Keen scimitar

[Madfox]

Re: Re: keen scimitars and abuse

If one of my players tried that, they'd run into a few 4th level orcish fighter/barbarian/sorcerors with Power Attack, Sunder, improved sunder, magic weapon, and true strike. Bye bye +8 equivalent weapon.

Of course, a smart DM would simply tell the player in advance that such a tweaking of the rules would not be appriciated and that the player is better of spending his or her money on something more appriciated Personally I probably am not going to allow the vorpal special ability.

 

[Ywain]

Hey, I got it too.

SKR's rants are usually pretty funny for all the wrong reasons. His rant about "Enchantment" (it has a specific game meaning, therefore it should never be used in the vernacular ever again) is a prime example.

 

[Epametheus]

Actually, the problem with that +8 weapon isn't the 10 to 20 crit range or the ability to overcome DR. It's basically Mr. Ginsu all over again, who was created to prove that the original version of the Bladed Guantlet is broken.

The thing that people always seem to miss is that it's not the weapon that's broken -- it's the Vorpal enchantment that's broken. Instant kill, no save, activated simply by rolling high on a d20...

Personally, if I was shooting for a character with Scimitar mastery, I'd go for raw plusses, a Scabbard of Keen edge, Impact (+2 damage for +1 cost), and the Body Feeder enchantment, which is something else that would probably tick off the DM to no small extent, though for a different reason..

Though on the flip side, if I had built up a character from low levels to completely kick ass with a weapon designed around it's threat range, and then my DM promptly did everything he could to nullify my character, I'd be pretty ticked. It's sort of like constantly using undead simply so that the rogue can't use sneak attack or the telepath or enchanter can't use Charm magic.

 

[Sir Pentor]

I agree Epametheus, I've played more than I've DM'd and as I DM I always try to let the players do their bitchy, pimped-out ideas. Even if it seems whacked out, I just come up with a counter that I'll use sometimes to remind them they aren't gods.

 

[Vaxalon]

I have no problem with weapons with high crit ranges. Why? Because against creatures with high armor classes, they often lose much of their effectiveness. If you need a 15 to hit, then if your crit range is 15-20 or 12-20 it doesn't matter, you'll still threaten every hit.

The danger comes in high crit MULTIPLIERS.

 

[kreynolds]

Let's not forget that Balor's also have a Vorpal Greatsword. That goes with some of my NPCs as well. I have a Knight of the Chalice in one of my games, and I have no problem what-so-ever taking his frickin' head off. He wanted the PrC, he wanted the adventure, I'll give it to him!

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I run a fighter in one of my games who has the keen scimitar, improved crit combo, for the threat range of 12-20. One thing that hasn't gotten as much notice is that it's still just a x2 multiplier.

My character is 10th level, and has power attack, specialization, power lunge, and an item that gives him +6 Strength (total 24). Using power lunge and full power attack, he can do 52 points minimum on a critical (which he gets pretty often). With our power lunge its a mere 49. Max is only 10 points higher than that, of course as doubling the d6 is a pretty minor side benefit in comparison to the doubling of the other bonuses.

Combine all that with Cleave and Great Cleave, and you have one very tough customer.

Unless you're dealing with undead, or constructs, etc.

Its very powerful, but I don't find it unbalancing at all compared to what we've been facing. Makes the character a LOT of funto play, though.