Sentient Weapons

Release 3
Copyright © 2006-2017 Chris Gonnerman
All Rights Reserved
A Basic Fantasy RPG Supplement Distributed under the terms of the Open Game
License version 1.0a
Basic Fantasy Website: basicfantasy.org

INTRODUCTION
This supplement provides information for Sentient Weapons, a special type of magic item, under the Basic Fantasy
Role-Playing Game rule system. If you do not already have a copy of the Basic Fantasy RPG rules, please visit the
website and download a copy.

SENTIENT WEAPONS Alternately, a sentient weapon might be created to follow

some particular philosophy or mission, at the GM's
Some magic weapons have an intelligence all their own. option. The wielder of such a weapon must behave in
Only weapons proper (i.e. not ammunition) will be support of the weapon's philosophy or mission, or at least
intelligent, and it is unusual for a sentient weapon to be not against it, in order to be granted the advantages the
smaller than a shortsword. These weapons think and feel weapon possesses.
the same way characters do and should be treated much
like NPCs. Sentient weapons have extra abilities and Some sentient weapons also have a specific purpose,
sometimes extraordinary powers and special purposes. In typically to fight some particular type of foe. Obviously,
general, less than 1% of eligible magic weapons have the affiliation and purpose of the weapon must not
intelligence; it is recommended that the GM place each conflict. For instance, a weapon might have been created
one specially, and not give them out as part of randomly to defend the elves from trolls; thus, the weapon is
generated treasures. affiliated with the elves, but fighting trolls is its purpose.
The weapon will prefer to act in accordance with its
Sentient weapons (also called “intelligent weapons”) do purpose; for example, the aforementioned elf-made
not have the same sort of sentience as ordinary creatures. weapon created to fight trolls would prefer to be in the
For instance, regardless of the stated intelligence score of hands of an elf warrior fighting trolls. However, in the
a sentient weapon, they are not capable of extended absence of a troll to fight, the weapon would find fighting
thinking or planning, or any sort of design or engineering orcs or dragons equally acceptable, just as it would likely
tasks. Sentient weapons have poor memories, tolerate being used by a human in the absence of a
remembering only the most important events of their qualified elf wielder. There is no table or die roll to
existence. A very old sentient weapon might remember determine whether or not a sentient weapon has a
only its most famous (or infamous) wielders, and only the purpose; this is up to the GM to decide.
most significant battles in which it was wielded.
A sentient weapon will naturally prefer some wielders
Unlike most magic items, sentient weapons can activate over others, based on its affiliation and/or purpose. A
their own powers without waiting for a command word sentient weapon which does not like its wielder may
from their owner. A sentient weapon acts when its owner choose to hide its nature, pretending to be a common sort
acts in initiative order, but acts of its own accord. of magic weapon, until it is in the hands of someone it
prefers. Alternately, such a weapon may choose to inflict
Weapon Affiliation or Purpose damage directly on the wielder when it is drawn or
handled, doing 2d4 points of fire or electrical damage per
Sentient weapons are created for some specific purpose. round so long as it is held. A sentient weapon may even
Generally, this is manifested as the weapon's affiliation. A choose to act as a cursed weapon, with a penalty equal to
weapon may be affiliated with a religious association, a its usual bonus (-2 vs. +2 for example). One final option
specific race, or some other group or order. An affiliated for a sentient weapon is to attempt to control the
weapon will prefer to be utilized by members of the unwanted wielder (as explained below).
affiliated group; further, the weapon will avoid at all costs
working against the interests of the affiliated group. So, a
weapon affiliated to the Elves of the White Forest might
permit a human to use it if no better choice is available,
but the weapon would still resist being used against the
Elves of the White Forest.
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT SENTIENT WEAPONS

