OA: sword of darkness, sword of deception

[hong]

Sword of darkness (wu jen 7th, maho 7th):

A blade of pure negative energy appears and attacks opponents at a distance, as you direct it. ... It strikes as a spell, not a weapon, so, for example, it can strike incorporeal creatures. The blade attacks with your BAB and bestows one negative level per hit.

Sword of deception (wu jen 5th):

A blade made of pale green force appears and attacks opponents at a distance, as you direct it. ... It strikes as a spell, not a weapon, so, for example, it can strike incorporeal creatures. The blade attacks with the BAB of a fighter whose level is equal to your caster level...

1. What, exactly, does "strikes as a spell, not a weapon" mean? Is it a normal melee attack or a melee touch attack to hit with these things? Do you add your own Str or Dex modifiers to the attack roll? If attacking an incorporeal target, is there a 50% miss chance?

2. Why does sword of deception specify BAB == caster level (effectively), while sword of darkness specifies your own BAB (which for a wu jen, is basically caster level x1/2)? The latter is higher level than the former, even.

 

[Darklone]

Sword of darkness (wu jen 7th, maho 7th):
...
Sword of deception (wu jen 5th):
...
1. What, exactly, does "strikes as a spell, not a weapon" mean? Is it a normal melee attack or a melee touch attack to hit with these things? Do you add your own Str or Dex modifiers to the attack roll? If attacking an incorporeal target, is there a 50% miss chance?

It means it does not care for Damage reduction for example. No str of dex mod to the attack roll. 50 % miss chance yes, as for any spell except force effects that strike an incorporeal creature.

2. Why does sword of deception specify BAB == caster level (effectively), while sword of darkness specifies your own BAB (which for a wu jen, is basically caster level x1/2)? The latter is higher level than the former, even.

Because the 7th level spell is much stronger. Negative levels, dude. Kills nearly anything, dude. Maho-tsukais have better BAB progression, IIRC?

 

[Count Arioch the 28t]

Still sucks for the poor wu-jen.

 

[Benben]

There is a number of Wu Jen spells that rely on BAB. It makes the class overall rather weak IME.