Merciful weapon ability

[IcyCool]

To IcyCool: Chill out (get it? )

*chuckles* Right, because I'm the one who lost my temper and took out my angst on another poster.

*shrugs* "Arguing on the internet is like being in the Special Olympics" and all that, neh? I'll just keep on keepin' on, and not let things like this bother me.

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Caliban - I'm not going to clutter up this thread with my defense save this:

You are right that there is more than one way to "interpret" the RAW, my apologies if I somehow implied that there wasn't (I don't see where I did).

You failed to prove the rest of your points (my telling people what they can and cannot post, etc.), and have been exceedingly rude about it.

I'm sorry you felt the need to vent your frustration on me, but if you need to do it again, send me an email (see address below). I'm always happy to listen.

If you'd like to continue discussing this, you can reach me most evenings at "sithriel at hotmail dot com". Feel free to drop me a line.

To the OP, sorry if I've somehow confused you, it wasn't my intent. You've gotten several suggestions of how to do this, and if you are the GM it's ultimately up to you. I'd suggest a careful reading of the energy enhancement, merciful, and vicious weapon abilities and note the subtle differences.

Then I'd suggest using your "common sense" and go from there.

Good luck and good gaming!

 

[Eloi]

Vicious and Merciful

Merciful and Brilliant Energy are two magic weapon modifications that seem to go well together when designing weapons that law enforcement folks would commission for taking down drunken, mind-controlled, or otherwise temporarily deranged citizens. Just the thing for making sure that brawls get broken up: magic weapons that ignore armor and won't kill.

I could even see Keen being applied (but it messes with the clean +5/+5 nature of a maxed out, hardcore, justice enforcement device that you get with a +5 Merciful Brilliant Energy weapon) if you were willing to drop down to a +4 base weapon. (Cue large numbers of shaking heads and "nuh-uh's".)

Mixing Merciful and any modification that might cause uncontrolled damage.. just doesn't feel right. Mixing Vicious with anything that doesn't smack of wild, riotous, barely-controlled damaging sprees.. doesn't feel right either. Putting them both on the same weapon - madness.

Just imagine asking a highly-respected, powerful Mastersmith and Enchanter duo for a weapon that is merciful, transforming all damage to nonlethal, temporary impairment, so you can knock out your foe and perhaps question them later.. and then, with a sudden glitter of insanity, you also say, "And could you make it wantonly vicious as well, so that more damage is done? Some kind of chaotic, ravenous energy attack, that's what I was thinking. It's ok if I get splashed with some of it, as long as the other guy gets really gouged by it." Think you're going to get some very dubious looks?

Caveat - On reflection, a Cleric of Demogorgon might actually ask for such a weapon. Of course, the vast depths of cruelty layered on an item like that by the time the characters encounter it would boggle the mind. "Unconscious, dead, doesn't matter - it's still warm." The party would be better off using Sense Aura from a distance, putting the fearsome thing in a double bag with long sticks, and destroying it for divine favor - you wouldn't want to taint yourself by touching it. And (*shudder*) what if it turned out to be intelligent..

Anyway, *almost* no one would request a weapon like that. Chances of coming across one: vanishingly small. Depravity level: shriekingly high.

 

[Caliban]

You failed to prove the rest of your points (my telling people what they can and cannot post, etc.),

Oh, I think I did. Not that I actually expected you to acknowledge it.