Cool ideas for a Paladin's sword.

[s/LaSH]

Then there's personality. An intelligent weapon with its own agenda or even obsessions can be very interesting, especially when it tries to take over the PC. A holy sword? It's either going to be temperate or bloodthirsty, at least in certain circumstances. And don't forget to have it occasionally throw out old stories or pieces of knowledge. It's essentially a time capsule. Bonus points if you have it try to command the paladin to go to a certain remote tomb because it knew the person buried there and can't believe they're dead.

 

[Gez]

The sword may boost the Paladin's Charisma by two points (for a start, that could increase with levels). So, undead-turning and hand-laying would be more efficient, he will have better saves, and if he ever gets Leadership, possessing the sword would thus boost his Leadership score as well.

Other nifty powers: it could be a surestriking sword against evil outsiders and undead (negating the need to be in special material/having high enough bonus to bypass damage reduction of these enemies).

Also, here's from Monte Cook's Variant Paladin. Note that the variant paladin is basically just the standard paladin with this added. One may say it's overpowered as it's an added bonus with no penalties (no other change), but I don't think it really imbalance things (paladins being somewhat supposed to have less magical equipment than other people, out of generosity).

Special Weapon: At 12th level, the paladin can call a holy weapon to use in her fight against evil. The weapon is of a type appropriate to the paladin (one that she is most proficient with), and has a +1 enhancement bonus as well as being permanently blessed (for purposes of fiendish regeneration).
At 14th level, the weapon becomes a bane weapon against evil outsiders and has a +2 bonus. At 17th level it gains the holy attribute, inflicting an additional +2d6 points of damage to evil creatures.
The weapon cannot be sold, nor can it be given away except to another paladin of at least 12th level who does not already have a special weapon; doing so violates the paladin’s code. The special weapon must be the primary weapon of its type (ranged or melee) for the paladin.
If the paladin obtains a weapon she would rather use instead, she must give this weapon to another paladin at her earliest opportunity, or it disappears mysteriously.

 

[Quinn]

Give the sword a dancing ability that only comes into effect if the paladin is incapacitated in some way (either falls in combat, or is held, etc.) The sword does not move from the area near his body, and only defends the paladin from anyone looking to do him further harm.

 

[Dax Doomslayer]

There was an article on JD Wiker's website (The Game Mechanics) which actually gave a pretty good step by step method of creating a weapon which grew in power with the character. The URL for it is:

http://www.thegamemechanics.com/products/soof_forgingweapons.asp

Otherwise, let me know and I can email you a Word Version of the document.

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

One of the three campaigns I DM is centered around a 10th level paladin (he's the only PC! The campaign is sort of like Zelda. One character off to rescue a princess. heh). Too make up for the loss of a party, the Paladin has an +2 intelligent lawful holy longsword. If you're chaotic evil, you do not want to hit by this sword. lol He and the blade often converse telepathically. His cohort has not discovered the blade's sentience yet. It will be interesting when he does. The ranger may become jealous.

 

[kengar]

I like the idea of the sword summoning a mount (like the Wizard spell "Mount", but summons a light warhorse instead). Also, if the sword is intelligent, how about it acting like a Phylactery of Faithfulness? Essentially the DM can use it to give the player a friendly warning when alignment/code infractions rear their heads.

PalPC: "I kill the stupid peasant for being so annoying!"

DM: "As you prepare to strike, the sword speaks in your mind: 'uhhh, I don't think the Big V would like you doing that.' "

Another possibility would be things like adding +1 to paladin's effective level when casting spells or turning undead.

 

[Enceladus]

Have the sword enhance his abilities every few levels or so, increase damage, cast new spells etc..

 

[d12]

Oathbinder

In a campaign I played in the Paladin had a sword called Oathbinder. If anyone swore an oath upon the sword, they were magically bound to keep it - even if they died and were resurrected or reincarnated they had to keep the oath. It only came up a few times in play but it was a cool power and more useful for roleplay than anything.


Oh, and we got the sword off the web... not our original idea.

 

[Wippit Guud]

The weeping blade: +1 greatsword, but when held by a paladin, the blade begins to 'weep' holy water. Only enough to coat the blade (so can't fill bottles or anything), but causes holy watr damage in addition to blade damage on creatues who are volnerable to it.

Nice low-level item.

 

[Enkhidu]

Or how about this - use existing Cohort rules to make the sword have real personality that grows with the PC.

Say the blade is the embodiment of a great paladin of yore, and as it awakens it slowly begins "remembering" bits of it's past. In game terms, it has the smite, lay on hands (lay on hilt) and detect evil abilities - and if you're feeling adventurous the turning abilites - of a paladin equal to whatever level a cohort of the OC would be.