So We have the Warpriest. His Sacred Weapon ability is pretty neat and allows for some interesting things. For those that don't know
are charged with the power of his faith. In addition to the
favored weapon of his deity, the warpriest can designate
a weapon as a sacred weapon by selecting that weapon
with the Weapon Focus feat (if he has multiple Weapon
Focus feats, this ability applies to all of them). Whenever
the warpriest is wielding a sacred weapon, he treats his
warpriest level as his base attack bonus for attacks made
with that weapon, stacking with any base attack bonus
from other classes or racial Hit Dice.
In addition, the warpriest sacred weapon damage is
based on his level and not the weapon type. The damage
for Medium warpriests is listed on Table 1–13; see the
table below for Small and Large warpriests. If the weapon
normally deals more damage than this, its damage is
unchanged. This increase in damage does not affect any
other aspect of the weapon. The warpriest can decide
to use the weapon’s base damage instead of the sacred
weapon damage—this must be declared before the attack
roll is made.
So this has some interesting implications.
1) Now, just about any weapon can do some rather good damage and are viable since this ability effectively makes your "dagger" poke for 2d6 damage...
2) Makes certain other weapons rather terrifying. With this I mean weapons like the Elven Curve Blade and the Falchion for two-handers and the Scimitar for Dervish Dancers. The reason why is because these weapons with large crit ranges were often "kept in check" by having a lower average damage output prior to crits. The thing is, when the Falcion is hitting for 2d6 instead of 2d4 AND has a 15-20 crit range, things get really painful...
So this leads into my question, does this ability actually promote more versatility for viable weapons for characters? I say this because lets say you have a character that wants to be a badAr$e whipmaster. The problem is, you are only poking someone for 1d4 normally, but with this class ability, you can now use your whip to smack for a scaling damage.
On the other side of the token though, this makes high crit weapons and thrown weapon characters painful. Imagine taking Weapon Focus (Shuriken) to use this ability and chucking a wall of 2d6 shuriken with full BAB... that sounds painful...
I had considered it. Though I haven't fully thought out all the possibilities, it does make me really like the opportunities that become possible.
Though I imagine we shall see a lot of high crit range weapons that would normally have lower damage. For the war priest there is now little reason to ever choose a greatsword pver a nodachi, mechanically speaking anyways.
So this leads into my question, does this ability actually promote more versatility for viable weapons for characters?
Yes and no, it can make things better, but there are some options that still end up superior to others.(just like you said!)
So this leads into my question, does this ability actually promote more versatility for viable weapons for characters?Yes and no, it can make things better, but there are some options that still end up superior to others.(just like you said!)
All in all, it made more builds viable. So this is a big +1 in my book. To me, its like so what if it there are some options that are superior? It made a huge amount of builds viable in exchange.
*Goes back to writing up a Torchbearer Goblin*
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^^^ This is the big thing. There will always be more optimal paths to doing things but with the Warpriest, things that were once considered completely unplayable/horridly weak (a Halfling slinger for instance)suddenly become quite capable and can atleast hold their own.
^^^ This is the big thing. There will always be more optimal paths to doing things but with the Warpriest, things that were once considered completely unplayable/horridly weak (a Halfling slinger for instance)suddenly become quite capable and can atleast hold their own.
On the other hand, why aren't we just fixing the things that were poop to begin with and why is the warpriest your only option now?
^^^ This is the big thing. There will always be more optimal paths to doing things but with the Warpriest, things that were once considered completely unplayable/horridly weak (a Halfling slinger for instance)suddenly become quite capable and can atleast hold their own.On the other hand, why aren't we just fixing the things that were poop to begin with and why is the warpriest your only option now?
Its more difficult to fix the bullarcky already out there than improve upon what is about to come out when given the opportunity.
^^^
Pretty much this.
On the other side of the token though, this makes high crit weapons and thrown weapon characters painful. Imagine taking Weapon Focus (Shuriken) to use this ability and chucking a wall of 2d6 shuriken with full BAB... that sounds painful...
You are right about high crit weapons but not about thrown weapons because the ability ceases to work once the weapon leaves your grip. So if you throw, what hits (or doesn't) is a normal weapon of its kind with your normal non full BAB.
What I would see as a problem (even if perhaps only a mild one) is the possibility for this class to turn into a go-to for snowflake builds. In another thread people discussed the strangest possible weapons for warpriests and they were rather creative. Like my addition the warpriest of Daikitsu fighting with his chopsticks.
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It doesn't really do a lot until you get "up there" in level; I mean, strictly speaking an archer-type would be better than the shiruken shooter for having damage incremented at high levels anyway.
I actually use a lucern hammer, which won't get promoted on damage till high levels. Now, my dieties' favored weapon is the Star Knife, so I carry some of those to throw (and at level 6 will even take quickdraw to be an alternative if I need to shoot out a flyer or such).
