Bladebound Magus - What's so great about it?

[Ravingdork]

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

[B0sh1]

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

The ideas of wielding "Stormbringer" type weapon or a more modern inspiration would be from the anime Bleach.

Although, having a sentient, evolving weapon as the central piece to a character archetype is appealing.

[TarkXT]

I can spend a free action to make my sword deal Force damage.

It's a "free" weapon with enhancement bonuses and all.

You give up about as much arcane pool as the weapon will likely be gettin anyway and a single magus arcana for some rather good stuff.

And yes it's very flavorful.

For Extra flavor take the Heirloom Weapon trait for your weapon :)

[Sandbox]

So what is the crunch on sentient weapons with huge ego scores...
Is it opposed charisma checks? I would hate to have the dm own me everytime I disagreed with the sword and strayed off plot

[Gorbacz]

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

One word: Elric.

[Quandary]

Sandbox wrote:

I would hate to have the dm own me everytime I disagreed with the sword and strayed off plot

Or... disagreements with the sword, like with other NPCs, could be part of the plot...

What kind of plot is enjoyable for long without complications or conflict?

[Thanatos95]

Gorbacz wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

One word: Elric.

Elric? No, Ichigo...

[TarkXT]

Thanatos95 wrote:

Gorbacz wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

One word: Elric.

Elric? No, Ichigo...

Elric was murdering dudes and wooing women with his albino brooding "woe is me" attitude before Ichigo was an itch in his daddy's pants.

[lylerachir]

ichigo vs elric would be hilarious. elric would laugh hysterically and stab ichigo repeatedly before his sorceror tendencies would kick in.... but erekose? well i think we know that would go?

[cfalcon]

I guess I should check out Bleach at some point or something.

Regardless, Bladebound Magus looks really cool. Pity that almost all the blades bound will be scimitars, but at least its not a made up weapon.

[B0sh1]

cfalcon wrote:

I guess I should check out Bleach at some point or something.

Regardless, Bladebound Magus looks really cool. Pity that almost all the blades bound will be scimitars, but at least its not a made up weapon.

I am really trying to think of a non-scimitar build but Dervish Dance is so appealing,it's really almost too good to pass up. I am hoping Ultimate Combat, as a secondary benefit, gives some similar options with other weapons.

[cfalcon]

It's so stupid that there's no reason to ever take an iconic weapon like longsword. Everything plays with or relies on crits, and there's always something better because of that.

[Thanatos95]

I was just figuring that the bladebound magus seemed to fit the Bleach soul reapers rather well. Part caster, part swordsman, intelegent blade that you can transform into a stronger version. Just stick em in black robes any you have it.

Of cource you could also use that to make a case for Jedi, especily with the force damage ability on the blade...

[Mojorat]

its funny I thought of Morrolan rom the vlad taltos novels before elrik.

[Tryn]

Even by "outing" me as WoW Fan:
Arthas/Frostmourne :)

@Topic:
Ithink there are much space for awesome roleplay situations with a bladebound magus

[Jadeite]

There are also Blackrazor and Ebonbane.

[Ravingdork]

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

[meatrace]

Kain & Soul Reaver :)

[Rathendar]

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

get thee to thine bookstore or library!

[meatrace]

Rathendar wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

get thee to thine bookstore or library!

^^^^^

What he said. At least read the Elric books, they're fantasy classics/staples and a big part of the inspiration behind D&D.

[Jadeite]

As for Blackrazor, it's from White Plume Mountain. It has also been updated for 3.5 here.
Ebonbane is a similar sword on Ravenloft that is the Darklord of its own pocket domain.

[Slaunyeh]

Thanatos95 wrote:

Elric? No, Ichigo...

My first thought was Cypher.

[Maddigan]

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

Some of the things that stood out to me.

Shifting your damage to an energy type. Fighting something incorporeal, force damage. Fighting something with damage resistance, sonic damage.

An extra +5 damage on top of Power Attack, Specialization, Enhancement bonus, and arcane strike. It all adds up.

Being able to teleport your sword to your hand from a mile away. So you can enter some castle completely unarmed, then call your sword to your hand.

As a DM having a sword that can roleplay with the character is pretty darn cool.

Being able to kill things and have an effect is pretty cool too.

The entire concept is really cool. And the cost to obtain it is very reasonable.

[Jadeite]

The abilities of the black blade are certainly nice, but they all cost points of a very limited pool (6 points at best). By the time you get the ability to deal force or sonic damage (5th level), it costs all of its points to do so for just one round.
The ability to increase its damage is better since it last for a whole minute and costs only one point. But it's still not an ability you want to use in every fight, at least not till level 19 when you gain an ability to recharge your blade.
If you want a weapon to call at will, a Soulknife is a much better choice (I see that as a good thing, because the magus has other stuff going for him).
I still like the archetype, but he has some severe limitations people tend to ignore.

[phantom1592]

TarkXT wrote:

Elric was murdering dudes and wooing women with his albino brooding "woe is me" attitude before Ichigo was an itch in his daddy's pants.

O.O

Having played a character named Elric who is a REMARKABLY humble and nice guy...

