Maximum Critical Threat Range...

[kreynolds]

I could be wrong on this just because I have never used a sabre personally but I think I remember one of my old friends, who is a war/fencer/weapons/armor/youthinkit buff, that a sabre is actually used to poke then tear. So basically stick it in then slide it out in a different direction getting the piercing and slashing effect.

Or, you could just slash with it, like when your're on a horse. I've seen it used both ways, but you make a really good point explaining why it deals both damage types all the time. The only time I can think of when you wouldn't get the slashing damage is if your angle or position is all wrong and isn't condusive to pulling the sabre out in a different direction, say when you don't quite have the leverage you need, or something like that. But, given the abstract nature of combat in 3rd Edition, that kind of situation never occurs.

Very good point about the sabre technique, Berk.

 

[Berk]

Or, you could just slash with it, like when your're on a horse. I've seen it used both ways, but you make a really good point explaining why it deals both damage types all the time. The only time I can think of when you wouldn't get the slashing damage is if your angle or position is all wrong and isn't condusive to pulling the sabre out in a different direction, say when you don't quite have the leverage you need, or something like that. But, given the abstract nature of combat in 3rd Edition, that kind of situation never occurs.

Very good point about the sabre technique, Berk.

Thanks =o), and yep you are right also you can just thrust or slash with it also.

 

[drnuncheon]

From what I understand, weapons that have two or more damage types deal all said damage types at the same time, meaning you don't have to pick one or the other. Page 97 of the PH states that if a creature is immune to a damage type, but your weapon deals two different types, the creature would still take normal damage because your weapon also deals a type of damage that it isn't immune to.

Of course, that's not really incompatible with only doing one kind of damage at a time - it's just assuming that you automatically do the more advantageous kind of damage. The manner in which you do piercing damage with a halberd is entirely separate than the manner you do slashing damage, for example.

If a morningstar always did part piercing, part bludgeoning, then we'd expect it to be of reduced effectiveness against a skeleton (because the piercing part wouldn't work). Since that isn't the case, the only way for it to work is for all of the damage to be counted as piercing or bludgeoning, whichever is more effective - but not both at the same time, and therefore only benefitting from keen or weapon of impact and not both.

J

 

[kreynolds]

Of course, that's not really incompatible with only doing one kind of damage at a time...

No, it's not, but that wasn't my argument. I was merely pointing out that it wasn't condusive to have to choose which type you're dealing. You deal whichever is more effective without having to choose one or the other, such as a morningstar being just as effective against a skeleton as a club or hammer. Like I said, it might be condusive though, depending on certain weapons.

 

[Kraedin]

This one is a little more debatable.

Start with an ironwood longsword.

Use the graft weapon power. (PsiHB.) This allows you to use the duodimensional hand power on the weapon, increasing its base threat range to 17-20. (Possibly, there's some odd wording there.)

Then you follow up with the keen, spikes, weapon of impact, and improved critical.

That gives you a 1-20 threat range. Of course, you're psion, so you don't have worthwhile BAB or hit points. (The psychic warrior doesn't get duo-dimensional hand.)

 

[Kraedin]

I wouldn't allow the keen enhancement or keen edge spell stack with the weapon of impact spell. They both provide the same effect, regardless of the type of weapon damage. That's just my opinion though.

If one of my players tried this, I would probably rule the same way.

 

[drnuncheon]

This one is a little more debatable.

Start with an ironwood longsword.

Use the graft weapon power. (PsiHB.) This allows you to use the duodimensional hand power on the weapon, increasing its base threat range to 17-20. (Possibly, there's some odd wording there.)

Then you follow up with the keen, spikes, weapon of impact, and improved critical.

That gives you a 1-20 threat range. Of course, you're psion, so you don't have worthwhile BAB or hit points. (The psychic warrior doesn't get duo-dimensional hand.)

Actually, the various PrCs all choose from the psion list, so you could be a PsyWar/PrC and have duodimensional hand. You might even be able to work Weapon Master in there.

That said, I'm not sure that the duodimensional hand changes the weapon's base threat range - so even if you could stack on the keen, weapon of impact, and spikes, they'd only add +2 to the crit range each.

Since it makes your hand 'psionically keen' it could even be argued that 'keen' wouldn't stack...

J

 

[ruleslawyer]

If your DM is doesn't know about the errata on the bladed gaunlet form S&F you can do this:
Get a keen bladed gauntlet, take improved cirt bladed gauntlet, take Weapon Master (specializing the blade gauntlet) until you get the ability that increase the threat range of your chosen weapon by 2.

And you now have a threat range of 7-20 which means 70% of the time you critically threat with the weapon lol.
Now get it vorporal lol.

We calll this "cheating" where I come from.

 

[Zhure]

Or the unerattaed ninjato from OA, with a threat range of "19-29." Improved Critical (9-29), Keen (-1-29), Weapon Master.. gives a range of -3-29.

Greg

 

[Jaxom]

That's funny, the things you can do with a possible typo.


What typo, I didn't see it!