Magical weapons have traditionally been the poor mans way of doing someone in in Ars Magica due to the problems getting an effect through Parma. However, I'm going to be starting a game soon and would love to throw in some magic weapons into the setting.
I'm houseruling Magic resistance thusly.
If you hit someone with a sword that has an enchantment (fiery blade, rego sharpened, etc) the sword will still hit, but minus the magical effects. This is in line with the Parma Surpresses line of thinking.
I'm not really looking for debate, on the pink dot arguement or anything, just letting you know the framework I'm operating in.
I'm looking for neat weapon effects, ways to enchant weapons that are a bit beyond just "Fiery blade".
I'll go first with an enchanted blade from the Brunnaburgh saga
Halycon
This is a finely made Saxon longsword with a brightly polished (almost to a mirror sheen) blade and gold chased quillions. The hilt is bound in bright red leather and there is a green emerald set into the Pommel stone. It is every inch a king's weapon.
The blade is exceptionally sharp and does not need any maintenance. It is also extremely hard to damage and never notches in combat.
Three times a day the wielder of the sword can unleash the power of the heavens on those that stand against him. Sending arcs of lightning down the blade into the foe.
Once per day the wielder may call upon the swords greatest power and unleash an arc of lightning at a foe at voice range. The sword itself produces the sound for the range in the form of a thunderclap. Smiting blow
CrAu42
A bolt of lightning shoots down the blade and blasts the target apart. This effect does +30 damage and the target must make a size stress roll of 6+ or be blown off his feet.
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Base 5, +1 touch, +4 unnatural, +2 levels for 3 uses a day, +10 levels for penetration 20) Fist of Zeus
CrAu45
A bolt of lightning shoots from the blade with a peal of thunder towards a target, blasting them off their feet with the power of a lightning bolt. This effect does +30 damage and the target must make a size stress roll of 6+ or be blown off his feet.
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Base 5, +2 Voice, +4 unnatural, +10 levels for penetration 20)
Havent dont all that much magic weapons, but by request i have written up several of the zanpakuto´s from Bleach. (i only have partial/little and/or beta notes so beware any errors)
The repentant sword (based on Kira´s Wabisuke), relatively simple, single power.
MuTe 40
MuTe Base 4(make dirt highly unnatural), +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, Size +1, Major effect +2,
Use Frequency Unlimited +10 Levels, Item maintains Concentration +5, Requisites all materials you want affected including Co.
Everytime the sword impacts something not too large, it makes the weight of whatever it hit double, another hit doubles it again and so on. Once someone has been hit a few times, they wont be able to stand or move, and as such will lay unmoving before the user, and most likely very eager to get you to use the command to have the sword drop concentration for now.
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Sword of cutting ash (based on Rangiku´s Haineko(Ash cat)(Byakuyas Senbon sakura is basically the same for the base effect), a potential nightmare for the SG
Sharpness MuTe 45
Makes the shards and/or the blade extremely strong and sharp
Base 15(extremely unnatural), +2 Metal, +1 Concentration, +0 Personal, Size +1
Use Frequency 2/day +1 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
Shattered Sword MuTe 38
Breaks the weapon blade into a cloud of thousands of sharp shards usable for offense and defense anywhere in range
Base 5, +1 Concentration, +0 Personal, +1 Part, additional effect +2 increase volume 64 times whenever the blade is broken into particles Use Frequency Unlimited +10 Levels, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
Ash Cloud ReTe 58
Controls the cloud of shards out as far as 180m
Base 5, +1 Concentration, +4 Stadion, +1 Part, Size +2
Use Frequency 24/day +5 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
Mental Control over Item InMe 31
Base 15, +1 Concentration, +1 Touch
Use Frequency 2/day +1 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5
The cloud that makes up the enlarged sword blade can be used for both attacking and defending in many places anywhere in range at the same time, SG choice how many. This is literally a weapon of "death of a thousand cuts".
