Are crit only weapon abilities worth it?

[FreeTheSlaves]

What about the coolness factor? How much of a plus equivalent is that? Because +1 flaming burst morningstar just rolls off my tongue so pleasingly.

Agreed, this is why my character & when I dm my npcs, make non-optimal decisions. While I myself am interested in knowing what enhancements are worth I do not want this to deprive the campaign from all the magical variety.

 

[fafhrd]

And how many puprple worms will you face? In the MM, slightly over half of the monsters are evil. It's just question of probability........mostly.

How many creatures have either immunity or resistance to a given energy type(and that's not considering energy weaknesses or the fact that a burst weapon can power through low levels of resistance)? I'm not saying that I think energy weapons are better mechanically. But I do think there's enough variation in types of opposition that it's fair to say YMMV.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Not that there's dispute on this thread, but: Holy is better that energy burst, if only for the energy resistances out there. Demons may be immune to electricity, for example, but they ain't immune to divine power!

It would all boil down to your character concept. Holy warriors (clerics, paladins) are more apt to get holy weapons while fighter-types are more apt to get the elemental damage weapons. At least it seems that way in games I'm in. (Mileage may vary)

 

[Plane Sailing]

It would all boil down to your character concept. Holy warriors (clerics, paladins) are more apt to get holy weapons while fighter-types are more apt to get the elemental damage weapons. At least it seems that way in games I'm in. (Mileage may vary)

Presumably reflecting the fighter types lower wisdom?

 

[Krelios]

Presumably reflecting the fighter types lower wisdom?

Or maybe the fighters aren't always munchkins?

 

[Goolpsy]

I make this 18.5725. I think you've multiplied the extra burst damage dice twice - there are 2d10 added (average 11), which should be multiplied by the chance of a critical (0.1).

i.e. the term (11[0.1(3-1)]) should be (5.5[0.1(3-1)]) or (11[0.1]).

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As regards the utility of the burst weapons as a whole, I don't think they're worth it in the general case. I think perhaps a doubling of the extra damage dice might be called for.

That said, they have a far higher utility when used against a creature with some (fairly low) energy resistances. Basically, the longsowrd +1 with flaming and shocking gains no benefit against a creature with Fire Resitance 10 and Electricity Resistance 10, while the longsword +1 of flaming burst might. Although even there, the benefit is negligible - average fire damage on the crit is still not enough to get through.

isn't it the point of adding 2d10 instead of 1d10 on a x3 crit weapon??

 

[Plane Sailing]

Or maybe the fighters aren't always munchkins?

Perish the thought! Or did you mean power gamers

 

[werk]

And how many puprple worms will you face? In the MM, slightly over half of the monsters are evil. It's just question of probability........mostly.

The most often faced monster in my games are classed humans/humanoids. They are mostly neutral.

If you just play against 'monsters' then yes, they are predominantly evil.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

isn't it the point of adding 2d10 instead of 1d10 on a x3 crit weapon??

Yup, but I doubled the average damage in my head (11) and then multiplied it by 0.2 when it should have been 5.5 multiplied by 0.2.

 

[Nail]

The most often faced monster in my games are classed humans/humanoids. They are mostly neutral.

Huh. Interesting. Why are the PCs fighting them them? Wouldn't talking work just as well?

In your game, then, I'd go with multiple energy enhancments. I might even go after a Brilliant Energy weapon.