Playing as an intelligent weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Playing as an intelligent weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tardatog
09-17-03, 04:34 AM I love playing unusual characters. I once had a kobold paladin with a greatsword he could throw pretty far (30ft I think) and have return to him.
I'm considering playing as an intelligent weapon with the dancing ability (so i can move under my own power). I ran it by my DM and he seems to like the idea too.
For storyline I was thinking I was a powerfull wizard who decided since he had mastered magic, he wanted to become a powerful fighter so he used magic to put himself into a sword, killing his physical body and reverting himself back to a low level character.
I would take the fighter class of course and have not quite worked out all the details and complications of being a weapon yet (AC and such). Roleplaying with NPCs outside the party may prove difficult at times but if I feel my presence would be "disruptive" in certain situations (magic hating comunities for example) I can just have another PC sheath me and keep my mouth shut for awhile.
I was wondering if anyone else had done this before or if anyone had any comments or suggestions.
Morka
09-17-03, 12:07 PM I once designed 4 intelligents swords. Basically, it was 4 adventurers exploring Myth Drannor for a powerfull artefact. But they falled in a magic trap that put the soul of the adventurers into their swords. Unfortunately, I did it in french and I can't post it here. Here is a short summarize:
- Paladin's longsword + 2: detect evil & protection from evil 3/day each, immunity against fear, +1 in all saving throws, double damage against CE creature. However, there was nothing that prevent the use by evil creatures, and the sword did pass a long time in the hands of a goblin leader.

- Ranger's greatsword +2 lycanthrope bane (lycanthrope was the ranger chosen ennemy): magical bonus is +5 against lycanthrope, can detect lycanthropes at will, can charm animals 3/day. Unusable by evil creatures. A loner ranger took the sword, but was eventually put down by wolves, and the sword did stay a long time under a cover of leaves.

- Bard's Rapier +2: while in combat, can sing to inspire courage like a bard with 3 rank in perform. Have a score of 25 in bardic knowledge. However, the bard-sword lost the notion of time. It can tell he took part of a battle that occur 1000 years ago, and can tell the last battle as a legend. It gets no loyalty, so if the sword is stolen, it could tell all the secrets of his previous wielder.

- Warrior's Greatsword +4: The only knowledge the warrior got is to fight, so this sword is +4 instead of the +2 of it siblings. The only special ability it gets is a war cry (3/day), that gives +1 to damage the next it, and force every opponent to save (will) or be shaken.

I don't think it'll help you, but it could give some ideas.
Leap
09-17-03, 12:42 PM Have them be edgy, make cutting comments and roleplay to the hilt.

:)

Sorry

;)
Obi-Wan Quixote
09-17-03, 01:33 PM Originally posted by Leap
[B]Have them be edgy, make cutting comments and roleplay to the hilt.

I think you missed the thrust of this thread.
Leap
09-17-03, 02:26 PM So should I re-poste my comments?
Obi-Wan Quixote
09-17-03, 02:29 PM Originally posted by Leap
So should I re-poste my comments?

Not necessary ... although I look forward to seeing our friend take epee levels ....
Leap
09-17-03, 02:34 PM That would take exp in the Quillions; something that will require years of hack and slash
Lord of the Ninth
09-17-03, 07:50 PM What would you do with money? Do you have someone else carry it? What about magic items? Would there be anything that you would benefit from, can you use Ioun Stones? Will your DM let you get better enchantments for you self? Oh yeah, and what sort of feats would you take, Weapon Focus (me)?

This sounds like a very interesting character. Please keep us posted.
Tardatog
09-17-03, 08:12 PM Originally posted by Lord of the Ninth
What would you do with money? Do you have someone else carry it? What about magic items? Would there be anything that you would benefit from, can you use Ioun Stones? Will your DM let you get better enchantments for you self? Oh yeah, and what sort of feats would you take, Weapon Focus (me)?

This sounds like a very interesting character. Please keep us posted.

