Backstory

[Toolbag]

I don't understand why I've had some people on the forum question my intentions with a character but I'm willing to chalk it up to everyone having their own opinion and playing style. However, I've decided to lay it out here in the General category just for fun and see where the conversation goes.
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Torag blesses my human Paladin through the holy symbol engraved in each side of the head of his warhammer, thus making the hammer eligible for channeling/smiting evil through the hammer. This is not the only reason for the warhammer, though, as shattering the forces of evil is often accomplished through sundering actions.

This is in direct contrast to Torag's wish that followers create.

Therefore, my Paladin has ventured into the world to pursue a legend found deep within the works of his homeland, the Five Kings Mountains.

Legend states that the ancient Orcs employed a special material known as Thorium along with weapons which had been weighted to deal extra damage when striking foes. He is actively seeking Orc settlements in order to gain this special knowledge. (These are World of Warcraft concepts which I am bringing over to Pathfinder with the intent that this Paladin is on a wild goose chase because they do not exist in Golarion)

Eventually having failed in his quest, he turns his creative energy to devising his own special weapon which would have the new quality of "Sundering" (based upon the qualities of Disarm, Trip, etc.).

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These ideas would be subject to GM approval but I think that it works well as a backstory and has good potential for story hooks.

[Dave Justus]

As a GM, I wouldn't want a player importing a concept from another game system or fantasy world. It doesn't fit. I also don't quite get the idea of a 'sundering' weapon. Comparing it to 'trip' doesn't really make sense, as trip just lets you drop the weapon rather than be tripped yourself, which obviously doesn't apply. Getting a +2 like disarm makes mechanical sense, but not really conceptual sense, because a sunder attempt is really just trying to break something, which is already the core competency of weapons. In general, a character trying to invent a core game mechanic, like a weapon special feature, is outside of what I usually consider possible.

I'd prefer a more generic goal "He is fascinated by weapons and wants to learn more about the various materials they can be built with and how they are designed, perhaps designing new weapons of his own someday" for example.

I'd also like to have more backstory in your backstory. Why Torag, for example. As a human and someone how is specializing in sundering it doesn't seem like an obvious choice, and there should be a story there.

An actual person that you knew, a teacher or family member or something would also round out the background.

Lastly, if the campaign had a published theme I'd want some reason why your character would be interested in it. Why you wanted to become a pirate (for Skull and Shackles) or build up a new society (Kingmaker) or whatever. The backstory should be the hook the propels the character to join the party and be interested in accomplishing the parties goals, not just something concerned only with yourself (some GMs don't really publish a theme for their campaign, which I think is a mistake.)

[Toolbag]

1. You have a valid point concerning the core game mechanic. And although I didn't go into it before, my intention was that it would be this character's legacy. My intent was for him to adventure until at least level 15 while searching for the non-existant information. Thus spending many years of life tinkering with different ideas and designs before even coming close to a solution. Doesn't mean I am right or wrong but it was my thinking.

2. I agree that it could, and should, have been fleshed out more. As in, one of my thoughts was that some family member was also encouraging this by passing on an heirloom set of masterwork artisan tools to help the process along. Not enough to really make a backstory but we are on the same page here at least.

3. Torag was chosen based solely upon the fact that the favored weapon is the warhammer.

[gnoams]

There are sundering weapons like lucern hammer or sword breaker dagger from as early as the apg. The warhammer is, however, not one of them. There's plenty of sunder feats, items, and abilities to build a warhammer wielding sundering character around regardless.

This is the sort of thing that you just talk over with your GM. Some GMs will think this is cool and say go ahead, others will think you are a munchkin and wrote a backstory for the sole purpose of trying to weasel out more bonuses.

[Toolbag]

More importantly, the known sundering weapons like lucern hammer and sword breaker dagger are not listed as favored weapons by any deities. At least as far as I know. Nor is the earth breaker listed as a favored weapon.

I also agree that it would depend upon the GM.

You are also correct in that I'm trying to get more bonuses by inventing more bonuses. That's why I think it was important to respond by including the intention for this to be an epic endeavor for this guy. It's simply not something that will happen anytime soon.

Otherwise. Perhaps a GM might accept that his attempts to create a new weapon comes with a certain failure possibility. Maybe the GM makes a secret-behind-the-screen d% roll to determine if the new weapon breaks.

I also think this introduces possibilities for extra roleplaying since the character would need to convince the group that he needs to make a side adventure to obtain some material. Or maybe he needs a special forge to work the material because of its' properties and that requires a visit to some remote/forsaken place.