Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Difference between revisions
→Tabletop RPG
No edit summary |
|||
Line 153:
== Tabletop RPG ==
* In ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'',
**
** There also exists an incredibly powerful dispel spell called ''Mordenkainen's Disjunction'', which can destroy just about any magic effect, even those created by gods. If it is used for this purpose, however, the caster may permanently lose all his magic abilities and/or anger the effect's creator. And he is no slouch, believe us.
** This is the point of the corrupt spells in the Book of Vile Darkness (and their Exalted Deeds counterparts, sacrifice spells). They are notably more powerful than other spells of their level—for instance, run-of-the-mill Blindness is a second-level spell, while Seething Eyebane, a corrupt first-level spell, causes the target's eyes to spew acid and explode—but there is always a tax, sometimes permanent, on one or more ability scores. The most powerful of these spells is harmful even to prepare and has a very good chance of rendering the caster dead and/or permanently insane [[Omnicidal Maniac|(if he wasn't already)]].
** Something else mentioned in the Book of Vile Darkness is the [[Artifact of Doom]] called [[Names to Run Away From Really Fast| the Death Rock]]. Artifacts are always dangerous, but this one is worse than most; its history does say that its owners tend to obtain great power and are able to conquer empires, but tend to lose the power at the worst possible times, and are usually overthrown in violent insurrections by their enemies. Here's how the Rock works: It gives the user incredible dark powers of [[Necromancer| necromancy]], giving him the potential to raise vast armies of undead soldiers. But it has a terrible cost; once a week, it demands the user slay his closest friend or loved one, and claim him or her as a zombie slave. If he is unwilling or unable to do so, the Rock and all powers associated with it vanish. Clearly, all former users never realize that if you are willing to do this, you're going to run out of friends and loved ones ''very'' quickly (as most of them will likely stop being your friends before you can use them as the required sacrifices) and be unable to make any new ones; on the other hand, you'll probably make hated enemies ''very'' fast...
** Prior to the 2nd Edition, Orcus was murdered by Kiaransalee, the drow goddess of undeath, who usurped his realm in the Abyss. However, in the ''Dead Gods'' module, he [[Came Back Wrong]], becoming an undead demon named Tenebrous, possessing a spell called the Last Word that was so lethal, even gods were afraid to use it. This didn't stop Orcus, however. Despite the fact that it was literally consuming him from within, he used it in his campaign to restore himself to life killing several gods using it in order to reclaim [[Artifact of Doom| his dreaded Wand]] and regain his domain in the Abyss. (He succeeding in doing all that, but fortunately, failed in his ultimate goal: becoming a true god.) After gaining back his true form and position, he lost the ability to use it. The gods have since taken steps to prevent anyone from using it again.
* In the [[Dragonlance]] setting, Wizards of High Sorcery view Primal/Wild Sorcery this way. It was three Sorcerers who, fighting an army of Dragons at the end of the Second Dragon War, caused magical storms that wracked Ansalon. These three Sorcerers ended up becoming the first Wizards after being taught High Sorcery by the gods of magic.
* Several of the noble families from the [[Ravenloft]] supplement ''Legacy of the Blood'' possess the knowledge of a Dangerous Forbidden Technique or two, usually in the form of feats that only family members or their elite henchmen can select.
Line 168 ⟶ 171:
* ''[[Scion]]'' has the Avatars, which allows Gods to channel the power of a Purview at the apex of cosmic power, so much that anyone who fights them has to become one in order to match. However, while the cost to activate it is rather modest game-wise, there are some major prices to be paid: first, you suffer the strongest Fatebinding upon activation, second, if you die, all the Avatars you learned to channel get loose all at once, and third, you activate it in the domain of a Titan, you'll attract every Titan Avatar in it, and chances are, they'll already have their own powers ready as well. Congrats, you now get to fight five or six beings with the same power as you.
* ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' has a bunch of cards that are effectively this. You can't miss them, because they all inform you that ''you lose the game'' after a certain amount of time or if a certain condition is met. For example, [[Hour of Power|Final Fortune]] allows the user a free turn at a cost and color that doesn't normally get it, but the user loses the game at the end of that turn if they haven't won yet. [[Immortality|Lich and its variants]] protect you from dying through life loss, but kill you under other circumstances, such as an empty graveyard.
== Video Games ==
| |||