As fodder for something I'm working on, I need a fairly comprehensive list of all the standard to not-entirely-standard things one would expect a magic sword to do. Ideas?
If the Blue Oyster Cult song "Black Blade" is any indicator, a magic sword would gain power from the foes it slays/suck their souls. It would allow it's master to carry it only to use him/her in the quest for more power. Other stuff might include louder-than-average reports when clashing against other magic/nonmagic blades, coupled with brighter sparks/flashing. Glows when foes are near, a la Bilbo's Sting. Keeps edge/polish no matter what, without sharpening/polishing. Fires energy. Cuts fabric of time/space. Speaks to master via telepathy. Has a constant, unnatural temperature, depending on magical/elemental alignment. Emits or sucks in light, depending on magical alignment. "Sings" when swung through the air.
I'm sure there's more I could come up with, but it's late and I need to go to bed.
In norse mythology, Skirnir owned a sword which undoubtedly ahs a name I've forgotten that would attack giants on its own, without needing to be wielded. That sort of thing is pretty common.
There's the Judeo-Christian flaming sword bit.
I remember a Russian folktale about a magic sword that would "point" to treasure.
There are a lot of swords that can't be returned to their sheaths without drawing blood (or killing someone).
Orlando had a magic sword that allowed him to breath water. (I'm not sure this makes much sense, but tehre you go).
Nuada, one of the four treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, only inflicted fatal blows.
Nuada, one of the four treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, only inflicted fatal blows.
Interesting, I didn't know that! Nuada was also a king of the Tuatha de Danann, the one who gave Lugh his throne for 13 days and was then killed by Balor of the Evil Eye, king of the Fomori at the battle of Moytura, which then led to Lugh becoming the king of the Tuatha after killing Balor, his grandfather. Or so (some of) the stories go.
+1, +3, or +5 strength +3 armor class +1, +5 initiative +2 dexterity +2 intelligence (for fighter mages) or give the abilities of: invicibility for 1d4 rounds + the weilder's level invisibility (minor, not greater) cast protect (or other spell that temporarily raises armor class) cast shell (or other spell that temporarily increases resistance to magical spells/items) caste haste (or other initiative increasing spell)
You could also specialize it where it is particularily good against a certain type of creature (zombies, trolls, etc.) or where itis enhanced in special situations (protection from death, +5 strength when you're below 1/3 of your hit points, etc.)
The one story I wrote that included a magic sword gave it the power of (telepathic) speech with its bearer, among others. And it was a highly annoying sword too, nagged a lot.
1. Sing 2. Stay sharp on its own (no additional spells needed) 3. Glow in the presence of your enemies 4. Suddenly weigh in at about a million tons when picked up by your enemy
well, i can't cite the literature of magic swords, but here are some qualities i would like to customize on my personal magic sword:
1. if you pierced the earth with its tip, a freshwater spring would open up. 2. if you tapped a mountainside or the wall of a cave with it, a map of the caves inside would appear in flame for a moment or two. 3. it would be too heavy for anyone else to carry, but virtually weightless for me. 4. it would whisper to my enemies as it passed near them, making them collapse with self-doubt. 5. it would be able to pass through airport security.
(p.s. and what about the sword of damocles, which could tell if someone was lying?)
That makes me want a magic pocket knife. It would fit my lifestyle a lot better, and its special abilities would probably be a lot more useful for me. Like a driver that never strips, and a bit set that always has the right bit, even really obscure security bits. It would leap into my hand with the correct tool already deployed. And it would never, ever, cut me.
posting before reading entries so as not to bias myself, therefore forgive any repetition
Be fairly light and comfortable for a wielder of any vaguely reasonable size (self-adjusting) so a child can wield it as well as Conan
Grant the user some sword skill so that even a helpless damsel can grab it and defend herself. This power usually manifests as dragging your arm beyond your power to BLOCK incoming blows - not so much to deliver them.
Glow in the presence of (evil/magic/lies/poison)
Pass through the hearts/bodies of the pure without causing damage. Like the old unicorn horn test - if I stab you in the heart with this and you live, you're a good guy!
Purify those who are possessed by evil spirits but not evil in themselves - if I stab you in the heart with this and black smoke flies out of your mouth and you live, you're a good guy now!
Talk. This is usually a BAD THING in a magic sword, though, as just about any talking sword I've encountered was a bastard. Sometimes a useful one, but still annoying to have around.
Can't be removed from the scabbard or wielded by the wrong owner - it burns, it burns!
Can hide itself from unfriendly eyes, so when you get frisked for weapons before being thrown in jail, the guards just don't notice the magic sword
Cut through really really hard things without taking a scratch.
If it's an EVIL magic sword, it should be able to drink blood and gain power from it somehow or other. There's a fanfic where Faith gets a magic knife that's fueled by blood... the only powers I can remember it having were super-sharpness and FORCE SHIELD, which is a very useful thing when you showed up at a gun fight with a knife. Naturally, when you have a life-draining sword, you have to have a serious talk with it about which one of you is in charge, or it might just eat you.
Shield you from certain environmental damage, so that you can walk through a cloud of poison gas with your glowing sword and be okay. The sword is allowed to fail if you are actually dropped into a pit of lava, but a brief spray of fire (dragon's breath!) it should be able to protect you from
Some people do boomerang swords, but personally I think that's a little silly. Get a chakram, guys.
Most of what I can think of has been said by others, but...
Along the lines of staying sharp and polished, staying *clean* without care-- like even just after you've killed someone, there's no blood.