I was thinking about that and yeah, I guess another trustwothy character could carry my cash and I could just save up for upgrades. I also think I'll have that ability that lets you put a ring on your sword. That way I can at least have 1 magic item at a time. I hadn't thought about ioun stones...maybe.
Feats shouldn't be a problem, there are plenty of feats that don't require a humanois form. Mainly combat feats probably and I can always take the save improving feats and toughness about abillion times if I run out of feats to take (which I doubt will happen).
Svirfneblin
09-17-03, 08:36 PM There's just one problem to this character concept.

If you go into a dead magic zone, you're dead, and you can't identify it easily before hand.
Lord of the Ninth
09-18-03, 12:04 AM You hear a great deal about antimagic fields and deadmagic, but when was the last time you reallly had to worry about these things? I myself have never really encountered them except when fighting beholders (almost lost a chronomancer that way...)

I'd say the biggest problem would be that Dancing only lasts for 4 rounds. Then you have to wait for someone to loose you again (although the text is fairly vague on this, you might even have to wait four rounds for this too). But either way in 3.5 they don't seem to want people to play intelligent dancing weapons. I would consider dominating a henchmen.
Zoticus
09-18-03, 01:13 AM what happens if someone sunders you? Or you fail on a MDJ? It could be awful easy to kill this character, or can you be reforged and loose a level kinda like resurection?
Morka
09-18-03, 10:30 AM If you play a sword as a character, will you have health points? You should not be healable, it will recquire a craft(weapon) skill to heal you. Or you should be considered a construct.
Scrag the kobold
09-19-03, 11:28 AM You could use the animated object to create youre character, give it a extra fly movement

You could say that your damage is like a natural attack, so you can't be disarmed of yourself
Impeesa
09-19-03, 07:27 PM I've always wanted to play a character like that... some suggestions I'd make:

-Rather than 'using' magic items, have your enhancements grow with your level so you're always priced roughly equivalent to what a character of that level would have in treasure.

-Try and talk the DM into letting you be artifact-class with the everdancing property without counting it against your total value, for the sake of mobility and vulnerability to dispelling. Even on a failed MDJ, you reform one way or another. Plus you'd look like the Sword Familiar from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

-When fighting independantly, assume your effective strength and dex is equal to an animated object of equal size (possibly modified by magical properties), and BAB and such is equal to what you'd get from your class levels.

--Impeesa--
nagilfarswake
09-19-03, 07:45 PM one idea i had for playing a character like this was that if someone tried to wield you, you could take over their body temporarily. you would use your mental attributes, feats, skills, etc. and their phys attributes. allies could volunteer to be taken over, while opponents would get some kind of save. you could also have a body that you used full time, someone who had volunteered to give their body over to you. i was planning on having it be a high level paladin's "essence" in the weapon, so a lower level paladin of your order could be the body you are using, or something like that. so if that body died, then you could have your allies carry you until you found someone else who would volunteer their bodies.
Heimholz
09-19-03, 10:03 PM My dm rolled for my abilities and i ended up with improved initiative, detect magic at will, and cure light wounds once per day which we're changing to cure construct (i think there's something like that in the tome and blood and if not, we're making it up). The healing thing will be really useful since conventional healing doesn't effect me. I'll have another pc carry my stuf and when i can find a willing wizard, i'll buy upgrades.
I'm starting as a 6th level fighter with a +1 enhancement bonus. I have evrdancing for free and also for free that abnility that trhat one special sword has in the arms and equip. that lets me have a ring. I spent my first 9k on a leather grip of intelligence +3 (my DM lets us bend rules sometimes:))
My starting feats are weopon focus: me, weopon secialization: me, and all the stuff leading up to whirlwind attack.
Tardatog
09-19-03, 10:04 PM Sorry, I'm at my DM's house and accidentilly used his account. The above message is actually from me.

