Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kjenks 03-03-08, 11:10 AM	My mounted lancer druid has a +1 wooden lance. I like to cast Spikes on it for +10 damage per hit (+30 with Spirited Charge). I'm contemplating a future upgrade to Brilliant Energy. What do you think about these two in conjunction? The Spikes spell functions on a wooden weapon. "A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion transformed into light, although this does not modify the item’s weight." Can I cast Spikes on a wooden weapon that "has its significant portion transformed into light?" Alternatively, if I cast Spikes first (while the weapon is still made entirely of wood) then I turn on the Brilliant Energy ability (a standard action), would they work together?
Mindolin 03-04-08, 02:28 PM	It's a moot point. You don't turn Brilliant Energy on and off, it's always on.
kjenks 03-04-08, 03:54 PM	When I get high enough level, I can also cast the Brilliant Blade spell and Quicken Spell + Spikes. Brilliant Blade has the same effect as the weapon special ability.
tyrecian 03-04-08, 04:52 PM	"significant portion" is up to debate because of the very notion that a significant portions of a sword could be its blade. The hilt remains unchanged, therefore a DM could easily rule that the significant portion is not a "part" of the bludgeon, rather it is the part that you fight with, and could disallow. however, forget lightsabers and the DMG pix, and think more in terms of wrapping energy around a lance that can be channeled through the blade by user (hence no command word, etc.) then you could have it work i would think. Just depends on how you DM rules. and any RAW or FAQ errata will prolly support one or the other, but i didn't see.
Nirid 03-04-08, 06:42 PM	I don't see anywhere where you lose special material properties under brilliant energy. Since things like silver and cold iron are now important I would see the description for brilliant energy saying if these properties are lost. As it doesn't I would say that the material properties are left intact. A wooden weapon is still would for all intents and purposes except as noted in the description of brilliant energy.
BilopTheFleshwarper 03-05-08, 04:48 AM	can't make wooden weapons brilliant energy... metal only... the spell doesn't specifically say it but it does under the ability it grants.
Mindolin 03-05-08, 09:55 AM	No it doesn't. The only restriction is melee weapons only, it says nothing about metal weapons.
JamesMaissen 03-05-08, 01:48 PM	My mounted lancer druid has a +1 wooden lance. I like to cast Spikes on it for +10 damage per hit (+30 with Spirited Charge). I'm contemplating a future upgrade to Brilliant Energy. What do you think about these two in conjunction? I think you will get fallout from judges disliking spikes with a lance.. I think the combination should work fine, but the knee-jerk reaction will be to try to nerf something here. -James PS: Isn't it only +9 damage per hit as the weapon is already +1? Also why are you quickening spikes instead of brambles? Is the difference really worth it?
tyrecian 03-05-08, 05:00 PM	I don't see anywhere where you lose special material properties under brilliant energy. Since things like silver and cold iron are now important I would see the description for brilliant energy saying if these properties are lost. As it doesn't I would say that the material properties are left intact. A wooden weapon is still would for all intents and purposes except as noted in the description of brilliant energy. nah it says it right up front :D from the SRD: A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion transformed into light light cannot be steel, silver, wood, coldiron etc... the weapon loses those abilities, unless you are allowing your "significant portion" to be something other than say the blade of a sword... if its just wrapping in a spiral (think candy cane) then I can see the properties still working, but i think that goes against intent (as in it goes through armor like light might, but certiainly not steel wrapped in light, but hey its magic!)
mtbOgre 03-05-08, 08:43 PM	I think you will get fallout from judges disliking spikes with a lance.. Well I wouldn't allow spikes to be used on a lance. Traditionally lances had metal heads and spikes requires that the part of the weapon that deals damage be wooden. Lances used for jousting had blunt heads but they were designed to be less lethal for obvious reasons. Like the ones shown here (http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=lance+head&btnG=Search+Images) http://www.bentstvrain.org/images/lancehead.jpg
StruckingFuggle 03-05-08, 10:03 PM	Well I wouldn't allow spikes to be used on a lance. What about an Ironwood lance?
mtbOgre 03-05-08, 10:56 PM	What about an Ironwood lance? The spell is clearly intended to turn a club or quarterstaff into a bludgeoning/ piercing weapon, Is the point of a lance a 'striking surface'? Ironwood specifically says spells which affect wood affect iron wood. If someone goes to the trouble to iron wood a lance then use spikes, sure why not.
StruckingFuggle 03-06-08, 12:57 AM	The spell is clearly intended to turn a club or quarterstaff into a bludgeoning/ piercing weapon, Is the point of a lance a 'striking surface'? Then why doesn't it only work with bludgeoning weapons? Ironwood specifically says spells which affect wood affect iron wood. If someone goes to the trouble to iron wood a lance then use spikes, sure why not. ...Awesome. :D Hooray!
mtbOgre 03-06-08, 01:16 AM	Then why doesn't it only work with bludgeoning weapons? It doesn't. I'm guessing, mostly the use of the word "striking surface" and the fact that there are no piercing or slashing wooden weapons. Regardless of what was intended as written it works.