A couple new weapon abilities...

[kreynolds]

I posted these on the WotC boards already, but more input can't hurt.

Blessed
A blessed weapon is good-aligned, meaning it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. In addition, all critical hit rolls against evil-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal).
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Price: +1 bonus.

Defiled
A defiled weapon is evil-aligned, meaning it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. In addition, all critical hit rolls against good-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal).
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bane; Price: +1 bonus.

What do you folks think?

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

Like the concept. I think I would also add that they can never critical against outsiders of the same alignment as the weapons (blessed weapon never critical good outsiders, defiled weapons never critical evil ones).

Otherwise, I think they should work. I am worried that they might be undercosted a little. But the ability it not good enough for a +2 . . . Ponder, ponder.

 

[hong]

I think the DR negation bit is good enough for +1 by itself.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Compare to Holy:
"Holy" does +2d6 damage against Evil targets, and bypasses DR as if it were Good, for a cost of +2. It also does that "negative level when wielded by an evil guy" thing, but that's really minor.
Your "Blessed" enchantment basically doubles the chance of crits (adding a few points of damage) against Evil targets, and bypasses DR as if it were Good.

These are practically the same thing; yours is weaker, but not by a huge amount. If you want it to be balanced, you'd have to drop the auto-crit part and just make it a "bypasses DR/Good" enchantment for +1.

Of course, I'd rather just come up with an analog of Sure Striking for 3.5E and mix that with Keen to get a general-use version of the same thing, but that's just me.

 

[kreynolds]

Like the concept.

Thanks!

I think I would also add that they can never critical against outsiders of the same alignment as the weapons (blessed weapon never critical good outsiders, defiled weapons never critical evil ones).

Do you mean never critical at all? Not really the direction I'd like to take these in, but interesting.

Otherwise, I think they should work. I am worried that they might be undercosted a little. But the ability it not good enough for a +2 . . . Ponder, ponder.

I don't think it's worth +2 either. Autoconfirming criticals is a subjective power. It's usefulness is determined by the base weapon. It rocks on a rapier, but not so much on a greataxe, since you're more likely to threaten on a rapier. The greater damage of a weapon that only threatens on a 20 compensates for this, but not enough, IMO.

 

[kreynolds]

I think the DR negation bit is good enough for +1 by itself.

Seems that way at low-level, but not when you take into consideration higher CR creatures that have the type of DR where a good-aligned weapon doesn't quite cut it. It's like a weapon with a +1 enhancement. You can get those at low level, and at low level, that means you're bypassing the DR of most of the creatures you're likely to encounter. At higher levels, not so much.

 

[kreynolds]

Compare to Holy:
These are practically the same thing; yours is weaker, but not by a huge amount. If you want it to be balanced, you'd have to drop the auto-crit part and just make it a "bypasses DR/Good" enchantment for +1.

Actually, I already compared it to holy, and that's how I ended up pricing it at +1. I just didn't see it being that useful in the long run.

Compare to Holy:
Of course, I'd rather just come up with an analog of Sure Striking for 3.5E and mix that with Keen to get a general-use version of the same thing, but that's just me.

 

[kreynolds]

Knight-of-Roses,

I've given your suggestion more thought, and it's a really, really good one. How's this sound folks?

"A blessed weapon cannot strike a critical hit against a good-aligned creature in any way. Furthermore, all damage dealt to a good-aligned creature is nonlethal."

 

[kreynolds]

Here's the latest version, ultimately dropping the idea in my previous post...

Blessed
A blessed weapon is good-aligned, meaning it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. Up to 5 points of damage reduction can be bypassed with this weapon. In addition, all critical hit rolls against evil-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal). It bestows one negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the blessed power upon their ammunition.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Price: +1 bonus.

Defiled
A defiled weapon is evil-aligned, meaning it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. Up to 5 points of damage reduction can be bypassed with this weapon. In addition, all critical hit rolls against good-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal). It bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the defiled power upon their ammunition.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bane; Price: +1 bonus.

...and here's a couple variants thereof, inspired by Darklion on the WotC boards...

Blessed v2
A blessed weapon is mildly good-aligned. Though this does not allow it to bypass the damage reduction of evil-aligned creatures, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of damage against all of evil alignment. In addition, all critical hit rolls against evil-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal). It bestows one negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the blessed power upon their ammunition.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Price: +1 bonus.

Defiled v2
A defiled weapon is mildly evil-aligned. Though this does not allow it to bypass the damage reduction of good-aligned creatures, the weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of damage against all of good alignment. In addition, all critical hit rolls against good-aligned foes automatically succeed, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not stack with any magical effects related to critical hits (such as flaming burst, keen, and vorpal). It bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the defiled power upon their ammunition.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bane; Price: +1 bonus.

 

[rkanodia]

I think that these new modifiers are still too weapon-dependent; on a 20/x2 weapon, they are underpowered, but on a 18-20/x2 or a 20/x4, they are overpowered. And, I don't like the confusion of trying to figure out how all the other modifiers apply to an attack.

Perhaps you could change the part about critical hits to say something like "This weapon confers a +4 sacred/profane bonus to confirming critical hits against targets of evil/good alignment", but not include any restrictions on other modifiers?

Also, with 'blessed' already being a game term, maybe the good version of the weapon could be called 'Sanctified', 'Purified', or 'Cleansed'?