Radiance stats

[yosemitemike]

I and one of my players have arrived at conflicting conclusions about Radiance's stats based on different readings of its entry.

Mine is that these are the total stats

This +2 cold iron longsword becomes a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands of a paladin.

When wielded by a paladin, this sacred weapon provides spell resistance of 5 + the paladin's class level to the wielder and anyone adjacent to her. It also enables the paladin to use greater dispel magic (once per round as a standard action) at the class level of the paladin. Only the area dispel is possible, not the targeted dispel or counterspell versions of greater dispel magic.

That's the total of what it gets at first.

One of the players is reading the word holy in the title to indicate the holy weapon quality.

Price +2 bonus
Aura moderate evocation; CL 7th; Weight —
DESCRIPTION

A holy weapon is imbued with holy power. This power makes the weapon good-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all creatures of evil alignment. It bestows one permanent negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level cannot be overcome in any way (including by restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.

Which would make it the equivalent of a +7 weapon bypassing dr/epic already and giving it more abilities.

Which is these is the correct reading?

[Are]

The word "holy" in "+5 holy cold iron longsword" indeed indicates the weapon quality. It's the same as a holy avenger, whose cost is also indicative of being at least a +7 weapon.

[Benjamin Brotherton]

Just to clarify, at least to my understanding of the rules.

Epic weapons are only considered epic IF the ENHANCEMENT bonus is +6 or better (max +10). This is different than the "pluses" a weapon may have.

For example the +5 Holy Longshore (in thus case the Holy avenger) while having an effective +7 (+5 enhancement and +2 for Holy, which makes it a +7 weapon) is NOT an Epic weapon.

Now a +5 Bane Longshore, that someone could build using the magic creation rules (or found) would be considered an Epic weapon when fighting thing that the bane qualifies for. Because the bane quality (a +1 weapon quality) adds a +2 enhancement bonus against the specified creature type. Making the weapon a +7 Enhancement weapon, but only a +6 weapon for crafting consideration.

Hope that helps anyone who needs the info happy hunting!

[Stip]

I've played that epic is anything going above +5 in total weapon value, but I don't know if that is RAW

[treblignotrub]

Here is how I am running Radiance in my game. Based on what I could find in the AP books reading them though. We are currently in the Middle of Book 3.

When discovered in Book1 it is asleep, inert. It is a cold iron longsword.
and stays that way unless handled by a Paladin. Which it was in my game.
When a Paladin takes it, it awakens and becomes a +1 Cold Iron Longsword (that paladin's diety weapon).

When the Paladin becomes mythic at the end of BK1, Radiance gains Legendary status per the Mythic rules and Bonds to the Paladin once used in combat. Legendary is not the same as Epic.

In Book 2 once the party Reclaims the Lost Chapel Radiance gains an additional +1. +2 Cold Iron Longsword Legendary. Still not Epic.

Once Drezen is Liberated and the Sword of Valor recovered in BK2 it gains another +1. +3 Cold Iron Longsword Legendary. Still not Epic.

Book 3 recovering Yaniels Armor from room Q12 adds Holy. Radiance is now a +3 Holy Cold Iron Legendary Longsword. Still not Epic. +3 magic, +2 for Holy equals +5 item. epic is +6.

Book 4 Reviving Yaniel and putting the Sword in her hand fully restores the Sword Radiances' power as a Legenday, Epic, Holy Avenger in the hands of a Paladin. For a Non-Paladin it would be +2 cold Iron Longsword. At this point I will call it Epic. +5 Magic and + 2 for Holy equals +7, Epic in my game.

I am running Epic based on total value of bonuses.

I can see the point of saying that Epic is referring to the to hit/Damage magic modifier and in that case only high level bane weapons would be epic, and only against their chosen foe. The rules for Overcoming DR do specify Enhancement Bonus(Core pg 562), which has a max of 5 per item creation rules.

So in this interpretation Radiance would also need to be a Bane weapon to be Epic and only against its chosen foe. It would have to be Demons in my opinion for obvious RP reasons.

[treblignotrub]

I did actually find the entry for Epic. In Mythic Adventures pg 7.

DR/Epic: A type of damage reduction, DR/epic can be
overcome only by a weapon with an enhancement bonus of +6
or greater (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 299). Weapons with special
abilities also count as epic for the purposes of overcoming
damage reduction if the total bonus value of all of their
abilities (including the enhancement bonus) is +6 or greater.