Weapon and armor materials for a new player?

[claudekennilol]

So I've a melee-oriented cleric, played the first level as a fighter and the rest are going into cleric--heavy armor and a greatsword.

I'm going over my character sheet one last time to make sure I have everything as I want it.

What's confusing me is the different types of materials things can be made from... I don't really know what's good or what the effects mean. For instance, cold-iron is "effective against demons and fey creatures"... what does that mean? Or alchemical-silver bypasses the DR of creatures such as lycanthropes.. Does that mean that silver affects them as though they didn't have DR?

That being said, knowing that I'll be playing a melee character, what should my material goal be for a greatsword and what for my armor (eventually full plate is the goal, in banded mail right now).

I plan on buying Ultimate Equipment so anything from there is good, if there are other sources I should consider please let me know.

Almost related, since I'm asking for advice on weapons and armor, in addition to material, what kinds of spells are good to get on weapons?

[Nefreet]

Welcome to PFS!

In Pathfinder different creatures may have different types of DR ("Damage Reduction"). A fey creature may have DR 5/cold iron, for example. This means any weapon not made of cold iron deals 5 less points of damage to such a creature.

There are many types of DR, and no single weapon can overcome them all, but some can come close.

A +1 weapon overcomes DR magic.
A +3 weapon overcomes DR silver and DR cold iron.
A +4 weapon overcomes DR adamantine.
A +5 weapon overcomes DR good/evil/chaotic/lawful
A +6 weapon overcomes DR epic (only a couple class abilities grant this, though)

But a slashing weapon will never* overcome DR bludgeoning.

Many melee types aim for a +3 Adamantine weapon, because it overcomes multiple types of DR at once. Archers load up on several types of arrows. You'll encounter lots of different opinions on what to do. The Advice Forum is a great place to seek out the thoughts of others on this matter.

*unless wielded by a smiting Paladin.

[Andreas Forster]

Nefreet wrote:

You'll encounter lots of different opinions on what to do.

I think this is the most important part.

What material is best for you will vary greatly on what you want your character to achieve. So apart from asking for advice on the forum, just take some time to read the abilities of each special material and ask yourself if that ability will be helpful for your character concept.

[Dragonchess Player]

Your eventual goal for armor (IMO) should be mithral tatami-do (+7 armor, +5 max. Dex); however, it's expensive at 10,000 gp. As a cleric, you'll eventually get magic vestment, so the enhancement bonus is less important. Right now, unless you only have a 12-13 Dex, you're better off with a breastplate (or four-mirror armor, if you want to save some money and have 14-15 Dex).

You may also want to consider a couple more levels of fighter (3 total) for Armor Training I down the road, though; being able to move at full speed in your mithral heavy armor is a big benefit. You delay your casting progression a bit more, but still gain 9th-level spells (just at 20th level, instead of 18th).

As stated, a goal of a +3 holy adamantine greatsword is probably worth it for your primary weapon. You probably won't be able to afford even a non-magical adamantine greatsword for a few levels, so a masterwork cold iron greatsword (400 gp) and a some vials of silversheen (250 gp each) should probably be early purchases.

I'd recommend investing in a masterwork alchemical silver battle aspergillum (325 gp) as soon as you can afford it for use against incorporeal and skeletal undead, as well as anything that has DR x/silver (if you can't prepare your greatsword ahead of time). You can have it upgraded later (or just use greater magic weapon).

A masterwork cold iron dagger (304 gp) and possibly a mithral dagger (502 gp) are also probably worth picking up early (for backups against DR x/slashing, for use in a grapple, or to cut yourself free if swallowed whole), as well.

Also, don't neglect ranged options. Pick up a masterwork composite longbow with a Str bonus equal to your Str mod as soon as you can afford it (and 20 cold iron arrows treated with silver weapon blanch; cheap at 2 gp for the arrows and 10 gp for the weapon blanch).

[Magda Luckbender]

Be sure to read the Guide to the Class Guides, especially the ones for Clerics. Several of those have great tips for a battle cleric.

[kinevon]

Nefreet wrote:

But a slashing weapon will never overcome DR bludgeoning.

I have a couple of PCs who disagree about this, by the way, and neither is a Paladin.

My whip wielder can now, as a free action, swap his grip on his weapon, and do slashing or piercing damage, as his knowledge skills dictate.

My fauchard wielder, with the proviso that someone else has to tell him on many enemies, can do the same.

How?

There is a new, PFS legal feat in the Undead Slayer's Handbook, Weapon Versatility, which allows a lower level PC, below BAB +5, to swap damage types between B, S & P as a swift action. Once their BAB reaches +5, it becomes a free action. It requires having Weapon Focus to get this feat, and only works for the weapon type you have WF with, but it helps a great deal.

[downlobot]

Personally, for ranged weapons, i've recently become somewhat enamored with the ammentum. It's got decent range, you always add your strength modifier to damage, if you have quickdraw you can attack with your iteratives, and you don't need to drop or holster your greatsword when you want to throw one. And they're cheap, if a little heavy in quantities.

[Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan]

Massive damage is the only sure fire way to overcome all DR.

If you know what modules you'll play, and thus the opponents, then you can choose a material appropriately, otherwise, I say just get it to +3 ASAP, and overcome most DRs with that.

It seems easier for a bow, as you can get lots of types of arrows, but again, massive damage is the way to go. Get the Clustered Shots feat, and just press on!

For armor, the material could be important, if you want the DR, or if you have a higher Dex than the armor will permit. When building a tank, I usually just cap my Dex at 12, and take the +1 that plate armor can use, and I never worry about it again. If you were a combat reflexes type, and your Dex is higher, than maybe Mithral plate is the way to go.

[Imbicatus]

If you are a melee fighter, I like having a cold iron slashing weapon and an alchemical silver Morning Star. Alchemical silver morning star is good for DR/Silver, Bludgeoning, and Piercing, and doesn't have the -1 damage because it's a bludgeoning weapon.

[claudekennilol]

It got lost in the transfer when some mod mistakenly moved this away from the PFS forum without thinking to mention that this is a PFS character. This character is for Pathfinder Society so it won't ever get to 20.

Likewise, I've never played PFS before so I have no idea what kind of obstacles I'll encounter.

[Torbyne]

kinevon wrote:

Nefreet wrote:

But a slashing weapon will never overcome DR bludgeoning.

I have a couple of PCs who disagree about this, by the way, and neither is a Paladin.

My whip wielder can now, as a free action, swap his grip on his weapon, and do slashing or piercing damage, as his knowledge skills dictate.

My fauchard wielder, with the proviso that someone else has to tell him on many enemies, can do the same.

How?

There is a new, PFS legal feat in the Undead Slayer's Handbook, Weapon Versatility, which allows a lower level PC, below BAB +5, to swap damage types between B, S & P as a swift action. Once their BAB reaches +5, it becomes a free action. It requires having Weapon Focus to get this feat, and only works for the weapon type you have WF with, but it helps a great deal.

So, off topic and the ACG isnt even out but... how would that interact with a Swashbuckler? can any one handed weapon then be used with precise strike? Must go find this book now...