Intelligence of Weapon he or she sees fit. Note that offensive spells are not
usually granted to a weapon, since the weapon is its own
Lesser Greater offense.
d20 Intelligence Powers Powers
1-5 8 1 – Lesser Powers
6-10 9 2 –
11-14 10 3 – % Roll Power
15-17 11 3 1 01-15 Detect Gems and Jewels
18-19 12 3 2
20 13 4 3 16-20 Detect Illusion
21-35 Detect Invisible
Weapons with less than 9 Intelligence communicate by
means of empathy: the possessor feels urges and 36-50 Detect Magic
sometimes emotions from the weapon that encourage or 51-60 Detect Metal
discourage certain courses of action. The weapon can
61-70 Detect Secret Doors
understand the intent or desire of the wielder (with some
limitations). Weapons having 9 or higher Intelligence will 71-75 Detect Shifting Walls and Rooms
be able to speak. 76-80 Detect Sloping Passages
81-00 Detect Traps
Languages Spoken By Weapon
Greater Powers
Sentient weapons which can speak will know Common
(or the racial language of the weapon's creator, if that is % Roll Power
different from Common) as well as one additional 01-09 Clairaudience (as the potion)
language per point of Intelligence above 9. Choose 10-20 Clairvoyance (as the spell)
appropriate languages, taking into account the weapon's
origin, affiliation, and purpose (if any). 21-37 ESP (as the spell)
38-45 Flying (as the spell)
Sensory Abilities 46-60 Cure Light Wounds (as the spell)
61-74 Levitation (as the spell)
A sentient weapon typically has about the same visual
and auditory abilities as its creator had; so Human-made 75-81 Phantasmal Force (as the spell)
weapons cannot see in the dark, but Elven or Dwarven 82-87 Telepathy (as the helm)
weapons have Darkvision. A sentient weapon may also
have powers granting additional sensory abilities. 88-91 Teleport (as the spell)
92-00 X-Ray Vision (as the ring)
Sentient Weapon Powers
Each sentient weapon will have a number of lesser and
Sentient Weapon Ego
greater powers, as determined on the table above. Lesser Ego is a measure of the total power and force of
powers are primarily detection abilities; when the sword personality that a sentient weapon possesses. To
activates one of these powers, it can scan an adjacent calculate a sentient weapon's ego, add together its
area 10' wide by 20' deep each round for up to a turn. A Intelligence and combat bonus, plus 1 point for each
sword can activate only one lesser power at a time, and lesser power and 2 points for each greater power. For
each such power can be used up to 6 times per day. weapons having more than one combat bonus, the
Greater powers are, in effect, spells; each sentient weapon's ego may actually change when in the presence
weapon which has greater powers will be able to activate of creatures that would receive the higher figure.
each one up to 3 times per day, for at most 1d4+1 turns Consider a Longsword +1, +3 vs. Regenerators; in the
each time (for those powers which are not instantaneous). presence of trolls, the sword's ego rises two points.
Though the sword chooses when to use its powers, once
activated they are under the control of the wielder (so, for
instance, the wielder controls any illusions created by the
Phantasmal Force power). A list of suggested greater
powers is provided below, but the GM may add any spells

1
SENTIENT WEAPONS A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT

Weapons vs. Wielders • Causing the character to give away all other magic
items or items of a certain type.
A sentient weapon is always true to its affiliation (and
purpose, if it has one). If the character who possesses the • Immediately seeking out and slaying creatures hateful
weapon is not true to that affiliation or purpose, to the weapon.
personality conflict (weapon against character) results.
• Causing the character to relinquish the weapon in favor
A character's ego is equal to his or her Intelligence and of a more suitable possessor due to personality
Wisdom added together; this figure is reduced by half the differences or conduct.
Wisdom score if the character has half or less of his or her
• Forcing its possessor into combat.
hit points remaining.
• Forcing its possessor to surrender to an opponent.
When a personality conflict occurs, the possessor's ego is
compared to the weapons ego; if the weapon has a higher • Cause the character to drop the weapon.
ego score (not merely equal), the character must make a
saving throw vs. Spells. Failure of the save means that Naturally, such actions are unlikely when harmony reigns
the weapon takes control of the character. If the save is between the character’s and item’s affiliations or when
made, the weapon can force another such check each their purposes and personalities are well matched. Even
round, until the roll is failed or the character releases the so, an item might wish to have a lesser character possess
weapon (including sheathing it). Of course, if the it in order to easily establish and maintain dominance, or
situation which is causing the weapon to seek control a more powerful possessor so as to better accomplish its
passes before the wielder fails a save, the weapon will goals.
stop trying to take control. All magic items with personalities desire to play an
Control lasts for one day or until a critical situation occurs important role in whatever activity is under way,
(such as a major battle, a serious threat to either the particularly combat. Such items are rivals of each other,
weapon or the character, and so on), which forces even if they have the same affiliation. No sentient
another personality conflict check to be made. Should a weapon wants to share its wielder with others.
weapon gain control, the character behaves as if Items with personalities are never totally controlled or
charmed, doing the weapon's will. This may include: silenced by the characters who possess them, even
• Removal of associates or items whose goals or though the items may never successfully control their
personality are distasteful to the item. possessors.

2
A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT SENTIENT WEAPONS

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