So I have a player that wants to play as an intelligent item but the back story he wants in my opinion was awesome and I really want to entertain it:
“The sword used to be a high level paladin of Apsu that stopped a red dragon threat but didn’t kill beast. Knowing his life span was limited and the revenge tactics of a dragon he decided to self sacrifice his essence into an eternal blade to continue championing the cause of Apsu in the dragon war.”
I’m here for it now me mechanical side how I was thinking is have the players roll the 3 mental stats. As far as powers go, his abilities reset to a level 1 paladin.Each time he levels up he gains as if a paladin with following changes:
-When its time for his divine bond he must choose himself as a weapon and can temporarily give himself properties as a paladin normally could.
-When it comes to Divine grace, he would gain will only for himself but grant fort and relax to his partner host (should he choose to give benefit)
-Divine health would only transfer to host should sword choose so (bonded partner) vs. some joe who picks up and beats ego save. Also can’t be used to spam remove disease from a party hot potatoimg the sword around; being already infected would require a mercy.
- Lay of hands and mercy casting are 100% the choice of sword and bot wielder.
-Aura are centered on sword.
-The sword would have a bab, cmb or cmd (obviously); instead every 4 levels it is eligible for a +1 enchantment bonus to cap off at +5 @ level 20.
-as gear upgrades the player of sword can purchase things like extra sense off the intelligent item table.
These are rough ideas as I love the story. Any advice?
Is the player proposing that one of their party members wield the sword, or that they play the sword and also the wielder?
It's a cool idea. Not sure how it'll play, but I say it's worth a shot.
So, it's a Paladin with sentient sword?
Mechanically, if you have a humanoid cohort carrying the sword, it's just normal Paladin, right?
Make the sword size Small... not a sword sized for Small characters... but the size of a Small character.
Give it the Dancing enchantment at a +0 enchantment bonus.
Now the sword IS the Paladin. Treat it exactly like you would treat a Treeborn Gathlain Paladin... except it can't be Disarmed, but is subject to being Sundered. Its Hardness is essentially Damage Reduction. There might be a few other oddities, but it should be pretty straightforward, otherwise.
Is the player proposing that one of their party members wield the sword, or that they play the sword and also the wielder?
It's a cool idea. Not sure how it'll play, but I say it's worth a shot.
They would play the sword. If a party member wields them it would be a partnership. The players agreeing that if the sword is in control that player controls the body but uses the swords feats snd skill checks, the person in charge uses their own but swings the sword.
However original “host” would be a NPC class. A squire of the church of Apsu perhaps but a willing host as sword is LG. Will take control to keep safe but doesn’t abuse the “weaker” partner.
Hopefully the squire is a Kobold. I love Kobolds...
Wasn’t the original idea but I love them too. A Gold Kobold does make since.
Actually no I take back an older statement. Sword which is the paladin would still get a BAB but it is only effective when the sword is in the driver seat. This way say he is possessing a child or non martial adult he is able to keep the host potential safe by being efficient with sword vs. being handy capped.
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i would give him a 1/day ability to cast unseen servant (last 1 hour per level) and have the servant be like his soul - moving the blade \items nearby (also the range limit is binding the servant to stay close to the blade). same limitation as the spell so no attack and very low str, but he would be able to use his lat on hands etc.
bit like a poltergeist
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There is always Drop Dead Studios' Spirit Blade archetype. A lot of paladin abilities could be replicated by Spheres of Magic too.