I find these statements VERY jarring...

VERY....

OBVIOUSLY we're speaking of different Elric's ;) but... Wow...

[Archangel62]

Gorbacz wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

I've scanned the bladebound magus much like I've scanned the new archetypes of all the classes, but nothing popped out to me.

What exactly makes it so popular that I keep hearing people bring it up over and over and over again?

Is it really powerful? Flavorful? What?

One word: Elric.

I mentioned that to one of my two gaming groups, one group got it, the other gave me such odd looks.

[Sayer_of_Nay]

Most people think of Elric or the numerous Death Gods in Bleach, but when I saw the bladebound archetype, I immediately thought of a Keyblade wielder from the Kingdom Hearts series; the keyblades may not be sentient in the conventional sense, but they are very picky about their wielders. Now if I could figure out a way to have the black blade unlock any and all locks...

[lylerachir]

haveing not actually read the new archetype i'm ging to be limited here. but can't the blade be ensorcelled to cast a spll say open/close? if not can't the magus who only is ale to cast it by pointing th blade at the lock?

[LazarX]

Jadeite wrote:

The abilities of the black blade are certainly nice, but they all cost points of a very limited pool (6 points at best). By the time you get the ability to deal force or sonic damage (5th level), it costs all of its points to do so for just one round.

The ability to increase its damage is better since it last for a whole minute and costs only one point. But it's still not an ability you want to use in every fight, at least not till level 19 when you gain an ability to recharge your blade.
If you want a weapon to call at will, a Soulknife is a much better choice (I see that as a good thing, because the magus has other stuff going for him).
I still like the archetype, but he has some severe limitations people tend to ignore.

Its the limitations that keep it a balanced choice as opposed to a must do path. It doesn't obsolete a standard magus it simply makes it a choice.

[LazarX]

Sayer_of_Nay wrote:

Now if I could figure out a way to have the black blade unlock any and all locks...

Improved Sunder feat.

[Gorbacz]

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

RD,

Between this and you mentioning that you aren't familiar with Pratchett books in some other thread, I suggest you to familiarize yourself with that whole literature thing that RPGs are supposed to be based on.

You will understand much more about the game if you read the source material which both the rules and the fluff are based on.

[LazarX]

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

Some of us are THAT much older. We're from a time when reading was a more fashionable to do. Drag out your D&D books and look up the bibliography.

[Brox RedGloves]

meatrace wrote:

Rathendar wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

get thee to thine bookstore or library!

^^^^^

What he said. At least read the Elric books, they're fantasy classics/staples and a big part of the inspiration behind D&D.

Elric really started the "anti-hero" character type.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

Thanatos95 wrote:

Of cource you could also use that to make a case for Jedi, especily with the force damage ability on the blade...

Omg! I've been contemplating Jedi/ sith builds with Dnd forever and I can't believe that's not the first thing that popped in my head when I read the magus. Bloody brilliant.

Also, as someone who doesn't watch anime i find the nerd rageous anime debate really amusing. :-)

[Ravingdork]

Gorbacz wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

RD,

Between this and you mentioning that you aren't familiar with Pratchett books in some other thread, I suggest you to familiarize yourself with that whole literature thing that RPGs are supposed to be based on.

You will understand much more about the game if you read the source material which both the rules and the fluff are based on.

I've heard of the Bleach anime (my exposure is limited to fan-made music videos) and Terry Pratchett books before (some of which I have scanned in passing).

I have no idea who Elric is, or any of the other names people seem to be having nerdgasms about.

Also, I have no idea how anything in D&D could ever be related to the works of Terry Pratchett. Though I could see Pratchett as making parodies of D&D.

[Name Violation]

i just really like the concept of a "free, unbreakable, teleporting" weapon

It frees up some WBL for defensive/utility stuff I normally would blow on a weapon.

And if you happen to have an exotic handle on an heirloom weapon that let's it hold a wand, and that's your Black Blade...

[Yosho]

Sayer_of_Nay wrote:

Most people think of Elric or the numerous Death Gods in Bleach, but when I saw the bladebound archetype, I immediately thought of a Keyblade wielder from the Kingdom Hearts series; the keyblades may not be sentient in the conventional sense, but they are very picky about their wielders. Now if I could figure out a way to have the black blade unlock any and all locks...

Well if you allow the enchanting of black blades and give it a special purpose, it only costs 56k gp to have knock at will. Have a long sword base with a purpose of slaying evil outsiders and there you have your keyblade.

[d@ncingNumfar]

cfalcon wrote:

Regardless, Bladebound Magus looks really cool. Pity that almost all the blades bound will be scimitars, but at least its not a made up weapon.

I've actually been really tempted to use a swordcane as a black blade... it just seemed like fun.

[Eildath]

Sayer_of_Nay wrote:

Most people think of Elric or the numerous Death Gods in Bleach, but when I saw the bladebound archetype, I immediately thought of a Keyblade wielder from the Kingdom Hearts series; the keyblades may not be sentient in the conventional sense, but they are very picky about their wielders. Now if I could figure out a way to have the black blade unlock any and all locks...

