| TheVillageIdiot |
So I'm thinking about creating a dungeon that lasts for levels 1-12 or so, but one thing I've always hated in Pathfinder is when you find a weapon that simply doesn't match your weapon choices, and when you find magic weapons that are just another +whatever. And the thing is, I want this dungeon to be a trapped in the dungeon, no shops ever sort of dungeon. That's right: the players will get few if any opportunities to spend their gold.
With that in mind, I've got three options:
A) Use the Elephant in the Room feat tax system, which I am considering.
B) Make magical weapons that can suit a variety of characters.
C) Why not both?
With B and C in mind, I'm making this thread. Here's my first idea:
I was thinking of having a few transforming weapons in the dungeon, weapons that can change their shape. These would have a certain number of similar forms. For instance, a magical sword that can transform from a shortsword into a longsword, greatsword, bastard sword, or estoc is a pretty cool idea to me (all straight-edged swords). Then again, I could also have a magical axe that simply counts as a battleaxe, dwarven waraxe, or greataxe depending on how you wield it (instead of having it transform). Yet a third direction would be to make, say, a spear that deals damage as a spear, but can be wielded as a longspear or shortspear and thrown as a returning weapon.
I also like the idea of a magical weapon that has a magical effect that can manifest in a few different ways. Say, for instance, you have a magical longsword. This longsword is a +2 weapon that shines with a strange light (shines light like a torch). It has <X> number of Magic Points on it, and you can spend these to cast one of several light-themed spells: Searing Light, Daylight, and Faerie Fire. Alternatively, you can spend a Magic Point and a swift action to make the sword trigger a DC 16 Reflex Save from a monster when you hit them or be blinded for 1 round.
Yet another example might be a painted skull staff that acts as a magic staff as well as a Bouncing Metamagic Rod that laughs when its powers are activated. It provides the caster with an array of abilities as you'd figure a staff should, but also gives them a little-used Metamagic as a bonus - a Metamagic you just about never see at a table otherwise.
I think you get the idea of what I'm getting at. I still plan on there being ordinary magic weapons, but I also want some truly unique ones that offer their wielders a sort of toolbox, or offer them choices they might not consider if they weren't dropped in their laps. Any thoughts?
| Scrapper |
in 1st edition there was a blade called a Longtooth, was a short sword that was useable with both Proficiency Dagger and Short Sword and would benefit from specialization in either weapon. It would also, iirc, resize to the wielder if small or medium.
*edit* you could look up old Dragon Magazine references for exotic/unique weapons, or various older modules.
| Meirril |
Consider shadowcraft weapons as something the desidens of the dungeon might create.
Though if you aren't planning on giving the party an opportunity to buy or craft magic items it would probably be a good idea to use automatic bonus progression and then use items that are interesting since you can basically ignore the big 6.
| Java Man |
You could introduce some method for transferring the magic from one weapon to another. Say magic pommel stones that imbue whatever powers to the weapon they are affixed to.
Also automatic bomus progression is an option.
| TheVillageIdiot |
On Automatic Bonus Progression: I've been using it in a home game and one issue I noticed pretty quick is it actually kind of punishes martials. Namely, it makes it harder to get high enhancement bonuses on weapons, because you pay for weapon special abilities with your ABP attunement values.
It's a kind'a borked system to be quite honest, and the whole "attunement" thing actually bugs me with that system. I'd rather just say "This bonus applies to all weapons you wield" or "all armor you wield," as that actually reduces bookkeeping. And I definitely don't like ABP effectively capping the total bonus of any weapon you wield to +5.
But that's a rant for another day.
| TheVillageIdiot |
You could introduce some method for transferring the magic from one weapon to another. Say magic pommel stones that imbue whatever powers to the weapon they are affixed to.
That's an interesting idea. I've seen that in 3.5... I'll have to consider that.
in 1st edition there was a blade called a Longtooth, was a short sword that was useable with both Proficiency Dagger and Short Sword and would benefit from specialization in either weapon. It would also, iirc, resize to the wielder if small or medium.
Yeah, that's similar to what I was looking to make.
| Dwarftr |
Well, there was an item a DM created a long time ago in a game i was playing. A kind of semi sentient orb of liquid metal (looked like a glob of iron suspended in a display jar when we first encountered it). Now this was not a fully sentient item, it would not try and dominate its wielder, had no goals of its own.... it just worked of the wielders abilities.
Heres how it worked in a sense.
*Character touches orb*
The flowing liquid metal covers the hand and forearm turning into a dull black iron gauntlet (did not impede movement so even a wizard could wear it and still cast spells with no issues) all the way to the elbow. At first, nothing happens afterwards and the player fasinates over this new found wonder and thinks...... what does it do tho? When they enter into the first combat and go to reach for their weapon of choice.... said weapon grows from the gauntlet, dull and black like the gauntlet itself. After combat they try and fool around reaching for different weapons, and the gauntlet recreates them before they can grab em. As long as they are proficient with the weapon they want, the gauntlet will create it. You can also have it gain magical abilities by having it absorb they from other stuff they found. Say a +2 flaming dagger.... no one in the party can/gonna use it, have the gauntlet absorb it for a short time... You could even make it so it can have the effects permanently at a cost (say 2 points of con, or 5 to 10 hit points as long as the player uses the orb. when they give up the orb, it loses the magic but the players gets back what it cost).
The original item was what a DM did for me. The other stuff i throwing out there for ideas
| Thedmstrikes |
I once had a character that was proficient with mauls as their weapon of choice (back in second edition). Since the material I was using did not have many mauls in it and it predated magic item creation rules for PCs, I compromised and allowed the original magical maul to effectively absorb the magic of newer mauls encountered. Most other characters used longswords or some such and those were available in spades, so no chance of doing it for those. Perhaps some form of magical marking on the weapon clues the PC into the fact it can be absorbed or something...
Perhaps if they take the magic crafting feats, they can rework existing magic items into different more useful ones. Strictly enforcing item categories, such as changing weapons into other weapons, armor to armor, etc.