Everstriking...sorta...

[kreynolds]

Remember that sucker from 2nd edition? Well, I've been working on something similar, but not quite as powerful. Here's a snip froim the item description I've whipped up so far...

The most powerful property of the weapon is the inability of the wielder to miss their target in combat. Except on a roll of 1, any time the wielder misses their target, the sword draws upon the life force of the wielder to strike true. Whenever the wielder misses, subtract the failed attack roll from the AC of the target to find the difference. For each point of difference, the sword draws 1d4 hit points from the wielder to correct the attack and successfully strike the target.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspFor example, if the wielder is attacking a fighter with an AC of 25, and the wielder gets a total of 21 to the attack, the wielder then takes 4d4 points of damage and their attack then succeeds.

Anyways, that's it. What would you price something like that at? I'm having a hell of a time figuring it out. The best I've come up with so far is estimating a 4th level spell to duplicate something like that, so it would cost 4 x 7 x 2000gp x 2 (secondary power) = 112,000gp, but that sure seems pretty high, considering the drawbacks and all.

The other approach I had though about was give the ability 25 or 50 charges per day, and it would just draw as many charges as it needed in order to hit the target until they were all exhausted.

What d'ya'll think?

 

[Crothian]

So, on a roll of a nat one the weapons just misses and the welder takes no damage?

Next question: Why would someone want this? It seems very risky.

I'd reduce the cost to about 50k. While the drawbacks are bad, I'm sure there are some high level combos that would really make this item very powerful like the Fast Healing ability and Vampiric weapon ability.

 

[kreynolds]

So, on a roll of a nat one the weapons just misses and the welder takes no damage?

In the quoted version, yes.

In the charged version, I was going to have it burn up all remaining charges, and what happens then would depend on how many charges are left. For example, if you have at least half or more of your charges remaining, I was going to have the weapon grant you a reroll. If you have all of your charges left, it would turn your critical miss into a normal hit.

Next question: Why would someone want this? It seems very risky.

Anyone with a lot of hit points. A paragon creature. Anything with regeneration or fast healing. Or, if you just need a really interesting plot device. It also makes an interesting weapon for those situations when you just have to hit something. Imagine that BBEG with the wand of finger of death. Pow. Broken wand.

I'd reduce the cost to about 50k. While the drawbacks are bad, I'm sure there are some high level combos that would really make this item very powerful like the Fast Healing ability and Vampiric weapon ability.

Fast healing, or regen for that matter, would definately make this pretty powerful, but the weapon could easily drain you of hit points faster than you can recover them in a fight. Even with regen or fast healing, it's bad enough that the sword will drain 10d4 hit points from you if you miss your target's AC by 10, but you also have to worry about those pesky enemies attacking you at the same time.

EDIT: One more thing about Regeneration. This hit point drain by the weapon shouldn't be treated as mundane damage, thus it shouldn't be converted to subdual (except where explicity stated otherwise, like a troll), and instead, it should be lethal damage, just like most magical damage.

Vampiric weapons only drain an additional 1d4 hit points from their targets, and the target still gets to make a save, and the DC isn't that bad (only 16). Say you get 5 attacks a round. You hit with the first 4 and get 4d4 back (max 16). On your fifth attack, your worst one, by the way, you miss your opponent's AC by 10. You just lost 10 of those possible 16 hit points you had just earned. In most situations, Vampiric won't be able to keep up with it, but it will slow it down a little.

Also, consider a Wrathful Healing weapon. Only the damage dealt directly by the weapon is returned as healing hit points, and even then, only half that damage. Other enhancements don't add on to it. Even if you have a wrathful healing greatsword (2d6/x2) the best healing you could get would be 4d6 direct weapon damage on a crit, which will only net you a maximum of 12 hit points in return. Miss your next couple of attacks by too much, and it hurts.

The 50K cost reduction sounds pretty fair though.

 

[Nifft]

mucho cool

Nice idea.

Mechanics wise, I'd be tempted to do one of the following:

a) Drain one HP per point of difference between AC and roll, and also drain one ability point on a critical miss (natural 1). Strength would be a good one, as would Con.

b) Give the item 50-100 'charges', and have each point of difference between target AC and attack roll eat one charge. When the charges run out, the weapon loses its enchantment.


Other optional rules:

- If the weapon fails to connect (due to concealment, Mirror Images, etc.), it still eats the difference as though it had hit, but the weilder must make a Will save at DC 10 or become Confused for 1d4 rounds.

- The weapon retains its Hardness, but any attempt to break the weapon deals damage directly to the weilder (or from the weapon's pool of charges).

- The weilder can't be disarmed, but only because the weapon drains HP to make up the difference in disarm rolls.

-- Nifft

 

[kreynolds]

Re: mucho cool

Nice idea.

Thanks.

a) Drain one HP per point of difference between AC and roll

That was originally how I had it written up, but I was worried that the drain wouldn't balance out the power of the weapon.

and also drain one ability point on a critical miss (natural 1). Strength would be a good one, as would Con.

Very good idea, but I would stay away from Con, for every two fumbles would equal some nasty hit point drain. Unless, of course, losing a Con point allows you to reroll. That would be cool.

b) Give the item 50-100 'charges', and have each point of difference between target AC and attack roll eat one charge.

