Rune weapons and other SDC/MDC weapon question

[Grymmheart]

Several OOCs and also rune weapons have attacks that do base SDC damage, but also MDC damage vs supernatural beings/etc. Are robots and MDC armor considered "supernatural" and take MDC damage? Or do Samurai swords and other rune weapons not damage the robot/armor?

[guardiandashi]

Officially I believe mdc tech equipment does Not count as supernatural so those magic weapons do jack to them.

[boring7]

Yep. This came up recently in a question about the Traditional Samurai OCC from the Japan book. A Samurai who hates and rebukes technology. His swords which just like him, hate technology, and have the power to drop fistfuls of dice on evil MDC demons. Against one CS Deadboy in light, old-style armor he is completely helpless and dies.

"But that's dumb!" you say? Well, probably. That's what house rules are for.

In better-edited (later) books this was sometimes addressed, for example the Mystic Kuznya:

Variable Damage: S.D.C. to M.D. Does 1D6 to 4D6 S.D.C. (the Mystic Kuznya sets the exact amount of damage) to mortal creatures but does an equivalent number of dice in M.D. to supernatural beings (1D6 to 4D6 M.D. depending on what the S.D.C. damage is). P.P.E. Cost: 100 P.P.E., and counts as a Greater Magical Item with the usual side effects and penalties for its creation. Add another 100 P.P.E. to include creatures of magic and any Mega-Damage opponent.

[Grymmheart]

Thanks for the info. I'm ok with them not damaging MDC bots/armor, just wanted to make sure I played it correctly.

[Alrik Vas]

So...then samurai can't hurt each other if they're armored. An oni who cobbles together armor from the people they've killed becomes immune to sword attacks.

Seems legit.

[boring7]

So...then samurai can't hurt each other if they're armored. An oni who cobbles together armor from the people they've killed becomes immune to sword attacks.

Seems legit.

An Oni would never wear such things as it has demonic pride. There are a lot of monsters where their power-set has some brand of "this is an incredibly easy power exploit that makes me unstoppable" and the fluff explanation is, "oh, they don't do that because reasons." Also house-ruling.

Actually, I don't have the wording in front of me but I think the Oni in your example would still take MDC because regardless of it's armor, it is a demon so you're doing MDC to it. I'd have to check though, and I lazy no bother with grammar zzzzzz.

[Alrik Vas]

well, in folklore there is enough imagery of oni wearing what appears to be samurai armor. In any case, I know what you're saying, and it's often repeated throughout palladium.

Though maybe magically based armor takes damage from them, is the simplest answer.

Even still, I believe there are rune swords in the Japan book that state they deal MDC no matter the target, but they're the powerful exceptions.

[Blue_Lion]

So...then samurai can't hurt each other if they're armored. An oni who cobbles together armor from the people they've killed becomes immune to sword attacks.

Seems legit.

That is what mystic ninjas are for they damage what the samurai can't. Personally I would rather fight a samurai that attacks me head on than fend off a ninja's surprise attack. And lets face it if the samurai lords found out you where exploiting their weakness they would send in ninja.

[Nightmartree]

I always figured rune weapons would do mdc to mdc sdc to sdc magic or not simply because...you have this amazing sword of power! and it can't cut this random material because the material isn't magic?...felt weird, so reverse it so that the sword cuts all these thing, but it cuts them all "the same" cause...that's magic

and so your 4d6 damage weapon does 4d6 whether its cutting a man or a monster, or that robot too

may not be canon, but that's why you buy cannons, so when the other side gives your ideas ammunition you can fire them off...and I blame my headache for this line that basically has no relevance to this thread

[dreicunan]

I can't recall where I saw it, but I remember reading somewhere that a solution was to have the Daisho and weapons like the staff of defense do half damage to MD things not covered as taking damage, thus avoiding the crazy situation of two true Samurai fighting a duel to the death that never ends because they are both wearing their magic MD armor which they can't damage with their swords.

