Hello readers.
I am playing a level 6 ranger who uses a great sword. Now, at a later level (once i qualify for improved crit and blinding crit) I am going to switch to a falchion. Now I LOVE the crit range on the falchion. However, I am NOT in love with the 2d4 damage. The ranger gets the spell Lead Blades which allows for an increase in the size of the weapon by one (doesn't stack with multiple casts) so that brings me up to 2d6, and with the two crit feats boosting me up to crit with a 15, and blinding the enemy I'm doin some major damage. However, I am not satisfied. Yes I plan on spending about 32 grand on making the weapon a plus one, with icy burst (cold damage plus another extra cold damage on a crit) and thundering so it takes sonic damage on a crit as well. Yet, as I am a damage whore...I would like to know a way to improve its damage EVEN MORE! *devilish insane cackeling* (PLEASE do not say just have the arcane caster cast Enlarge Person on you after lead blades im aware of that option)
swap thundering for another burst. Try corrosive for less resistance.
I think 2d4 jumps to 1d10 with the size bump, 2d6 is two bumps if I'm not mistaken
Use a nodachi instead (Ultimate Combat, page 131). 1d10 damage (bumps to 2d8), 18-20/x2 crit, and the brace quality just to make sure you know that eastern stuff is always better than western stuff!
the curve blade is also a viable option.
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Use a nodachi instead (Ultimate Combat, page 131). 1d10 damage (bumps to 2d8), 18-20/x2 crit, and the brace quality just to make sure you know that eastern stuff is always better than western stuff!
Isnt the nodachi an exotic weapon? Rangers don't get exotic weapon proficiency
I take that back I looked it up. Lol I correct my mistake. Thank you, that sounds even better. It's like the falchion plus brace and extra damage
get a Dancing, Thundering Nodaci AND your other uber-Nodaci...make them Blind AND permanently Deafened on a crit
FWIW, I remember a discussion about Lead Blades and Enlarge size bonuses not stacking. I could be wrong. You could also invest in some Vital Strike feats, if you wish and work on trying to get Deadly Stroke although that's a little feat intensive.
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I refuse to believe in a real world scenario a +1 icy burst thundering falchion out damages a +4 falchion. You can give me all the math you want but all the times you miss by 1,2, or 3 or can't overcome DR silver, cold iron, or adamantine in a real game session would have me grinding my teeth.
+2 Burst and + 1d6 of for magic weapon is a losers gambit. It sound great to have weapon that 3d6 extra energy damage... But by time you can afford it the monster have DR and energy resistant to negate that stuff. You are better off with + 5 weapon than +1 weapon flaming, acid, cold, and electrical. Yes you will do 4d6 extra damage but, most monster will have 1 or 2 energy resistance or immunities. So that really on nets you + 2d6. And you or only over coming DR magic and what ever weapon type have ie (Slashing Piercing, Blunt). You are better off hitting more often with the +5 and +4 more on the Fist hit and +4 on the Second +4 and +4 and the third. You hit more often and there for do more damage plus you now can over come all DR but weapon type and /- vs DR/ magic only. BFN (Big Fat Number) is way more important that extra dice. The plus from STR, Magic, Favored Enemy, Weapon Specialization, Smite, Power Attack ect,
is way stronger than bonus dice. Minimum is way stronger that Maximum. Ie If I have 2d4+8 I will kill 30 hit point monster in 3 hit for sure vs 1d8+2d6+1 which will kill in 6 rounds the average is the same about the same but the hit rate in higher on the fist one.
If you do not hit and get through then Damage is irrelevant.
Plus if get weapon made out type A and magic and you need B and magic then that 4-7k wasted. Just stay on course do not play for the short term go for the long term efficiency.
It not as sexy but it works it just grinds them down fight in fight out.
I'm a huge fan of the Crit on a 15 thing, and IMHO, thundering is worth a +1 in that situation. more than that, adding weapon bonus to that is probably the way to go. Also, who has sonic resistance? next, isn't Acid the least common? so if you really want a burst, go for the corrosive burst, although shocking burst and thundering... It's cool, non?
And energy damage bypasses DR, so dropping that on a creature when you can't beat it's DR. Adamintine weapon, the ability to apply silver if you need it (there's an oil for that right?) and an energy that Fey aren't immune to, Or have a +1 thundering cold iron Flachion in addition to your Adamantine one and you'll be fine, right?
the only issue is alignment based DR.
From recent posts about the nodachi the campaign I'm in is in the western part of the world (absolam) and our GM doesn't allow eastern weapons. Which is a pain in the ass but realistic. I'm all for hitting more often but I'd rather hit harder than more often. Doesn't make much of a difference if i hit 5 times for 15 or if i hit twice for 45? Yes most monsters by that time have DR. But if you simply grab a adamantine falchion like was mentioned you bypass most DR. Plus the fact that the weapon is simply UBER full of magic actually bypasses DR on its own. Weapons with an enhancement bonus of +3 or greater can ignore some types of damage reduction, regardless of their actual material or alignment. The following table shows what type of enhancement bonus is needed to overcome some common types of damage reduction.
DR Type Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent
Cold iron / silver +3
Adamantine* +4
Alignment-based +5
* Note that this does not give the ability to ignore hardness, like an actual adamantine weapon does
^^from d20pfsrd.com under special abilities