EDIT: typo. He has a really touchy keyboard.
nagilfarswake
09-19-03, 10:25 PM very cool. keep us informed on how it goes.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tardatog 09-17-03, 04:34 AM	I love playing unusual characters. I once had a kobold paladin with a greatsword he could throw pretty far (30ft I think) and have return to him. I'm considering playing as an intelligent weapon with the dancing ability (so i can move under my own power). I ran it by my DM and he seems to like the idea too. For storyline I was thinking I was a powerfull wizard who decided since he had mastered magic, he wanted to become a powerful fighter so he used magic to put himself into a sword, killing his physical body and reverting himself back to a low level character. I would take the fighter class of course and have not quite worked out all the details and complications of being a weapon yet (AC and such). Roleplaying with NPCs outside the party may prove difficult at times but if I feel my presence would be "disruptive" in certain situations (magic hating comunities for example) I can just have another PC sheath me and keep my mouth shut for awhile. I was wondering if anyone else had done this before or if anyone had any comments or suggestions.
Morka 09-17-03, 12:07 PM	I once designed 4 intelligents swords. Basically, it was 4 adventurers exploring Myth Drannor for a powerfull artefact. But they falled in a magic trap that put the soul of the adventurers into their swords. Unfortunately, I did it in french and I can't post it here. Here is a short summarize: - Paladin's longsword + 2: detect evil & protection from evil 3/day each, immunity against fear, +1 in all saving throws, double damage against CE creature. However, there was nothing that prevent the use by evil creatures, and the sword did pass a long time in the hands of a goblin leader. - Ranger's greatsword +2 lycanthrope bane (lycanthrope was the ranger chosen ennemy): magical bonus is +5 against lycanthrope, can detect lycanthropes at will, can charm animals 3/day. Unusable by evil creatures. A loner ranger took the sword, but was eventually put down by wolves, and the sword did stay a long time under a cover of leaves. - Bard's Rapier +2: while in combat, can sing to inspire courage like a bard with 3 rank in perform. Have a score of 25 in bardic knowledge. However, the bard-sword lost the notion of time. It can tell he took part of a battle that occur 1000 years ago, and can tell the last battle as a legend. It gets no loyalty, so if the sword is stolen, it could tell all the secrets of his previous wielder. - Warrior's Greatsword +4: The only knowledge the warrior got is to fight, so this sword is +4 instead of the +2 of it siblings. The only special ability it gets is a war cry (3/day), that gives +1 to damage the next it, and force every opponent to save (will) or be shaken. I don't think it'll help you, but it could give some ideas.
Leap 09-17-03, 12:42 PM	Have them be edgy, make cutting comments and roleplay to the hilt. :) Sorry ;)
Obi-Wan Quixote 09-17-03, 01:33 PM	Originally posted by Leap [B]Have them be edgy, make cutting comments and roleplay to the hilt. I think you missed the thrust of this thread.
Leap 09-17-03, 02:26 PM	So should I re-poste my comments?
Obi-Wan Quixote 09-17-03, 02:29 PM	Originally posted by Leap So should I re-poste my comments? Not necessary ... although I look forward to seeing our friend take epee levels ....
Leap 09-17-03, 02:34 PM	That would take exp in the Quillions; something that will require years of hack and slash
Lord of the Ninth 09-17-03, 07:50 PM	What would you do with money? Do you have someone else carry it? What about magic items? Would there be anything that you would benefit from, can you use Ioun Stones? Will your DM let you get better enchantments for you self? Oh yeah, and what sort of feats would you take, Weapon Focus (me)? This sounds like a very interesting character. Please keep us posted.
Tardatog 09-17-03, 08:12 PM	Originally posted by Lord of the Ninth What would you do with money? Do you have someone else carry it? What about magic items? Would there be anything that you would benefit from, can you use Ioun Stones? Will your DM let you get better enchantments for you self? Oh yeah, and what sort of feats would you take, Weapon Focus (me)? This sounds like a very interesting character. Please keep us posted. I was thinking about that and yeah, I guess another trustwothy character could carry my cash and I could just save up for upgrades. I also think I'll have that ability that lets you put a ring on your sword. That way I can at least have 1 magic item at a time. I hadn't thought about ioun stones...maybe. Feats shouldn't be a problem, there are plenty of feats that don't require a humanois form. Mainly combat feats probably and I can always take the save improving feats and toughness about abillion times if I run out of feats to take (which I doubt will happen).
