What the hell is up with Shark Skin that it can make *anything* better?
Also what is the best use that you've found for it so far?
Since it already mentions the +2 to ride on saddle example: a shark skin (+5gp/lb*30lb=150gp) MW (+50gp) military saddle (+20gp) costs 220 gold, but gives a whopping +6 to ride for staying in a saddle, correct?
An example are gloves for +2 to acrobats and climbing. Why exactly those skills? It says +1 or +2 to 1 or 2 skills, so in the ride example does it help for any ride checks or narrowed down?
What about really light items? Could you make a shark skin rope that connects to the bit and bridle (weighs 1lb) for 5 gp for some kind of bonus for other ride checks?
Shark skin boots for either not slipping as easily or sneaking more easily, or, or, or.... - basically this seems pretty much like it could provide reasons for sharks to go extinct within really short time if this became a thing...
I'm playing a first level rogue and 5 gp/lb is not very much for up to two +2 skill bonuses / item... It's rare? Why then is it so cheap? How available do you think it is?
What's your best idea for a use for a little bit of shark skin?
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It's the skin OF A F***ING SHARK!
How is that not awesome?
How is that NOT automatically better?!
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What's your best idea for a use for a little bit of shark skin?
Grating wasabi.
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What's your best idea for a use for a little bit of shark skin?
Exfoliating and microdermabrasion.
What? Us slaadi have problem skin.
Also, I hear Lem uses it to buff the fuzz off his feet.
Yeah, I have a 17th century katana, and the hilt is wrapped in sharkskin with silk cord wrapped over it (you can still see the sharkskin beneath). Its a very rough surface.
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Sharkskin is *not* a suitable replacement for sheepskin.
You either know what I mean, and you just shuddered, or you don't, and have an interesting Google session ahead of you.
I laughed evilly. Not sure what that says about me. >.>
On the availability question, unless you're in a port town, (maybe a fishing village) or in an area well connected to trade routes that connect to the sea in some way, it's probably not available, except perhaps as a spell component (and thus commensurately priced). Catching a shark using mundane means is a non-trivial enterprise.
As for DM-arbitrated uses, well...
garrotes, saps, whips, handwraps (+ NL damage),
Pack/bandolier straps (vs steal or on acrobatics checks to prevent dropping)
gloves/bracers/sleeves (grapple checks)
tool handles (craft checks)
anything size Fine (vs disarm)
anything size Fine (sleight of hand)
pocket linings (vs steal)
ropes/gags/blindfolds (vs escape artist)
ropes (climb)
wagon/boat benches
Conceptually, anytime you want more friction between two surfaces (for whatever purpose) sharkskin is an option worth talking to the DM about.
Alright, so we've established shark skin is cool, cause it goes black (and it doesn't go back). insaneogeddon contributed the historical use and why the friction relatedness makes sense. I looked it up and found out apparently their livers make up 1/3rd of their body weight and have all kinds of uses too, like boosting immune system (perhaps make medicine for +2 to fortitude vs. disease), and the fins make good soup...
Thanks aboniks for the availability and possible uses.
Do you know if it is only especially useful when water related? https://www3.selkirk.ca/reg/sturecord_jsok.htm They're developing shark-skin tires to avoid aqua planing, hehe - but say extra grippy on wet or dry roads... and I think they're talking about something *like* shark skin...
I've seen the dress part of shoes be made of shark skin but not the sole... if it's so grippy, why not? Lilith, just googled that... nice. So perhaps it could be a grating tool for really fine substances for alchemical or medical use ingame.
Perhaps wearing a shark skin gambeson under heavy armor could reduce the armor penalty from parts moving around? :D
I found a shoe that uses shark skin heel pads for grip. http://sportlockerdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/flyknittrackspike_angl e_13175.jpg
Still a heel pad doesn't weigh much so it would be way too cheap to upgrade it, so soon the standard adventuring equipment would include that (if word about it got around ingame)...