And the thrown weapon does keep its damage btw.
So I think that 15-20 crit scimitar dealing 3d6 (you did swift action righteous might, right?) is FINE by level 13. There are far more powerful things. It does act a nice buff for diety favored weapons.
And the thrown weapon does keep its damage btw.
Could you quote a source for that?
Could you quote a source for that?
And the thrown weapon does keep its damage btw.
Looking at the ability in question, it says nothing about the weapon loosing the increased damage if thrown, only if it isn't wielded. I'd say throwing shuriken is wielding them.
Looking at the ability in question, it says nothing about the weapon loosing the increased damage if thrown, only if it isn't wielded. I'd say throwing shuriken is wielding them.Could you quote a source for that?
And the thrown weapon does keep its damage btw.
It states the following:
These bonuses only apply while the warpriest is holding the weapon, and end immediately if the weapon is sheathed or leaves the warpriest’s possession.
I would say that throwing something is not holding it and it is leaving the possession.
I find it rather silly to let it pass. So your greatsword chosen weapon of the god of war.. sucks in comparison. Not cool or balanced or creative, imo.
No, all it does is shift the favorable maths to the high-crit weapons and weapons with unusual properties.
Sure, but right now the claim it would be op with shuriken is wrong as it just doesn't work with thrown shuriken in its current iteration. And this is (among others) what this thread is about.
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Your god of war greatsword wielder is still doing 2d6; which is better than the "improved up" weapons until level 13. It's possible that the god of war hopes for a kit one day that replaces the damage change since he gets no good benefit from it, but until then if he wants to weapon focus another weapon (say a bow for ranged attacks?) to do extra damage he has that option. Like my Lucern Hammer / Starknife (and I guess it's debatable on the Warpriest, but RAW it can be read that it does the damage and RAI I assume they wanted it to do the damage, so I'm going to continue to play that way). My hammer does no extra damage; but the starknife is "there as an option for me".
You do realize that you have to have Weapon Focus feat for this ability to apply right?...You get Wpn Focus for free with your deity's weapon but for any other you have to take Wpn Focus so you burn up feats. Doesn't seem overpowered to me especially since it really doesn't come into play for most medium sized melee weapons such as Longsword, etc until higher levels.
You do realize that you have to have Weapon Focus feat for this ability to apply right?...You get Wpn Focus for free with your deity's weapon but for any other you have to take Wpn Focus so you burn up feats. Doesn't seem overpowered to me especially since it really doesn't come into play for most medium sized melee weapons such as Longsword, etc until higher levels.
That is not correct. According to the Revised Playtest document:
Focus Weapon: At 1st level, a warpriest receives Weapon Focus as a bonus feat (choosing any weapon, not just his deity’s favored weapon). If his deity’s favored weapon is unarmed strike, he can instead select Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.
-- david
You do realize that you have to have Weapon Focus feat for this ability to apply right?...You get Wpn Focus for free with your deity's weapon but for any other you have to take Wpn Focus so you burn up feats. Doesn't seem overpowered to me especially since it really doesn't come into play for most medium sized melee weapons such as Longsword, etc until higher levels.That is not correct. According to the Revised Playtest document:
Focus Weapon: At 1st level, a warpriest receives Weapon Focus as a bonus feat (choosing any weapon, not just his deity’s favored weapon). If his deity’s favored weapon is unarmed strike, he can instead select Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.
-- david
And Sacred Weapon automatically applies to your Deity's Favored Weapon even without Weapon Focus.
In addition to the favored weapon of his deity, the warpriest can designate a weapon as a sacred weapon by selecting that weapon with the Weapon Focus feat (if he has multiple Weapon Focus feats, this ability applies to all of them).
And Sacred Weapon automatically applies to your Deity's Favored Weapon even without Weapon Focus.
In addition to the favored weapon of his deity, the warpriest can designate a weapon as a sacred weapon by selecting that weapon with the Weapon Focus feat (if he has multiple Weapon Focus feats, this ability applies to all of them).
Ooooh... I missed that. Thanks! Now to update my soon to be new character for the Reign of Winter campaign that I will be able to play in (for a change!)
-- david
And Sacred Weapon automatically applies to your Deity's Favored Weapon even without Weapon Focus.
In addition to the favored weapon of his deity, the warpriest can designate a weapon as a sacred weapon by selecting that weapon with the Weapon Focus feat (if he has multiple Weapon Focus feats, this ability applies to all of them).Ooooh... I missed that. Thanks! Now to update my soon to be new character for the Reign of Winter campaign that I will be able to play in (for a change!)
-- david
No problem mate. Its good to use your free weapon focus to get a solid sidearm.
