This is mostly an appeal for a change in the way Mithral mechanics could work in pathfinder. This of course could be house ruled in my own games, but a discussion is not only interesting but potentially beneficial to others with similar opinions. If you have a disagreement feel free to provide a persuasive argument for it.
I feel there is an opportunity for mithral weapons that has not been explored. This personal observation was inspired by the value I have for verisimilitude in games. Verisimilitude is more important for role playing games because like role playing it performs under the assumption that there are universal laws that govern how the world works. It is hard to role play unless the role players share knowledge of those universal laws such as gravity and cultural social cues (in this example it is common assumption/law of nature that cultures will develop their own social cues).
Using this line of reasoning, it is a current rule and therefore common knowledge that mithral is a significantly lighter material that is also as strong as steel. Currently the rules are such that armor, and those who wear it, are mostly benefiting from the lighter metal. Because I am not an expert, I would ask of the community in what ways weapons would benefit from a lighter material that was similar in hardness and malleability to steel. From my amateur perspective, I would guess that weapons could benefit both a mechanically and flavor-fully. An example I would give is that because of the decreased weight, weapons could be made larger and more ornate, similarly to wuxia-styled weapons or weapons carried by popular game characters. The style could vary from a Sephiroth styled Nodachi, to a Earthbreaker-styled, Warcraft 3 and beyond, Paladin hammer. While I am not a huge advocate of balance in games, preferring instead a game that adheres to verisimilitude which historically often gives an unfair advantage to one or more parties in a conflict, I understand the need for a certain amount of balance in a game. I am interested in what mechanical benefits the community would propose to such weapons that could be made in this manner.
My own thoughts would be reach weapons, that would otherwise not be reach weapons--seemingly defying gravity because of their lightness. Weapons that are made for appropriately sized creatures, but act as larger weapons, maybe not in damage, but in other attributes such as proficiency penalties, because of the decreased weight and design opportunities involved in their construction.
Considering the lack of mechanics Mithral based weapons currently have in the present state of the game, I think there is an opportunity here that the game designers could take advantage that would give many role playing and mechanical advantages to characters and players of the game--now that I think about it maybe even more so to martial characters. What do you all think? Are there opportunities or ideas that I may have missed? Do these idea's detract from what you value in the game or would you welcome the idea of additional role playing and mechanical options for mithral weapons?
TL;DR: I think weapons should have mithral mechanical benefits, and here's why. I'm not an expert though, so what do you think?
