Tentacle Sword

[VVoody]

Actually, if you read Monte's boards, he never intended it to be like a spiked chain... it always was either 5 foot or 10 foot reach, never both like the spiked chain has.

no i havent read Monte's boards, but the ability was to be able to extend the sword as a free action thus being able to be done at will thus effectivly being like a spiked chain... while the sword is only 5' or 10' at any one given time the free action to xtend/retract enables it to pretty much effectivly threten out to 10 feet.

 

[Spatzimaus]

I've thought before that a weapon enhancement that grants 10' inclusive reach is worth +3, or perhaps a strong +2.

If it's a standard action (command word) to switch between 10' exclusive reach and 5' reach, I'd call that +1.

Pulls out the "what he said" banner.

Reach, IMO, is one of the most powerful combat abilities out there. In one shot, you get movement AoOs (extra attacks at your full BAB) against most enemies, avoid/reduce AoOs from some big-reach monsters like Dragons, and increase the number of squares you threaten (which increases the chances of non-movement AoOs). It also synergizes really well with Feats like Stand Still, Large 'n In Charge, and so on.

Whoever made up that +5' for +1 enchantment was totally insane, drunk, and/or stoned.

 

[Destil]

I just cannot wrap my head around a rubbery tentacle greatsword! maybe if it was intelligent and pseudonatural?!

I think my problem with the idea is that I just can't picture it working properly with a two handed weapon. With a longsword I can kind of mentaly picture someone useing it in an almost whip-like style. Not for a greatsword, though.

 

[Gaiden]

Some food for thought:

Monkey Grip would allow a character to wield a spiked chain one handed offering the opportunity to use a shield.

This is (not exactly obviously) roughly equivalent to using weapon one size category larger. In other words Monkey Grip is similar to allowing a character to wield a huge weapon two handed, or a huge spiked chain as opposed to a large one (and is in fact a common house rule).

A huge spiked chain has either 10' or 15' reach (don't remember but doesn't matter for the point) and does 2d6 damage.

The point - with one extra feat a spiked chain can be made to be equivalent to dealing 2d6 damage.

I concede that this is at a -2 attack bonus cost and in fact is limited to shield and medium weapon type damage as opposed to large type weapon damage. But in terms of balance, even a +1 would be a very high cost to a weapon with this ability. I think the 4K cost was perfectly reasonable.

 

[Gaiden]

Destil, have you ever seen Kenshin (the anime series)?

If you have, think of Cho.

 

[Kid Socrates]

Actually, what this reminds me of is Ivy's sword in Soul Calibur 1 and 2, the standard short sword that can be lengthened into a wicked-looking jagged whip. Great idea for a D&D game, but I don't have the first idea on how to implement it.

I think for something like that, though;

A) I wouldn't let a player willingly choose it unless it was a goal ("Hey, KS, at some point I'd like for my character to get a sword like Ivy's. I'm prepared to spend feats on it and all, and if you want to introduce it as a goal, a quest, I'd like that").

B) I wouldn't let players make them. I like the PCs-making-weapons as a rule, but I'd like for at least SOME weapon abilities to be a DM only thing. That's why I love coming up with ideas that can't technically be done by the rules, so I can surprise the PCs. (I give you 'sword-chucks'.)

C) I thought free actions could only be done on your turn (as in, someone's walking seven feet away from me? My sword's a whip! And this person's three feet from me moving away from me? Sword again!)? They're not an interrupt, are they? Or am I completely wrong?

This is Kid Soc.

 

[Spatzimaus]

(I give you 'sword-chucks'.)

"So, as you can see, the true brilliance of the sword-chuck lies in neither the sword nor the chuck. Rather, it is their synthesis that makes them deadly."

I don't have a problem with a player designing a weapon, as long as they do it LONG in advance. Basically, let the players help build the world by adding organizations, equipment, etc., but the DM's job is to make sure it's all balanced.

The problem, of course, being balance. If a sword-chuck was like a 2-bladed shortsword that Monks could use at their unarmed BAB... hey, wait a minute... dang, Fighter may have had something here.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Pulls out the "what he said" banner.