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The Very Long Sword (based on Gin´s Shinsou), not too horribly problematic and very useful
Shoot to kill MuTe 43
Extends the length of the blade up to 800 times normal
Base 4, +1 Concentration, +1 Part, +3 Size
Use Frequency Unlimited +10 Levels, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
Strengthened Sword Mu(Re)Te 36
Makes the blade extremely strong and powerful, +15 to damage
Base 15, +1 Concentration, +2 Size
Use Frequency 2/day +1 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5
Easy to handle ReTe 68
Makes the sword as easy to handle when extended as when not
Base 5, +1 Concentration, +0 Personal, +2 Size
Use Frequency Unlimited +10 Levels, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
+60 Penetration, 30 levels
Mental Control over Item InMe 31
Base 15, +1 Concentration, +1 Touch
Use Frequency 2/day +1 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5
There´s supposed to also be a poison effect but i forgot how i made it.
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Ice Dragon Sword (based on Hitsugaya´s Hyourin Maru), difficult to work into normal rules, but very cool(yes bad pun)...
Create the frosty dragon CrAq 40
Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +2 size, 15
Use Frequency Unlimited +10 Levels, Item maintains Concentration +5
The violent ice dragon ReAq 70
Base 15, +1 Concentration, +1 Touch, +3 Size, 40
Use Frequency 1/day +0 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5, Linked Trigger +3
+44 Penetration, 22 Levels
Mental Control over Item InMe 31
Base 15, +1 Concentration, +1 Touch
Use Frequency 2/day +1 Level, Item maintains Concentration +5
Create the mighty ice wyrm CrAq 40
Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration, +3 Size, 15
Use Frequency once per day, Item maintains Concentration +5
On activation, a 50 pace long 1.5 pace wide ice/water wyrm extends from the sword taking 1 round, which can then be controlled by the wielders thought...
Can attack multiple targets, can focus on defense and let it shield the user completely and still do some limited attacking, can have the ice dragon do a kamikaze strike with additional bonuses.
And once per day, the BIG version can be used, creating a twice as long dragon.
This is a horribly expensive weapon, but it essentially lets you walk through a hostile army safely and leave a dead enemy army behind. Or walk through a hostile castle if you want. 60 tons of frozen water under tight control wont have much problem smashing walls.
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Weapon of power (vaguely based on Ikkaku´s Hozukimaru)
Dont remember how i did the effects, but they´re basically this, you make the weapon BIG(thematic, not a must for anything else), then you have a ReTe effect together with the above standard "mental control over item" which makes any movements you do with the weapon have massively increased force in them.
This means you could have a weapon the size of a small knife that when you cut with it causes injuries as if a 20m high giant had cut with a 5 ton sword. The user needs something else for defense, but the destructive power is immense. I may have added a PeAny effect as part of impact as well. Not entirely needed.
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The Great Ice Sword (based roughly on Rukia´s Sode no Shirayuki),
another i dont recall writeup, basically has 3 primary effects, to selectively freeze anything withing a few paces radius, to the point of being able to create an ice pillar within that area, ability to fire a massive wavefront of ice at wherever the sword is pointed and the Ice blade, freeze anything, if the sword is ever broken this effect reforms the blade in unbreakable ice, with a whole blade it can instead extend it to twice the normal length.
I also did Touzen´s Suzumushi but i dont even recall the effects for it, except that it was pretty neat. And i think i did Hinamori´s Tobiume as well?
Must suppress pedantic and redundant pink dot commentary. Grr effort of will....Ah okay I'm good now.
We had a martial Magus in a saga get around the whole MR issue by enchanting the hell out of his shield. (It was his talisman if I remember) Came up with some pretty cool effects. I don't have the write up but some of the more memorable effects.
It was muto'd to be all but indestructible of course and it was a Shield of Virtue.
It was made out of solid steel but had a rego effect on it that allowed the wielder to move it around like it weighed nothing at all. For opponents without MR it could bash them like being hit by a giant’s fist. Resistant foes only had to contend with a nimbly wielded indestructible and immovable (to them) mini wall.
