New Feats open for critique

[Sound of Azure]

Well, that's good! I'm not entirely sure it's ok yet, I might tinker around with Way of the Wolf a bit more.

Now, for your Bladebound feats...

BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
You have, in some way, melded you essence with that of an ancestral weapon.
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (slashing weapon)
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 25% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon has a +1 enhancement every four effective character levels you possess.
For every five consecutive rounds you are separated from your ancestral weapon, you gain a negative level (up to the ancestral weapon's enhancement).
You can have the ancestral weapon manifested for up to 10 consecutive minutes per level, every 10 minutes thereafter, you gain a negative level (up to the ancestral weapon's enhancement).
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

ATTUNED BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
Prerequisites: Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (slashing weapon), Bab +7
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 15% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon has a +1 enhancement every three effective character levels you possess.
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

AMALGAMATED BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
Prerequisites: Attuned Bladebound Spirit, Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (slashing weapon), Bab +10
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 5% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon has a +1 enhancement every two effective character levels you possess.
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

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Not even sure about it being a good mechanic...

Ok. My first thought was that we need some clarification. "Summon"? Where is your ancestral weapon summoned from? Is this a little bit like a paladin's warhorse in that it comes from another plane?
Do you get to choose the form of your ancestral weapon? Once? Every time you summon it? It's probably in the form of the weapon your took the weapon focus feat in. Why only slashing weapons, though? Surely someone has an ancestral mace somewhere? Or short sword?
Can you have an ancestral weapon of a special material?

Or, does the power of the ancestral weapon temporarily enhance a weapon you already have (the focus, if you will).

You say you can summon the weapon for a certain amount of time per day. Is this total? Can you split it up into increments? If so, and your weapon is stolen... you could dismiss the weapon and just summon it again, thus getting around the negative level penalty for being seperated.

Perhaps you could go for a guideline similar to the Ancestral Relic feat (in book of exalted deeds) for the GP costs of your ancestral weapon. That way you could have special materials in your ancestral weapon as well as enhancement.

On the HP sacrifice (cool, btw)... is this percentage from your maximum HP, or current HP? Interesting that your HP loss becomes more efficient as your gain more feats.

Just a few thoughts while I gather my own....lol

Edit: Whoa, page 2!

 

[Land Outcast]

Ok. My first thought was that we need some clarification. "Summon"? Where is your ancestral weapon summoned from? Is this a little bit like a paladin's warhorse in that it comes from another plane?

Actually it's more like a manifestation of yourself... wouldn't be "summoning"... should change the wording

Do you get to choose the form of your ancestral weapon? Once? Every time you summon it? It's probably in the form of the weapon your took the weapon focus feat in. Why only slashing weapons, though? Surely someone has an ancestral mace somewhere? Or short sword?

See, Bladebound... but should be able to apply to any weapon -mind error there- you decide which weapon you have as ancestral weapon when you choose the feat, must be the same for which you have Weapon Focus.

Can you have an ancestral weapon of a special material?
Or, does the power of the ancestral weapon temporarily enhance a weapon you already have (the focus, if you will).

...

Perhaps you could go for a guideline similar to the Ancestral Relic feat (in book of exalted deeds) for the GP costs of your ancestral weapon. That way you could have special materials in your ancestral weapon as well as enhancement.

That's a god-damn good question.
Don't own BOED though :\

You say you can summon the weapon for a certain amount of time per day. Is this total? Can you split it up into increments? If so, and your weapon is stolen... you could dismiss the weapon and just summon it again, thus getting around the negative level penalty for being seperated.

actually... to dismiss it (a swift action, BTW), you must be touching it (if someone runs away with your weapon, you'll be pretty much screwed, but won't die from negative levels bestowed by this loss)

You can manifest a new one only if it is destroyed or you have dismissed the first one.

On the HP sacrifice (cool, btw)... is this percentage from your maximum HP, or current HP? Interesting that your HP loss becomes more efficient as your gain more feats.

Probably current... what do you think?

 

[Land Outcast]

Just to have them on page #2

BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
You have, in some way, melded you essence with that of an ancestral weapon.
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (ancestral weapon)
Benefit: As a swift action you can manifest your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 25% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon appears on your hand at the manifesting time, and has a +1 enhancement every four effective character levels you possess.
For every two consecutive rounds you are separated from your ancestral weapon, you gain a negative level (up to the ancestral weapon's enhancement).
You can have the ancestral weapon manifested for up to 10 consecutive minutes per level per manifesting, every 10 minutes thereafter, you gain a negative level (up to the ancestral weapon's enhancement).
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

ATTUNED BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
Prerequisites: Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (ancestral weapon), Bab +5
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 15% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon has a +1 enhancement every three effective character levels you possess.
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

AMALGAMATED BLADEBOUND SPIRIT
Prerequisites: Attuned Bladebound Spirit, Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (ancestral weapon), Bab +10
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your ancestral weapon by sacrificing 5% of your hit points. The ancestral weapon has a +1 enhancement every two effective character levels you possess.
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

 

[Sound of Azure]

Blade...bound = slashing. Gah! That does make sense. haha!

Ok on the weapon being the same type as your weapon focus. That's kinda what I thought.

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I downloaded an intereting Prc a while back. Here's the link to where I got it: http://www.giantitp.com/articles/xJ1VzXrzTxbe9Z8rXIV.html

Probably not exactly what you want, and the requirements aren't good for warrior types. Seems great for a Cleric, though. You could probably change the requirements.
There's also the Kensai class in Complete Warrior for the martial version (it's a costlier to enhance the weapon, though).
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The Ancestral Relic's value is limited to half the value of the expected Character Wealth by level chart in the DMG, pg 135 (so 2,700 at 3rd level, 18,000 at 9th level, and 130,000 at 16th level for example).

