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I feel like this item is severely under explained, to the extent that I am considering making it the only banned AA weapon in my game. How is delivering a poison with a syringe spear different from coating a weapon normally? Why is it worth spending a full minute instead of a standard action? What happens if you load a syringe spear with alchemists fire, or acid, or any of the dozen other strange things my players will want to put in it? Can an ingestion poison be delivered through injury with one of these? What about an inhaled poison?
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Alchemist's Fire ignites as soon as it comes into contact with air, so that couldn't be loaded into it because it would all burn up as soon as you tried to pour it out. Acid would eat away at the mechanisms... Inhaled poisons are generally gases and powders, so you couldn't inject them. Not sure about ingested poisons, but only a few are liquids IIRC.
I think the benefit is... actually, I can't really grasp what the benefit is. Maybe it gets around the 5% chance to poison yourself when applying? I could see that being a worthy benefit. If you could use it to inject others with potions it might be a neat tactic, especially since it can be thrown. Actually, I remember a feat from Monte Cook's BoXM2 that would be perfect for this. I can't remember what it was called, but it was basically reverse power-attack, where you traded damage for bonuses to hit. Now me, I would try to get a smaller version of this (light weapon, 1d4, ect.) so that I could be the mad doctor using those in combat to give allies healing potions and buffs. I'd even get them silvered for the -1 damage...
"This will only hurt a little bit... *smirk*"
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Heh, that reminds me of my cleric with anger issues. Whenever he got mad at another character, he'd start healing them with the "Bad Touch", basically sticking his finger in the wound, casting the healing spell, and then pulling the finger back out.
... Yeah... :D
What? You'd rather keep the 3d8 points of damage I was going to heal rather than take a point after healing? That's your choice... :p
"Bad Touch"
I was a little worried there for a sec...;p
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Although a bit liberal I would probably allow ingested poisons (to allow a bigger selection) but there is always contact poisons. Not allow acid? There are acid/base/caustic liquids that do not affect metal and are not affected by them. Feel free to allow acid. After all the EXACT TYPE is not specified. Hydroflouric, Perchloric, Butanoic, Tosylic, Nitric, Sulfuric, Phosphoric ... Some react with metal, some don't and some only certain types of metal. I would say acid is NP, that is a no brainer. As well as extreme base substances to use against slimes and oozes. Also Holy Water. Make the spear +1 and Holy and make it your primary undead slayer, especially for a rogue.
Do applied poisons still lose their potency after a short period of time like they used to? If so, the syringe spear might also overcome that problem.
Creative Director
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If it's anything like the weapon from Legacy of Fire it's based off of, it can also be used to inject Potions. Inflicts, calm emotions, other potions. Much more utility than just poison.
The injection spear from Legacy of Fire can indeed inject potions. It can add to damage by injecting potions of inflict wounds. It can be used to fight barbarians by injecting potions of calm emotions. It can be used to administer potions to allies without provoking attacks of opportunity (although it hurts a little!).
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| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
If it's anything like the weapon from Legacy of Fire it's based off of, it can also be used to inject Potions. Inflicts, calm emotions, other potions. Much more utility than just poison.The injection spear from Legacy of Fire can indeed inject potions. It can add to damage by injecting potions of inflict wounds. It can be used to fight barbarians by injecting potions of calm emotions. It can be used to administer potions to allies without provoking attacks of opportunity (although it hurts a little!).
One thing I've meant to ask (maybe it should be in the main AA thread) but is the Syringe Spear meant to replace the Injection Spear? I updated my Archives by replacing some weapons with new versions of the same name, but this spear had a different name so I left both versions up. Was it meant to be a replacement? It seems like the same thing, slightly different cost.
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One thing I've meant to ask (maybe it should be in the main AA thread) but is the Syringe Spear meant to replace the Injection Spear? I updated my Archives by replacing some weapons with new versions of the same name, but this spear had a different name so I left both versions up. Was it meant to be a replacement? It seems like the same thing, slightly different cost.
Since they sounded like the same item I just dropped the old one and replaced with the new one on d20pfsrd.com.