Cool dream, new stuff.

[Krit]

Ok so I'm brand new here and stumbled in after doing some Holy Avenger research. Now you may be saying "dear god why read up on that thing?!". Well it's because I (literaly) dreamed up a new weapon / weapon material, and (roughly) based on what I think it could do i wanted to know when people could get thier hands on the items I made.

Please read / comment on the following items and tell me if you think I'm nuts or if it's a good / bad idea wheat I should change whatever you think is nesessary.

Spell Slayer

This +3 crystaline Mage Bane great sword when weilded by a spell caster on impact allows the caster to make a DC 35* Spellcraft check. On a succsessful check the sword ether casts vampiric touch (caster level equal to your character level, 3 times/hour) on non-magical targets OR, if the target is a spellcaster it steals one (1) random spell. Spells stolen this way are stored until the end of combat and dissapate afterwards, a succsessfull 15 + spell level alows the weilder to cast the spell as a full round action as long as the weilder is the same caster type (i.e. Divine or Arcane). A caster with the Arcane Strike feat may sacrifice spells stolen in this manner for the bonuses provided by the feat. Characters without a +10 to Base Attack Bonus treat this weapon like a +3 crystaline Mage Bane Longsword and recive no other bonuses from the weapon Because of a minor ego latent in the weapon that automaticly judges the character. Spell Slayers were created by a collection of mage-warriors for use against evil and agressive spellcasters and as such only two handed matial or exotic weapons were crafted as Spell Slayers. (For cost see Holy Avenger)

Crystaline Weapon property

This material is primaraly used to make weapons for and agains spellcasters. It provides a bonus based on the size of the weapon crafted Light ewapons provide a equipment bonus (that stacks with magical bonuses) equipment bonus +1 to hit and damage versus targets with magical abilities or properties (supernatural abailities or uncast spells are examples of this). A one handed weapon provides an Additional +1 to caster level for all spellcasters wielding or posessing such a weapon. Two-hannded weapons provide a second +2 Caster Level to casters wielding or posessing such a weapon hafted weapons provide bonusses like that of a onehanded weapon (spears, glaives, ect). For example a dagger would only provide a +1 to hit and damage when a great sword would provide a +1 to hit and damage and an additonal +2 to caster levels. All weapons crafted from Crystaline are considered master work. The additional caster levels are provided because Crystaline is a natural magical amplifiyer. (+2 to market value)

Now I'm thinking that the sword is a 14-16th lvl item and the materiel alone isn't game breaking as it is but should be made softer than steel but harder than wood or bone since it would make it impractical (blame magic for crystals being practical as swords). However I am unsure what those are right now (it's 2 :30 in the morning atm) and it should have some catistrofic effect should it be sundered.

I can see this being a retarded combo at the hands of a dual weilding Duskblade or Hexblade (+7 and 2D6+1D8+7 Min kinda retarded) but anyone else it's fairly Balanced for those levels if I remember those levels correctly.

Note: I am a player not a DM so i'm writing things that SOUND really cool but may not be balanced (hence why I am asking for a 2nd opinion).

Edit: Costant changes on the weapon and special materiel sections.

 

[Fallenibilis]

As a player my self i really like the the crystaline weapon property its kinda unique. I think it could be fun to use with a Bard (perhaps combined it into a crystal echo blade?) or a gish of any sort. As for the Spell Slayer it think its got a promising concept not sure if i would keep it the way it is currently, but i can see me using it as a base for a legacy weapon for Campaign im working on.

Anyway i like the ideas.

Fallenibilis

 

[Krit]

I'm glad the material sounds solid but can you put your finger on what sounds off on the weapon it's self?

 

[anest1s]

I am thinking that for and against is a bit overkill. I mean, I understand that it may give a bonus or a penalty to spellcasters, but does it have a mind to know who is the attacker and who is the defender?

If you say softer than steel, do you expect your dm to sunder it?

And lastly, this random spell can be anything? cantrip to level 9?
And what if you fight a wizard 1/ barbarian 19?
Or if the caster is out of spells?

Also, 3 times per -combat- is too much...and defining what a "combat" is will be hard...and this applies for the spell stealing too?

 

[Krit]

I mean, I understand that it may give a bonus or a penalty to spellcasters, but does it have a mind to know who is the attacker and who is the defender?

