Putting the bound demon back in Elric / MRQ2

DamonJynx said:
danskmacabre said:
Part of my BIG concern in re-introducing these rules was that in Stormbringer 1st ed, Demon weapons and Armor were very vaguley defined, so theoretically you could end of with demon weapons doing ridiculous amounts of extra damage (it was possible to be able to add several dice of damage to weapons and many many armor points).
I really didn't want to go back to that.
But at the same time I wanted them to be still powerful but costly and risky as well.
I've never played Stormbringer, the closest I've come is to reading Dragon Lords of Melnibone, which is a D20 version of Elric (SB4?) and the bound demons in that are way over the top. So, I understand your concerns.

Regarding the POW sacrifice, I thought that perhaps it could be regained by releasing the Demon - but as you say it's probably better to have the POW fuel the binding.

Interesting - the D20 version of Stormbringer has massively toned down Melniboneans and Demon weapons / armour. :shock: :lol:

my prefered version of Stormbringer had that you lost 1 POW if you failed to bind the Demon (and it immediately normally took out its anger on you) but could potentially gain POW if you critically bound it.
 
Da Boss said:
Interesting - the D20 version of Stormbringer has massively toned down Melniboneans and Demon weapons / armour. :shock: :lol:

my prefered version of Stormbringer had that you lost 1 POW if you failed to bind the Demon (and it immediately normally took out its anger on you) but could potentially gain POW if you critically bound it.
When comparing it to other versions of the same, basic game I don't doubt you. Don't forget I'm a latecomer to the beauty of D100 gaming. And the bound demons in DLoM made the stock D&D enhancements seem a bit ordinary - not necessarily in power level, but flavour and sheer vileness!
 
Da Boss said:
my prefered version of Stormbringer had that you lost 1 POW if you failed to bind the Demon (and it immediately normally took out its anger on you) but could potentially gain POW if you critically bound it.


Hmm, which edition of stormbringer was that tied to?
I've played/run just about every version of Stormbringer/Elric and the editions have got mixed up?
The losing a POW on a failed binding actually rings a bell, so does the GAINING a LOW on a crit binding.
I quite like the sound of that, It still has risks, but you can gain too.
 
Its in the first version I bought - the Game Workshop edition - 1987? I have every ediiton since

Basically the Sorcerer engages in a POW vs POW contest - if the Demon wins it is immediately freed and acts according to its nature. Once the encounter with the freed demon is finished, the Sorcerer loses all POw except one and regains it at a rate of 1 per hour - but loses one permanetly.

If the Sorcerer wins they can bind it to an object - either within or to be called. If the Sorcerer critically succeds they gain 1D4-1 POW.
 
Yeah that sounds liked the Boxed First edition.
It has a really close up picture of Elric holding Stormbringer horizontally across his head I think.

I think I might change my houserule to do that, as it's more interesting than just sacrificing a POW.
 
I think I'll change the original ruling a bit tho as the command skill changes things quite a bit from POW vs POW.

On a Fumble, lose a POW and magic point, Demon comes for you.
On a Failure, lose a POW and Magic point, but you can retry. until you run out of magic points. (You also have to rebind any existing demons you have as your POW has lowered). If you don't/can't try to rebind, Demon may come for you anyway.
Success, no POW lost, Demon bound.
Crit success IF the demon has a PERSISTENCE >= Sorcs COMMAND, then Sorc immediately GAIN 1D4+1 COMMAND (As Command is a percentile score compared to POW).
 
I've rejigged the Bound demon rules a bit and if there's no typos or glaring errors, I'll stick it in the MRQ2 wiki as fan made additional rules.

General Rules for Bound demons
Use the normal rules for summoning a demon.

Binding the Demon
Use the command skill as normal but when a sorceror wants to BIND a demon into permanent service, additional effects come into play as follows:

On a Fumbled command roll, lose 1 POW PERMANENTLY and ALL magic points (they will regenerate as normal minus the 1 lost POW), Demon comes for you.
You also have to rebind and demons you already have bound as well as your POW has dropped, but you don't have to spend magic points to rebind them. BUT you only get one shot at it.

On a Failed command roll, lose the Magic points invested in the summoning, but you can retry spending more Magic points equal to the amount you originally invested until you run out of Magic points. If you don't/can't try to rebind, Demon may come for you.

On a successful command roll, no POW lost, Demon bound.

Critical success IF the demon has a PERSISTENCE >= Sorcs COMMAND, then Sorceror immediately GAINS 1D4+1 COMMAND.

You can only have as many bound demons as you have points of Charisma.

Bound Physical Demons

A Physical demon (Meaning a Demon guard, fighter etc) can be bound into anything really, but usually a ring or Amulet or something that is worn or held by the sorceror which must be specially prepared with a Chaos symbol mark. If the object is destroyed, the demon is released to do what it will.
The demon can then be snap summoned by the sorceror, taking 1d8 rounds to appear. If it dies (by whatever means) it cannot be summoned again for 24 hours. If the Sorceror dies, the demon is released from the binding to do what it will.

If any reduction of the Sorceror's power occurs, the demon must be rebound via the command skill.
Follow the general rules above regarding binding demons.

