Why?
Nope, even with high str, average damage from the d8 is close to 4 (with rounding). Before feats for crit you only have a 15% for crit threat, and saying you confirm you hit 4 or 8 not bad (with str 10) vrs the average of 4 with the 10% chance to double it. At low lvls no not worth it at all. Hight lvl crit monkey not a bad option at all.
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I am considering creating a new weapon that deals 1d2 damage 18-20 x 4 critical.
What is the strength with this weapon compared to.. say a weapon that deals 1d8 19-20 x 2 critical?
Are they the same damage output?
IMO that's pure cheese. Since in most combat builds base damage becomes far less significant than static bonuses to damage as the levels increase, the 1d2 isn't really an issue. It would also set a bad precedent; if today we can have a 1d2 weapon that is 18-20/x4, tomorrow someone will use its existence to argue for a 1d4 18-20/x4 weapon and so on.
Way too easy to exploit.
I am considering creating a new weapon that deals 1d2 damage 18-20 x 4 critical.
What is the strength with this weapon compared to.. say a weapon that deals 1d8 19-20 x 2 critical?
Are they the same damage output?
The better question is "how much extra damage does it take before they are equal?" which occurs at roughly 8 points of damage. A two-handing power attacking build could achieve that at level one.
Also true, but why stop there, why not d6 18-20/x4! Or even 2d12 18-20/x4 and call it a Katana of Awesome Tank/Dragon Slicing! And make it finessable and deadly! Oh and it ignores hardness too! Cause we all know that real 200 year old katana's car cut atoms in half!
Consider what happens if you make this weapon keen.
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"O that's pure cheese. Since in most combat builds base damage becomes far less significant than static bonuses to damage as the levels increase, the 1d2 isn't really an issue. It would also set a bad precedent; if today we can have a 1d2 weapon that is 18-20/x4, tomorrow someone will use its existence to argue for a 1d4 18-20/x4 weapon and so on."
This is a logical fallacy.
This is the exact same reasons republicans want to ban gay marriage. "If gays can marry, then it will lead to marrying your pets!" as an example.
No.
Each case is judged based on its own merit.
Slippery Slope arguments are not fallacies because they're always false, they're fallacies because they're not always true. In this case, it's not false.
ETA: And setting that part aside, the first portion of my original reply is still true, and sufficient for the proposed weapon to be labeled cheesy.
This would be slightly less OP if it were a light weapon.
The OP seems intent on making this happen, so it's not likely that anything I say here will change his mind. I am, however, throwing my hat in the ring for the "total cheese" side of this. I'm also going to make an attempt at putting the numbers side by side for a "standard two handed warrior" utilizing the Great Sword and the Falcata. Hopefully I can prevent too many people from missing the obvious cheese here...
Assumptions & Full Disclosure:
-Full BAB
-Power Attack
EDIT: Attacking Two Handed. OP has clarified this weapon would be light, so this whole chart is shot to hell, basically.
-Starting Strength of 18 (post racial)
-All advancement bonuses to strength
-+2 Str wondrous item at 6th level. +4 at 12th level.
-+1 weapon at 4th level. +2 at 8. +3 at 12. +4 weapon at 16th level.
-Improved critical feat at 8th level (or Keen).
-Same scaling attack rolls - Hit on a d20 roll of 9 at 1st level, 7 at 7th level, 5 at 13th level, etc.
-"Average Damage" includes the average damage die of the weapon, strength modifier, power attack, and magical bonuses.
-Single attack only - Obviously extra attacks will only exacerbate differences in damage.
-This does not include ANY class features or feats other than improved critical - Weapon Specialization, Divine Bonded Sword, Rage, Favored Enemy. Again, the use of these would only exacerbate differences in damage.
"Improved critical feat at 8th level (or Keen)."
I'm assuming the chart assumes two-handing, so numbers from a light version would be different.
Well all my math assumes it is NOT a light weapon, so that kinda shoots the whole chart I made to s!#*. It is probably a little bit less OP as a light weapon, but it's still much stronger than any other option and would be a VERY obvious choice for many builds beyond 8th level, no matter what type of weapon it is.
Yeah, the chart isn't correct, but the basic principal still stands that this is much more powerful than any other weapon out there.
Also, it's great for crit fishing and it's an X4 weapon.