Regarding Mithril Armour

[Glorelendil]

...and Mithral generally only has two Qualities total.

Why would Mithril armour only have two qualities?

(Also, it's "Mithril" with an "i". "Mithral" is a word that other games started using, I assume to avoid copyright issues.)

[Deadmanwalking]

Why would Mithril armour only have two qualities?

I suppose I overgeneralized there...but the specific item in question (Bilbo's mithril coat) is actually statted, and with only two Qualities. Which seems accurate for an item that is 'merely' mithril, with no other enchantments.

(Also, it's "Mithril" with an "i". "Mithral" is a word that other games started using, I assume to avoid copyright issues.)

You're quite right, and I even knew that. Habits are hard to break, however, and I've written it with an A way more often. My bad.

[Angelalex242]

Final Fantasy dodges the sword of copyright by spelling it Mythril typically.

[doctheweasel]

One thing to consider is that the Mithril Quality doesn't have to be the second one discovered. Have the initial one be Mithril, then the second can be the (Ancient) Cunning Make.

[HalifaxDM]

One thing to consider is that the Mithril Quality doesn't have to be the second one discovered. Have the initial one be Mithril, then the second can be the (Ancient) Cunning Make.

I like that tack actually and had not considered it. Thanks

[Glorelendil]

One thing to consider is that the Mithril Quality doesn't have to be the second one discovered. Have the initial one be Mithril, then the second can be the (Ancient) Cunning Make.

I like that tack actually and had not considered it. Thanks

But it results in the same paradox: the characteristics of Ancient Cunning Make would/should be just as obvious as those of Mithril. It's either light & comfortable or it's not.

To me it's one of those peculiarities of the rules where you just sort of have to shrug and admit that it's hard to invent fluff to support the crunch. If a player gets too argumentative, solve it for him by reducing the number of qualities by one. "Oh, my mistake, it's not Mithril, it's bronze. Any more questions?"

P.S. I drool at the thought of a Mithril Mail Shirt with Ancient Cunning Make and Ancient Close Fitting. 3+3 protection, first Pierce misses you entirely each combat, encumbrance as low as zero.

[Rich H]

But it results in the same paradox: the characteristics of Ancient Cunning Make would/should be just as obvious as those of Mithril. It's either light & comfortable or it's not.

To me it's one of those peculiarities of the rules where you just sort of have to shrug and admit that it's hard to invent fluff to support the crunch. If a player gets too argumentative, solve it for him by reducing the number of qualities by one. "Oh, my mistake, it's not Mithril, it's bronze. Any more questions?"

Heh heh, that's certainly one way to do it and any player will learn to STFU complaining after the first time you pull such a move!

... Many players coming from RPGs that try and simulate the 'physics' of their game world just have to accept that there are some elements of TOR which require a level of *narrative abstraction* to explain their application. For instance, as well as this kind of thing, why does a Hobbit only get the Small trait when he purchases the Small Folk virtue? He's always been small, he hasn't got any smaller, so why does he suddenly get these extra system elements that he can use? Well, it's all about mechanical importance. He's always been small, but now, it *matters* narratively so the mechanics reflect that. Same goes for the way these item enhancements work and 'activate'; it's always been a Mithril shirt, but now it's become mechanically important to the game.

P.S. I drool at the thought of a Mithril Mail Shirt with Ancient Cunning Make and Ancient Close Fitting. 3+3 protection, first Pierce misses you entirely each combat, encumbrance as low as zero.

I'm very wary of introducing such items to my campaign, personally. They are amazing but I worry that some are extremely powerful, which I suppose they should be, but could be unbalancing if not handled with care.

[Corvo]

(...)
P.S. I drool at the thought of a Mithril Mail Shirt with Ancient Cunning Make and Ancient Close Fitting. 3+3 protection, first Pierce misses you entirely each combat, encumbrance as low as zero.

I put that armour in my treasure index: it's for the Beorning with Great Strength.

[doctheweasel]

One thing to consider is that the Mithril Quality doesn't have to be the second one discovered. Have the initial one be Mithril, then the second can be the (Ancient) Cunning Make.

I like that tack actually and had not considered it. Thanks

But it results in the same paradox: the characteristics of Ancient Cunning Make would/should be just as obvious as those of Mithril. It's either light & comfortable or it's not.

I just think (Ancient) Cunning Make is much easier to handwave away as "you are wearing it wrong" than pulling a "surprise, it's Mithril." That falls a lot more in line with explaining the other Qualities an item gains/has discovered.

The obvious qualities should generally be the first ones discovered. I'm dealing with that on a sword that glows when spiders (bane) are around. Although I want the player to have something with more bite for the first one, the glowing is harder to justify as "you're using it wrong."

[Deadmanwalking]

Well, if you let the player state their purchases in advance, you could just conspire to have them buy up Valour or otherwise unlock the second quality before they run into any spiders (or possibly even right as they run into them, if you're willing to bend the rules).