| Lannister2112 |
1. Does an intelligent weapon alignment qualify it as its alignment for bypassing DR? Example: does the Lawful Good sword count as either lawful or good for bypassing DR5/Good or DR5/Lawful? Or does it still need the Holy (or other alignment equivalent) added to it?
2. What is the caster level for an intelligent weapon? Please cite where this rule is, I couldn't find it. (tho we were up really late saving Korvosa last night, you're welcome, so I'm a little groggy still).
Thanks!
| VoodistMonk |
I looked to the Steelbound Fighter archetype and it says that the caster level for the weapon is that same as the fighter level of the person it is attuned to. So I imagine it is based more on the person than the weapon itself.
As for alignment and damage reduction, the weapon has an alignment, yes that counts as having an alignment. It is subject to all the benefits and drawbacks associated with such alignments.
| Zarius |
1) No, no more than a Lawful Good catfolk can bypass those DRs with claws without magic. It still needs lawful or good damage, such as Holy, or some other effect (Celestial Mithryl). If you actually made this intelligent weapon by binding a lawful good outsider to the blade, I might make an exception, but based on this limited info, you still need the correctly aligned magic.
2) The caster level is the minimum caster level for a wizard or cleric to cast the specific spell. If it's casting Teleport, caster level is 9. If it's casting Fireball, caster level is 5.
| Lannister2112 |
1) No, no more than a Lawful Good catfolk can bypass those DRs with claws without magic. It still needs lawful or good damage, such as Holy, or some other effect (Celestial Mithryl). If you actually made this intelligent weapon by binding a lawful good outsider to the blade, I might make an exception, but based on this limited info, you still need the correctly aligned magic.
2) The caster level is the minimum caster level for a wizard or cleric to cast the specific spell. If it's casting Teleport, caster level is 9. If it's casting Fireball, caster level is 5.
1. This was my thinking too.. but this gave me pause:
Any character whose alignment does not correspond to that of the item (except as noted by the asterisks on the table below) gains one negative level if he so much as picks up the item.While it doesn't get the damage boost of Holy, to me this makes the weapon a paragon of its alignment. Thoughts?
2. Also, this was my initial thought.. but a wand be boosted to the caster's level. So if I create it as a 10th level Magus... you see where I'm going.
| Zarius |
1) The logic is theoretically sound, but the problem is that you take the negative levels not for a conflict between your alignment and the magic of the weapon, but because you're basically having to argue with your sword to make it hit people. You, yourself, aren't really weakened, per se, so much as rendered less effective by idiotic quibbling. It's the same as when a LN king has a CG head advisor... the two will but heads regularly, because one is a paragon of the letter of the law, while the other is a paragon of "Do the right bloody thing." They're rendered less effective together by their quarreling than either would be on their own.
2) The process or making an intelligent weapon is different from making a wand, or any other magic item. Inherently, when you make an item that you cast a spell through, or complete the spell through like a wand, you're casting the spell and storing it. The spell IS how you would cast it, which is why an Oracle can make a wand of Cure Light Wounds L5 instead of L1 if he REALLY wants to. Or a Wizard can make a Wand of Fireballs at the same level a Magus would cast it, for the extra damage. Most people just DON'T because it's expensive. It costs as much, for example for 1d8+5 from the CL5 Cure Light wand as for 5d8+5 from five CL1 Cure Light wands.
2a) Imbuing an item with intelligence is different. You are't, directly, granting it magical abilities. You're artificially creating an intelligence and shoving it in, as an example, a sword. Not only do YOU not have the ability to always command it, even in the most optimal conditions, but in the worst case scenario, an intelligent item that doesn't LIKE you can actually turn against you. Your wand of fireballs is YOU casting the spell into the wand, then releasing that spell later. Your intelligent sword actually CASTS the spell. And can do so on you. Because of this core difference, the spells cast by an intelligent weapon are always considered to be of the lowest possible caster level, and always as a Wizard or Cleric casts them unless it's only on a different table. Then it's run, in this order: Druid, Bard, Paladin, Ranger. There's no express rules on using a magic item with Psychic magics. =/
| Azothath |
Interesting ideas but the rationalizations as to why things work the way they do is kept nebulous in RAW so people can make up their own reasons.
When a GM in a home game makes a unique item, like an intelligent weapon with abilities or an artifact it is best to write down as many mechanical effect details as possible such as spell level @ caster level with DCs for spell effects, etc. Sometimes it's best to fill out a character sheet for the item if it is detailed and complicated. You don't have to tell the player everything as discovery is part of the game.
RAW contains basic guidelines.
GMs love to play around in this area so things are likely to be customized.