With spells changing from save or die. What should happen to the vorpal weapon? I have two suggestions.
1) A vorpal weapon automatically acts as a coup de grace on a natural 20, granting a saving throw although a high one.
2) A vorpal weapon does x3 normal critical damage, on a natural 20. So a longsword would be x6 total. A greataxe x9. A scythe x12.
Since neither of these is quite as powerful as the weapon stands now, the cost could be lowered to at least +4.
Thoughts?
A vorpal weapon is so expensive and works so rarely that I don't think it needs to be made weaker.
Am with hogarth here it really is overpriced for how rare it works
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How about changing it so that the vorpal quality automatically confirms critical hits for maximum damage? Remove the "natural 20 only" part. That way, with a greatsword, for example, on a natural 19-20 (assuming the attack hits), the critical is automatically confirmed for 24 + (bonus) damage. Seems worthy of a +4 or +5 to me, especially on things like scimitars. I would say it can only work on slashing weapons, to prevent people from abusing vorpal rapiers w/Imp. Crit.
This also makes it very appealing for users of weapons with big multipliers and big damage ranges (like the greataxe's 1d12x3 or the scythe's 2d4x4).
Am with hogarth here it really is overpriced for how rare it works
It is not that rare. An 11th level fighter with boots of speed (you would want to have these 12,000 gp items with a vorpal sword) and you have a 20% chance of an instant kill. No save, no need to hit (20 is an auto hit). Therewithin lies the problem. Also if it was more reasonably priced players could have it at a lower level. I imagine most campaign don't run to a level where an NPC could have a vorpal weapon, we did. A few lucky rolls (yes only 20s) and nearly 50% of the party lay dead. No saves, no stabilization checks, put your dice down and start thinking about your next character.
I like your idea Fatespinner.
Am with hogarth here it really is overpriced for how rare it worksIt is not that rare. An 11th level fighter with boots of speed (you would want to have these 12,000 gp items with a vorpal sword) and you have a 20% chance of an instant kill. No save, no need to hit (20 is an auto hit).
Vorpal is always powerful (I always imagine Rangers dual-wielding vorpal Kukris for up to 35% threat to vorpal per round).
However, they *do * require confirmation rolls - only 20-20 is an auto-vorpal.
Save vs. coup-de-grace is interesting.
The x3 Idea isn't bad - but shouldn't change the method of multiplying - it should add x3 or x4 to the critical, so x2 => x6, x3 => x7, x4 => x8.
Auto-confirm threats isn't bad - but I don't think it has enough.
I think the coup-de-grace would be the least change, and probably best for the moment. Makes Vorpal Axes the truly fearsome things they sound like.
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You know; I really like the coup de grâce option and I think that maybe a way to go, since if they take an auto Critical hit and then, if the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. Not to mention with a coup de grâce A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grâce. It would not work on everyone because You can’t deliver a coup de grâce against a creature that is immune to critical hits. You make the Vorpal weapon do this as a swift action and part of the attack and that it does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Vorpal
This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.)
Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus.
just so we have to rules to reference here [
No one is considering the fact that changing vorpal into a "super" critical hit makes it useless against anything immune to criticals or with a heavy fortification quality. My DM houseruled the vorpal, instead of insta-death, does additional damage equal to 2d8 x target's HD, regardless of whether or not the creature can be crit.