Bladed Gauntlet and Mercurial Greatsword shafted by senseless errata!?

[Junkheap]

bladed gauntlets

Ok caliban, so what do you think about the bladed gauntlets? If it is compared to the short sword, isn't it exactly the same? I personally think they completely killed the bladed gauntlet. Sure the original version was too powerfull, but makin it exaclty like a short sword sux.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

The way the weapons are makes more sense to me.

The mercurial greatsword is still the grand-daddy of damage. No other weapon does as much damage. The damage listed before made it rediculously powerful. Any fighter or barbarian who didn't use one would be at a disadvantage.

And you can't say, "They are rare, that balances it." because characters can make them. And they only have to find one - you can add enchantments to increase a weapon's power.

The weapons were munchkin bait the way they started. "Oh, you want to use bladed gauntlets? GET OUT!!!! I'LL HAVE NO MUNCHKINS IN MY CAMPAIGN!!!!"

--Quicksilver Spikey

 

[SpikeyFreak]

Re: bladed gauntlets

Ok caliban, so what do you think about the bladed gauntlets? If it is compared to the short sword, isn't it exactly the same? I personally think they completely killed the bladed gauntlet. Sure the original version was too powerfull, but makin it exaclty like a short sword sux.

The bladed gauntlet can't be disarmed.

--Helpful Spikey

 

[DrSpunj]

Re: bladed gauntlets

Ok caliban, so what do you think about the bladed gauntlets? If it is compared to the short sword, isn't it exactly the same? I personally think they completely killed the bladed gauntlet. Sure the original version was too powerfull, but makin it exaclty like a short sword sux.

I have to agree, and I'm curious what Caliban, Crothian and the others think about this comparison. The Short sword and Bladed Gauntlet (with the errata of the threat range for 19-20) seem almost identical. The Bladed Gauntlet costs 20 gp more and does slashing damage instead of piercing damage. The text in Sword & Fist does not state, though I have always assumed, that the Bladed Gauntlet can't be disarmed (similar to other gauntlets). Are these minor differences really worth an EWP? Or am I missing something?

We've house ruled the threat range of a Bladed Gauntlet to be 18-20 so it is better than the short sword and worth the EWP. Anyone think this is overbalancing?

Thanks,
DrSpunj

 

[Crothian]

Re: Re: bladed gauntlets

I have to agree, and I'm curious what Caliban, Crothian and the others think about this comparison. The Short sword and Bladed Gauntlet (with the errata of the threat range for 19-20) seem almost identical. The Bladed Gauntlet costs 20 gp more and does slashing damage instead of piercing damage. The text in Sword & Fist does not state, though I have always assumed, that the Bladed Gauntlet can't be disarmed (similar to other gauntlets). Are these minor differences really worth an EWP? Or am I missing something?

We've house ruled the threat range of a Bladed Gauntlet to be 18-20 so it is better than the short sword and worth the EWP. Anyone think this is overbalancing?

Thanks,
DrSpunj

I'm mentioned by name with Caliban. That's a n odd feeling of my ego increasing exponentially.

I think the bladed gauntlets are exotic because they are a wierd weapon and require special training to use. I'm not sure if they need to be better then a comparable martial weapon. I've never liked the idea of taking EWF just for the increase in power of the weapon. I perfer it because the weapon fits the character. I think as a gauntlet it should be impossible to disarm. Personally, I think the crit range should be 20/x3 because it's a piercing weapon.

 

[Ravellion]

With a shield in one hand and a bladed gauntlet in the other, a cleric can still cast spells, which he couldn't do with a short sword.

Rav

 

[Caliban]

Re: bladed gauntlets

Ok caliban, so what do you think about the bladed gauntlets? If it is compared to the short sword, isn't it exactly the same? I personally think they completely killed the bladed gauntlet. Sure the original version was too powerfull, but makin it exaclty like a short sword sux.

As SpikeFreak pointed out, they can't be disarmed and a shortsword can.

Although, at the same time I think they would take longer than a MEA to put on, and I don't think you could Quickdraw them, so that's kind of a wash, in my opinion.

I think they could have put the crit range at 18-20 without it breaking anything. *shrug*

 

[Piratecat]

I will now offer PROOF that the original versions of the bladed gauntlet and the mercurial greatsword are fair and balanced, making the errata unnecessary and senseless.

*grin* I will now offer PROOF that the errata was necessary. After S&F came out, I asked Bruce Cordell (who designed them) what he had been thinking. "That's a mistake," he responded, "and not at all what I designed. They got the weapon stats wrong. They'll fix them in the errata."

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[drowdude]

Just my 3 coppers here...


1.) I agree with the errata with regards to the mercurial blades.

2.) I somewhat disagree with the bladed gauntlet errata. I believe they should be at 18-20/x2, as Caliban stated earlier.

3.) While I agree with Caliban's assement of how the weapon creation system works. I would just like to point out a flaw in how they designed the kurki (and a handful of other weapons). If it's a 1 step improvement of a simple weapon it should be martial not exotic.

Personal I think kurki's should do 1d6/x3 (or possibly 1d6/19-20/x3 if you compare them to short swords rather than daggers).... but that's just me

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Kukri--not as useless as you think

Kukris actually aren't that bad as a weapon.

Compared to a dagger (which they should be since they're both tiny weapons), the kukri offers a one-step improvement (18-20 crit range instead of 19-20). The Kukri also offers an improvement in damage type (piercing to slashing--more creatures have resistance to piercing damage and piercing weapons can't be used to Sunder, etc).

The kukri is a great weapon for a halfling finesse fighter--it's one of the two weapons present in the core rules that small creatures can finesse (although rules lawyers might claim that the rapier can be finessed if a halfling takes the monkey grip: rapier feat).

For medium sized fighters, the kukri's advantages are outweighed by the fact that (absent finding a +2 keen kukri at 2nd level) its generally not worth spending a feat to have a slightly better backup weapon. Still, for a high level fighter with feats to spare, upgrading his daggers to kukris might not be a bad plan.

On the Bladed Gauntlet vs. Shortsword topic: not being able to be disarmed is a huge advantage. At least where I play and DM, weapons end up on the ground all the time. Fail your save against a sound burst/Color Spray? Time to pick up your weapon. Get smacked by a monk's stunning fist? Provoke an AoO to pick up your weapon. Tried to close on the fighter with the glaive/ranseur/Spiked Chain? Provoke an AoO if you want your weapon back. Destroying the party's fighters with your weapon of ridiculous power? After the fighter/mage with True Strike (and a reach weapon) disarms you, you'd better have a backup unless you want to provoke AoOs from everyone in the combat by picking it up.