Bastard Sword Enhancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bastard Sword Enhancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
reaper5081
09-03-07, 06:45 PM I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. My DM has limited me to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas?
BugHunter
09-03-07, 07:18 PM A lot depends on your alignment and what you will be fighting. Keen, bane, holy/unholy or any of the other alignments are good places to start.
bondious
09-03-07, 07:41 PM I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. I'm limited to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas?

Just so you know, the 'Magic Items Compendium' has updated some of the enhancements found in 'The Underdark'. Can't think of exactly what off hand since I don't have my books handy (they're at home), along with rules about "synergy" enhancements that might apply.

As for what you should put on this bastard sword, I couldn't say for sure without some more information, though Metalline might be a good one. Maybe a +5 Holy Metalline Keen Bastard Sword as a base, then adjust from there if you need something more specific, like Bane or a specific energy (Flaming, Frost, etc).
reaper5081
09-03-07, 07:41 PM I generally don't like to choose something specific like holy etc. because I have to fight a huge variety of creatures. I like the idea of keen and Shocking Burst so far though.
goawayugh
09-04-07, 11:07 AM Keen is great if you're not going to pick up the Imp Crit feat.

You could go with one of the energy enhancements. I would not go with flaming though, too many creatures have fire resistance.

If you have a caster in the party, spell storing is nice. This is one of my favorites.
reaper5081
09-04-07, 11:35 AM Do keen and improved crit stack?
goawayugh
09-04-07, 11:45 AM Do keen and improved crit stack?

Not anymore (it used to in 3.0).

This effect doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon.
This benefit doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon (such as the keen edge spell or the Improved Critical feat).
Meep326
09-04-07, 01:00 PM I generally don't like to choose something specific like holy etc. because I have to fight a huge variety of creatures. I like the idea of keen and Shocking Burst so far though.
Holy effects all evil things? How is that specific, unless yer evil yerself.
reaper5081
09-04-07, 01:02 PM I actually am Evil :) and I kill evil and good things with about the same frequency. Is it possible to have a holy and unholy weapon?
Xavorin
09-04-07, 01:18 PM You know, since the OP is playing a fighter, most likely he'll be making a fair few full-attacks. Thus I'll reccomend the speed ability (+3 bonus).

So maybe... +4 holy speed keen? I guess that's not great, since the damage-per-attack with such a weapon isn't great. Assuming a strength modifier of +10 or so, and 5 attacks (at 20th level), max damage is going to be 50(sword and 5 crits)+12(holy)x5= 312. Not great, especially since the 312 damage is assuming crits and max damage with all five hits, and against a monster with no DR or resistances.

So the speed ability is my :twocents:.
aelryinth
09-04-07, 01:19 PM Yes, you'd take negative levels from one or the other unless you are neutral.

I'd probably use an Adamantine Hardened (+10 Hard) +5 WOunding Valorous Transmuting sword (punches through DR the round after the first hit). If you can, get the Augment Crystals for use against Outsiders, Undead, Constructs, and apply as needed.

If you have access to stuff that lets you punch DR in the form of spells or wands or something, a +5 Sword of Speed can't go too awful wrong.

===Aelryinth
reaper5081
09-04-07, 01:32 PM Does the damage from the shocking, frost, and flaming abilities stack?
If so then I'm thinking something along the lines of a +5 metaline shocking, frost, flaming sword or a +5 speed shocking, frost sword. What do you think?
goawayugh
09-04-07, 03:38 PM Does the damage from the shocking, frost, and flaming abilities stack?
If so then I'm thinking something along the lines of a +5 metaline shocking, frost, flaming sword or a +5 speed shocking, frost sword. What do you think?

Yes, although I wouldn't phrase it as "stacking". It would do 1d6 of each energy type. Resistances apply, remember that. Personally, I think speed itsn't worth it.
Dog_O_War
09-04-07, 03:46 PM Use a +5 wounding shocking, flaming, Ghost Touch adamantine bastard sword.
Why ghost touch? because it is always best to put money on a sure thing (pun intended).

Metalline is useless based soley on the fact that;
a) stuff with cold iron DR (ie: fey) rarely have it in the high numbers, usually at most 10 - which is not that bad to have to cut through.
2) Things with silver DR (ie: werewolves) again rarely have DR past 10, and the stuff that does (a Balor, for example) has additional qualifications for its DR (good) that make silver pointless, that and it lowers your damage.
c) Adamantine alone does not add to your weapons' total enhancement bonus, cuts through adamantine DR (the one that is usually high, ie: Iron Golem), and allows you to sunder any weapon that is not adamantine, +5 or a legacy weapon with ease.

I will admit that it is not a horrible enchantment given a game type (like one that involved lots of fey and lycanthropes), but as a general use one you'll find that it comes up less than holy would.
RobbyPants
09-04-07, 03:52 PM I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. My DM has limited me to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas?
If you don't mind revising your idea a bit, a truely awesome bastard sword and shield is actually a greatsword with an animated shield. If you have enough money to dump into a +10 weapon, buying a +3 shield should be pretty easy. The real bonus from the greatsword isn't from the 2d6 damage, but rather that it's a two-handed weapon. This gives you a much better return on your Power Attack. At high levels, static modifiers will get you much further too.