Clearly you need your giant key to have a 'Keychain of Open/Close' dangling from the end of it. Just make up an unslotted magic item that can attach to the hilt. :D

It wouldn't be a Keyblade without a keychain.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

"d@ncingNumfa wrote:

I've actually been really tempted to use a swordcane as a black blade... it just seemed like fun.

+1 stealing that idea.

[Gorbacz]

Ravingdork wrote:

Gorbacz wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

So many names being thrown about.

I don't know ANY of them.

RD,

Between this and you mentioning that you aren't familiar with Pratchett books in some other thread, I suggest you to familiarize yourself with that whole literature thing that RPGs are supposed to be based on.

You will understand much more about the game if you read the source material which both the rules and the fluff are based on.

I've heard of the Bleach anime (my exposure is limited to fan-made music videos) and Terry Pratchett books before (some of which I have scanned in passing).

I have no idea who Elric is, or any of the other names people seem to be having nerdgasms about.

Also, I have no idea how anything in D&D could ever be related to the works of Terry Pratchett. Though I could see Pratchett as making parodies of D&D.

If you have no idea who Elric is, you're missing one of the more important books in history of fantasy literature.

[Aelryinth]

+1.

Moorcock invented the very term 'multiverse', and the whole Eternal War between Law and Chaos (as opposed to Good/Evil) is also his invention.

His Eternal Champion books are classics of the fantasy genre. Like Cthulu, they were even statted up in the original deities book at one point (and yes, Stormbringer was a one-hit kill weapon).

You REALLY need to go read them.

==Aelryinth

[Ravingdork]

After over a decade of professing a love of fantasy literature as well as being knowledgeable on the subject, I now face a bunch of people online telling me I'm really quite clueless on the subject.

*sighs*

What's the name and author of the first Elric book?

[J. Christopher Harris]

http://www.multiverse.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Elric_Saga_(series)

[Rathendar]

Ravingdork wrote:

After over a decade of professing a love of fantasy literature as well as being knowledgeable on the subject, I now face a bunch of people online telling me I'm really quite clueless on the subject.

*sighs*

What's the name and author of the first Elric book?

not clueless.

but missing a good deal of great stuff.

Elric: author Michael Moorcock, 1st book: Elric of Melniboné,
main character has a sentient soul consuming sword.

Vlad Taltos: author Steven Brust, 1st book: Jhereg
one of the protagonist's close friends (Morrolan) wields Blackwand, one of the swords of power for its era.

Ichigo/soul reapers. Anime: Bleach

Arthas/Frostmourne : Fallen paladin with a powerful corrupting sword. World of Warcraft.

Blackrazor : appeared in S1, white plume mountain (1st edition module) as a d&d yoink of stormbringer.)
Ebonblade : Ravenloft. The blade itself was a darklord of its own realm.

hope that helps

[ZappoHisbane]

Rathendar wrote:

...hope that helps

+1 for being helpful instead of belittling or insulting.

[Fraust]

I'll second the above +1 (ignoring my personal dislike of the whole "+1" thing) over the previous "You don't know Elric? You uncultured swine!" which is something I really wish was beneath the people on these boards (yep, I have overly high expectations, the world is a giant disappointment)...

Also, thanks Rathendar, I was just about to ask who the author was and what the first book was.

As for the actual concept...jedi was my first thought, though Druss came up not long after (UNCULTURED SWINE! David Gemmell, Legend I believe is the first book).

[Ironicdisaster]

ZappoHisbane wrote:

Rathendar wrote:

...hope that helps

+1 for being helpful instead of belittling or insulting.

Especially considering who we're talking about

[Rathendar]

ZappoHisbane wrote:

Rathendar wrote:

...hope that helps

+1 for being helpful instead of belittling or insulting.

gah. my image!

you...you....you all suck.
yeah. or something.

[Ravingdork]

Rathendar wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

After over a decade of professing a love of fantasy literature as well as being knowledgeable on the subject, I now face a bunch of people online telling me I'm really quite clueless on the subject.

*sighs*

What's the name and author of the first Elric book?

not clueless.

but missing a good deal of great stuff.

Elric: author Michael Moorcock, 1st book: Elric of Melniboné,
main character has a sentient soul consuming sword.

Vlad Taltos: author Steven Brust, 1st book: Jhereg
one of the protagonist's close friends (Morrolan) wields Blackwand, one of the swords of power for its era.

Ichigo/soul reapers. Anime: Bleach

Arthas/Frostmourne : Fallen paladin with a powerful corrupting sword. World of Warcraft.

Blackrazor : appeared in S1, white plume mountain (1st edition module) as a d&d yoink of stormbringer.)
Ebonblade : Ravenloft. The blade itself was a darklord of its own realm.

hope that helps

Thanks! I just ordered Elric: Song of the Black Sword on Amazon for under $5. Apparently it's one of two omnibuses that cover the entire series in chronological order. :D

As for Bleach, I never intend to really get into it as it looks mind-numbingly boring like DBZ (talk, talk, talk, fight, escalate, repeat), but I'm willing to watch a few episodes if someone can give me those featuring Ichigo and the soul reapers (as well as some context).