Ajunta Pal's sword (spoilers)

fable · #1 (**permalink**) 08-27-2003, 10:32 PM

This is identified in the accompanying text as being "as corrupt as he." Well, it's a damn fine sword, but does it have any effects on the user, and if so, what ones?

fable · #2 (**permalink**) 08-28-2003, 08:18 AM

FYI, did a search on the Bioware KotoR boards. Answer: no effect at all. I really hate that. If the item has a description that hints at some effect, said effect should occur. This reminds me of the Scale Mail of the Dark, an item you find relatively early in BG2. The description mentioned that previous owners had all come to abrupt, tragic ends, leading some to speak of a curse. Maybe so; but there was no curse on the item, anymore than there is any corrupting taint on Pal's sword. IMO, it should slowly but surely eat away at a user's positive "ethical" rating, whatever other actions are taken. But how do you display that as a physical fact, in deed, rather than abstractly, in the image? It would have taken a lot of extra effort; so Bioware didn't bother.

finkelmana · #3 (**permalink**) 09-14-2003, 11:21 PM

It kind of relates to the curse of the ebon hawk as said by the bartender on the sith world. then you reply (or rather i selected) its not a curse, but the nature of the previous owners lives

Alien_Newborn · #4 (**permalink**) 10-11-2003, 01:13 PM

What curse would this be?????

Pebz · #5 (**permalink**) 10-11-2003, 03:05 PM

The description says: "Held by the Dark Jedi even before he fell to the dark side, this may be one of the few truly personal items owned by Ajunta Pall, and remains as thoroughly corrupt as he"

But what if you turn Ajunta Pall back to the light side? Can the blade then remain as corrupt as he when he (assumedly) is not corrupt anymore? (He doesn't seem that corrupt anymore whether you turn him or not, given all his regrets, anyway…)

And I don’t think the blade is supposed to be “cursed” in the traditionally RPG way, but rather that because it is such a powerful blade, it can make the person who possesses it feel superior and full with pride (traits that could lead to the dark side).

Just a thought

fable · #6 (**permalink**) 10-11-2003, 05:39 PM

Well, yes, but that's not the way text reads, is it?

It specifically states that the blade is corrupt, not that its power tends to corrupt those who wield it. It's a problem that's been noted before with a few Bioware in other games, like BG2. As I wrote earlier in this thread, the Scale Mail of the Dark is similarly "cursed," without any effect.

Pebz · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2003, 07:26 AM

Yes, I agree that the description seems confusing, if not bad... but if you listen to Ajunta Pall's tale (don't quote me on this one tho') he says that in the end it was his blade that destroyed him. He also says that the Dark Lords became proud and arrogant so they turned on each other and destroyed themselves in the progress.

So it would only make sense that it was his blade that made him proud and arrogant (likewise for the other dark lords and their artifacts perhaps?). Maybe the description just means that the blade is so powerful that it is “corrupt with power” (too much power can be corruptive, as Ajunta Pall was subjected to).

Either way, that’s how I justify any of my light side users wielding it (they are resistant to the lure of the dark side

)… As for dark side users… well they are usually 100% dark side by the time they get the blade, so they can hardly be anymore corrupt

Another dark lord artifact that seems strange is Marko Ragnos' Gauntlets... they give lightsaber focus and specialization, which are available to both sides (and not frowned upon), yet the gauntlets are restricted to dark side users because “they pulse with a dark power”.

Solar Con · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2003, 04:44 PM

That's weird? I thought if you used it in battle, it gives you dark side points. I'm doing a light side character, and when I fought Malak on the Leviathan I used Adjunta's blade for part of the battle. At the end of the fight, I got some dark side points, but these were offset by some light side points....I assumed the DS points came from using the blade...will have to use it again to see.

Kamwei · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2003, 06:30 PM

*SEMI SPOIL*

I think it was one of the conversation choices...like right before he dies you get to talk to him one last time. If you pick like shut up and die or something along those lines and you'll get dark side points.

ArtemisPGone · #10 (**permalink**) 12-06-2003, 01:03 AM

(Sorry if this is a little off-topic)

Is it just me, or was this meeting Ajunta Pall's spirit thing a really dumb plot device in an otherwise pretty cool story? First of all, how can you fight and kill a ghost? Secondly, is this supposed to be the same kind of jedi spirit as Ben Kenobi in ROTJ? At the risk of sounding like a total geek, I was under the impression that only light side jedi could become blue pac-man ghosts, and that the ability to manifest themselves in the physical realm wore off over time. Does that sound familiar at all? I thought I read that somewhere, but maybe I'm totally mistaken.

Darth Anubis · #11 (**permalink**) 12-07-2003, 10:56 AM

It's not just you. Ajunta Pall is supposed to be like Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skwywalker at the end of Return of the Jedi, but he somehow attacks you. Makes no sense, considering he's already dead.

However, anyone with an extremely strong connection to the Force, Light Side or not, can have their spirits live on, it's just a lot harder for the Dark Side. And yes their ability to appear does wear off over time, like what happened to Emperor Palpatine. If the spirit has no body they eventually dissipate.

His sword is pretty cool, but not cool enough to go in place of a lightsaber. However, maybe it is cursed, because that one student greets you as you leave and will kill you for it. Of course you can give him a wrong one and let Uthar kill him for you though....