Advice sought: you have two +'s to spend on a rapier. What do you choose?
- Thread starter Zaruthustran
- Start date
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Me, I'd go for the keen, because it sounds like more fun. The fact that +2 does a bit more damage doesn't outweigh the "Take that!" I'd get to shout every time I skewered an enemy with my spiffy keen rapier.
Daniel
PS Plus, a flaming rapier is just screaming out for off-color jokes
.
Daniel
PS Plus, a flaming rapier is just screaming out for off-color jokes
.Sanackranib
First Post
+2 Rapier
remember wounding effectively adds +10 to your damage you just get it at the rate of +1 per round/PER HIT. this is especially usefull aginst spellcasters because the concentration checks get progressively harder to make with each hit. agint weaker monsters even if the initial hit doesn't kill them they will probably bleed out in later rounds so you can direct your attacks elseware where they are needed. Aginst more powerfull inteligent monsters several hits can go a long way towards reopening negotiations. this example is extreem but it illustrates the point. lets say you get 2 att/r and hit 5 times in 3 rounds. even if the initial damage is minimal the guy is gona take 5hp/round for the next 7-8 rounds +the 3-4 he already lost due to blood loss and the 3-4 he will take once he stops taking the 5/round. that can make a real impression!
remember wounding effectively adds +10 to your damage you just get it at the rate of +1 per round/PER HIT. this is especially usefull aginst spellcasters because the concentration checks get progressively harder to make with each hit. agint weaker monsters even if the initial hit doesn't kill them they will probably bleed out in later rounds so you can direct your attacks elseware where they are needed. Aginst more powerfull inteligent monsters several hits can go a long way towards reopening negotiations. this example is extreem but it illustrates the point. lets say you get 2 att/r and hit 5 times in 3 rounds. even if the initial damage is minimal the guy is gona take 5hp/round for the next 7-8 rounds +the 3-4 he already lost due to blood loss and the 3-4 he will take once he stops taking the 5/round. that can make a real impression!
comrade raoul
Explorer
Oh, and one more bit of analysis: if you average 10 points of damage per hit or less, the +2 rapier is clearly better than the keen one. An additional +1 enhancement (from +1 to +2) increases your damage output by 5% (from the additional accuracy) and also by +1. Keen weapons, again just increase your damage output by 15% (again, in the best case).
So a keen weapon increases your damage output by 10% more than the extra +1, but the extra +1 yields another flat +1 point of damage. This means that if you average 10 points of damage, they provide equal benefit. Keen is worse for lower average damages; for higher average damages, the extra benefit from keen accrues pretty slowly (if you average 20 points of damage, keen is worth +3 points of damage, while the extra +1 is worth (counting the improved accuracy) +2.)
This says nothing about the added benefits of the higher enhancement that have already been mentioned here: better ability to bypass DR, and benefit of being useful against almost any opponent.
So I'd definetly recommend against keen. Go for either +2 or +1 and an energy ability - which one depends one depends on how many creatures with energy resistance or DR you expect to meet, and how easily friendly sorcerers can give you a GMW.
So a keen weapon increases your damage output by 10% more than the extra +1, but the extra +1 yields another flat +1 point of damage. This means that if you average 10 points of damage, they provide equal benefit. Keen is worse for lower average damages; for higher average damages, the extra benefit from keen accrues pretty slowly (if you average 20 points of damage, keen is worth +3 points of damage, while the extra +1 is worth (counting the improved accuracy) +2.)
This says nothing about the added benefits of the higher enhancement that have already been mentioned here: better ability to bypass DR, and benefit of being useful against almost any opponent.
So I'd definetly recommend against keen. Go for either +2 or +1 and an energy ability - which one depends one depends on how many creatures with energy resistance or DR you expect to meet, and how easily friendly sorcerers can give you a GMW.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Right now, "Wounding" is sounding really nice. The 18-20 crit range already gives me the "take that!" fairly often, and the bleed damage fits my character's style. He's pretty mean.
My question is: does "wounding" work on elementals, undead, etc? I'm thinking yes, since those types aren't specifically called out.
I created a thread in the "Rules" forum on this topic.
Thanks for the responses! Now I'm wondering if comrade raoul will do an analysis of the wounding property...
-z
My question is: does "wounding" work on elementals, undead, etc? I'm thinking yes, since those types aren't specifically called out.
I created a thread in the "Rules" forum on this topic.
Thanks for the responses! Now I'm wondering if comrade raoul will do an analysis of the wounding property...
-z
coyote6
Adventurer
Balgus said:
Greater magic weapon is a 4th level cleric spell, and spell storing only allows up to 3rd level spells.
Also, wounding is a +2 ability, not +1 (it's listed correctly in the table, but not the text description; the DMG errata corrects the text description, however).
Me, if this is a backup weapon, I'd want the +1 sure striking; barring that, I'd probably flip a coin between keen and just +2.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
No wounding?
Drat. This news makes me sad.
-z
Drat. This news makes me sad.
-z
I'd go with a +1 spell storing. before fighting have a spell caster put a spell in it.
also the spell stored can be released as a free action whenever you hit the target.
good options for spells
- shocking grasp
- disrupt undead
- daze
- chill touch
- summon swarm
- ghoul touch
- dispel magic
- vampiric touch
also the spell stored can be released as a free action whenever you hit the target.
good options for spells
- shocking grasp
- disrupt undead
- daze
- chill touch
- summon swarm
- ghoul touch
- dispel magic
- vampiric touch
