Sunblade Question

[The Amazing Dingo]

The Sunblade is listed as:

...a sun blade is wielded as if it were a short sword with respect to weight and ease of use. (In other words, the weapon appears to all viewers to be a bastard sword, and deals bastard sword damage, but the wielder feels and reacts as if the weapon were a short sword.) Any individual able to use either a bastard sword or a short sword with proficiency is proficient in the use of a sun blade.

Just a few questions, which I have a sinking feeling have probably been addressed, but I haven't managed to find in my looking through some of the older posts.

How is a Sunblade treated for Power Attack?

How is a Sunblade treated in terms of damage delt - piercing or slashing?

Can the Sunblade be used in a grapple?

Is the Sunblade treated as Light or Medium in terms of being disarmed?

Thanks!

 

[mikebr99]

The Sunblade is listed as:



Just a few questions, which I have a sinking feeling have probably been addressed, but I haven't managed to find in my looking through some of the older posts.

How is a Sunblade treated for Power Attack?

as a bastard sword... depends on how many hands you are using it with.

How is a Sunblade treated in terms of damage delt - piercing or slashing?

I would say... either. But probably just slashing.

Can the Sunblade be used in a grapple?

I would say yes.

Is the Sunblade treated as Light or Medium in terms of being disarmed?

Thanks!

Whichever is most advantageous for the wielder.


Mike

 

[Diirk]

How is a Sunblade treated for Power Attack?

How is a Sunblade treated in terms of damage delt - piercing or slashing?

Can the Sunblade be used in a grapple?

Is the Sunblade treated as Light or Medium in terms of being disarmed?

Not sure I agree, "...a sun blade is wielded as if it were a short sword with respect to weight and ease of use." suggests to me that it would be treated as a light weapon, ie. no extra damage on power attack.

"and deals bastard sword damage" suggests slashing damage, but its not explicit. It looks like a bastard sword tho, so it makes sense.

As a light weapon per my reasoning above, it would be able to be used in a grapple, and would have the light weapon penalty for being disarmed. It would also be finessable.

 

[irdeggman]

I was thinking light weapon also, but here is what gets me. The point that either bastard sword or short sword proficiency can be used. Basically as I read it it is whatever is most beneficial to the character. Hence specialization in either short sword or bastard sword would apply, same as any other weapon specific feats. At least that is how it looks to me. when in doubt the player gets the benefit.

 

[Nazerel]

A few more questions that have come up concerning the sunblade. The DMG describes all sunblades as always being of good alignment. Does this mean that all sunblades are treated as good aligned for the purpose of bypassing DR/good? I would say yes as it would make sense to me given the weapon's other abilities against evil creatures, but the text doesn't explicitly state this.

I've been looking at the Item Familiar variant rules in Unearthed Arcana to replace the Summon Familiar ability of the hexblade class. My particular hexblade build would wield a sunblade and have an alignment of LN since hexblades can't be good aligned without suffering severe penalties to their abilities. The Item Familiar rules state the following:

An item familiar gains its master’s alignment and, if the character changes alignment, it generally changes alignment accordingly. However, if this alignment change would be in direct conflict with the item familiar’s special purpose (if any), the item does not change alignment, and it immediately severs the link between itself and its master. The link can only be reestablished when the master changes to a non-conflicting alignment.

If an item familiar changes to an alignment that would preclude it using some of its powers not tied to a special purpose, the change in alignment takes place, no severing of the link occurs, and the item cannot use those powers until its alignment becomes compatible again. For example, if a neutral good rod has the ability to cast druid cantrips and the rod becomes lawful good, it loses that ability. If a holy avenger item familiar becomes non-lawful, it loses all the abilities it had for being a holy avenger but remains a +2 cold iron longsword and retains its other item familiar abilities.

New Owner Is Same or Higher Level: The link succeeds. The new owner gains all the benefits of the abilities of the item familiar, and the item familiar’s alignment changes to match that of its new master. If the item familiar had invested skill ranks and/or spell slots, those investments become accessible to the new owner, adding to his totals. If the item familiar has spell slots, the new master can access them only if he could already cast spells of the appropriate levels.

Basically, an ex-paladin NPC willingly left the sunblade in the hexblade's care (long story), as per the True Inheritance ruling. Now, does the sunblade's alignment shift to LN to match the new owner, and if so, does it lose its ability to bypass DR/good (if it has this ability to begin with) as well as its other bonuses against evil creatures as a result, keeping in mind that, unlike a holy avenger in the previous example, a sunblade doesn't explicitly have the holy ability?

 

[Scharlata]

The Sunblade...

Hi!

Err... even if my post does not answer your question, just in case you (or someone else) wants to know:

Q: Does the sun power of a sunblade (see the Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 228) count as sunlight for the purpose of affecting vampires or other creatures vulnerable to sunlight?
A: The sunblade’s description notes that this “bright yellow radiance” is “like full daylight.” This only indicates the brightness of the illumination, but not any other effects. A vampire within the area of the radiance therefore suffers no ill effects. To be deadly to such creatures, the description would have to say something like “this radiance is treated as sunlight for all purposes” or the like.

Have a sunny day!

 

[moritheil]

Basically, an ex-paladin NPC willingly left the sunblade in the hexblade's care (long story), as per the True Inheritance ruling. Now, does the sunblade's alignment shift to LN to match the new owner, and if so, does it lose its ability to bypass DR/good (if it has this ability to begin with) as well as its other bonuses against evil creatures as a result, keeping in mind that, unlike a holy avenger in the previous example, a sunblade doesn't explicitly have the holy ability?

Apparently. If the text states that the powers derive from the sword being good aligned, then a change of alignment will result in loss of those powers.

Hyp is on record as stating that swords have alignments, due to that text and similar text, but I'm on record stating that I think it's a mistake by the authors to explain it that the sword itself is aligned. I ordinarily agree with Hyp, but I have my reasons for this specific example.