That's pretty much the other idea I had above, but I'd rather have the weapon replenish the charges every 24 hour period. If it did, do you think 50 charges would be too many? How about 25 per day? Or even 100 per tenday?

When the charges run out, the weapon loses its enchantment.

This is a cool idea for a minor version of the weapon. I'll have to hang onto that one.

- If the weapon fails to connect (due to concealment, Mirror Images, etc.), it still eats the difference as though it had hit, but the weilder must make a Will save at DC 10 or become Confused for 1d4 rounds.

This is another really cool idea. I would probably give the weapon a 5% discount for it though.

The weapon retains its Hardness, but any attempt to break the weapon deals damage directly to the weilder (or from the weapon's pool of charges).

Interesting, but I think it would work better on a weapon that is related to healing, as opposed to draining. However, it would be quite appropriate on an Intelligent version of this weapon, or an entirely different.

The weilder can't be disarmed, but only because the weapon drains HP to make up the difference in disarm rolls.

Same for this one as above. Thanks Nifft.

 

[Nifft]

Re: Re: mucho cool

That's pretty much the other idea I had above, but I'd rather have the weapon replenish the charges every 24 hour period. If it did, do you think 50 charges would be too many? How about 25 per day? Or even 100 per tenday?

If you must make it non-disposable, I'd give it 20 per day, activated by a command word. If the weilder uses the command word twice (or more times) in one day, the sword "recharges" its supply by draining 2 points of his Con. If someone speaks the command word and then gives the weapon to someone else, the day's charges (or re-charges) are lost. Call it "Blood Bond" or something.

This is a cool idea for a minor version of the weapon. I'll have to hang onto that one.

I like the idea of disposable weapons -- they keep heros hussling.

-- Nifft

 

[kreynolds]

Re: Re: Re: mucho cool

If you must make it non-disposable, I'd give it 20 per day, activated by a command word.

Wouldn't you just activate it first thing in the morning?

 

[-Eä-]

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! Sondern lasst uns angenehmere anstimmen und freudenvollere!


This is one of the arTyest abilities I have seen! I think I'll use it my next session as GM, although I'll use the less powerful version (the one with charges only) due to the fact that the players are only level 4 to level 5.



Thanks!

 

[Nifft]

Re: Re: Re: Re: mucho cool

Wouldn't you just activate it first thing in the morning?

Not necessarily ... I mean, who cares if you miss a Kobold due to bad luck? On the other hand, it's pretty important that you kill a spellcaster quickly (and that's not easy if she's got her Shield and Mage Armor up).

-- Nifft

 

[kreynolds]

Well, I've been getting some terrific feedback on this, and these are the options that I'll be playtesting soon...

1) The most powerful property of the weapon is the inability of the wielder to miss their target in combat. Any time the wielder misses their target, the sword draws upon the life force of the wielder to strike true. Whenever the wielder misses, subtract the failed attack roll from the AC of the target to find the difference. For each point of difference, the sword draws 1d4 hit points from the wielder to correct the attack and successfully strike the target.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspFor example, if the wielder is attacking a fighter with an AC of 25, and the wielder gets a total of 21 to the attack, the wielder then takes 4d4 points of damage and their attack then succeeds. However, on a roll of a natural 1, the weapon deals the wielder 1 point of Constitution damage, allowing the wielder to reroll for the attack. The wielder heals the damage to Constitution normally.

2) The most powerful property of the weapon is the inability of the wielder to miss their target in combat. Any time the wielder misses their target, the sword draws upon the life force of the wielder to strike true. Whenever the wielder misses, subtract the failed attack roll from the AC of the target to find the difference. For each point of difference, the sword draws 1 hit point from the wielder to correct the attack and successfully strike the target.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspFor example, if the wielder is attacking a fighter with an AC of 25, and the wielder gets a total of 21 to the attack, the wielder then takes 4 points of damage and their attack then succeeds. However, on a roll of a natural 1, the weapon deals the wielder 1 point of Constitution damage, allowing the wielder to reroll for the attack. The wielder heals the damage to Constitution normally.

3) The most powerful property of the weapon is the inability of the wielder to miss their target in combat. Any time the wielder misses their target, the sword draws upon its own magical energies, allowing the wielder to strike true. The weapon contains 25 charges which are fully replenished every 24 hours.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspWhenever the wielder misses, subtract the failed attack roll from the AC of the target to find the difference. For each point of difference, the sword drains 1 charge to correct the attack and successfully strike the target.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspFor example, if the wielder is attacking a fighter with an AC of 25, and the wielder gets a total of 21 to the attack, the weapon uses 4 charges and the wielder's attack then succeeds. However, on a roll of a natural 1, the weapon drains 15 charges, allowing the wielder to reroll for the attack. If less than 15 charges remain, the charges are lost and the attack still fails.

Here are the projected prices of each option. Keep in mind these are just rough estimates. Let me know if you think a different price would be more appropriate.

Option 1: 50,000gp (discounted for greater expenditure of hit points)
Option 2: 100,000gp (higher price for lesser expenditure of hit points)
Option 3: 80,00gp (based on no hit point loss and replenishing of small amount of charges)