Creating family heirlooms

[Monkey Bloke 16]

On the heritage table on page 96 of the core book there are a few options that will give the PC a (possible missing) family heirloom. Depending on the dice roll this might be a weapon, armour, a boat etc.). The tables advises that the player choose an item quality, and the GM choose and item quality for it.

So assuming the PC chooses a positive quality for the weapon(I'll talk about weapons since that is the specific item I was dealing with, but I assume this applies to other items too), let's say Resplendent (as one of my players did) or something similar, how have other GMs handled picking the other quality.

It feels like my options are:

1) Give the PC a super-weapon by adding another complimentary quality, such as Ceremonial or Sacred. (which feels like it makes this heritage table option way better than the options where a PC gets a rank in a random skill).

2) Be a **** about it and give it a horrible quality such as Unholy, Forbidden or Cumbersome. (which feels like it is actively trying to ruin a characters heritage, or worse, a players fun).

3) Roll a dice and make the decision random (which likely hits one of the above options, but absolves me of blame).

Since there are only 15 or so qualities, and many oppose each other, there isn't a lot of subtle nuance there. What qualities have GMs added to items, and how did it end up?

In my instance, I took the cowards way out and rolled (and threw out the first result as not suitable, so it wasn't COMPLETELY random), so we ended up with a Crane clan sword with the Resplendent and Snaring qualities. We took snaring to be a long silk ribbon usually wrapped around the hilt that can be whipped out to snare an opponent's weapon).

[Suzume Chikahisa 313]

You can use the the nemuranai creation guidelines on page 307 and take inspiration from there. The game won't be broken if a sword has slightly increased deadliness or if it can cast a level 1 invocation once per session.

[gareth_lazelle 53]

9 hours ago, Monkey Bloke said:

1) Give the PC a super-weapon by adding another complimentary quality, such as Ceremonial or Sacred. (which feels like it makes this heritage table option way better than the options where a PC gets a rank in a random skill).

2) Be a **** about it and give it a horrible quality such as Unholy, Forbidden or Cumbersome. (which feels like it is actively trying to ruin a characters heritage, or worse, a players fun).

3) Roll a dice and make the decision random (which likely hits one of the above options, but absolves me of blame).

Can I suggest a fourth option?

You're the GM, you likely have some idea what sort of adventures you plan to run (and some idea of what sort of players you have),

Choose an option that either balances the item (toning down something that you will expect to be too awesome or disruptive to your game, or beefing up something that seems weak), but also if the item is likely to be less that useful in your campaign, choose a quality that might help make it more useful in your game (an awesome sword is great, but no help mechanically if you never get to use it!).

It's not just about making the item suck or be awesome in order to mess with the player (you shouldn't really be messing with the player anyway) - the item will be used in some context, and the player is guessing blind here - but you are not.

Besides, having a really cool item which has been cursed in some way (unholy) may suck mechanically, but it makes for some interesting stories if the player is invested in trying to break the curse (as well as putting the player into some interesting situations where they may have to risk using the item occasionally when they'd rather not).

Finally - you aren't making the decision in isolation, talk to your player if it helps, get their feedback and find out what they'd like to see, talk it through.

Edited February 19, 2019 by gareth_lazelle

[Void Crane 189]

Really depends on what kind of campaign you want to run.

In a story centered campaign go ahead and give them #2. And a story worthy of the "Curse." I like what Gareth said about using the heirloom as a tool/inspiration to tell stories! 

If this feels like too much of a jerk move you can add a situational condition to the negative quality. So it only activates some of the time. For example maybe your Lion ancestor was in the wrong concerning a feud with a weaker Phoenix samurai. Your ancestor demanded trial by duel and ... "oops!" ... the Phoenix died (probably "accidentally on purpose"). The Phoenix juuust muttered a death curse before bleeding out. That resplendent katana your ancestor used in that duel might gain the Cumbersome quality. BUT only when fighting a Phoenix samurai. (Or maybe only while in Phoenix lands.... Or only when used in a formal duel...). There are all kinds of conditions and stories you can attach together. Maybe an item with a connection to Lord Moon is unholy, but only during the 3 nights each month when the Full Moon is in the sky. As a note you can (of course!) do the same for an advantage. "It's a weapon dedicated to Ameratsu! The sacred quality only kicks in during the day (or even more restrictive - only when in direct sunlight).

Edited February 19, 2019 by Void Crane