Please clarify your statement. I'm not quite sure what you mean but I think I get the basic intent... maybe...

If you say softer than steel, do you expect your dm to sunder it?

If a player can youe it why not an NPC? Blackgaurds are typical BBEGs and they have to have Improved Sunder to enter the PRC so it's something I want to have planned out before hand.

And lastly, this random spell can be anything? cantrip to level 9?

Yes.

And what if you fight a wizard 1/ barbarian 19?

It would only steal what was available.

Or if the caster is out of spells?

If the Mage Bane enchant ment would provide extra damage so would the material, and the sword cant steal spells that arent there so the attempt would fail.

Also, 3 times per -combat- is too much...and defining what a "combat" is will be hard...and this applies for the spell stealing too?

I have been thinking that the Vamp touch is a tad OP but it's part of what makes this a 14-16+ level weapon. Also (altho i hate to use this reference) Book of Nine Swords and 4e have convinently given perameters for what "combat" is and when you can use them. This does NOT apply to the spell stealing altho after your observations I see that I need to make the DC for stealing higher.

 

[Fallenibilis]

If a player can youe it why not an NPC? Blackgaurds are typical BBEGs and they have to have Improved Sunder to enter the PRC so it's something I want to have planned out before hand.

Personally as a player and a DM i try to stay away from Sundering weapons as it decreases any take in loot which as a player i want for either me or to sell and as Creature i want either a weapon upgrade memento of battle or i can give it to my underling.

Yes.

Personally i would set the steal spell mechanic up as a you can steal a spell as a Spell Thief of equivalent level and allow a spell craft check (DC 30 like before?) to determine what level spells my opponent has access to and if they succeed they may choose what level spell they take.

If the Mage Bane enchant ment would provide extra damage so would the material, and the sword cant steal spells that arent there so the attempt would fail.

Make sense to me.

I have been thinking that the Vamp touch is a tad OP but it's part of what makes this a 14-16+ level weapon. Also (altho i hate to use this reference) Book of Nine Swords and 4e have convinently given perameters for what "combat" is and when you can use them. This does NOT apply to the spell stealing altho after your observations I see that I need to make the DC for stealing higher.

Not sure about the Vamp touch ability perhaps perhaps limit to once an encounter and increase the caster level slightly like to 8 or so.

Personally when i read the name it made me originally a weapon created for fighting spell casters so i was hoping for a few other abilitys like:
Dispeling(MIC)- For getting rid of spell caster buffs.
Impedance(MIC)- For stiffling the caster ability to get off spells.
Shattermantle(MIC)- For the gish/bard/duskblade that will want to invetiably weild one decreased spell resistance is wonderfull thing.


Fallenibilis

 

[anest1s]

Please clarify your statement. I'm not quite sure what you mean but I think I get the basic intent... maybe...

I mean, that why would this material be harmful to the attacker, but not the defender? Especially if they are both casters...

Not a balance thing, but it looks a bit odd to me.


The second thing I was saying; can you instead of stealing a spell use the vamp. touch, despite the target being a caster?

For the spellcraft check, you could replace it with a X+2/spell level DC...and then see whats the higher spell you can steal with the roll you made and steal that one (where X is a base DC that I am not sure how high it should be)----this also means that you may end up with a useless spell (instead of just failing to steal anything at all) ---edit: DC 40 looks very high...at level 20 you can only have 23 ranks in any skill

 

[Krit]

For the spellcraft check, you could replace it with a X+2/spell level DC...and then see whats the higher spell you can steal with the roll you made and steal that one (where X is a base DC that I am not sure how high it should be)----this also means that you may end up with a useless spell (instead of just failing to steal anything at all) ---edit: DC 40 looks very high...at level 20 you can only have 23 ranks in any skill

Looking into it but I will have to do some test runs based on some character models using my method and yours to see witch one has roughly a 40-60% chance of succsess for a 14-16 level. Changed Spell Slayer's spell stealing use to something more usefull, the stolen spells MAY be recast but only as a full round action with a difficult spellcraft DC.

I also need to change the SPell craft check to some other check since it would make it too difficult for most classes to get it putting it almost solely in the hands of Hex Blades and Dusk Blades. Now granted the Holy Avenger is a Pally specific weapon and I have compared the two but I don't want this to be quite that narrow.