I'm working on an archetype that would make an eidolon a magical weapon instead of a monster. How much is an eidolon worth in gp, depending on level, of course?
They dont have any Value in terms of the game. The only thing to compare it to as far as the game mechanics go is the black blade from the Magus.
I'd also throw in something like the bard's performance or an inquisitor's judgements, along with the weapon.
This is because, while summoners are fantastic spell casters with access to lots of buffs (at levels earlier than any other class) as well as standard action summoning, they do not have much in the way of bonuses to combat abilities. That is why they have eidolons: those critters have more than enough combat prowess to make up for it.
Actually, following the weapon training that sohei monks get would work out well balance-wise. You know, the one where it gets an extra +1 to attack and damage at level 6 and every 6 levels after (so +3 at level 18). Not great enough that they completely overshadow bards, but more than enough that others couldn't say "wouldn't this work just as well with a half-orc rogue with your buffs on it?" or "couldn't you just play a magus instead?".
Hmm...maybe add in that their summoner level counts as fighter level for feats though (and possibly use their level instead of BAB for prerequisites). The feat investment necessary is enough that it seems fair, and it again makes the summoner better at what you are trying to do here: hitting things while still having magical abilities (without stepping the the magus' toes too much). Add on the black blade mechanic from Magus and it should be fine. I'd play it at least.
I'd also throw in something like the bard's performance or an inquisitor's judgements, along with the weapon.
This is because, while summoners are fantastic spell casters with access to lots of buffs (at levels earlier than any other class) as well as standard action summoning, they do not have much in the way of bonuses to combat abilities. That is why they have eidolons: those critters have more than enough combat prowess to make up for it.
Actually, following the weapon training that sohei monks get would work out well balance-wise. You know, the one where it gets an extra +1 to attack and damage at level 6 and every 6 levels after (so +3 at level 18). Not great enough that they completely overshadow bards, but more than enough that others couldn't say "wouldn't this work just as well with a half-orc rogue with your buffs on it?" or "couldn't you just play a magus instead?".
Hmm...maybe add in that their summoner level counts as fighter level for feats though (and possibly use their level instead of BAB for prerequisites). The feat investment necessary is enough that it seems fair, and it again makes the summoner better at what you are trying to do here: hitting things while still having magical abilities (without stepping the the magus' toes too much). Add on the black blade mechanic from Magus and it should be fine. I'd play it at least.
That is the plan, but I wanna make sure I do not give access to a weapon that will be too powerful.
I want to give the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus at level 1 and one more every 4 levels (max of +5 at level 17). I also want to give a +1 bonus for special abilities starting level 3 and one more every 4 levels after that (max of +5 at level 19). The abilities would be limited at first and the list expend as the summoner increases in levels.
Too powerful, considering only the summoner could use it and BaB stays 3/4?
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That's a bit of a tricky progression. On the one hand, the Black Blade Magus (the closest benchmark) only goes up to +5, which makes a +10 equivalent too powerful by comparison.
On the other hand, the Eidolon is probably the Summoner's most important class feature, where the Black Blade isn't as major an ability for the Magus. So if you give the Summoner a weapon equivalent to a Black Blade, it'll be seriously underpowered.
What I would do is give it a progression similar to the black blade and then, as lemeres suggested, add additional abilities to the Weapon Summoner to make the character better at using the weapon. Giving him Weapon Training and access to better combat feats (either fighter feats or "treat level as BAB for feat prerequisites") is a good start. Medium Armour Proficiency / training at higher levels might fit. Also swap out many of the Summoner's Eidolon-specific abilities for weapon-related abilities (try borrowing a few of the weapon-specific abilities from the Kensai Magus). Let the Summoner change the weapon's build in terms of enhancement bonus/abilities every level, like an Eidolon would. And maybe allow the Weapon Summoner's Summon Monster ability to work while the sword is summoned since there's no issue with flooding the field with too many pets.
You shouldn't have too many problems with stepping on the Magus' toes because the Magus' signature abilities are Spell Combat & Spell Critical. As long as the Weapon Summoner isn't casting through his weapon or at the same time as fighting, they should be distinct. Plus one is prepared and the other spontaneous.
I once considered having my summoner sell his eidolon. Since then, the tone of the campaign has shifted enough to make such a con game out of the question (since one way or another the buyers lose the eidolon as soon as the summoner is a little less than two miles away from them).
I do recall that Epic Meepo once came up with a Fighter archetype called "Aspect Armiger" that basically let him summmon a magical suit of armor that eventually got evolution points. Then again, the official Synthesist archetype is based on the same idea. I am having a tough time visualizing how evolutions for an intelligent magic weapon would work. Then again, there are classes such as the magus and the paladin that have options for bonded weapons whose powers scale with level. I would probably use one of those classes as a starting point.
10 cp
=P
i suggest compare the ability with magical items that give that or close
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I'd honestly just use Bladebound Magus for this idea. It's a 6 level caster that, well, already does this. Why not just go with it?
Maybe they want a different flavor of spellcaster? I mean, bard was already a 6 level spellcaster that did this too (especially with the arcane duelist with arcane bond to get an easily enhanced weapon), and they still made magus (iffy on time line for that comparison exactly though).
The magus is more about flashy damage magic. The bard is mostly buffing, manipulation, and skills. So the summoner would be buffing and summoning. And as I mentioned in the beginning, the summoner has some of the best spells at levels before everyone else, and they have a standard action summoning SLA.
