Sure Striking?

[TaTu]

I am one of the players on that history,,,,
My character is 3nd level barbarian, 2 Fighter, 2 Tribal protector, 1 Frenzyed Berseker, my wepon is a flachion +1 keen sure striking,
and my attacks ara +17/17/17/12 and damage 2d4+16, so with the clerics spells like bless, recitate, etc,,,,for a better attack roll in two rounds the 99 hp is gone,,, And the fortitude save is nothing for me, i has a 17 bonnus,,,,,

 

[Dr_Rictus]

I'm going to have to argue that if we're using as our example an 8th level character with a 30 strength and 4 attacks per round, by blowing his entire day's wad of special abilities in one encounter, the notion that the problem lies with the sure striking weapon becomes a little ludicrous. Where by "a little ludicrous," I must admit I really mean "utterly nonsensical."

Honestly, is that character not already making paste of monsters way above his CR anyway? Why are we focusing on DR at all?

 

[Victim]

Of course, an 8th level cleric with a Bead of Karma could cast GMW to give a weapon a +4 enhancement bonus. Then you'd still be through its DR, and do much more damage besides.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Of course, an 8th level cleric with a Bead of Karma could cast GMW to give a weapon a +4 enhancement bonus. Then'd you still be through its DR, and do much more damage besides.

Exactly. And if TaTu's +1 keen, sure striking weapon (a +3 equivalent) were just a +3 weapon in the first place, you'd also be through the golem's DR with better results to boot. It's not like keen helps you against a thing that's immune to criticals.

Fundamentally, there are lots of ways to get past DR. If you're relying on players not exploiting some particular single weakness of a creature in order to make the encounter a challenge, you've already got a problem.

 

[TaTu]

Dr Rictus
I agree with you and I've already tould pinguim that if he transforms sure striking in a +2 bonnus he would ruins the intention of players bying it, and turn it useless,,,,

 

[Pax]

Re: Re: Re: Sure Striking?

If any of your players buy it at this price, they are big fools.

Fools, for paying a +1 value to get a +2 DR bypass out of the bargain?

Fools, for beign able to have a nonepic item that can punch through ANY Epic DR I've seen (+5, Sure Striking (5) -- gets past DR x/+15 ... and is nonepic: +5 enhancement, and +5 worth of special enchantments) ... ?

It parallels a PsiHB weapon special -- a +1 adjustment, that gives the weapons +0 to hit, +2 damage (I forget the name of this ability).

I have a personal equivalent -- +2 to hit, +0 damage, +1 market price factor ("Accurate"), doesn't affect DR.

IMO it's fair. If you can afford a +2 sword, but are worried about hitting often enough, get the +2/+0/no DR ability on a +1 sword. DR X/+2 will stop you cold, but you'll hit slitly more often than with a normal +2 sword (+3 to hit, +1 damage).

If you care more about damage, get the +0/+2/no DR ability on a +1 sword. You wont hit as often as with a +2 sword, and DR x/+2 will still stop you cold, but you get +1 to hit and +3 damage, so you hit HARDER.

If DR worries you, get a +1 sword with the +0/+0/get through more DR ability. You only get +1 to hit and +1 to damage, but if you face a DR x/+2 or x/+3 creature, you keep on rocking.

...

Then there's the fact that a +5 sword, versus DR x/+6, is nearly as useless as a +0 sword. But, by my system, the +4/Sure Striking sword is -better-, 'cause it penetrates the DR x/+6 like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Sure Striking?

(+5, Sure Striking (5) -- gets past DR x/+15 ... and is nonepic: +5 enhancement, and +5 worth of special enchantments) ... ?

It stacks with itself, then?

-Hyp.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It doesn`t stack with itself, at least if the wording means anything. And it does not stack with any other +x enhancement, so the +1 Bonus will become useless against epic damage reductions (In fact, it would be a "dead weight" in that case)

And considering the Stoneskin Example - maybe not sure striking is broken, but Stoneskin is shafted?

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Pax]

Hyper: I said originally that it did. So yes, a +1 Sure Striking(2) weapon goes trhough DR x/+5 as well as a +5 sword ...for cheaper (18,000gp compared to 50,000gp). The catch being, +4 less to hit and +4 less damage.

Mustrum: Hyper is asking about my personal House-Rule variation of Sure Striking.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Sure Striking?

Fools, for paying a +1 value to get a +2 DR bypass out of the bargain?

Yes, that's what I said. There are much cheaper and more effective ways of dealing with almost all situations.