If the binding object is lost, the Sorceror cannot summon the bound demon.
He COULD release the binding, which would release the demon. What the demon does at that point is up to the the GM.

If the Sorceror is killed, the demon remains bound into the binding object, but the next sentient being that touches it must attempt to rebind the demon.
A failure to bind the demon in this case means the demon is released and will appear in 1d8 rounds.
What it does then is up to the GM, but for example a demon of combat will probably attack the person attempting to rebind it.


Bound Demon weapons
Bound demon weapons are a sub-class of Demons of combat.

You must have a specially prepared weapon marked with a Chaos symbol to bind the demon into.
You must assign the statistics for the demon as follows:

The STR and SIZ stats are used to get the actual damage bonus which will be applied to the weapon.
For example if you put 3 magic points into a demon summoning and roll 3D8 for each say getting a combined total of STR+SIZ = 40, then the weapon does 1D6 additional damage.
a STR+SIZ = between 41 and 45 = +1D8 damage bonus and so on.
This should be calculated as per calculating the strength bonus.

The value rolled for CON will replace the HPs of the weapon it's bound into.

The INT has no real effect for Combat demon weapons, although the Sorceror can mentally communicate with the Demon, so Low intelligence Demons should be roleplayed as such by the GM.
Whatever the case, the demon will not have any useful knowledge for the Sorceror, as that's not it's function.

POW is used as normal for the Demon ( to calculate persistence etc)

DEX is calculated as usual. It will add as a bonus to hit later.

CHA is rolled and the value of the CHA will give a guidance as to the appearance of the weapon.
A very low CHA will mean it's a rusty or low quality looking weapon.
A high Charisma will mean it's more impressive looking.

The bonus to hit is calculated as follows:
Multiply the rolled DEX + STR by 3 and the critical value of that is added as a bonus to hit when using the weapon.
For example if you have 3D8 for DEX and roll 12 DEX and roll 13 STR, then add 12+13 = 25, muliply that by 3 = 75. So the bonus to hit is +8.

Again if the weapon is destroyed (the binding object) the demon is released.

If the Sorceror is killed, the demon remains bound into the weapon, but the next sentient being that touches it must attempt to rebind the demon.
A failure to bind the demon in this case means the demon is released back to hell and the weapon becomes a normal weapon.

If the weapon is lost, the sorceror CAN release it at which point it will go back to Hell.

Regarding Chaotic features, Either the GM chooses one as appropriate for a weapon or roll, rerolling anything that can't be logically applied to a Demon weapon, such as a claw, beak etc (apart for decorative purposes I suppose) ..

If any reduction of the Sorceror's power occurs, the demon weapon must be rebound via the command skill.
Follow the general rules above regarding binding demons.
Until the Sorceror rebinds the weapon it will not offer any demonic bonuses in any form.


Bound Demon Armor

Demon Armor is a Sub-Class of Demons of protection.

Again you summon them as a normal Demon
You also command them as normal using the command skill.

Also you must have a specially prepared armor marked with a Chaos symbol to bind the demon into. The armor must be a single unit of armor, for example a Breastplate, or Chain shirt etc.
Each separate piece of armor needs a new Demon bound into it.

You must assign the statistics for the demon as follows:

STR is not assigned for Demon armor

SIZ is assigned and the number rolled must be at least the same value as the size of the wearer of the armor.
For example of the wearer of the armor is SIZ 12, the number rolled for SIZ must be at least 12 or the wearer cannot wear it.
If the number is higher, it has no negative effect.

DEX is not assigned for Demon Armor.

INT has no real effect for demon armor, although the Sorceror can mentally communicate with the Demon, so Low intelligence Demons should be roleplayed as such by the GM.
Whatever the case, the demon will not have any useful knowledge for the Sorceror, as that's not it's function.

POW is used as normal for the Demon ( to calculate persistence etc)

CHA is rolled and the value of the CHA will give a guidance as to the appearance of the armor.
A very low CHA will mean it's a rusty or low quality looking armor.
A high Charisma will mean it's more impressive looking.

Each additional Magic point put into Demon armor above and beyond those assigned to Attributes and chaotic abilities adds to the armor points of the armor the demon is bound into.
For example if the demon is bound into chainmail which offers 5 points of armor and the sorceror adds an additional 3 magic points then the armor offers 5 +3 = 8 points of protection in the areas the chain protects.

Regarding chaotic features, Either the GM chooses one as appropriate for armor or roll, rerolling anything that can't be logically applied Demon armor, such as a claw, beak etc (apart for decorative purposes I suppose)..

If any reduction of the Sorceror's power occurs, the demon armor must be rebound via the command skill.
Follow the general rules above regarding binding demons.
Until the Sorceror rebinds the armor it will not offer any demonic bonuses in any form.

If the armor is lost the sorceror COULD release the binding, which would release the demon (it just goes back to hell).

If the armor is destroyed, the binding is lost and it just goes back to hell

If the Sorceror is killed, the demon remains bound into the armor, but the next sentient being that touches it must attempt to rebind the demon.
A failure to bind the demon in this case means the demon is released back to hell and the armor becomes normal armor.
 
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