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The Paladin can either take a mount (that functions as a druid's animal companion), or gain an enhancement bonus on a weapon. This is a fairly straight trade off, so the exchange rate is pretty easy.
The paladin's bonded weapon/mount is worth the following:
At lv 5, 2,000 gp (+1 enhancement)
At lv 8, 8,000 gp (+2 enhancement)
At lv 11, 18,000 gp (+3 enhancement)
At lv 14, 32,000 gp (+4 enhancement)
At lv 17, 50,000 gp (+5 enhancement)
At lv 20, 72,000 gp (+6 enhancement)
The exchange rate is more complicated than the above because the paladin can only gain the enhancement bonus a limited number of times per day. But at least it gives you some numbers to work with.
Another method would be to determine what the class would have spent on weapons without the magical weapon feature. If you assume that the weapon is worth a full 25% of the character's WBL, then you could consider a maximum range. I wouldn't go nearly this high, but it is something to consider. You would end up with something like this:
LV --- VALUE --- ENHANCEMENT
2 --- 250
3 --- 750
4 --- 1,500
5 --- 2,625 --- +1
6 --- 4,000
7 --- 5,875
8 --- 8,250 --- +2
9 --- 11,500
10 --- 15,500
11 --- 20,500 --- +3
12 --- 27,000
13 --- 35,000 --- +4
14 --- 46,250
15 --- 60,000 --- +5
16 --- 78,750 --- +6
17 --- 102,500 --- +7
18 --- 132,500 --- +8
19 --- 171,250 --- +9
20 --- 220,000 --- +10
The above table closely matches the paladin's bonded weapon value until around level 15 or so. After that the value lifts off into the stratosphere.
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Suggestion: Weapon Summoner
Proficiency: The Weapon Summoner gains proficiency with one martial or exotic weapon.
Otherworldly Weapon: The summoner gains the ability to summon an extraordinary weapon from another world. The weapon is summoned as an eidolon and has the same progression as a black blade, but speaks all languages the summoner does, and replace Transfer Arcana with: "Otherworldly Edge. At 13th level, as long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool the otherworldly weapon bypasses the DR of all creatures of the outsider type". The summoner selects the type of weapon at first level. The summoner may select weapon properties instead of enhancement bonuses for the weapon (Insert list here). These properties, but not the weapon type, may be changed every level.
Combat Awareness: At 1st level, the weapon summoner gains Dodge and Combat Casting as bonus feats. This ability replaces Life Link.
Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level, the Weapon further enhances the senses of its summoner, alerting him to danger. While holding their otherworldly weapon, the summoner gains Uncanny Dodge as a Rogue (or Improved Uncanny Dodge if they already have Uncanny Dodge from another class). This ability replaces Bond Senses.
Shield Wielder: The summoner receives bonuses from Shield Ally when wielding their summoned weapon.
Martial Training: At 6th level, the weapon summoner supplements their magical training with training in weaponry. They gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage when wielding weapons of the same type as their otherworldly weapon. This bonus increases by +1 for every 6 levels past 6th, to a maximum of +3 at 18th level. Additionally, at 6th level the summoner may use their summoner level -3 as their fighter level for purposes of qualifying for feats, and at 12th level may use their summoner level in place of BAB when qualifying for Critical Feats, but only when applied to weapons of the same type of their otherworldly weapon. This ability replaces Maker's Call.
Medium Armour: At 8th level, the summoner gains Medium Armour Proficiency and no longer suffers spell failure for casting spells in medium armour. This ability replaces Transposition.
Weapon Surge: At 10th level, the summoner gains the ability to temporarily enhance their otherworldly weapon. As a swift action, they may add a +2 enhancement bonus or equivalent properties. They may enhance the weapon for a number of rounds/day equal to their summoner level. The enhancement may be removed as a free action. This ability replaces Aspect.
Greater Shield Wielder: The summoner receives the improved bonus from Greater Shield Ally whenever wielding their summoned weapon, and grants the +2 bonus to any adjacent allies when wielding their summoned weapon.
Heavy Armour: At 14th level, the summoner gains Heavy Armour Proficiency and no longer suffers spell failure for casting spells in heavy armour. This ability replaces Life Bond.
Break the Blade: At 16th level, the summoner may choose to negate a critical hit against them by channeling the injury into their weapon. The critical hit is resolved as a normal hit, and the weapon gains the broken condition (ignoring the Unbreakable property). If already broken, the weapon is banished as if destroyed. Once per day when the summoner falls unconscious the Weapon may cast Breath of Life upon them (CL = summoner level). Doing so banishes the weapon as if destroyed. This ability replaces Merge Forms.
Greater Weapon Surge: At 18th level, when improving their weapon with Weapon Surge, the summoner may add +4 worth of properties. This ability replaces Greater Aspect.
As One: At 20th level, the summoner cannot be disarmed of their otherworldly weapon, and when improving their weapon with Weapon Surge, the summoner may add +5 worth of abilities. In addition, the summoner may control outsiders through their weapon. As a standard action the summoner may make a single attack with their weapon against an outsider. If this attack hits it deals normal damage and the outsider must make a Will Save (DC 10+1/2 summoner level + summoner's cha mod) or be banished or dominated (as Dominate Monster) by the summoner (summoner's choice). The summoner can use this ability every d4 rounds, but only once per day against any single outsider.