Forked Thread: Arcane Power Excerpts: Cunning Weapons

[AbdulAlhazred]

The feat is actually Weapon Focus [Staves] since you pick a weapon group, not a particular weapon. It should work since if you are using a staff implement as a basic magic weapon, it's still a staff and, thus, a member of the staff weapon group.

Yeah, I would hope so. A weapon is a weapon, and a staff IS a weapon. I agree with you CubeKnight, it is perfectly reasonable to use that logic. Just try to explain it to a player. Most players are not rules gurus and their brain just melted out their ear.

So in the name of sanity, I don't treat magic weapon staves any different from magic implement staves. If I don't want PCs using a Cunning Staff as an implement, then I don't give out Cunning Staff as treasure. Overall that is probably the simplest solution for any of that type of problem, just avoid the few edge case items. I wouldn't give out a Grasping Tratnyr either (that is an ugly one, a pole arm that can be thrown, brrrrrr...).

 

[Saeviomagy]

Personally I really, really like the whole concept of weapon enchantments being used on staffs, staffs being treated like weapons etc.

In fact, I wish "wand", "orb" and "rod" were simply weapons that one enchanted, and that all the wand, orb and rod enchantments were weapon enchantments (not to mention all the staff enchantments), and additionally any power-source keywords or class specificness being stripped from them (obviously anything referring to a specific class ability would need to stay, so wands and rods mostly stay the same).

Why? Because frankly none of that produces anything as bad as the worst that already exists (ie - wintertouched/lasting frost, or the orb wizard who puts people under unsaveable stuns), and it adds to the game significantly. There's a definite dearth of weapons that actually improve powers that are used through them (as opposed to just doing more damage).

 

[evilbob]

If I don't want PCs using a Cunning Staff as an implement, then I don't give out Cunning Staff as treasure.

Do you also ban Enchant Item? Playing a ritual caster has taught me that there is no non-artifact in the game that I cannot have with enough patience.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Do you also ban Enchant Item? Playing a ritual caster has taught me that there is no non-artifact in the game that I cannot have with enough patience.

No, but the DM always does have some say in what can and can't be created. I think the "don't say no" principal applies, but there is always a way. For example you could rule that Cunning Weapon requires some special ingredients in order to make the focus (item to be enchanted) like say a nice couple of drams of Illithid icor. I'm thinking that will put a bit of a slow down on the problem If the player goes after Illithids it is all to the good, a plot hook! If not, still good. If they get some and make their Cunning Staff, then we'll deal with the whole messy weapon vs implement discussion.

 

[simen]

Resurrecting the thread...

I wondered if it was possible to have a "Cunning Wand" or Orb... A Wand or Orb can function as an improvised weapon (1d4). Is this legal? I think probably not, but it might. I'm not a whiz at this.

 

[evilbob]

I wondered if it was possible to have a "Cunning Wand" or Orb... A Wand or Orb can function as an improvised weapon (1d4). Is this legal? I think probably not, but it might. I'm not a whiz at this.

No. Cunning is only applied to weapons and those are not weapons, even as improvised ones. And even if that somehow did count, you'd be using them AS weapons in that respect so they would not be an implement that you could cast implement spells with.

Although it's now possible to wield a cunning dagger or cunning light/heavy blade thanks to a feat in AP, and wield your wand or orb in your off hand and add their damage to your attack (thanks to another feat). Putting an orb in your off hand is the most useful, since you can cast all your spells through your dagger and still use your orb class feature (and probably the power of the orb, since there are really only 2 or 3 that anyone cares about). With a wand, you'll actually have to switch back and forth and cast through your wand to use your class feature.

 

[Regicide]

No, but the DM always does have some say in what can and can't be created. I think the "don't say no" principal applies, but there is always a way. For example you could rule that Cunning Weapon requires some special ingredients in order to make the focus (item to be enchanted) like say a nice couple of drams of Illithid icor. I'm thinking that will put a bit of a slow down on the problem If the player goes after Illithids it is all to the good, a plot hook! If not, still good. If they get some and make their Cunning Staff, then we'll deal with the whole messy weapon vs implement discussion.

If you're making the components nearly unattainable then you've effectively greatly increased the price of the components, which greatly increases the price of the item. Access via teleportation and portals to Dis and Sigil are pretty trivial in the Paragon tier. If the players can't plunk down some GP for the components then you're effectively making the item worth far more than it is listed. Your choice. I don't have the time to police every item in every book and every magazine, thats why I pay WotC to do it for me.