There was also a touch effect that could destroy weapons or armor on command. Good for any melee weapon really. (Hint if you use this effect in a saga the SG will quickly learn to have secondary weapon and brawling scores worked out for melee opponents ahead of time)
A Cr(Re)Ig effect made the side facing the enemy glow blindingly bright and kept all the light away from the wielder. Huge penalties for those in melee with him.
There was also some type of point defense anti missile weapon system I vaguely recall.
Armed with a Sword of Virtue and that sheild the guy was tough to beat in combat.
These suggestions were created a little while ago to allow strengthening and enhancement of armour and arms, and come from a source which was 4th Ed. The rules have never been tested in play by my team, and are a mash-up of Ars Magica’s Parma Fabula supplement and on the Insula Maledictus saga website (to give due credit!).
Another one from memory lane, this was a bow belonging to Bercelak, a giant blooded Verditius who had a particular fascination with archery.
Bow of Bercelak
This is Berclaks Talisman, It is an 8 foot tall longbow made from Yew and adorned with carvings of battle scenes and Verditius runes. The string shines in the light and the bow itself is polished to a fine finish. The hand grip is red leather and the tips of the bow are capped in bone from a Hart.
8 Foot tall longbow crafted as an item of quality. Base stats are:
Init: -2 Atk: +4 Def: 0 Dam: 10 Range: 35 Str: +3
Item of Quality gives it +5 damage (destroy things at a distance) for
Init: -2 Atk: +4 Def: 0 Dam: 15 Range: 35 Str: +3
Bercelak has enchanted two effects into his talisman, Touch of Fire and The Inexhaustible Supply. As his talisman bonus' he has chosen +5 destroy things at a distance and +2 Visions.
Touch of fire
CrIg25
This effect is activated by Bercelak whispering the command word “Burn” to his bow as he draws the string back. The bow casts the effect on the arrow, the head of which promptly bursts into flame. This arrow henceforth does +10 fire damage. The fire burns only briefly, but this is enough for the flame to severely burn the target.
(Base 10, +1 touch)
+10 unlimited uses per day
The Inexhaustible Supply
CrHe(Te, An)20
This spell creates a four foot long arrow already nocked and ready to fire. The activation is simply to draw the string back while whispering “Create”. This arrow has a shiny, sharp steel arrowhead and feathers for its fletching.
(Base 5, +1 touch)
+10 unlimited uses a day
Some effects I am planning to put into a composite bow (hence several are animal rather than Herbam). The character is a shapeshifter hence the bow into an armring power
Note I intend to fire mundane arrows against creatures with magic might, so the created arrows will not need a penetration
Spanning the Bow of Odysseus
ReAn 15 Unlimited uses day
Draws the bow as if drawn by someone with a strength of 5
(Base 3 , +2 arbitrary magnitudes) ReAn 5
Artemis's gift of an Arrow
CrHe(Te) 20
Creates an arrow to be fired from the bow (Base 2 +1 touch, +1 diameter, +1 complexity , +1 terram CrHe(Te) 10) Unlimited Uses day
The Bow made into an Armring
MuAn 19
Turns the bow into an Armring and back when triggerred
(Base 3 +1 concentration) Lvl 4 , Item maintains concentration, unlimited uses day,
Resilience of Steel
MuAn 15
1/day Item maintains concentration
Gives the bow the strength of steel while still maintaining the flexibility of a bow
(Base 4 +1 magnitude complexity, +1 concentration) MuHe(An, Te) 10
mariojpcsimon.blogspot.com/
Here in my blog there are some Magical/Enchanted Weapons.
My favorite is one magical melee weapon that with Muto Terram and Mentem requisite can harm spiritual beings, if they are invisible need to be seen and Penetration level of course. Ideal to Second Sighted Companions or Grogs.
My 2 items seem to have disappeared in the Magic Realm
OK, posting them in a breviated form.
