Vorpal weaps

[LifebaneSoulshadow]

I'm DMing a campaign that starts out at around 8th lvl but with the plans to eventually enter epic levels much later on. My question is how do others handle vorpal weapons?

I have issues with melee types that can crit on a 12-20 and have roughly a 40% chance to insta kill something if it can be decapitated.

To even things out you start designing encounters with critters that cant be decapitated, which I dont want to do exclusively because of a weapon. (so that it alone wont trivialize encounters)

The DMG lists it as a +4 enhancment bonus (so total cost as if it were a +5, since it must be +1 to make it vorpal).

My thoughts on dealing with it so far are to have it crit on whatever the normal threat range is, if confirmed but only to be 'vorpal' if the original roll is in the weapons normal threat range. (not to include keen, or any other feats/spells that increase threat range) For example say a keen, vorpal longsword is being used and the player rolls a 17 on the 1st roll and backs it up. For this normal critical damage would be dealt. If that same player rolled a 19 on the 1st roll, and backed up the crit, the sword would dismember and instantly kill provided the target could be affected by a vorpal weapon.

My problem with using this method is that for the +4 enhancement cost, I'm not too sure if it's worth it. I also dont feel comfortable lowering the enhancement cost as I do feel vorpal weaps should be something rare and ungodly expensive.

I've seen the other method where people have it deal x3 or x4 damage, but I've not in play used that yet. (instead of it just insta killing on the crit as written) I'd be interested to hear how that method works.

 

[silvertable81]

Couldn't you also try the Multi-crit method, if the back up roll is a crit, another confirm is needed to "vorpalize"?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Couldn't you also try the Multi-crit method, if the back up roll is a crit, another confirm is needed to "vorpalize"?

That's an optional rule for weapons that aren't vorpal.

I hate Vorpal weapons, and think they're too powerful at +5, and generally stupid in concept-- but if you've allowed one in your game, you shouldn't make it useless. Either take it away or let the character do the horrible things that weapon's supposed to do.

If you take it away, you should also do something to compensate the character.

 

[memesis]

somewhat OT, sorry

Nothing will mess with your players' morale more than a vorpal mace.

 

[orbitalfreak]

As it stands, Vorpal is immensely more useful on high-threat weapons versus high-multiplier weapons, whereas Improved Critical is equally useful for all. Some way to balance the ability among different weapon types woud be making Vorpal force a save or die when activated.

Possibly succeed at a Fort save DC = 15 + damage dealt or die.. That way, not every head flies off when a Vorpal scimitar is swung, and it makes sure that big weapons are more likely to vorpalize when they do connect.

Just think of someone swinging a Vorpal scythe and a head goes rolling down the alleyway. In another instance, a vorpal kukri has a chance for a full decapitation, but could cause just a laceration across the throat.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

On another thread, we were discussing making Vorpal just add +1 to the critical multiplier and making it a +1 equivalent, since it's exactly the same amount of average damage as doubling the critical threat range.

It'd have to be renamed, since an increased crit multiplier isn't nearly deadly enough to be called Vorpal, but I've already nerfed Vorpal weapons in my game, anyway.

 

[WarRabbit]

It may weaken vorpal weapons too far, but I only allow a death threat if the attack roll is a natural 20 with a vorpal weapon. Vorpal weapons are far too unbalancing otherwise in my opinion.

 

[LifebaneSoulshadow]

Yeah but this is basically what I'm proposing already. It would be vorpal only on the normal (completely unenhanced) threat range of the weapon. Ie for a longsword a 19-20, otherwise it would just crit.

This method isnt suitable either as for a +5 total enhancement cost it isnt worth it.

I agree letting it dismember, or insta kill on a 12-20 with all enhancements (keen, blah blah blah) isnt suitable either.

So far only thing that might be doable I've seen suggested is the fortitude save idea. I'm wonder if DC 15+damage dealt for a fort save is a bit too powerful. Maybe DC10+damage dealt or just damage dealt for a Fort save. Not sure yet.