Just realized masterwork item for any skill is only +50 gp... and fluffing what that item is like is sort of up to choice, so perhaps I was right about it spreading if it works really well and near the coast most masterwork tools that rely on grip have shark skin components. I could see a masterwork smith's hammer with that... or why not the boots. Extra grip -> bonus to acrobatics to avoid slipping on steep or wet surfaces?
Sofar I haven't seen a shark yet, but if I run into one in one of my games I'll slaughter him and try to make use of every single item for fluff and figure out whether to beg for bonuses afterwards...
What could you do with shark teeth? Depending on the shark they're pretty harsh... carve them into caltrops? :D make a really cool spiked club? Or more original weapons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Shark-tooth_weapons.jpg Use in studded leather armor for hugging your opponent and hurting them if they don't wear armor themselves... put them at the edge of a round throwing shield (buckler?). or the tip of an arrow. or build a saw with them?
You know what? Make tiny caltrops and then take skilk rope, knot them into part of it (maybe sew strips of shark skin on there as well) and make a special lasso that has shark teeth "biting" the victim when you pull...
One thing to remember about any weapons made using teeth (shark or otherwise) is that they're fragile, unless masterwork. See: Primitive Armor and Weapons
I have a crafter who refuses to fight with metal weapons at the moment that specializes in bone and stone. My DM let me roll antler, ivory, and teeth into a Craft: Bone skill. YMMV
As for shark-tooth weapons, take a look at the Terbutje and Great Terbujte.
Fragile weapons (bone, stone, tooth, antler) are potentially very nasty, in the hands of someone with the Splintering Weapon feat, especially if they can also cast Mending.
Other useful bits and bobs would be Reinforce Armarments (spell), Disposable Weapon (feat), Field Repair (feat) and Trophy Fetish (level three class feature of the True Primitive barbarian archetype), along with anything that lets you apply an enhancement bonus to a weapon without making it masterwork in the process.
Sadly, real-life sharks probably won't be around much longer (from a generational perspective), so gather ye shark-skin tires while ye may, I guess. Or rather don't.
Thanks aboniks. That actually sounds like a pretty fun character... I like throwing really strange player-like enemies at PCs sometimes and hope that they live long enough to be noticed at not just being a standard stat block with fluff... but a strange stat block with extra fluff :D
Perhaps I can get a shark druid turned barbarian to be angry (because shark companion died due to fishers) and player recognizably wears shark parts... if he survives running out of rage rounds perhaps he could go KO and if they spare him he apologizes and tells them he's freaked out because he can't find his shark anywhere and thinks the fishers might have caught him. Not sure how I could make this a quest... go to fishers ask about a shark. They say yes they did kill it, but it was attacking them first and acting very unshark like as many other animals in the wild are now acting... and then there's an evil druid somewhere making animals go nuts? :D And barbarian's intelligence is so low he counts as animal and is therefor affected by rage? but he's wise enough to apologize? hm... doesn't seem good. maybe his shark is still alive and he's raging because of some kind of empathic bond? do animal companions get that or is that a familiar thing?
If you do that, you absolutely positively have to name that barbarian "Jumping Shark".
They don't get the mental connection the same way. You could have the shark snatched though and the druid/barbarian trying to free it. If you build an animal companion on the Totem Guide archetype it can speak with others of its kind, and with the druid. The druid can speak with animals. So a basic message can be passed back to the druid to alert him to the location of the companion.
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Totally a house rule, but in my Razor Coast campaign I allow MW sharkskin, hide armor that improves swim checks (or has a reduced ACP for swim checks). Doesn't make a lot of sense, but it tickles my players (and myself) to imagine them running around in a shark suit. Of course, they probably think of it as cool looking armor resembling the hilt of a katana. While I imagine it looks something like this, largely for my own amusement.
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I wonder if you could get a bonus vs swallow whole attempts by wearing sharkskin clothes. Like +1 or +2 to CMD vs swallow whole.
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While I imagine it looks something like this, largely for my own amusement.
God, that made me laugh! Thanks Louis!