# Pick one handheld sf/fantasy item as your very own. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 20, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466 "2008-09-20T19:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/1 "2008-09-20T19:13:34Z")
Here’s a few simple rules: 1. The item must be small enough to hold in your hand. YOUR hand, not Colossal Boy’s. 2. It must be an item that is intended to be used on its own, not as part of a much larger unit: in other word’s, Iron Man’s left gauntlet does not qualify. 3. Items that can warp reality, create objects from nothingness, replicate themselves, or otherwise make the user nigh-omnipotent are disqualified. No Green Lantern power rings, Cosmic Cubes, or Infinity Gems, in other words. 4. Whatever liabilities the object has in the story you’re taking it from carry over into the real world. The One Ring is going to eventually corrupt you, in other words, or at the very least reduce you to subsisting on blind cave fish and however many goblins you can murder. So with those restrictions, what would you want? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/2 "2008-09-20T19:28:22Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Here’s a few simple rules: > > 1. The item must be small enough to hold in your hand. YOUR hand, not Colossal Boy’s. > So with those restrictions, what would you want? DIBS! I get the light sabre! Vroom zromm kzzzzkt vroozt _whoops_ - thump Can I get Lukes artificial hand as a bonus prize? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/3 "2008-09-20T19:31:58Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > I get the light sabre! @#()\*! Dibs on Narya (Gandalf’s ring), then. Score! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/4 "2008-09-20T19:33:12Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > DIBS! > > I get the light sabre! > > Vroom zromm kzzzzkt vroozt > > _whoops_ - thump > > Can I get Lukes artificial hand as a bonus prize? Nope. It’s why I’d avoid the light saber unless it comes with Jedi reflexes. Yes, Han successfully used one once–but he was just carving up a dead ice-kangaroo, and, anyway, he was Han. To answer my own question: I was a Legion flight ring, three-boot edition. Admittedly, the communication features are useless, but being able to fly at supersonic speeds and travel in space (they have the nice instant-invisible-pressure-suit feature now) would make up for it. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/5 "2008-09-20T19:42:38Z")
A D&D _Ring of Telekinesis_ would be my first pick. What’s not to like about being able to exert a hundred kilos of force at a range of over two hundred meters? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/6 "2008-09-20T19:50:16Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > A D&D _Ring of Telekinesis_ would be my first pick. What’s not to like about being able to exert a hundred kilos of force at a range of over two hundred meters? Your enemies start blaming all the accidental deaths on you. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/7 "2008-09-20T19:54:22Z")
I still want a Portal gun. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/8 "2008-09-20T19:56:01Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Your enemies start blaming all the accidental deaths on you. What makes you think I’m going to start killing people? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/9 "2008-09-20T19:58:53Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > What makes you think I’m going to start killing people? I don’t. I think your enemies start blaming accidental deaths you have NOTHING TO DO WITH on you, on account of being your enemies. They don’t like you, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/10 "2008-09-20T20:09:05Z")
Ooooh, I want a Lens! Of course, only one _woman_ ever had a Lens, but I can Mary Sue myself into one, can’t I? I’d better check with Arisia and Mentor first, though. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/11 "2008-09-20T20:11:27Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Ooooh, I want a Lens! Of course, only one _woman_ ever had a Lens, but I can Mary Sue myself into one, can’t I? > > I’d better check with Arisia and Mentor first, though. No Mary Suing necessary. I can’t think of a reason a second woman couldn’t use a Lens, and, besides, you’re not staying in Mentor’s jurisdiction anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/12 "2008-09-20T22:30:19Z")
Cohe wand, baby! Sure, I’d end up accidentally giving myself an extra asshole sooner rather than later…but still! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/13 "2008-09-20T22:42:00Z")
An Indigo Lantern’s…power…focus…device. We haven’t seen if they use rings, yet, but of the 7 Corps, they’re the one I have the most affinity for, and I want a Corps’ gear. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/14 "2008-09-20T23:13:43Z")
Eilonwy’s Golden Pelydryn. I suspect there’s a lot more to it than came out in the books. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/15 "2008-09-20T23:40:51Z")
The [Auryn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Neverending_Story#AURYN), thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/16 "2008-09-21T00:26:27Z")
The sword Gonturan. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/17 "2008-09-21T02:18:03Z")
I want the Ginzuishou (sp?), AKA Empyrean Silver Crystal. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/18 "2008-09-21T02:23:27Z")
_By the Power of Greyskull!_ I was never a He-man fan, but if I have to call dibs on something… From Scifi, I’d take a Blaster or a Hand Phaser. Of course, there was this little ring of invisibility I’d had my eyes on, but I think some damn fool hobbit chucked it in a volcano. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/19 "2008-09-21T02:25:49Z")
I can’t believe that I, who haven’t been an active part of the fandom for 20+ years, am the first to mention _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466/20 "2008-09-21T02:33:38Z")
A Lens would be nice, but I don’t qualify for one, and I’d hate to have Mentor after my ass for “impersonating a Lensman.” But from the same author…I think I’ll take a softball-sized faidon. Or maybe Roban’s gift to Blacky DuQuesne: a half-pound of metallic radium. I don’t need SF toys. I want moola! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-one-handheld-sf-fantasy-item-as-your-very-own/464466.md?page=2)