What does a Cauldron count as when used as an improvised weapon?

[Stephen Ede]

"To determine the size category and appropriate damage for an improvised weapon, compare its relative size and damage potential to the weapon list to find a reasonable match."

Just thinking about an amusing Vital Strike Improvised weapon Barbarian character weilding a magical cauldron in battle. :-)

[avr]

How large is the cauldron? They can range from 2.5 to 100 pounds by PFs magic item list - as improvised weapons they might be anything from light to too large to use for a medium-sized creature.

If you want a two-handed improvised weapon cauldron it's doable.

[JiCi]

I don't know if you absolutely need an improvised weapon, but... there's the Traveling Kettle. It's a simple light weapon, and scaling it to make it bigger shouldn't be a problem ;)

[Artofregicide]

Stephen Ede wrote:

"What does a Cauldron count as when used as an improvised weapon?"

It counts as... Hilarious.

[Artofregicide]

Not that this helps you, but there's a part in an AP where giants throw huge cauldrons full of hot soup like they're rocks. Also hilarious.

[Meirril]

Going through all of the weapons I'd say by shape the closest weapon is a Dwarven boulder helmet. Basically a round object that can hold something with no handle. The little handles on a cauldron don't make it easier to wield as a weapon.

The main thing to determine is what size category of a weapon it is. The 10 lbs helmet here is a light weapon. I think anything over 20 lbs would probably be a large sized weapon, which makes it into a one-handed equivalent. Anything over 40 lbs should be a huge sized weapon and a two-handed equivalent. I'm just using the weights for a rough estimation of size. If you want to change the numbers, go for it.

You could also base the Cauldron off of a thrown rock. That means starting with less weight and a considerably smaller size.

You could also call the Cauldron a sort of heavy mace, without a handle. That isn't really a good fit, since the swing and grip produce a lot of the force behind a mace. A cauldron simply doesn't look like a mace and can't be swung (convincingly) like a mace. But if you think it can, a heavy mace isn't a horrible fit.

[BENSLAYER]

I would treat along the lines of a Battlepot Cauldron, which states that it can be wielded 2H as a +1 Heavy Mace, (using the handles), but unlike the Battelpot Cauldron it would still be treated as an Improvised Weapon.

[Stephen Ede]

BENSLAYER wrote:

I would treat along the lines of a Battlepot Cauldron, which states that it can be wielded 2H as a +1 Heavy Mace, (using the handles), but unlike the Battelpot Cauldron it would still be treated as an Improvised Weapon.

That sounds a pretty good fit.

Pity the cauldron itself is such a low caster level.
Only counts as a +2 enhancement with the Shikigami Style feats.

Was looking at using the Cauldron of Plenty, 25lbs.
You can make dinner when not hitting people with it and it's CL12 = +3 Enhancement bonus.
Although I see Cauldron of Firewrks is also 25lbs and CL17 = +4 Enhancement and can be used as a ranged weapon with the fireworks ability.

I thought in battle a large cauldron would best be wielded by using chains tied to the handles.
Cauldrons were sometimes used by hanging them by chains running through loops/handles around the rim.

So maybe a 25lb cauldron weilded by chains would be a heavy Flail?
Maybe a large Heavy Flail?

[avr]

If you swing it round like that then it might be a large two-handed improvised weapon, sure. If you modify it enough to be a large heavy flail then shikigami style (etc.) won't apply though.

[Stephen Ede]

I was looking for what a 25lb cauldron swung by it's support chains would be rated equivalent to for damage dice.

All improvised weapons have to be matched as comparable to a melee weapon to calculate the damage dice according to improvised weapon rules.