Pathfinder 1E Paladin Weapon Bond for two weapons

[shadyizok]

Hi guys,

I'm currently DMing a pathfinder campaign in which one of my players uses a paladin. He has gone for the two weapon fighting route and has just turned third lvl. He has asked me if I would look into the posibility of applying his weapon bond, which he gets at fifth lvl, to both weapons. I told him I would look into it, but that it obviously wouldn't be free.

I did a quick search on the interwebs but as far as I could tell their is no such feat or alternative class feature available for paladins. (for your information: we use core rulebook, APG, UM and UC)

I did remember that there is such a feat for inquisitors for their bane ability which halves the duration. However, the bane ability is measured in rounds while the weapon bond is measured in minutes. Just halving those minutes seems a bit unfair to the inquisitor.

Do you guys have any good ideas for a balanced feat that allows weapon bond to affect to weapons?

 

[Sekhmet]

I don't think the two abilities (Bane Weapon and Divine Bond) are comparable.

My suggestion - either make him use two uses/day to bond his two weapons, or allow him to apply the bonuses to either weapon so long as it doesn't exceed his maximum bonus.

As an example, at level 5 he has +1. He can give either weapon a +1, or one of the special abilities listed under the Divine Bond entry.
At level 8, he can give one weapon +2 OR both weapons +1 OR one weapon +1 and one weapon a special ability OR both weapons special abilities.
At level 11, he has +3 available. And so on and so forth.

 

[Ramaster]

I would allow him to duplicate the effects for both weapons. So, on level 5, both his weapons would gain +1 with the bond.

2 weapon fighting is already pretty weak as it is, so this won't break the balance of the game.

If you consider that he has to expend a feat to achieve this, go ahead and tax him. I wouldn't.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'm with Ramaster. Compare what he's getting to what a two-handed fighter gets; he's getting a couple points of extra damage and the ability to split his attacks instead of the higher attack bonus of two-handed fighting, and he's spending feats to do it. I'd just give him full boosts on both weapons.

 

[Systole]

Agreed with Ramaster and John Q. TWF is really less efficient than 2H, and you have to sink feats into it. Just give it to him.

The only change I would suggest is to make the bonded weapons a set, and if he loses or breaks one of the set, the other one is depowered until the 30 day waiting period passes.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I dig the idea of having it as a set.

 

[Sunseeker]

I support having them as a set, and with how many feats are required to make TWF useful I don't think giving his bennie to both weapons isn't going to seriously increase his power enough as to make him OP.

 

[Gorgoroth]

concur

It seems like a very sensible house rule to allow the divine bond to apply to both. If you are into RAW but allow reflavoring, just pretend like his two shortswords are a double sword, in which case it should work as intended (or maybe that's just in 4e, where a double weapon counts as a single weapon for the purposes of buffs, aka the Stout property).

Maybe make him do a custom ritual when bonding with both that says they are a pair, sprinkle some holy water on 'em and bam, done.

 

[Sekhmet]

[MENTION=6674889]Gorgoroth[/MENTION] Each end of a double weapon is enchanted separately, as per RAW enchanting rules and the Divine Bond text.

These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon.

 

[shadyizok]

Thanks for the input guys.
I think I will allow him to divide the bonus among his weapons anyways but I would still like to see an investment on his part to get the full bonus for both weapons. Partly because I have a player who has got an inquisitor character and who would object against such a thing for free. And I understand that, it is the player's choice to go TWF route, be it suboptimal.

However, the concept of a set of weapons has given me an idea: the player has just received a family heirloom set of wakizashis from an previously unknown uncle. It could be a quality of the weapons which he can unlock. I'll just count it against his wealth by level. What would such an ability go for? 1k a piece (must be used as a set)?