Searing the hand of anyone but its rightful owner.
Caliburn (Excalibur, but in a different telling of the story) was forged to defend Britain, so when it was taken to Rome to attack the emperor, it availed him nothing. "It was a marvel it did not break in his hand." So, swords made for a specific purpose/defense of a specific land/use of a specific bloodline/etc, and useless when attempted to put to another use or by another person.
Cutting through... something... thin air... to create portals between worlds, as in The Subtle Knife.
Killing da wabbit. Oh wait, that's a spear and magic helmet. Never mind.
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I'm sure there's more I could come up with, but it's late and I need to go to bed.
mythological swords
In norse mythology, Skirnir owned a sword which undoubtedly ahs a name I've forgotten that would attack giants on its own, without needing to be wielded. That sort of thing is pretty common.
There's the Judeo-Christian flaming sword bit.
I remember a Russian folktale about a magic sword that would "point" to treasure.
There are a lot of swords that can't be returned to their sheaths without drawing blood (or killing someone).
Orlando had a magic sword that allowed him to breath water. (I'm not sure this makes much sense, but tehre you go).
Nuada, one of the four treasures of the Tuatha De Danann, only inflicted fatal blows.
And of course, every magic sword needs a name.
Re: mythological swords
Interesting, I didn't know that! Nuada was also a king of the Tuatha de Danann, the one who gave Lugh his throne for 13 days and was then killed by Balor of the Evil Eye, king of the Fomori at the battle of Moytura, which then led to Lugh becoming the king of the Tuatha after killing Balor, his grandfather. Or so (some of) the stories go.
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An easy mistake to make, I'll grant you.
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He's everything a magic sword could wish to be.
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+3 armor class
+1, +5 initiative
+2 dexterity
+2 intelligence (for fighter mages)
or give the abilities of:
invicibility for 1d4 rounds + the weilder's level
invisibility (minor, not greater)
cast protect (or other spell that temporarily raises armor class)
cast shell (or other spell that temporarily increases resistance to magical spells/items)
caste haste (or other initiative increasing spell)
You could also specialize it where it is particularily good against a certain type of creature (zombies, trolls, etc.) or where itis enhanced in special situations (protection from death, +5 strength when you're below 1/3 of your hit points, etc.)
I <3 magical weapons!
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2. Stay sharp on its own (no additional spells needed)
3. Glow in the presence of your enemies
4. Suddenly weigh in at about a million tons when picked up by your enemy
How's that, boss?
magic swords
1. if you pierced the earth with its tip, a freshwater spring would open up.
2. if you tapped a mountainside or the wall of a cave with it, a map of the caves inside would appear in flame for a moment or two.
3. it would be too heavy for anyone else to carry, but virtually weightless for me.
4. it would whisper to my enemies as it passed near them, making them collapse with self-doubt.
5. it would be able to pass through airport security.
(p.s. and what about the sword of damocles, which could tell if someone was lying?)
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Who the hell are you and what have you done with my husband?
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Be fairly light and comfortable for a wielder of any vaguely reasonable size (self-adjusting) so a child can wield it as well as Conan
Grant the user some sword skill so that even a helpless damsel can grab it and defend herself. This power usually manifests as dragging your arm beyond your power to BLOCK incoming blows - not so much to deliver them.
Glow in the presence of (evil/magic/lies/poison)
Pass through the hearts/bodies of the pure without causing damage. Like the old unicorn horn test - if I stab you in the heart with this and you live, you're a good guy!
Purify those who are possessed by evil spirits but not evil in themselves - if I stab you in the heart with this and black smoke flies out of your mouth and you live, you're a good guy now!
Talk. This is usually a BAD THING in a magic sword, though, as just about any talking sword I've encountered was a bastard. Sometimes a useful one, but still annoying to have around.
Can't be removed from the scabbard or wielded by the wrong owner - it burns, it burns!
Can hide itself from unfriendly eyes, so when you get frisked for weapons before being thrown in jail, the guards just don't notice the magic sword
Cut through really really hard things without taking a scratch.
If it's an EVIL magic sword, it should be able to drink blood and gain power from it somehow or other. There's a fanfic where Faith gets a magic knife that's fueled by blood... the only powers I can remember it having were super-sharpness and FORCE SHIELD, which is a very useful thing when you showed up at a gun fight with a knife. Naturally, when you have a life-draining sword, you have to have a serious talk with it about which one of you is in charge, or it might just eat you.
Shield you from certain environmental damage, so that you can walk through a cloud of poison gas with your glowing sword and be okay. The sword is allowed to fail if you are actually dropped into a pit of lava, but a brief spray of fire (dragon's breath!) it should be able to protect you from
Some people do boomerang swords, but personally I think that's a little silly. Get a chakram, guys.
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Along the lines of staying sharp and polished, staying *clean* without care-- like even just after you've killed someone, there's no blood.
Searing the hand of anyone but its rightful owner.
Caliburn (Excalibur, but in a different telling of the story) was forged to defend Britain, so when it was taken to Rome to attack the emperor, it availed him nothing. "It was a marvel it did not break in his hand." So, swords made for a specific purpose/defense of a specific land/use of a specific bloodline/etc, and useless when attempted to put to another use or by another person.
Cutting through... something... thin air... to create portals between worlds, as in The Subtle Knife.
Killing da wabbit. Oh wait, that's a spear and magic helmet. Never mind.
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Allowing you to discern truth and falsehood, or speak with the dead.
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Like so it goes "foomp!" down to either side.