Creation of magical weapons / SunBlade in a different form

[PMSchulz]

Okay, I am trying to figure out something for a character here. I'm designing the primary magical weapon for one of my PFS characters and I'm running into a roadblock here. I was looking over the various enchantments and I wondered about something. Most of what I want for the weapon is in the sunblade, but my character's primary weapon is a katana. Is it possible to put all of the effects of the sunblade (double damage vs undead, higher bonus vs evil creatures, sunburst, etc) into a different weapon, and then add ghost touch? Or is the sunsword always a bastard sword, and sealed from further enchantment?

The other option is the Blade of the Rising Sun, but I'd rather not have the sacrificial strike, have it start at +2 and be ghost bane and either holy or lifesurge. The price would be about the same.

One last minor point. I know there was an enchantment in 3.5 that allowed a weapon to temporarily take on the material characteristics of an opponent's resistance (So, it would become cold iron after the first hit on a devil until it was used against a different target, but only for purposes for passing DR) and I thought it has been brought over to PF, but I cannot find it. Am I dreaming on that? Or is it just in one of the regional books/race books that I don't have yet?

[Lab_Rat]

Named Items can not be changed in any way or further enchanted. Check out the FAQ on this specific topic.

I am unsure about your last question.

[CyrusC2010]

It should be pointed out that the various item creation feats in the core rulebook are disallowed for PFS organized play.

[Don Walker]

You would need to start with a masterwork Katana upgrade it to a +1 weapon and then continue to add enhancements as allowed for standard magic weapons.

You will need to have enough Fame to meet the total cost of the weapon at each stage before you may upgrade it. Unless it appears on a Chronicle sheet of course.

For the weapon you want it looks like this would be close:

+2 Holy Ghost Touch Bane(undead) Katana

350 masterwork Katana
2000 +1 (2350, Fame: 0 always available)
6000 +2 (8350, Fame: 27, min PC lv 5.2 expected lv 8)
10000 Bane(undead) (+1) (18350, Fame: 36, min PC lv 6, expected lv 10)
32000 Holy (+2) (50350, Fame: 49, min 9.1 exp 13.1)
22000 Ghost Touch (+1)
-----
72350 total cost (required Fame: 58, min 10.2 exp 15.1)

This doesn't give you the sunburst ability, but I don't think that is possible without getting a sunblade.

[PMSchulz]

Okay, so no sun blade powers. Crap. As for the weapon, it is already +1 and mithril. I'm looking at either ghost touch or undead bane next. I have the fame, and nearly have the money. Thanks for the help, folks.

[Don Walker]

I'd def. go with Bane(undead) first. It gives an extra +2 vs. undead to hit and damage plus an extra 2d6 damage to undead. That is huge for the cost of only one "plus".

[Lab_Rat]

Agreed. This is the order I would do it in:

Mithril Katana
+1 Enhancement
Bane (undead)
Holy
+2 Enhancement
Ghost touch

With this order, if you stop enchanting it after holy, you still have an awesome weapon and can put that extra 40,000+gp into other things.

[Jiggy]

Keep in mind that a +1 (or better) weapon will already deal half damage to incorporeal creatures. So let's assume you have 18 STR, wielding this +1 katana in one hand.

Against most creatures, you deal 1d8+5 (average 9.5 damage).
Against incorporeals, you deal half that, or about 4.75 damage. Basically, you lose about 5 points of damage on average.

That means that Ghost Touch would be worth about 5 points of damage.

Now, if you use Undead Bane, then you're dealing (against undead) 1d8+2d6+7, averaging 18.5 damage.
Against incorporeal undead creatures (aren't most incorps also undead?), you're dealing half that, or about 9.25.

That means that against incorps, Undead Bane is worth just a hair under 5 points of damage.

That means that Undead Bane gives you about the same damage boost versus incorps that Ghost Touch gives you, only with a better hit chance and with the added bonus of doing crazy damage to other undead.

See why people are suggesting bane? :)

[Caderyn]

Equally if your a power attacking greatsword wielder at level 4-7 with 18 ST and no damage enhancing abilities (rage, weapon training, weapon spec etc)

Does 2d6+13 average 20 halved is 10 loss of 10 points of damage

bane does 4d6+15 average 29 halved is 14 meaning bane is worth about 4 points this time

Its fairly easy to reach a damage number tha makes Bane significantly worse than ghost touch. (bane is a flat +2 to hit and an average +9 to damage)

[PMSchulz]

Ghost touch was being looked at early because of a few phasing baddies. So undead bane it is. Funny how both magical katanas are banned, but the life stealing swords are available. Ah well.