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Ah, on the dismissing thing. Cool. It's a great concept, and I really like it. Let's hammer it out a bit.

Also, on the form of the weapon: I also meant form in regards to the exact enhancements you give the weapon. It's a lot of freedom if you can choose (as a swift action!) whether your weapon is +4, +2 Holy, or +1 Flaming, Shock and Keen! Perhaps like a SoulKnife you choose the form at each character level, but can modify the summoned form by meditating for a certain amount of time (say, an hour). Or something.

For HP: It would certainly be a risky proposition for it to be based on max hp. But then... as it stands, you're getting this powerful magic essentially item for free (except for your hp, that is). Unless you need to sacrifice gold to enhance the ability (like a Kensai does).

Sorry if I'm not being very constructive right now.... :\

 

[Land Outcast]

To dismiss a manifested ancestral weapon, you must be touching it.

You always know the direction in which your ancestral weapon lays.

After manifesting your ancestral weapon, you can manifest another only if the first one is destroyed or has been dismissed.

-

The first time you manifest your ancestral weapon, you choose the form it's current enhancements take. When it's enhancements increase, you choose the form they take.

You can modify the ancestral weapon's enhancements by meditating for an hour, during this time it is not required for it to be manifested.

For the initial feat Bladebound Spirit, I think it would be ideal to explicitly state what exactly an ancestral weapon is, and a (suggested?) special requirement that shows how a character would become bonded to the weapon.

[sblock=Bladebound feats]
MATERIAL BLADEBOUND SPIRIT [FIGHTER]
Prerequisites: Bladebound Spirit
Benefit: You can chose your Ancestral Weapon to be manifested in silver, bronze, iron, or steel. If you have the Attuned Bladebound Spirit feat, you can chose silver, bronze, iron, steel, adamantine, or cold iron.

BLADEBOUND SPIRIT [FIGHTER]
You have, in some way, melded you essence with that of an ancestral weapon.
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (Ancestral Weapon)
Benefit: As a swift action you can manifest your Ancestral Weapon by sacrificing 25% of your total hit points. The Ancestral Weapon appears on your hand at the manifesting time, and has a +1 enhancement every four effective character levels you possess. This is a supernatural ability.
For every two consecutive rounds you are separated from your Ancestral Weapon, you gain a negative level (up to the ancestral weapon's enhancement, you can't recover these levels until you recover your Ancestral Weapon).
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (Example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

ATTUNED BLADEBOUND SPIRIT [FIGHTER]
Prerequisites: Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (Ancestral Weapon), Bab +5
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your Ancestral Weapon by sacrificing 15% of your total hit points. The Ancestral Weapon has a +1 enhancement every three effective character levels you possess.
As a full-round action, you can recall your Ancestral Weapon without touching it as long as it is within a one mile radius from you (if someone is holding your Ancestral Weapon, you have to succeed at opposed charisma check, if you fail this check you can't attempt to dismiss it again this day).
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (Example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").

AMALGAM BLADEBOUND SPIRIT [FIGHTER]
Prerequisites: Attuned Bladebound Spirit, Bladebound Spirit, Weapon Focus (Ancestral Weapon), Bab +10
Benefit: As a swift action you can summon your Ancestral Weapon by sacrificing 5% of your total hit points. The Ancestral Weapon has a +1 enhancement every two effective character levels you possess.
The Ancestral Weapon adquires alignment descriptors corresponding to your alignament for the purposes of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction (Example: if your alignament is Lawful Neutral, your Ancestral Weapon is treated as Lawful).
As a move action, you can recall your Ancestral Weapon to your hand as long as it is within a one mile radius from you (if someone is holding your Ancestral Weapon, you have to succeed at an opposed charisma check).
Note: You can't actually have a weapon enhancement greater than +5, further enhancements may be chosen for their equivalency (Example: "+6 enhancement" = "+5 keen").[/sblock]

 

[Sound of Azure]

Nice and clear, thanks!

I like your idea with the Material Bladebound Spirit feat. Nice Work!

 

[Land Outcast]

any critique you can think of at the moment?

 

[Sound of Azure]

Not really a critique, no. Just more clarificaton.

For the initial feat Bladebound Spirit, I think it would be ideal to explicitly state what exactly an ancestral weapon is, and a (suggested?) special requirement that shows how a character would become bonded to the weapon.
Calling the weapon is likely a Spell-like ability (possibly supernatural), and probably a Conjuration effect. Stating that would be useful for dealing with how the calling effect interacts with magic effects like dimensional anchor and dispel magic. If the effect isn't intantaneous, it could be forcefully dismissed.

I just thought: would the weapon take on the character's alignment traits? That is, if the PC was a Lawful character, would the weapon become [Lawful] and strike through Damage reduction/chaotic? I don't really think it would be good to require another feat, perhaps it is part of the Amalgamated Bladebound Spirit feat? If you took it as soon as possible, that would be at 10th level, around the same time as a Monk gets Ki Strike (Lawful). That seems about right.

Also, would these feats be on the Fighter Bonus feat list? If so, you should state that, and add the (fighter) descriptor.

 

[Land Outcast]

See post 45 for the updated feats. Also, I'll have to define more precisely the Ancestral Weapon.

 

[Sound of Azure]

It's coming along well, you're doing great!