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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nazerel" data-source="post: 2068222" data-attributes="member: 24002">I'm a bit annoyed at how brilliant energy weapons function. According to the RAW, the property is continuously active and can't be shut off. Just how does one sheathe a brilliant energy sword, for example, if the blade ignores nonliving matter? It'd fall out of the scabbard each and every time (unless the scabbard was made of still living flesh - a neat if somewhat disturbing idea). I realize there are some who simply say you can sheathe a brilliant energy weapon and leave it at that, but it kind of goes against common sense and the RAW. Another issue is, why don't brilliant energy weapons ignore shields and shield enhancement bonuses? Aren't they "nonliving matter" similar to armor as well? So an armored foe throws up his nonmagical heavy steel shield, and it miraculously blocks the brilliant energy blade when it has so far ignored his magical full plate armor during a fight? Very inconsistent. There's the issue of cover when shields are involved, I know, but it doesn't gel, imho. You'd think that at a somewhat pricey +4 bonus (+5 total since it still needs to be at least a +1 weapon), the brilliant energy property would give you more bang for the buck. As it is, the weapon always throws off light (forget about trying to hide while it's unsheathed... not that you could sheathe it in the first place without houseruling it), and it's totally useless against undead, constructs, and objects. At best, brilliant energy weapons excel at attacking a very narrow and select few armored, living opponents. And there are a lot of living foes who don't bother to rely on armor (beasties with natural armor, for example). Not quite worth the price, I think.Is anyone else bothered by this? I've been thinking of houseruling that the brilliant energy property on the weapon can be turned on and off as a standard action (similar to a flaming, frost, or shock weapon), and that its normal form appears as any other mundane (metal, wood, etc.), though still magical, weapon. While the brilliant energy property is active, any special properties the weapon would have otherwise possessed due to material (bypassing damage reduction due to cold iron, silver, adamantine, etc.) would be lost for that duration (a fair trade off, imho). Also, it can't be sundered nor can it be used in any sunder attempts, or be affected by acid or rust-based attacks, or spells and effects that target weapons (chill/heat metal) while it's active. Switching between modes can be somewhat of a hassle in a fight, but it does give the weapon some added flexibility without it being relegated to trash against undead, constructs, and objects - plus, you can sheathe it as normal.Thoughts? Criticisms? Rants?</blockquote>

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