I'm not getting how a 24th level Swordmage with the Arcane Sword epic destiny can lose a fight.
Once per day when you die, your sword fights on in your stead until the end of the encounter. What's more, the sword can't be the target of attacks.
Now, since it's 'when you die' and not 'when you are reduced to 0 hit points', an enemy could prevent this from activating by keeping the swordmage unconcious (forever?). Also, the 'once per day' caveat limits it somewhat. But if this power is activated, it seems like the swordmage is destined to win. This un-attackable sword fights until the end of the encounter, after all. Even if it's a grindfest, the immortal sword will continue shaving away at enemy HP until all are dead or flee, at which point the swordmage will return to life.
It gives me a rather funny image of Orcus or Demogorgon constantly swatting at a longsword that follows him around. "Oh, just ignore it. It comes and goes. A mortal tried to slay me last month, and his blade just doesn't know how to give up the fight."
Anyway, this seems like a poorly-written power, especially when set side-by-side with the 'Archlich's Phylactery' and 'Mastery over Death' catch-22 on the opposite page. I'd personally fix it with either DM fiat ("As your last ally falls, the magic keeping your blade fighting eventually fails as well. TPK. Sorry, dudes.") or by changing it to "Once per day, when you reduced to 0 hit points but not dead". Still very useful, but it gives surviving monsters a chance to stop the rampaging blade by slitting your character's throat.
It does need fixing though, right? Is there something I'm not seeing here?
Once per day when you die, your sword fights on in your stead until the end of the encounter. What's more, the sword can't be the target of attacks.
Now, since it's 'when you die' and not 'when you are reduced to 0 hit points', an enemy could prevent this from activating by keeping the swordmage unconcious (forever?). Also, the 'once per day' caveat limits it somewhat. But if this power is activated, it seems like the swordmage is destined to win. This un-attackable sword fights until the end of the encounter, after all. Even if it's a grindfest, the immortal sword will continue shaving away at enemy HP until all are dead or flee, at which point the swordmage will return to life.
It gives me a rather funny image of Orcus or Demogorgon constantly swatting at a longsword that follows him around. "Oh, just ignore it. It comes and goes. A mortal tried to slay me last month, and his blade just doesn't know how to give up the fight."
Anyway, this seems like a poorly-written power, especially when set side-by-side with the 'Archlich's Phylactery' and 'Mastery over Death' catch-22 on the opposite page. I'd personally fix it with either DM fiat ("As your last ally falls, the magic keeping your blade fighting eventually fails as well. TPK. Sorry, dudes.") or by changing it to "Once per day, when you reduced to 0 hit points but not dead". Still very useful, but it gives surviving monsters a chance to stop the rampaging blade by slitting your character's throat.
It does need fixing though, right? Is there something I'm not seeing here?
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