I have this mental image: a bracer with an attached disc of metal that is shaped much like a buzz saw blade (with saw tooth edges) and a reinforced slightly curving interior resembling a buckler or small round shield. The disc can be fired like a projectile attaining phenominal rotation speeds upon firing. The catch is that the sawed disc animates upon being fired. After release at heavy crossbow-like speeds it continues to spin but now attains its own hovering ability and spins around the firer sawing through any resistance meanwhile angling its curved face to deflect incoming blows. Finally the sawblade is powered by electricity and absorbs electricity attacks which it can in turn release when it strikes someone.
So in a less mechanistic and more descriptive sense: this discus of sorts is attached to some sort of springloaded device that one point at its intended target. The discus is released and begins sawing through its intended target after which it returns almost like a boomerang angling through the air to return to the firer after which it begins a seemingly random course of hard angles about the space of the firer sawing through enemies legs arms, midsections, and angling itself in such a way to block physical attacks as best as possible. During this whole exchange a lightning bolt streaks from the sky and the discus acts almost like a magnet absorbing the electricity charging itself. As it now spins sparks are let loose and it releases that electricity with each strike against any foes.
Here is my build:
+1 animated, dancing, throwing, returning, shocking small shield of greater electricity resistance. In this case the shield would be specifically crafter to deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning.
Other than the phenominal cost (about 200K gp) do I have the mechanics right for the description? (I realize I described the firing mechanism as mechanical, but the end results are the same and there is no way to make it mechanical without introducing a new exotic weapon.)
The catch here seems to be the number of actions to activate the animated, dancing, and shocking properties of the shield. I have a house rule that makes activating a energy weapon a free action, so ignore that for right now. What I want to do is have the act of firing trigger both the animated and dancing properties of the shield. Is there any rules method of accomplishing this without just creating a unique shield?
Also, on a more important note, is it legal to have something both animated (to provide the shield bonus to AC) and dancing, to get the attacks in?
I don't see any reason why they both couldn't be working at once except for the short duration: what happens when the 4 rounds end of the first activated ability if we presume that the firing cannot be used to activate both abilities? Does the shield drop if animated first while there would still be a round of dancing left (presuming you could not activate both in the same round)?
For a justification you could look at the Improved Shield Bash feat which allows you to retain the AC bonus of the shield while bashing. The stacking of animated and dancing effectively just means the use of this feat for a +6 to the total modifier of the shield!
If I wanted to have a shield that could do all of the above how much would you have it cost? I figure that a standard action has to be involved with activating the dancing/animated abilities, just not a standard action each. Also I'd consider allowing the firing the first round to be a free action *if using the standard action to activate the shield's animated/dancing abilities*.
Finally, a related quesion, how exactly does dancing work? The DMG says that you are not considered wielding the weapon with regarding to actually holding it [not an exact quote] (I presume this is in relation to TWF vs. 2HF vs single weapon style benefits/penalties only). However, then it goes on to say that for all other intents and purposes it is considered wielded by you. It then goes on to qualify with examples that all deal with attended vs. unattended objects.
However, what about all the other things that go into attacking with a weapon: iterative attacks, str bonus, feats, active spells, etc.
Let's say the PC is hasted with a BAB of 16, WF in shield (don't ask), and Str of 18. First, does the dancing shield get 1 or 4 attacks. Second, does haste kick in allowing an extra attack with the shield? If not, then if the shield were speeded would it get an extra attack along with the extra attack you would get with weapons you were holding? Is the attack bonus +16 (for BAB), +20 (for BAB+Str), +21 (for BAB+Str+WF), or +22 (for BAB+Str+WF+Haste)?
It seems to me that the dancing weapon should function like spiritual weapon because descriptively the effects seem to be almost identical (except one is an evoked force effect). However, there is nothing in the mechanics of the dancing description to suggest the overlap except perhaps the lack of ability to make AoO's.
All help is much appreciated.
So in a less mechanistic and more descriptive sense: this discus of sorts is attached to some sort of springloaded device that one point at its intended target. The discus is released and begins sawing through its intended target after which it returns almost like a boomerang angling through the air to return to the firer after which it begins a seemingly random course of hard angles about the space of the firer sawing through enemies legs arms, midsections, and angling itself in such a way to block physical attacks as best as possible. During this whole exchange a lightning bolt streaks from the sky and the discus acts almost like a magnet absorbing the electricity charging itself. As it now spins sparks are let loose and it releases that electricity with each strike against any foes.
Here is my build:
+1 animated, dancing, throwing, returning, shocking small shield of greater electricity resistance. In this case the shield would be specifically crafter to deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning.
Other than the phenominal cost (about 200K gp) do I have the mechanics right for the description? (I realize I described the firing mechanism as mechanical, but the end results are the same and there is no way to make it mechanical without introducing a new exotic weapon.)
The catch here seems to be the number of actions to activate the animated, dancing, and shocking properties of the shield. I have a house rule that makes activating a energy weapon a free action, so ignore that for right now. What I want to do is have the act of firing trigger both the animated and dancing properties of the shield. Is there any rules method of accomplishing this without just creating a unique shield?
Also, on a more important note, is it legal to have something both animated (to provide the shield bonus to AC) and dancing, to get the attacks in?
I don't see any reason why they both couldn't be working at once except for the short duration: what happens when the 4 rounds end of the first activated ability if we presume that the firing cannot be used to activate both abilities? Does the shield drop if animated first while there would still be a round of dancing left (presuming you could not activate both in the same round)?
For a justification you could look at the Improved Shield Bash feat which allows you to retain the AC bonus of the shield while bashing. The stacking of animated and dancing effectively just means the use of this feat for a +6 to the total modifier of the shield!
If I wanted to have a shield that could do all of the above how much would you have it cost? I figure that a standard action has to be involved with activating the dancing/animated abilities, just not a standard action each. Also I'd consider allowing the firing the first round to be a free action *if using the standard action to activate the shield's animated/dancing abilities*.
Finally, a related quesion, how exactly does dancing work? The DMG says that you are not considered wielding the weapon with regarding to actually holding it [not an exact quote] (I presume this is in relation to TWF vs. 2HF vs single weapon style benefits/penalties only). However, then it goes on to say that for all other intents and purposes it is considered wielded by you. It then goes on to qualify with examples that all deal with attended vs. unattended objects.
However, what about all the other things that go into attacking with a weapon: iterative attacks, str bonus, feats, active spells, etc.
Let's say the PC is hasted with a BAB of 16, WF in shield (don't ask), and Str of 18. First, does the dancing shield get 1 or 4 attacks. Second, does haste kick in allowing an extra attack with the shield? If not, then if the shield were speeded would it get an extra attack along with the extra attack you would get with weapons you were holding? Is the attack bonus +16 (for BAB), +20 (for BAB+Str), +21 (for BAB+Str+WF), or +22 (for BAB+Str+WF+Haste)?
It seems to me that the dancing weapon should function like spiritual weapon because descriptively the effects seem to be almost identical (except one is an evoked force effect). However, there is nothing in the mechanics of the dancing description to suggest the overlap except perhaps the lack of ability to make AoO's.
All help is much appreciated.
