Now, in our Kingmaker campaign, my Half-Orc Ranger is heavily based off the video-game character Rau from the Mark of Kri game and is using the Spear Master feat from Dragon #330 to use a spear as a Double Weapon, much like the Taiaha Rau uses.
As the game progresses (We're still running around in the woods at 4th level and haven't managed to find any decent leads on the Bandit King's hideout, I'm assuming even some fairly decent Survival rolls on my part and some interrogation of the various bandits we've caught are leading us in the right direction .... I hope!) I intend to 'create' my own Exotic weapon based upon my Character's fighting style.
I am thinking a Double Weapon, one end is spear-like, the other end is club-like. Attacks with the spear end do Piercing or Slashing 1d8/x3, attacks with the club end do bludgeoning 1d8/x2, and the weapon cannot be thrown, but can be set against a charge.
Anything you guys can see with the weapon, problems or bugs or loop-holes I can close would be greatly appreciated!
EDIT: For those who never owned a playstation or the game, here is Rau, as imagined by 2 Cents of Deviantart , and can I say it looks awesome!
I would be fine with this weapon in my game, it does not seem to powerful to me IMO, although, I would change the critical multiplier to x2 for both ends, as neither end would qualify as a x3 weapon.
The weapon sort of reminds me of that weird sword-flail that appeared in 3.5 at one point. (not sure if it made it's way to PF)
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I am thinking a Double Weapon, one end is spear-like, the other end is club-like. Attacks with the spear end do Piercing or Slashing 1d8/x3, attacks with the club end do bludgeoning 1d8/x2, and the weapon cannot be thrown, but can be set against a charge.
Anything you guys can see with the weapon, problems or bugs or loop-holes I can close would be greatly appreciated!
I would let the weapon thematically go at my table, but I'd adjust the stats myself. I can see where you get the spear stats, but the club stats seem to high to me. I'd go 1d6/x2 on that end and allow the 1d8/x3 on the other. Other than that, I'd say go for it.
I would let the weapon thematically go at my table, but I'd adjust the stats myself. I can see where you get the spear stats, but the club stats seem to high to me. I'd go 1d6/x2 on that end and allow the 1d8/x3 on the other. Other than that, I'd say go for it.I am thinking a Double Weapon, one end is spear-like, the other end is club-like. Attacks with the spear end do Piercing or Slashing 1d8/x3, attacks with the club end do bludgeoning 1d8/x2, and the weapon cannot be thrown, but can be set against a charge.
Anything you guys can see with the weapon, problems or bugs or loop-holes I can close would be greatly appreciated!
Okay, thank you both. So, as most double-weapons seem to allow you to, effectively, dual-wield one-handed weapons, this Taiaha-like weapon allows the wielder to use a Spear and a Club at the same time. Lower damage at the club end so as not to 'out-weigh' the spear-end, and with the spear-blade altered (as the weapon can no longer be thrown and thus can accomodate a broader, heavier blade) to be useful for slashing as well as piercing attacks, the weapon seems to be just what I'm looking for.
I am currently running some numbers on wether or not keeping the x3 Critical Modifier for the Spear-End is worth-while, but I am, despite a good argument from Ekeebe, leaning towards keeping that modifier.
Creating a double weapon is basically glueing two one-handed weapons, two light weapons or one light and a one-handed weapon together, so having the club dealing 1d6/x2 is alright... then again, you could go with a heavy mace instead of a club for a 1d8/x2 damage.
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I would say keep it as is. Maybe even improve the club side. Otherwise it is essentually like the player using a long spear, and quick drawing a heavy mace while holding the spear, more or less. I feel all the exotics are a little too weak, so give it a minor buff like +2 to sunder, trip, or disarm with the club side.
I'm more opposed to the slashing OR piercing on the spear end than the rest of the stats (other than potential confusion on which end is x3 or x2 when you crit).
I'm more opposed to the slashing OR piercing on the spear end than the rest of the stats.
Can I ask why you're opposed to Slashing OR Piercing?
Smurf-Bump!
I'm more opposed to the slashing OR piercing on the spear end than the rest of the stats.Can I ask why you're opposed to Slashing OR Piercing?
I don't think it's a big deal, but I can't think of a one-handed martial weapon that does 1d8/x3, S or P damage, and most of the (core) double weapons are just two martial one-handed weapons glued together.
I don't think it's a big deal, but I can't think of a one-handed martial weapon that does 1d8/x3, S or P damage, and most of the (core) double weapons are just two martial one-handed weapons glued together.I'm more opposed to the slashing OR piercing on the spear end than the rest of the stats.Can I ask why you're opposed to Slashing OR Piercing?