Svirfneblin 09-17-03, 08:36 PM	There's just one problem to this character concept. If you go into a dead magic zone, you're dead, and you can't identify it easily before hand.
Lord of the Ninth 09-18-03, 12:04 AM	You hear a great deal about antimagic fields and deadmagic, but when was the last time you reallly had to worry about these things? I myself have never really encountered them except when fighting beholders (almost lost a chronomancer that way...) I'd say the biggest problem would be that Dancing only lasts for 4 rounds. Then you have to wait for someone to loose you again (although the text is fairly vague on this, you might even have to wait four rounds for this too). But either way in 3.5 they don't seem to want people to play intelligent dancing weapons. I would consider dominating a henchmen.
Zoticus 09-18-03, 01:13 AM	what happens if someone sunders you? Or you fail on a MDJ? It could be awful easy to kill this character, or can you be reforged and loose a level kinda like resurection?
Morka 09-18-03, 10:30 AM	If you play a sword as a character, will you have health points? You should not be healable, it will recquire a craft(weapon) skill to heal you. Or you should be considered a construct.
Scrag the kobold 09-19-03, 11:28 AM	You could use the animated object to create youre character, give it a extra fly movement You could say that your damage is like a natural attack, so you can't be disarmed of yourself
Impeesa 09-19-03, 07:27 PM	I've always wanted to play a character like that... some suggestions I'd make: -Rather than 'using' magic items, have your enhancements grow with your level so you're always priced roughly equivalent to what a character of that level would have in treasure. -Try and talk the DM into letting you be artifact-class with the everdancing property without counting it against your total value, for the sake of mobility and vulnerability to dispelling. Even on a failed MDJ, you reform one way or another. Plus you'd look like the Sword Familiar from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. -When fighting independantly, assume your effective strength and dex is equal to an animated object of equal size (possibly modified by magical properties), and BAB and such is equal to what you'd get from your class levels. --Impeesa--
nagilfarswake 09-19-03, 07:45 PM	one idea i had for playing a character like this was that if someone tried to wield you, you could take over their body temporarily. you would use your mental attributes, feats, skills, etc. and their phys attributes. allies could volunteer to be taken over, while opponents would get some kind of save. you could also have a body that you used full time, someone who had volunteered to give their body over to you. i was planning on having it be a high level paladin's "essence" in the weapon, so a lower level paladin of your order could be the body you are using, or something like that. so if that body died, then you could have your allies carry you until you found someone else who would volunteer their bodies.
Heimholz 09-19-03, 10:03 PM	My dm rolled for my abilities and i ended up with improved initiative, detect magic at will, and cure light wounds once per day which we're changing to cure construct (i think there's something like that in the tome and blood and if not, we're making it up). The healing thing will be really useful since conventional healing doesn't effect me. I'll have another pc carry my stuf and when i can find a willing wizard, i'll buy upgrades. I'm starting as a 6th level fighter with a +1 enhancement bonus. I have evrdancing for free and also for free that abnility that trhat one special sword has in the arms and equip. that lets me have a ring. I spent my first 9k on a leather grip of intelligence +3 (my DM lets us bend rules sometimes:)) My starting feats are weopon focus: me, weopon secialization: me, and all the stuff leading up to whirlwind attack.
Tardatog 09-19-03, 10:04 PM	Sorry, I'm at my DM's house and accidentilly used his account. The above message is actually from me. EDIT: typo. He has a really touchy keyboard.
nagilfarswake 09-19-03, 10:25 PM	very cool. keep us informed on how it goes.