The cross of Retribution
A high quality longsword of Norman manufacture. It is plain, but extremely well balanced. The cross-guard is pure straight steel (the form is clearly that of a cross) and contains the only real decoration of the sword, a piece of transparent amber in the centre. Under the amber a wood splinter can be seen. The splinter belongs to the rosary of Pope Urban II (or the True cross if you fancy it) and is a Major relic (3 faith points). It protects the wielder and allows him to see through the lies of any supernatural realm. It also helps the wielder call down the attention of the higher powers (bonus t pray for bonuses) and grants the inspirational virtue to a Christian wielder that is preaching to a believer flock in mission from the Church (crusade or similar).
Song of the Valkyrie
This is a sword of exquisite Saxon manufacture. It seems to belong to the late Viking age. The superlative craftmanship has been modified with the addition of runes along the blade. The sword has a +10 bonus to attack, defense and damage and sings a song of steel (high pitched whine) when wielded. The sound it makes has granted it its name. Magical investigation does not reveal the maker, but only shows a grave in Orkney. The sword is a vitki creation, and so ignores Parma Magica and other supernatural resistances. It also grants the wielder an Ennobled Presence for Sun duration when carried or wielded.
Sword of Hades
This sword used to belong to a half taltos. It has the ability to affect both corporeal and incorporeal creatures with equal ease. Magi (and specially grogs) like this kind of weapons when facing the restless dead.
F0r a bow that self-creates arrows, remember to invest massive penetration onto the arrows! At least +30 for it to be effective against supernatural foes.
Resilence of steel needs 2/day if you want it to be a continuous effect, and an environmental trigger of sunrise/sunset
Nice to see a collection of weapons that has been used in various sagas. I have been complaining a bit that this game is the only one I've ever played where everyone can create magic items (all Magi anyway), but it's the world where we have had the least of such in use. Our Troupe had an average of ½ magic item per Magus, even though they could easily create or buy some. Where as in a world like D&D all characters wear magic items on all their 'item slots' although only a few specialized characters can actually create them, at the cost of experience points even. I know it's a stretch to compare the two, but still it helped paint the picture to the Troupe, and now we're doing slightly better. My Magus has created a handful of items, but since he is an Intellego specialist that dislikes combat, the items has has created are not weapons, sorry.
We have had a couple of weapons in play though, including a Sword that put people to sleep upon touch, which yielded very impressive results in combat, and also saw use as a means of torture once Also, one of the villains I threw at the players as a guest SG used an enchanted sword that put a Mentem effect on the target, making them actually want to be struck again with the same weapon. In some cases this kept foes engaged where they would otherwise flee or withdraw, while in other cases opponents would stop blocking incoming blows, make them throw down their shields or see them charge the wielder of the blade - eager for contact. Quite dramatic and entertaining if you are into that sort of thing 8)
I think our two most memorable weapons were the Black Mace and the Pig-Sticker, both retro-engineered here for your pleasure.
Black Mace
This mace strikes blind any person succesfully hit by the mace (forceful impact).
This item was originally created using experimentation. It must be given a coat of black paint between each battle to function.
The origin of the name should be obvious.
It was intentionally designed without penetration.
Pig-Sticker
Any man struck by this spear is turned into a pig, until next sundown/sunrise.
Originally designed as a gift for a group of faeries where the SG had gone silly with the saying "men are pigs".
This was made back in the days of the 3rd edition, so had to be retro-engineered.
Another one from my homebrew camapign, hence the fluff about Elves and Orks. I figured for this weapon I wanted something that didn't actually augment the ability of the weapon to be a weapon, but would do other stuff. Hence Aeglos in combat is the same as any other Excellent quality (+2 bonus) shortspear, but it has a couple of effcts that do interesting stuff, plus of course the obligatory "don't break" effect.
Aeglos - The Spear of Finsura
Aeglos is a shortspear, measuring seven feet from the tip of the head to the base. Its shaft is made of yew and stained white. Its base is a silver spike and its head is leaf shaped. The blade on the head is razor sharp and bright silver with a mirror sheen. An old weapon, this spear has been in the possession of House Yeshedre for centuries before they left Linisfarn. Traditionally it has been wielded by the eldest child in a generation that takes up the path of the warrior. In the last generation it was wielded by an Elven woman named Finsura.