Mmmmm, there is that. I was looking at it from the perspective that while the Taiaha-like weapon didn't have any fancy abilities or ease of crit/high crit abilities, adding the 'or' line and giving it the ability to both slash and stab with one end could give the weapon a bit of a 'rule of cool' edge, but at the same point with this weapon, we then have all three types of melee damage in a single weapon, which does risk becoming unbalanced, especially when adding +'s to the enhancement of the weapon, effectively making it a 'break almost every DR weapon'.
Don't get me wrong -- I wouldn't call your proposed weapon "overpowered" or "unbalanced" (certainly not compared to the meteor hammer, for instance). I'm just saying that it's not following the typical double weapon formula (but then again, neither does the meteor hammer).
I'd like to thank everyone who gave up their time, brain-cells and effort to help with this. Given the GM the arguments for and against, and he has decided that the Taiaha (known in the game-world as the Taigh-Han Spear) will have a broad bladed head, allowing for piercing and slashing attacks (1d8 x3) a large club-like 'base' that deals bludgeoning damage (1d6 x2), can be set against a charge, but cannot be thrown.
This is the basic weapon here...
another shot of the weapon in question
Once again, thank you to everyone!
This is quite off-topic, but something that interests me, and something hinted at heavily by some of the links here. Do most players envision their characters as cartoons/video game icons, or as people? I see people refer to their PC as a "toon" a lot, and everyone's art seems to be a cartoon or video game representation.
Also, is there any friction between the people who envision all the characters as cartoons, and those who envision them as people?
Just wondering. I find this part of things interesting.
I see people refer to their PC as a "toon" a lot, and everyone's art seems to be a cartoon or video game representation.
I don't think that people who use the word "toon" to refer to a PC are thinking of cartoons when they use that term. I'm not sure what a "video game representation" is.
My two cents: I often pick a piece of artwork to represent my character. I'm not sure if that classifies as a "cartoon" or a "people" representation in your taxonomy.
I refer to my characters as characters or by their names, but I do also choose a picture, be it cartoon or otherwise, that fits my character.
The usage of the word Toon became popular after MMOs became popular, and as many people play MMOs, slang from this style of RPG gaming tends to seep over.
In fact, my gaming group has gone from using the words meat shield and bruiser, which was our regular slang for high damage soak characters and high damage output character to DPS and Tank, due to World of Warcraft slang seeping over.
I'm not trying to start a WoW vs Tabletop war here, just stating that because the genres are so popular in today's culture, and especially so with those who play MMOs and/or tabletop games, the slow but steady stream of slang integration was inevitable.
I know that a lot of other gaming groups do not/have not played any MMOs, this doesn't mean they are missing out, each person has their own preferances, and no one person can decide "What is bad and what isn't."
It isn't bad to find a cartoon representation to your character, as it is pretty much the same as drawing a character portrait yourself, the only difference is that you are using an existing visual that you see as a good representation of what your character would look like.
2 cents in the money jar, I think we have enough to buy a cookie now!
My two cents: I often pick a piece of artwork to represent my character. I'm not sure if that classifies as a "cartoon" or a "people" representation in your taxonomy.
I'm asking what you visualize in your head when you play. Do you "see" a person, or a cartoon? Do you envision a "real world" like picture for the action, or a cartoon/video-game like world? Some people see one, some the other; there's nothing wrong or right about it -- it's just whatever you picture in your head.
Sorry, all that typing, and i forgot to answer your question...*facepalm*
I see a real world, personally, but with a myriad of characters, both cartoon and realistic.
Do you envision a "real world" like picture for the action, or a cartoon/video-game like world?
I have no idea what the dividing line is between a realistic picture and a cartoon/video game picture in your world. For instance, how would you classify the typical Wayne Reynolds Pathfinder book cover? Or the Dave Trampier PHB cover? I usually pick a piece of artwork somewhere in that spectrum, for what it's worth.
By the way, I have an irrational dislike for the word "toon" referring to a player character.
I have no idea what the dividing line is between a realistic picture and a cartoon/video game picture in your world.
It's not in my "world." It's what I see in my head. When I visualize the actions of the PCs, and the interactions with NPCs, etc., I'm visualizing them as if they're real people, set in a real place. Some people instead imagine icons on a screen. When I imagine what my characters look like, it's neither WAR, not DAT, nor any other kind of art. It's as people.
If you're unable to understand this at all, does that mean you do neither?
I have no idea what the dividing line is between a realistic picture and a cartoon/video game picture in your world.It's not in my "world." It's what I see in my head. When I visualize the actions of the PCs, and the interactions with NPCs, etc., I'm visualizing them as if they're real people, set in a real place. Some people instead imagine icons on a screen. When I imagine what my characters look like, it's neither WAR, not DAT, nor any other kind of art. It's as people.
If you're unable to understand this at all, does that mean you do neither?
I guess. I thought you were trying to cover all situations though, not two particular corner cases.
Just curious -- what do you do if you're playing a module with artwork? Try not to think about the artwork, or try to translate it into "real world" terms?