Does the person wielding a axiomatic weapon have to know if the creature is chaotic before it gets its extra damage, or does the magic have some form of intelligence that allows it to know if the creature is chaotic as the weapon strikes it?
Thank you,
Steve
Neither of your options are correct.
Alignment is an actual objective property of a being in pathfinder. Axiomatic weapons are aligned with the stuff of law which is inherently an anathema towards chaotic creatures. The axiomatic weapon gives extra damage against a chaotic opponent regardless of how the wielder interprets said alignment. The weapon isn't sentient, anymore than a fire is sentient because it burns paper easier than rubber, or acid is sentient because it melts through flesh but not plastic. It's just a matter of natural vulnerabilities.
A more down-to-earth example: does someone need to know an opponent is a werewolf for silver to bypass the creature's DR? Of course not.
View it more like the weapons magic is extra harmful by contact. it doesn't have to divine if you are or not, it just happens.
Just like Holy Water doesn't need to ID you as undead before doing damage to one.
The weapon just has a magical force that harms chaotic creatures. It just works. There is no intelligence to it at all.
You wouldn't know automatically, no. You can make a Kn (Planes) check for certain creatures to see if they're naturally chaotic, or there are certain spells or class abilities that allow you to know (Hellknight Commanders, for example, can Detect Chaos at will).
Neither of your options are correct.
Alignment is an actual objective property of a being in pathfinder. Axiomatic weapons are aligned with the stuff of law which is inherently an anathema towards chaotic creatures. The axiomatic weapon gives extra damage against a chaotic opponent regardless of how the wielder interprets said alignment. The weapon isn't sentient, anymore than a fire is sentient because it burns paper easier than rubber, or acid is sentient because it melts through flesh but not plastic. It's just a matter of natural vulnerabilities.
A more down-to-earth example: does someone need to know an opponent is a werewolf for silver to bypass the creature's DR? Of course not.
Well, admittedly, the weapon can be intelligent. And heck, some can even put negative levels on creatures with an incompatible alignment.
But yeah, it is a whole physical property thing. Like an undead holding a holy sword that burns with the light of a thousand suns. It just isn't going to have a good time.
The weapon just has a magical force that harms chaotic creatures. It just works. There is no intelligence to it at all.
Exactly. It's a law of PF physics. Opposite energies coming in contact, etc etc.