Aeglos is a weapon of Excellence with a +2 bonus. It has been enchanted with three effects. Spear that Never Ages
MuHe(Te)14
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This enchantment makes the spear, both the metal parts and the wooden haft immensely strong and near unbreakable. It is active continuously.
(Base 4, +2 sun, +3 levels for environmental trigger - sunset/rise, +1 levels for 2 uses a day) The favour of the Sura
CrIg35
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
Holding the spear high in front of her the wielder cries out a phrase in elven that translates as "Let the wicked fear the light of justice". The head of the spear glows brightly becoming hard to look at directly and spreading light over a wide area. This effect was originally designed for battling Orks. Orks as a subterranean race do not cope well in bright light. It has also been used over the centuries to light a battlefield during night fighting, as a beacon to attract help, as a rallying banner behind which Elves would reform and even once as a lighthouse. It can however only be used once per day, so care should be taken before it is used.
(Base 5, +1 conc, +4 size, +5 levels for maintaining conc) Sharp Enough to Split the Earth
ReTe35
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Vision
Gripping the spear two handed and slamming its base spike into the ground while shouting "The earth take you" in Elven activates this power which creates a five foot wide gap, running for 60 feet and going down to a depth of 10 feet in the ground. It works on both stone and earth, stays open for one round and then slams shut. Anyone in the affected area must make a quickness roll of 9+ or fall in (taking +10 damage). They then have a single turn to escape the chasm before it slams shut on the third turn dealing +25 damage to anyone in it.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 conc, +1 part, +1 affects stone, +1 fancy effect, +2 size, +5 levels for maintaining conc)
And another from my home brew campaign. Please note the last effect "The Leaping Blade" which I am very unsure of. Criticism would be appreciated.
Chayal - The Axe that Leaps
Chayal is a poleaxe of great antiquity. It was created to fight orks and has been used as such for centuries. It has changed hands several times, often being bequeathed to its next owner by a dying previous one. It has thus gained a little bit of a reputation as not only a very powerful item, but an unlucky one. Not really associated with any of the great noble houses, it has nonetheless spent some time in the hands of famous nobles from many of those families. It is not known how it got to Kaelbrach or who bought it with them from Linisfarn but its last user was a noble warrior of House Yeshedre who earned his fame in battle before rising to become a general. He led successful campaigns against a variety of foes and was fond of leading from the front, axe whirling and chopping so fast that it was said to leap from foe to foe, severing arms, legs and heads wherever it handed. The axe has a bearded head, gracefully curved and carved with the image of a great dragon, its roaring mouth opening onto the blade. The haft is wooden and carved with a continuous line of script in tiny runes that starts by the head and winds around the haft, telling of all the axes famous battles, perhaps one third of the handle remains unwritten on, leaving some room for future victories. This script was updated whenever the wielder got involved in any fray where the axe was used and its one of the few constants of the axe between wielders. It is a weapon of Excellence (+3 bonus) and has three effects enchanted into it. Axe that Never Yields
MuHe(Te)14
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This enchantment makes the axe, both the metal head and the wooden haft immensely strong and near unbreakable. It is active continuously.
(Base 4, +2 sun, +3 levels for environmental trigger - sunset/rise, +1 levels for 2 uses a day) The Razor's Edge
MuTe49
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This enchantment makes the axe blade razor sharp. Active continuously it makes the pole axe even more deadly than it was, able to lop off limbs and heads with ease. It grants the axe +2 damage, this has already been taken into account in its profile below. Although not really a powerful effect, it has tremendous penetration applied to it allowing it to affect even the most powerful of magical creatures.
