Psi-sword vs Wild Vampires

[Pender Lumkiss]

Hi Folks,

I think I made a couple mistakes our first adventure regarding psi-swords and wild vampires. It would seem psi-swords would fall under the magic and psionics weakness for wild vampires. Basically it needs to be MD and it cannot dystroy the vampire it can only incapacitate. I was running it as if the psi-sword could destroy, I am sorry about that and I would not want to cheapen the experience by running the monsters incorrectly.

Once the vampire is incapacitated its head needs to be removed, and its body burned that will stop their fast regeneration.

Going for the headshot with a psi-sword I would rule if enough damage was done to incapacitate, you would also get its head severed, and so you just need to burn the vamp with normal or MD fire to actually destroy it.

I would appreciate any feedback as to whether I am reading the rules correctly or incorrectly. I also put a post up on the google plus savage rift forum asking for some guidance and clarification.

[Freemage]

Unless there's an official ruling counter to that, I think you're reading the RAW correctly, here--Psi-Sword with Mega Damage activated does normal damage, up to Incapacitation. And yeah, called shot to the head doing instant-decapitation if it also incapacitates the vampire makes sense.

Also, note that it's actually VERY easy to burn an incapacitated Vampire to ash--just set a crucifix, Star of David, copy of the Koran, Buddhist prayer beads, etc, on the body, and it will combust into flames.

[Pender Lumkiss]

Unless there's an official ruling counter to that, I think you're reading the RAW correctly, here--Psi-Sword with Mega Damage activated does normal damage, up to Incapacitation. And yeah, called shot to the head doing instant-decapitation if it also incapacitates the vampire makes sense.

Also, note that it's actually VERY easy to burn an incapacitated Vampire to ash--just set a crucifix, Star of David, copy of the Koran, Buddhist prayer beads, etc, on the body, and it will combust into flames.

Clint got back to us on google plus savage Rifts and basically cyberknights need to carry silver or a stake to actually kill them. But your thought on just tossing a religious symbol on the headless vampire to burn them is genius. Note the advantage provided from the champion edge allows for a psi-sword to not be MD.

[Jude Maverick]

Good to know. Jude will follow behind with a bunch of cheap silver crosses...

Or heck, I'll just carve some little wooden ones.

Assuming this is stuff we would know and not metagaming...

[Pender Lumkiss]

Good to know. Jude will follow behind with a bunch of cheap silver crosses...

Or heck, I'll just carve some little wooden ones.

Assuming this is stuff we would know and not metagaming...

In the initial encounter Bane rolled high enough to let you guys know all about vamps.

[Lucretia]

Come to think of it, Cyberknight starting gear includes a silver cross and wooden stakes. They wouldn't need that if their sword could seal the deal.

the good news is that I wasn;t 100% sure, so I had made the psi-sword MD in that fight - and it wouldn't be a huge retcon to say that Lucretia tapped them with the cross after - she only killed 2-3 vamps I think, and one of them was part of the wrap-up.

Of course, they also start with Champion, so what's the deal with needing MD unless they have Champion? Seems odd. Ah! Unless that's including the Psi-Blade edge?

[Freemage]

Come to think of it, Cyberknight starting gear includes a silver cross and wooden stakes. They wouldn't need that if their sword could seal the deal.

the good news is that I wasn;t 100% sure, so I had made the psi-sword MD in that fight - and it wouldn't be a huge retcon to say that Lucretia tapped them with the cross after - she only killed 2-3 vamps I think, and one of them was part of the wrap-up.

Of course, they also start with Champion, so what's the deal with needing MD unless they have Champion? Seems odd. Ah! Unless that's including the Psi-Blade edge?

That seems like the most consistent interpretation: Cyber-Knights, as Champions, can just use their regular Psi-Swords; characters with Psi-Blades need to amp them up to MD status.

[Cantrell]

Psi-Blades are automatically MD, though. And since you need Master Psionic as a prerequisite, any Psi-Blade wielder will have Greater Smite, which the can trap as they like.

[Lucretia]

Psi-Blades are automatically MD, though. And since you need Master Psionic as a prerequisite, any Psi-Blade wielder will have Greater Smite, which the can trap as they like.

True. However, it may be a generic ruling made with an eye towards future/variant content. For instance, the psi-warrior PCC gets a psi-sword very similar to a cyber-knight, but they are not necessarily Champions, so there could be situations (such as if they are low on ISP) that they have neither MD nor Champion available.

EDIT: Of course, it could just be an oversight, someone forgetting that cyber-knights are Champions. Or maybe fallen cyber-knights? I don't recall if they keep Champion or not.

[Freemage]

Psi-Blades are automatically MD, though. And since you need Master Psionic as a prerequisite, any Psi-Blade wielder will have Greater Smite, which the can trap as they like.

True. However, it may be a generic ruling made with an eye towards future/variant content. For instance, the psi-warrior PCC gets a psi-sword very similar to a cyber-knight, but they are not necessarily Champions, so there could be situations (such as if they are low on ISP) that they have neither MD nor Champion available.

EDIT: Of course, it could just be an oversight, someone forgetting that cyber-knights are Champions. Or maybe fallen cyber-knights? I don't recall if they keep Champion or not.

We don't have rules for Fallen CKs yet (just some homebuilds). I suspect Champion would probably be one of the things they lose, though.

[Lucretia]

We don't have rules for Fallen CKs yet (just some homebuilds). I suspect Champion would probably be one of the things they lose, though.

We have at least partial information. I looked it up (under Code of Honor in the CK entry): After committing either a major or mortal transgression, they lose the "Inner Light" IF ability, which is the Champion edge. If they fall completely, they get everything back, including Champion. On the presumption that they are now a "Champion of Evil" though the bonus wouldn't apply to Vampires anymore anyway, so it would be a moot point.

Still, both falling and fallen CKs would have the ability to spend ISP to make their swords MD.
It also occurs to me that most CKs use weapons other than their psi-swords; Champion would apply to those as well.

[Radecliffe]

There are two flavors of fallen Cyber-Knights described in SFoNA. Fallen knights lose their Champion edge and Charisma bonus but retain their other abilities. Blackguards are Cyber Knights that have gone bad, really bad. They get the evil Champion edge and retain their other abilites except the Charisma bonus.