Hello! I am currently running the Wrath of the Righteous adventure path and I have asked my players to make up a wishlist of things they would like for their character. They know they may not get everything they want, but it lets me gauge what kind of treasure they would most appreciate, while still giving them things that they would never actually ask for.
One of my players has asked for an intelligent darkwood composite longbow with the special purpose of destroying evil outsiders. He had many more specifications for it, but I kind of tuned the rest of them out - if I am going to grant his wish, it will be on my terms.
To that end, I am working on an idea for a unique/named bow which was once wielded by a skilled archer during the first or second crusade. The bow is connected to 12 mythical arrows, but one by one the arrows were lost and the bow's power died with them. If the PCs can recover the arrows, the bow's power will be restored.
The arrows themselves will be scattered in dungeons throughout the campaign, so I can carefully monitor and control the power of this PC's weapon against the power of the other PCs and the monsters they fight, but for starters, here is what I have in mind for the different levels (numbered by how many arrows have been found).
0. mwk (darkwood) comp. longbow strength +1
1. +1 comp. longbow strength +2
2. Intelligent Item (Alignment LG, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10, Languages: Common, Senses: see/hear 30ft, Communication: Empathy, Special Ability: Cast "light" at will, but only on an arrow that is shot from the bow).
3. +1 seeking comp. longbow strength +2
4. Sentience Boost (Int 12, Languages: Common, Celestial, Communication: Telepathy, Special Ability: True Strike 3/day)
5. +2 seeking comp. longbow strength +2
6. Special Purpose: Defeat Evil Outsiders; Dedicated Power: Can detect evil outsiders within 60 ft.
[Halfway through - so that would be roughly 10]
7. +2 seeking comp. longbow strength +3
8. +3 seeking comp. longbow strength +3
9. +3 planar seeking comp. longbow strength +3
10. +3 planar seeking mythic comp. longbow strength +3
11.
12.
I think I'm okay with the first 6 arrows, but after that, I'm not sure. Is this at all viable, given that it is a high-powered, high-magic campaign? And what other unique but unusual abilities might you give a bow like this? And does it change anything that I fully expect my group to NOT find all 12 arrows (whether because they chose not to explore a random temple or because they miss the secret door where it is hiding)?
Instead of increasing the strength bonus, just give it the adaptive property when it becomes magical. Its strength bonus then changes to the wielders strength. This is only worth 1000gp so its not overpowering at this point.
1. +1 Adaptive comp. longbow
Link: Adaptive enhancement
An adaptive bow responds to the strength of its wielder, acting as a bow with a strength rating equal to its wielder's Strength bonus. The wielder can fire it with a lesser Strength bonus (and cause less damage) if desired.
Other than that, if its purpose is to destroy evil outsiders, the bane enchantment would be a good one to use. Though bane generally only will target one type of outsider you could say it targets only evil outsiders (all subtypes) or whatever way you wanted this to work, maybe spend an action to change the type of outsider it targets.
+2 to hit, +2d6 damage vs specified target.Link: Bane enhancement
A bane weapon excels against certain foes. Against a designated foe, the weapon's enhancement bonus is +2 better than its actual bonus. It also deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against such foes. To randomly determine a weapon's designated foe, roll on the following table.
Since it targets evil maybe the holy enchantment may be useful.
+2d6 damage vs evil.Bypasses DRxx/Good
Link: Holy enhancement
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.
If you are going all the way to 20th level and I am guessing mythic, you may want the enhancement bonus to eventually get to +5.
What exactly does the mythic in number 10 do?