(Base 3, +2 sun, +2 metal, +3 levels for environmental trigger - sunset/rise, +1 levels for 2 uses a day, +30 Penetration of 60) The Leaping blade
PeCo45
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
This enchantment is what has earned the axe its nickname. When triggered with a shout of the weapons name while whirling the axe overhead, the axe leaps in the wielders hands, hitting every foe (up to ten in number) within striking range (about 8 feet) and chopping off a limb from each. This injury afflicts a random limb (D4 role, 1 = left arm, 2 = right arm, 3 = left leg, 4 = right leg) and also causes an incapacitating wound. Although a powerful effect, it only functions twice per day and has only moderate penetration, meaning that it works best when one is being overwhelmed by superior numbers of lower quality opponents. Such as the Orks Chayal was made to slaughter
(Base 20, +1 touch, +2 group, +1 levels for 2 uses a day, +10 Penetration of 20)
Chayal's statistics are:
Chayal Init: +1 Att: +8 Def: +3 Dam: +13
Yet another one. Again, homebrew world, non canon setting. I think this should be free of any dubious rules problems.
The Sword of the Stars
An Elven Scimitar, the Sword of Stars has a long elegant curved blade and a long handle that allows the sword to be wielded one or two handed. Suns, stars and moons are carved along its blade, it has no quillions and its handle is wrapped in black, rough leather from a lizardmans pelt over wood. The sword is exceptionally well made and perfectly balanced (+2 quality). Made for the Elf that wielded it for many long centuries, it saw action and took lives across much of the continent. Its owner was somewhat of an explorer, seeking out new lands and new people and then killing them and taking their stuff. This sword appears in the records of many races and is widely detested amongst them. Anyone wielding it is likely to receive a frosty reception should it be identified. The sword is a fine weapon but it is its effects that make it so distinctive. Moonlight
CrIg7
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
The sword continuously produces a soft pale silvery glow like moonlight. This is only produced from the blade so is not noticeable when the weapon is scabbarded.
(Base 1, +2 sun, +3 levels for environmental trigger - sunset/rise, +1 levels for 2 uses a day) Starbright
Cr(Re)Ig45
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
At command the sword's blade bursts into blue-white fire. The heat it gives off is quite intense but does not heat the blade nor heat anything below the level of the blade, leaving the wielders hand unharmed. This heat is sufficient to double the swords damage making it a supremely deadly blade.
(Base 5, +1 conc, +1 Rego requisite, +5 levels item maintains concentration, +5 levels for 24 uses a day, +20 Penetration of 40) A hundred glorious Stars
CrIg35
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
The most distinctive and famous ability of the Sword of Stars, this effect was created to lay waste to whole villages and warbands in one go. As a attack designed to slaughter large numbers at once it lacks much in the way of penetration. The effect is triggered by striking a foe while shouting the Elven for "None shall stand". A pulse of silver fire blasts down the length of the blade, through the first target and splits into two, leaping out and striking another two targets and dividing again, spreading o the next four. It does this until it has hit a maximum of 100 targets. Each target hit takes +15 damage. This is a powerful effect but only useable once per day.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Group, +1 Size, +5 Penetration of 10)
And no magnitudes for duration, so the spell hits you and disappears...
IIRC one of the really BAD things about arrows was that when they were removed the damage intensified A LOT, so "hit and disappear" might not be the best option.
I would think that it would be better than having the arrow be removed by someone not a skilled chirurgeon...what makes removing an arrow so dangerous is the damage the arrowhead does going against the grain, so to speak. Having the arrow disappear would worsen the bleeding somewhat, as you don't have the arrow pressing the blood vessels closed, but you're not basically making a new wound or aggravating the old one by pulling it out, either.
Must suppress pedantic and redundant pink dot commentary. Grr effort of will....Ah okay I'm good now. 
Also, one of the villains I threw at the players as a guest SG used an enchanted sword that put a Mentem effect on the target, making them actually want to be struck again with the same weapon. In some cases this kept foes engaged where they would otherwise flee or withdraw, while in other cases opponents would stop blocking incoming blows, make them throw down their shields or see them charge the wielder of the blade - eager for contact. Quite dramatic and entertaining if you are into that sort of thing 8)