Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WerelWuff 12-11-03, 07:45 PM	I was wondering what vorperal stuff did! I've been seeing it all over the forum and I do'nt know how it works! Is it something from an old edition that people kept bringing through? I'd like to know! Thanks. :) *ack, "vorpal -.- "*
Toptomcat 12-11-03, 07:46 PM	Um...Vorpal weapons automatically kill any creature vulnerable to a critical hit on a natural 20.
Donnavin Snowolf 12-11-03, 09:57 PM	Actually you cut off the head of any creature subject to critical hits on a natural 20. Cutting off its head does not kill a hydra, or other multiheaded creatures. Or those that can survive perfectly well without a head, and finally, those that do not have heads.
the Horc 12-11-03, 10:21 PM	I personally would house rule that stuff like corporeal, non-bloblike intelligent undead will be adversely affected by having its head severed. A Vampire is boned, while, say, a lich is simply at a penalty to do stuff, since it is currently face down in the dirt, with the rest of the body is flailing wildly.
DemonMonkeyBoy 12-12-03, 07:45 AM	:b:From the SRD Vorpal: This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.) Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus.
Korimyr the Rat 12-12-03, 05:54 PM	Vorpal weapons are, in my opinion, the most unfortunate legacy of older editions of D&D. They completely ignore the function of hitpoints and critical hits, and there are too many situations where their exact effects would be uncertain. It would be better for "Vorpal" to be a +1 enhancement that adds one to a weapon's critical multiplier. It suits the flavor of Vorpal weapons well and doesn't circumvent D&D's normal combat rules.
Sildatorak 12-12-03, 06:13 PM	So it is ok for a wizard to toss a Finger of Death at an opponent and have that foe's life resting on one die roll but not ok for the fighter to have an autokill on 5% of his hits? Remember, vorpal is priced as a +5 enhancement, which means that any weapon that has it is going to be epic, so you are looking at a dozen or more spells with "save or die" effects per day.
Mythgaard 12-12-03, 06:34 PM	Way way back when I first started playing, my DM was just getting into GammaWorld. Not being much of a long term campaign planner, whenever his well began to run dry, wed end up being shuffled off to GW. At one point, I had a Dual-Brained Pure-Strain Human Barbarian with a Vorpal Vibro-Blade. ;)
Joe Gold 12-12-03, 07:22 PM	Originally posted by Sildatorak Remember, vorpal is priced as a +5 enhancement, which means that any weapon that has it is going to be epic Not quite, if it was vorpal and some other special property( like a +1 ghost touch vorpal longsword), then it would be epic, but a +5 vorpal longsword is still within the category of normal weapons.