Reach, IMO, is one of the most powerful combat abilities out there. In one shot, you get movement AoOs (extra attacks at your full BAB) against most enemies, avoid/reduce AoOs from some big-reach monsters like Dragons, and increase the number of squares you threaten (which increases the chances of non-movement AoOs). It also synergizes really well with Feats like Stand Still, Large 'n In Charge, and so on.

Whoever made up that +5' for +1 enchantment was totally insane, drunk, and/or stoned.

Pulls out the "rather surprised at this, but I completely disagree both with Hyp and Spatzimaus" banner.

Reach is really, really useful; I certainly don't dispute that. However, it's also not such a hard thing to acquire at a price far less than that for a +2 market price modifier. Try a spiked chain with auto-proficiency, as Darklone suggested. Or get the Quick Draw feat and carry a bloody guisarme. Or use the reach psionic power or polymorph self spell. I agree that infinitely stackable, "natural" style (non-"donut") reach is worth more than +1 per 5', but no way is 5' of reach worth a +2 enchantment. I'd take EWP: duom or spiked chain any day and craft my own damn' weapon at that price.

 

[Hypersmurf]

But a Spiked Chain or a Duom don't do the same damage as a Greatsword, and cost a feat to use.

By giving a greatsword Reach, you're purchasing an EWP feat and a stackable Weapon Specialization feat with money. It also has the advantage that Spiked Chains and Duoms look like Reach weapons, and opponents will act accordingly; depending on how the reach ability is implemented, you have the advantage of surprise as well.

The Psionic Reach power is a useful second-level power - Magic Item guidelines would price it at around 12k. That falls in between the price of a +2 and +3 ability - pretty much what we suggested.

Polymorph Other has its own problems.

Quick Draw means paying for two magic weapons, drawing AoOs for picking up weapons off the ground, the inability to switch back and forth quickly in the same round...

I'm going to stand by my +2/+3 for a 10' donut greatsword.

-Hyp.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Originally posted by ruleslawyer
Try a spiked chain with auto-proficiency

There's no such thing in the core rules. If you want to make a magical enchantment that gives a Feat, it's a house rule (cue dcollins). Items that bestow Feats (especially something like an EWP) don't come cheap, either.

Or get the Quick Draw feat and carry a bloody guisarme.

Quickdraw reduces the time needed to draw a weapon from an MEA to a Free Action. However, it doesn't reduce the amount of time needed to pick up a weapon or sheath a weapon.

So, if you want to juggle two weapons, you have two options:
1> Sheath it (MEA) and draw the other weapon (Free Action thanks to Quickdraw)
OR
2> Drop it (Free Action) and Quickdraw the other weapon. However, to pick the weapon up off the ground still takes an MEA, so you can't switch back, AND you'd better hope the other guy doesn't pick up the weapon off the ground (or destroy it; as an unattended item its saves will be much lower).

Oh, and doing this is a bad idea once you get to where you have expensive weapons, since you'd have to pay for twice as many enchanments.

Or use the reach psionic power

The Reach power is from the Mind's Eye, which isn't even as official as splatbooks.
Also, it only lasts one round per level.
This makes it, in combat, similar to the Displacement power, except one level lower. Note that the Crystalline armor enchantment provides a half-strength Displacement effect for a +3 cost...

or polymorph self spell.

The single most errata'd spell in the game, which we know is getting a complete overhaul in 3.5E?

I'd take EWP: duom or spiked chain any day and craft my own damn' weapon at that price.

Go ahead. The spiked chain is designed for that sort of reach, and has two balancing factors:
> The worst critical hit possibilities in the game (20/x2)
> The ability is inherent to the item, so your chances of getting this ability are tied to the rarity of the weapon type. Picking a rare weapon type inevitably reduces your chances at high-quality loot.
If you find the Longsword of Doom in a dragon's hoard, and can add an enchantment to increase its reach, this is far more valuable than if you're forced to sell it and make your own Spiked Chain. Items sell for half value, after all.