Inspired by media I've seen where a sword/axe/mace/etc. can shoot out bolts of energy, here is a magic item special ability I thought up that I could use some feedback on. Help me fill in the Xs!
Blasting
Price +X bonus; Aura moderate evocation; CL X; Weight —
This ability can only be placed on melee weapons. As a standard action, the wielder can channel their vitality through their weapon and launch a bolt of energy towards an opponent by making a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 30 feet. A successful hit does (1/2 * character level) d6 force damage rounded down (3d6 for a 7th level character, 8d6 for a 17th level, etc.)
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost +X bonus
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, X
Some comments/questions:
-Has this already been done before and I'm unaware?
-I'm thinking something like a +2 bonus.
-Is force damage too good?
-Should I make it so that it has to be an energy type and when created it becomes something like Blasting(fire) or Blasting(acid)?
-How do you calculate the CL of a weapon special ability?
-Any recommendations on spells for construction? Magic missile makes sense, but anything else?
Any thoughts?
The fact that this scales at even half level makes it a REALLY good ability. You need to compare it to using a bow/crossbow, with the added bonus of not having to change equipped weapons, being a touch attack, and (at least breaking even on) not having to deal with DR (though maybe SR).
I'd either go with a flat die of damage, d4 Force or d6 Fire/Electric/Acid, or go with the weapon's normal damage only force type. The former would be a +2 because it's like Flaming/Shocking plus Ranged, the latter probably a +3 because it's better.
Edit: A Sword Beam ability like you've proposed seems more like a feat, probably with focus in the weapon used and probably at least one other feat as a prerequisite.
More Edit: Is there a limit of times per day or a cooldown between used, either for the weapon enhancement or the idea of a feat?
Thanks "The Golux!" You're right of course. The special ability is (quite a bit) too good as is. Here is a revamped version for further feedback:
Blasting
Price +X bonus; Aura moderate evocation; CL X; Weight —
This ability can only be placed on melee weapons. As a standard action, the wielder can launch kinetic energy towards an opponent by making a ranged attack with a range increment of 20 feet. A successful hit does weapon damage plus the wielder's Strength bonus. If it is a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon wielded with two hands, add 1-1/2 times the character's Strength bonus to damage rolls.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost +X bonus
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, X
What do you guys think?
Yar!
What you describe in your revised version is basically a visually cooler version of a weapon with the throwing, distance, and returning properties, but it never needs to leave your grip.
- Throwing lets you throw your weapon with a range increment of 10', doing weapon plus strength as described above. It is a +1 effective enhancement.
- Distance doubles the range increment (turning the 10' to a 20' increment). It is a +1 effective enhancement.
- Returning has the weapon fly back to your hand at the end of the round. It is a +1 effective enhancement.
Making such a thing at least a +3 effective enhancement.
Of course, a Throwing Distance Returning weapon also gets to add all of it's (if any) other enhancements when it hits (normal enhancement bonuses, flaming, etc). Your ability as written does not (it only does base weapon damage plus strength), so in that light I would reduce it's effective plus to +2 (but not down to +1, it's still more powerful than those, imo).
Other options would be:
- ...change it to a flat 2d6 energy damage at range with a ranged touch.
- ...change it to 1d4 force damage per the weapons normal enhancement bonus (+1 "blasting" weapon would do 1d4 force at range with a ranged touch attack, while a +4 "blasting" weapon would do 4d4 force damage at range with a ranged touch attack).
Even with these alternatives, I'd keep it at at least +2, maybe +3 (due to ranged touch and energy damage).
Also, when you say "range increment", do you mean as if thrown, or as if fired, because there is a difference: Thrown is maxed out at 5 increments, while Fired is maxed out at 10 increments. (I'd say "fired" for this instance, but it's worth mentioning).
Especially for the "1d4 per normal enhancement bonus", Magic Missile is the perfect spell prereq.
You could also add Hydraulic Push or Telekinesis to the spell prereq list, increase the effective plus of the property by 1, and give it a free Bull-Rush, Disarm or Trip attempt if you hit (as per Ki Intensifying, which uses the wielder's normal CMB modifier, and gaining a bonus equal to the weapons enhancement modifier to the attempt, or as per Telekinesis, with the item's caster level being used as the BAB for the CMB and the effective Str equal to 15, which is the minimum required stat for being able to cast Telekinesis).
Some food for thought.
~P
Yar! Great feedback, Pirate! :) I think I'm pretty happy with it as is at a +2 effective enhancement. I was actually thinking of thrown ranged increments, so that puts it solidly in the +2 camp I think...
I would like to make a improved version of it that allows for a bull-rush attempt though! Also, I think it needs a name change since it's no longer "blasting" the opponent like I imagined...let's see:
Kinetic
Price +2 bonus; Aura moderate evocation; CL X; Weight —
This ability can only be placed on melee weapons. As a standard action, the wielder can launch kinetic energy towards an opponent by making a ranged attack with a thrown range increment of 20 feet. A successful hit does weapon damage plus the wielder's Strength bonus. If it is a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon wielded with two hands, add 1-1/2 times the character's Strength bonus to damage rolls.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost +2 bonus
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, X
I'm still not sure what spells to use for reqs with this version though...I can't seem to find anything that fits exactly.