Mithral Weapons?

[SouthernPride]

If you want something "balanced", you could give hybrid mithril weapons a low-grade version of keen, because mithril can hold a much finer and stronger edge than steel. Add +1 to the threat range of a mithril-edged weapon, which does not stack with the keen enchantment. You would still need a steel core, though--a weapon's damage potential really does come from its weight.

Pretty cool, could save someone a +1 to their weapon

 

[kreynolds]

If you want something "balanced", you could give hybrid mithril weapons a low-grade version of keen, because mithril can hold a much finer and stronger edge than steel. Add +1 to the threat range of a mithril-edged weapon, which does not stack with the keen enchantment.

But why wouldn't it stack with keen? I can't use it if I can't explain, and you know players.

You would still need a steel core, though--a weapon's damage potential really does come from its weight.

I beg to differ. You should see me with a scalpel. A weapon's effectiveness isn't solely determined by it's weight. Size is also a factor. Quality of the blade. Balance of the weapon which aids in the ease of its use. But ultimately, the person holding the weapon determines the damage, which is why longswords deal a d8 and not 8 points of damage, shortswords deal a d6 and not 6 points of damage, etc, etc.

 

[Anubis]

I created a metal in my game called Urithium that's completely weightless.

To make a weapon out of it would require Mithral costs multiplied by a thousand.

 

[Ferret]

How about a silver/mithral mix, veeeeery magical.

Whats electrum like anyway?

 

[kreynolds]

To make a weapon out of it would require Mithral costs multiplied by a thousand.

Well, 500gp times 1,000 is 500,000gp. Who's gonna be able to use it then?

I assume this would be for a really high level game?

 

[fuindordm]

Originally posted by kreynolds

But why wouldn't it stack with keen? I can't use it if I can't explain, and you know players.

For the same reason that the masterwork +1 to hit doesn't stack with a +1 enhancement bonus to your weapon. I realize this makes the effect inconsistent between weapons--it's as good as keen for 20/x3 weapons, only half as good for 19-20/x2, which is kind of wierd.

Alternatively you could make it a +2 masterwork bonus to hit instead of a +1. The +1 to threat
range seemed a little cooler though.

I beg to differ. You should see me with a scalpel. A weapon's effectiveness isn't solely determined by it's weight. Size is also a factor. Quality of the blade. Balance of the weapon which aids in the ease of its use. But ultimately, the person holding the weapon determines the damage, which is why longswords deal a d8 and not 8 points of damage, shortswords deal a d6 and not 6 points of damage, etc, etc.

No, it's not... but if I give you an aluminum broadsword and a steel broadsword, assuming you're strong enough to wield either one effectively, which would do more damage? I think the steel one would chop through a log faster--there's a reason that they don't usually make hand tools out of light metals.

A lot of games assign Str minima to each weapon; if D&D were that type of game I'd reduce the minimum Str needed to wield a mithril weapon by two. In D&D that's not an issue--someone with a Str of 8 can wield a 2-handed sword. I think mithril *would* help, I'm just not sure how.

As an aside, does anyone else think that the keen enchantment is way overvalued? A 3rd-level spell that adds only 10% to the avg. damage of a martial weapon, compared to Greater Magic Weapon? If your average damage per blow is around 10, then keen is like a (+0,+1) enchantment but is valued the same as a (+1,+1). You need to get up to an average value of 20 per blow (let's see... greatsword +4, 22 Str takes us up to 17 avg. damage per attack) before keen starts to achieve parity.

--Ben

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

As an aside, does anyone else think that the keen enchantment is way overvalued? A 3rd-level spell that adds only 10% to the avg. damage of a martial weapon, compared to Greater Magic Weapon? If your average damage per blow is around 10, then keen is like a (+0,+1) enchantment but is valued the same as a (+1,+1). You need to get up to an average value of 20 per blow (let's see... greatsword +4, 22 Str takes us up to 17 avg. damage per attack) before keen starts to achieve parity.

--Ben

Yes, but players don't seem to realize that. There's a psychological effect of "DEWD, I can crit HOW often?? Sweet!" that overpowers any other thoughts.

They never seem to realize that doing an extra d6 with every hit (flaming, frost, etc) is much better than increasing your chances of doing another d8 by 5%.

 

[Wolf72]

Yes, but players don't seem to realize that. There's a psychological effect of "DEWD, I can crit HOW often?? Sweet!" that overpowers any other thoughts.

They never seem to realize that doing an extra d6 with every hit (flaming, frost, etc) is much better than increasing your chances of doing another d8 by 5%.

You are soooo right! I'm a perfect example ... especially when I crit with my dwarven waraxe ... I kinda like the more random KAPOW! than the every hit zap ... unless it was a dwarven waraxe with keen and a burst enchantment ... then I'd be real psyched!

 

[kreynolds]

unless it was a dwarven waraxe with keen and a burst enchantment ... then I'd be real psyched!

Throw vorpal on that and we'd never hear the end of it.

 

[Anubis]

Well, 500gp times 1,000 is 500,000gp. Who's gonna be able to use it then?

I assume this would be for a really high level game?

Yes, VERY. It's one of three vortex metals, Urithium, Larithium, and Zeorithium. These are also the only materials that can damage creatures with damage reduction like 255/Urithium and the such, like the Fearsome Five.

Bascially, Urithium (aka Super Mithral) is weightless and costs Mithral times 1000, Larithium (aka Super Adamantine) is powerful and costs Adamantine times +3000000, and Zeorithium is the combination of both and costs equal to Urithium and Larithium combined times three.

The BENEFITS of using the metals, however . . .

Urithium: You can hit anything with damage reduction, including those you need Urithium to damage, as long as the enhancement bonus is high enough. (Most of those creatures have double damage reduction, meaning you need both Urithium and +5 to hit, or something similar.) Also, because it is weightless, two-weapon fighting penalties are reduced by 2. (Yes, that means none if you have Ambidexteriry, Two-Weapon Fighting, and a Light Weapon.) Of course, in the off-hand, Urithium is ALWAYS considered a Light Weapon, so . . .

Larithium: Basically you get really powerful Sure Striking, you can hit anything with a numerical damage reduction automatically. Damage reduction 5000/+200? No problem! Larithium also gets a natural (Adamantine-like) Enhancement bonus of +10.

Zeorithium: Same as Urithium and Larithium combined, except these weapons automatiall have double threat range and an increased critical multiplier. POWERFUL.

I'm sure you realize now why this is for EXTREMELY high levels only.