[The Beast]

This thread reminds me of when someone pointed out to me that those with a SNPS of 16 to 41 can usually do more damage to a vampire with a restrained punch than their normal punch.

[Nightmartree]

This thread reminds me of when someone pointed out to me that those with a SNPS of 16 to 41 can usually do more damage to a vampire with a restrained punch than their normal punch.

Vampire 1:OMG he hit me with a restrained slap what should I do?
Vampire 2:Hold on Jerry! does he have a Ps over 41!?
Jerry the Vampire: Wait let me check! *Whispering between him and the insanely muscled godling*
Jerry the Vampire: He does!
Vampire 2: Then HA! he does LESS damage than his normal punches! victory for the V!
Jerry the Vampire: But wait!? His Ps is WHAT!? 72!? *disintegrates in a puff of POWW!*
Vampire 2: OMG Jerry! *Vanishes into mist*
72 Ps Godling: *flexes muscles, looks like his entire body flexes* And that kids is why you should always eat your God-O's every morning

and don't forget kids if you don't eat your God-O's and you have a wimpy Ps of 41 or under a restrained punch is still the way to go vs vampires! Remember if its a vampire be restrained, they're delicate hp only beings.

(Don't forget folks HP is supposed to be for serious injuries, so everytime you hurt a vampire its serious)

[Blue_Lion]

I always figured rune weapons would do mdc to mdc sdc to sdc magic or not simply because...you have this amazing sword of power! and it can't cut this random material because the material isn't magic?...felt weird, so reverse it so that the sword cuts all these thing, but it cuts them all "the same" cause...that's magic

and so your 4d6 damage weapon does 4d6 whether its cutting a man or a monster, or that robot too

may not be canon, but that's why you buy cannons, so when the other side gives your ideas ammunition you can fire them off...and I blame my headache for this line that basically has no relevance to this thread

The samuria swords as I recall are not true rune blades.

[Nightmartree]

I always figured rune weapons would do mdc to mdc sdc to sdc magic or not simply because...you have this amazing sword of power! and it can't cut this random material because the material isn't magic?...felt weird, so reverse it so that the sword cuts all these thing, but it cuts them all "the same" cause...that's magic

and so your 4d6 damage weapon does 4d6 whether its cutting a man or a monster, or that robot too

may not be canon, but that's why you buy cannons, so when the other side gives your ideas ammunition you can fire them off...and I blame my headache for this line that basically has no relevance to this thread

The samuria swords as I recall are not true rune blades.

that could explain it, still a bit eh but it would explain it

[ShadowLogan]

I always figured rune weapons would do mdc to mdc sdc to sdc magic or not simply because...you have this amazing sword of power! and it can't cut this random material because the material isn't magic?...felt weird, so reverse it so that the sword cuts all these thing, but it cuts them all "the same" cause...that's magic

and so your 4d6 damage weapon does 4d6 whether its cutting a man or a monster, or that robot too

may not be canon, but that's why you buy cannons, so when the other side gives your ideas ammunition you can fire them off...and I blame my headache for this line that basically has no relevance to this thread

The samuria swords as I recall are not true rune blades.

Text in WB8 disagrees with this:
pg39-40 has a list of Greater *& Greatest Daisho Rune Swords (though this part seems to contradict later parts by just considering the stock ones "magical", though rune weapons are a type of magic weapon)
pg44: "These swords are minor rune weapons with the life essence of a living being locked inside their nearly indestructible blades. The rune swords can only be created..." next paragraph also called "rune swords" and how many times they are folded.
pg45 "The 'True' Samurai katana and wakizashi are considered to be lesser rune swords.", Bonuses point also considers them "rune swords"
pg48 weapons listing for the OCC "(rune katana and wakizashi)
pg80 Cyber-Samurai mentions percentages with ancient "true" being rune, and percentage with more recent/lesser variety