point of Mental Stress.

[Doc Nova]

For my upcoming campaign, there's a stylus that can be transformed into a Greek-style, broad-headed spear and.  It has several other powers, but that transformative one was modeled after the 0-cost Human Guise power as wyvern pointed out.  But I am a big believer in keeping things simple when they don't need to be complicated.

[Morgan]

For my upcoming campaign, there's a stylus that can be transformed into a Greek-style, broad-headed spear and.  It has several other powers, but that transformative one was modeled after the 0-cost Human Guise power as wyvern pointed out.  But I am a big believer in keeping things simple when they don't need to be complicated.

Yeah but was that for an Enchanted Item or and Item of Power? I totally agree that for an Item of Power and this transforming/hiding as a mundane item thing would be a pretty minor power and only worth the +0 Human Guise.

[craggle]

I'll admit, the one idea I would probably be leaning away from here is having it as a character Aspect, purely because it seems like one that would be hard to present Compels on.

[Morgan]

Well taking a magic item as an aspect is a pretty big deal, out of curiosity did you want the Sword/Pen to be a neat but minor thing? A powerful item in it's own right? Or is this weapon really central to the character? The answers to those questions should be a pretty good guide to let you know what to make this thing, an Enchanted Item, an Item of Power, and/or an Aspect.

Also what is the High Concept for the person using the Sword/Pen? For a Percy Jackson type Scion it would probably best modeled as an Item of Power and maybe as an Aspect, something like "Anaklusmos (Riptide), My Father's Sword". For a Wizard or other spellcasting, but sword swinging character it is probably better to treat it as an Enchanted Item.

[craggle]

More of a last resort for a wizard (well, sorcerer technically, template-wise) lawyer (or "Attorney at Lore"  ); most of the time, it would get used far more as the pen than as the sword.  So yes: pretty much a neat, but minor thing.  Beyond the concealment of it's other purpose, it would be a relatively mundane sword.

[Doc Nova]

Yeah but was that for an Enchanted Item or and Item of Power? I totally agree that for an Item of Power and this transforming/hiding as a mundane item thing would be a pretty minor power and only worth the +0 Human Guise.

Yeah, it is built as an Item of Power.  Sorry, I meant to actually say that...  

As an enchanted item, however, I can't see that guise as being a very expensive option.  I would presume it would still radiate magic and be detectable via a Lore roll, so the guise is really only accomplishing two things, in-game:  it's allowing a sword to be smuggled in your pocket (mechanically not much different from a pistol in the pocket) and allowing the user a moment of surprise when whipped out against goons and other "unawares", which I can't see as a big problem (unless the campaign were a low-powered game).  With that, again opting to keep things simple call it a one...maybe two...shift cost on the creation of the enchanted item.  Making it a full-on limited times per day, at least to me, constrains what is otherwise mostly a cosmetic effect...not something typically worth going to the trouble of writing up in a limited fashion.  Now, if there was anassociated attack bonus due to the sudden eruption of a blade where there was a pen, then we're talking about something worth limiting...again, in my opinion.

[Morgan]

More of a last resort for a wizard (well, sorcerer technically, template-wise) lawyer (or "Attorney at Lore"  ); most of the time, it would get used far more as the pen than as the sword.  So yes: pretty much a neat, but minor thing.  Beyond the concealment of it's other purpose, it would be a relatively mundane sword.

So yeah Enchanted Item would be the way to go. Though the one question I have is does the Sword/Pen write as well or is it just a disguised sword? Can it be hammered through a baseball and still write?  

Though an interesting idea for a potential Aspect for such a character is something like "The Pen is Mightier" or maybe "My Pen is Mightier", that way you might be able to Invoke it when you are fighting with your Sword/Pen, as well all the Legal and Bureaucratic maneuvering that would be its more normal Invoke.

[Morgan]

With that, again opting to keep things simple call it a one...maybe two...shift cost on the creation of the enchanted item.  Making it a full-on limited times per day, at least to me, constrains what is otherwise mostly a cosmetic effect...not something typically worth going to the trouble of writing up in a limited fashion.  Now, if there was anassociated attack bonus due to the sudden eruption of a blade where there was a pen, then we're talking about something worth limiting...again, in my opinion.

Totally is a matter of opinion, my thinking is that any magical effect that is only worth 1 or 2 shifts isn't really worth making into an Enchanted Item, that's something like Harry's candle lighting Flicum Bicus spell, or his drawing items to his hand from across the room Vento Servitas spell, effects that I probably wouldn't even give stress for. So why bother making it an Enchanted Item?

Another way of thinking about such an item to my mind is that you're essentially doing a Maneuver to place the Aspect "Concealed Weapon" onto the sword, which is at least a 3 Shift spell effect. Then giving it a pretty long time of permanence by making that aspect stick around all day, so 1 more shift. So that's my thinking and my opinion on its cost.

[Todjaeger]

One question which does not seem to have been addressed, is just exactly how the difference in size/mass between a pen and sword would be addressed.  Having the sword enchanted to it looks like a pen, via an illusion or glamour of some sort, would still leave the sword the same physical size and mass as the pen. 

The only ways which come to mind to actually allow significant changes in the size and weight of an object would be through the use of ectoplasm, or via a True Seeming as part of a Greater Glamour.  Either method has limitations.  A pen-sword with a significant amount of ectoplasm is vulnerable to having the magic linked to the sword cut or grounded out (via a Circle, significant amount of running water, etc).  The conjuration example provided for "conjuring" a sword provide some good examples of such a vulnerability.

As for a True Seeming, the issues here are that they are only available for/from a full-blooded fae, and that they fade back to their original form (including any damage, etc) after the next sunrise.

[Morgan]

Or is the pen actually a mobile pocket to the Nevernever where you can hold the sword's blade? Or do you compact the metal down super densely so that the pen weighs as much as the sword? In the end it's magic and there are a ton of ways to do it, do what works for you and your group.