Post/Author/DateTime	Post
aikimiller 08-21-07, 11:31 AM	Hey all, I'm DMing a campaign, and one of my players has made a strange request. He is a greatsword weilding fighter, and his plan is to eventually take the throw anything feat, he spends a lot of time practicing throwing his sword. He recently went to the smith in town, and asked about attaching a chain to the handle of his greatsword. I'm inclined to let him do it, as he's RPed it so well. But the question comes up, mechanicly how would this work? I was thinking as either a standard action or a full round action he throws the sword (with all associated penalties for using an improvised for throwing until he gets throw anything and non-proficient for it being an exotic weapon now.) And then he can yank back on the chain, making a reflex save to try and catch it. If if fails the reflex save, it either flies past him and at whatever is behind him, or hits him full on in the face. I would also probably give him the option of taking exotic weapon proficiency with it, and then have him be able to take iterative attacks with it. Yes, I did have the smith bring up the enchantment returning weapon, and that might be a simpler, but it would certainly not be as much fun. Has anyone ever had anything like this come up before? And how would you handle it if it did? thanks
CreepingCharly 08-21-07, 11:44 AM	IIRC, there was a weapon in Sword & Fist similar to what you are describing. Maybe that can help you with working out some of the mechanics. I want to say it was called a lynxpaw, but it has been a long time since I have read it. HTH, Charly
heffroncm 08-21-07, 12:31 PM	I would simply apply the mechanical effects and cost of the Returning Weapon enchantment, and let him describe it as a chain that he holds and manipulates in such a way as to gain multiple ranged sword attacks per round.
mlund 08-21-07, 12:36 PM	I have to agree. There is already an associated metric for the returning property. You can dress it up in favor and RP any way you want. If you make it less powerful (requiring a Reflex save) then you make it less expensive. - Marty Lund
bobothechimp 08-21-07, 12:53 PM	Full round action to throw a 2-handed weapon.
heffroncm 08-21-07, 12:57 PM	I have to agree. There is already an associated metric for the returning property. You can dress it up in favor and RP any way you want. If you make it less powerful (requiring a Reflex save) then you make it less expensive. - Marty Lund Basically, you're asking him to spend a feat to get something that is more powerful than the Returning ability. Returning weapons come back at the beginning of the next round, so you can't make iterative attacks with them. With a Returning Greatsword, you'd still need Throw Any Object, so I'm discounting that. It really sounds like he might want to look into the Bloodstorm Blade prestige class in Tome of Battle. It has all the mechanics for a fighter with a big-arse two-handed weapon throwing it around the battlefield. He can dress it up with whatever flavor he wants. Basically, I'm saying there is no need to invent new mechanics for a situation that is already covered by the rules in two different ways. Flavor and fluff are just that, modify the descriptions to fit what you want done and use the crunch that exists.
darkneolink 08-21-07, 01:54 PM	try this he throws the sword as normal (by the rules) to pull the swordback is a swift action that provoques AOO he has to make an attack against 10 using his DEX + BAB if he fails by 1-5 the sword falls in a random square if he fails by more than 5 the sword "attacks him" for 1d3 non lethal damage
Mock26 08-21-07, 09:36 PM	Don't forget that anything that can be thrown can, in theory, be caught. And, if it has a chain attached to it, others can grab that chain, too!
JackSnape 08-21-07, 10:38 PM	I would simply apply the mechanical effects and cost of the Returning Weapon enchantment, and let him describe it as a chain that he holds and manipulates in such a way as to gain multiple ranged sword attacks per round. That's what I'd go with too
Zerchai 08-21-07, 10:40 PM	That's what I'd go with too Sounds solid; also prevents abuse from multiple iterative attacks. I have to third this opinion.
Vharuck 08-21-07, 11:22 PM	I don't think pulling it back would be a free action. I'd say it'd be a move action (that's a good tug and a bit of distance to travel, and without Quickdraw just unsheathing a sword at your hip is a move action). It really doesn't seem too powerful.
Free1983 08-22-07, 04:17 AM	This idea makes me think about the whipdagger. I'm not sure about the throw anything feat, but an exotic weapon proficiency is in place. I guess you should compare this new exotic weapon "chain-greatsword" to the others and then figure out if you think it's at the same power level. If not, ask for the throw anything feat. If you think the "chain-greatsword" is on the same level, just let him burn a feat on exotic weapon proficiency. By the way, I don't think it's at the same power level as the other exotic weapons. Cheers