Sommerswerd Question

[doomwolf]

I'm sure it would be pretty easy to locate the ROMs of the old Speccy games somewhere on the Net, plus an emulator to run them, although such behaviour is bound to be legally dodgy. Ancient though they may be, the games are probably still under some sort of copyright.

[ramthelinefeed]

Not at all!

I already put a thread about this in the "auxilliary" forum -

but YES - there are loads of good Speccy emulators out there for all sorts of platforms.

YES - there is a site called the "TZX Vault" which has thousands of pieces of software, ALL of which have copyright clearance for from the copyright owners

and YES - the three Lone Wolf games from Hutchinson are there for download.

[doomwolf]

Sorry for missing your previous post. I have to admit mixed feelings towards this news - everything I have read about these games says they're a bit (censorable adjective meaning "not very good") and yet I feel oddly excited at the prospect of playing them. That's brand loyalty, I guess!
Anyway, since it is perfectly legal to do so I think I'll download these games and find out for myself why they failed to win many fans.

PS for DD: I checked out your website, as linked by your sig. Very funny, I especially liked the article about your various boards of keyness.

[gloccusv]

Doomwolf wrote: "D'you ever reach the point where you don't even read the text? With some books I have gotten to the point I can play virtually from memory - flipping through sections and making changes to the Action Chart without reading the book at all"

I've gone even further than that. I have written out all the combats and rolls separately, so that I don't even need to open the books to play through the early series.

e.g. books 1-3 of the Kai series look like this:
Roll 2: Gain +2 E (Helmet) until point marked *
17/7 Restore 21 dam
Roll 5-9: 13/24 Restore all EP
14/25 (max 3 rounds) Restore 7 dam
Roll 0-1: 11/15, 12/24
8-9: Roll 0-4: 11/25
Restore all EP Roll 5-9: Lose 3 EP
Roll 0: Die (else no effect)
Roll 0-3: Gain +3 Meal (Laumspur) (5H)
Lose 3 EP, 12/23 Restore all EP
Roll 5-9: Roll 9: Die
Gain +5 Potion (Laum) and +2 E (Padded Leather Waistcoat)
Roll 0-4: 7/30 Restore 4 dam
5-9: Lose 1 EP
8/28 (max 1 round*) Restore 10 dam
* If your starting CS is 10, there is a 10% chance of the combat continuing beyond the first round.
Roll 0-1: Lose 3 EP Roll 7-9: Die
3/14 Restore 10 dam, 5/30 Restore all EP
Gain one +5 Potion, six +4 Potions (L), and +4 E (Chainmail)

The CS/EP scores of enemies may look strange, because I have taken into account bonuses like the Sommerswerd by subtracting 8 from the CS of any enemy I fight with it and halving the EP of undead, etc.

This makes things much quicker when trying to get back to book 15 to see whether I can avoid getting LW fried by the Doomstone for the third time in a row.

SPOILER:
Holmes wrote: "Ah...the way I usually play the Magnakai books is as follows:
"1. Leave the Sommerswerd in "Safekeeping" in Book 9
"2. Either a. Take it in Book 11, or sb. kip 11 entirely."
...and several others wrote something similar.

If you get captured then the Sommerswerd is taken from you, along with all other weapons and weapon-like special items. That makes the final combat much easier, although it is still taxing. Of course, it means you don't have the Dagger of Vashna, either, but I still think it is worth it. According to Project Aon, you do get the weapons back at the end of the book.

[Evanta]

I think for balance purposes somewhat, Joe should have given a +6 CS to the SS, and made it a two-handed sword (Greatsword/Claymore/whatever)

That way, it's just +4 more CS in contrast to a shield and weapon style, still rewards the series player, w/o making it a pain to balance.

[North Star]

For what it's worth, although LW is always pictured using the Sommerswerd one-handed, I always assumed it was a broad sword (LW eqjuivalent of the bastard sword) and thus needed two hands to wield.

NS.

[Relenoir]

North said:

For what it's worth, although LW is always pictured using the Sommerswerd one-handed, I always assumed it was a broad sword (LW eqjuivalent of the bastard sword) and thus needed two hands to wield.

NS.

But that's why it is called a bastard sword: it is a hybrid with a length in between a two-handed sword and a normal longsword, with an extended grip and pommel that allows it to be wielded one- or two-handed. They are also referred to as a "hand-and-a-half" sword. So the Sommerswerd could be wielded either way because of its very light weight.

[Gnaag]

The Sommerswerd (Sun Sword in italian books I prefer) is The Sword: I can't imagine playing any of LW books till 20 without it.
I do love book 11 also, very strange and mysterious; the books 8-12 are the best I think, it's a long story divided in 5 episods, LW vesrus Gnaag, brrr ;D

Did you notice that Naar was never cited till book 13? I don't like Naar so much.

[The Tagazin Poodle]

According to Book 2, the Sommerswerd can receive the Weaponskill bonus for any sword; I assume that means it can be used in any of the three "styles".

[North Star]

Heh Relenoir. I know about its other name, but I was trying to be brief. I guess it could have been made from some type of golden mithril to make it super-light.

Reginald, what do you mean by "the three styles"?

NS.

[Holmes I didnt sign in]

I believe he means that you can add 2 to CS when wielding the Sommerswerd if you have Weaponskill with: 1. Short Sword, 2. Broadsword, or 3. Sword.

At least, that's how I read it when the rules and powers for the Sommerswerd are written when acquiring it in Book 2 when you have not selected Sixth Sense as a Discipline.

[The Tagazin Poodle]

Give the man a cigar!

(Just don't light up, or I'll sic Tagazin on you.)

[Holmes I didnt sign in again]

You and that Tagazin, man...

Want to be an NPC in my Lone Wolf d20 game? He's the main 'heavy' in it at the moment? ;D