In this case, Keen will also get you lots of milage.
reaper5081
09-05-07, 07:55 AM A good amount of you still don't seem to understand, this character is evil so Holy will not work.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
reaper5081 09-03-07, 06:45 PM	I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. My DM has limited me to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas?
BugHunter 09-03-07, 07:18 PM	A lot depends on your alignment and what you will be fighting. Keen, bane, holy/unholy or any of the other alignments are good places to start.
bondious 09-03-07, 07:41 PM	I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. I'm limited to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas? Just so you know, the 'Magic Items Compendium' has updated some of the enhancements found in 'The Underdark'. Can't think of exactly what off hand since I don't have my books handy (they're at home), along with rules about "synergy" enhancements that might apply. As for what you should put on this bastard sword, I couldn't say for sure without some more information, though Metalline might be a good one. Maybe a +5 Holy Metalline Keen Bastard Sword as a base, then adjust from there if you need something more specific, like Bane or a specific energy (Flaming, Frost, etc).
reaper5081 09-03-07, 07:41 PM	I generally don't like to choose something specific like holy etc. because I have to fight a huge variety of creatures. I like the idea of keen and Shocking Burst so far though.
goawayugh 09-04-07, 11:07 AM	Keen is great if you're not going to pick up the Imp Crit feat. You could go with one of the energy enhancements. I would not go with flaming though, too many creatures have fire resistance. If you have a caster in the party, spell storing is nice. This is one of my favorites.
reaper5081 09-04-07, 11:35 AM	Do keen and improved crit stack?
goawayugh 09-04-07, 11:45 AM	Do keen and improved crit stack? Not anymore (it used to in 3.0). This effect doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon. This benefit doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon (such as the keen edge spell or the Improved Critical feat).
Meep326 09-04-07, 01:00 PM	I generally don't like to choose something specific like holy etc. because I have to fight a huge variety of creatures. I like the idea of keen and Shocking Burst so far though. Holy effects all evil things? How is that specific, unless yer evil yerself.
reaper5081 09-04-07, 01:02 PM	I actually am Evil :) and I kill evil and good things with about the same frequency. Is it possible to have a holy and unholy weapon?
Xavorin 09-04-07, 01:18 PM	You know, since the OP is playing a fighter, most likely he'll be making a fair few full-attacks. Thus I'll reccomend the speed ability (+3 bonus). So maybe... +4 holy speed keen? I guess that's not great, since the damage-per-attack with such a weapon isn't great. Assuming a strength modifier of +10 or so, and 5 attacks (at 20th level), max damage is going to be 50(sword and 5 crits)+12(holy)x5= 312. Not great, especially since the 312 damage is assuming crits and max damage with all five hits, and against a monster with no DR or resistances. So the speed ability is my :twocents:.
aelryinth 09-04-07, 01:19 PM	Yes, you'd take negative levels from one or the other unless you are neutral. I'd probably use an Adamantine Hardened (+10 Hard) +5 WOunding Valorous Transmuting sword (punches through DR the round after the first hit). If you can, get the Augment Crystals for use against Outsiders, Undead, Constructs, and apply as needed. If you have access to stuff that lets you punch DR in the form of spells or wands or something, a +5 Sword of Speed can't go too awful wrong. ===Aelryinth
reaper5081 09-04-07, 01:32 PM	Does the damage from the shocking, frost, and flaming abilities stack? If so then I'm thinking something along the lines of a +5 metaline shocking, frost, flaming sword or a +5 speed shocking, frost sword. What do you think?
goawayugh 09-04-07, 03:38 PM	Does the damage from the shocking, frost, and flaming abilities stack? If so then I'm thinking something along the lines of a +5 metaline shocking, frost, flaming sword or a +5 speed shocking, frost sword. What do you think? Yes, although I wouldn't phrase it as "stacking". It would do 1d6 of each energy type. Resistances apply, remember that. Personally, I think speed itsn't worth it.
Dog_O_War 09-04-07, 03:46 PM	Use a +5 wounding shocking, flaming, Ghost Touch adamantine bastard sword. Why ghost touch? because it is always best to put money on a sure thing (pun intended). Metalline is useless based soley on the fact that; a) stuff with cold iron DR (ie: fey) rarely have it in the high numbers, usually at most 10 - which is not that bad to have to cut through. 2) Things with silver DR (ie: werewolves) again rarely have DR past 10, and the stuff that does (a Balor, for example) has additional qualifications for its DR (good) that make silver pointless, that and it lowers your damage. c) Adamantine alone does not add to your weapons' total enhancement bonus, cuts through adamantine DR (the one that is usually high, ie: Iron Golem), and allows you to sunder any weapon that is not adamantine, +5 or a legacy weapon with ease. I will admit that it is not a horrible enchantment given a game type (like one that involved lots of fey and lycanthropes), but as a general use one you'll find that it comes up less than holy would.
RobbyPants 09-04-07, 03:52 PM	I'm trying to design an awesome B. Sword for my fighter to use with a sheild. It will be a +10 enhanced sword so there will be lots of room for customization. My DM has limited me to the core books and Underdark. Any ideas? If you don't mind revising your idea a bit, a truely awesome bastard sword and shield is actually a greatsword with an animated shield. If you have enough money to dump into a +10 weapon, buying a +3 shield should be pretty easy. The real bonus from the greatsword isn't from the 2d6 damage, but rather that it's a two-handed weapon. This gives you a much better return on your Power Attack. At high levels, static modifiers will get you much further too. In this case, Keen will also get you lots of milage.
reaper5081 09-05-07, 07:55 AM	A good amount of you still don't seem to understand, this character is evil so Holy will not work.