Lemmy's Custom Weapon Generation System

[Lemmy]

Well... If you're that curious, you can check my Custom Armor Generation System here. But it's still very bare-bones, and nothing is definitive yet.

Once it has enough content, I'll make a feedback thread for it and add links in my signature and other works.

[khadgar567]

Well... If you're that curious, you can check my Custom Armor Generation System here. But it's still very bare-bones, and nothing is definitive yet.

Once it has enough content, I'll make a feedback thread for it and add links in my signature and other works.

like start of the weapons treat coments is in the doc but one question how much modification points we have currently i just use three points to make lightest belly dancer bikini in history?

[Lemmy]

Well... I might make a "Skimpy" modification that allows you to add Cha to AC or something like that. XD

[khadgar567]

Well... I might make a "Skimpy" modification that allows you to add Cha to AC or something like that. XD

appreciated but the problem is i dont know how much modification points i have remaining after my 3 point buys so can you give us some numbers on how much modification points we have for each category light armor for caster needs minimum 3 points to get rid of ASF chance.

[Lemmy]

appreciated but the problem is i dont know how much modification points i have remaining after my 3 point buys so can you give us some numbers on how much modification points we have for each category light armor for caster needs minimum 3 points to get rid of ASF chance.

Ah, that's easy to clarify...

Cloth armor and bucklers can hold up to 1 point worth of armor/shield modifications.
Light armor, light shields and heavy shields can hold up to 2 points worth of armor/shield modifications.
Medium Armor and tower shields can hold up to 4 points worth of armor/shield modifications.
Heavy armor can hold up to 6 points worth of armor/shield modifications.

[khadgar567]

Ah, that's easy to clarify...

well Houston we have small problem on magician side of the build since we kinda need 3 points( improved arcane flow and weight distribution) to effectively make caster friendly armor we are kinda out of limit the moment we buy arcane flow so we need at least one more point to remove the weight problem so heavy caster armor needs 9 points of mods before the cosmetic modifiers like skimpy modifier and lot of people gonna gladly sink money to have improved armor bonus multiple times to make that armored monokini go few more levels or keep them bit more secure at their level
so heavy full plate of caster needs wooping 9 points of modifiers before adding couple of improved armor bonus ( +6 or more) then lets say we throw skimpy in there we are basicly spending 16 to 18 points so 1080 gp for custom armor that gonna be useless on few levels later and our armor just pass the +1 enchantment point so can we atleast double the modifiers we have in base armor?

[Lemmy]

well Houston we have small problem on magician side of the build since we kinda need 3 points( improved arcane flow and weight distribution) to effectively make caster friendly armor we are kinda out of limit the moment we buy arcane flow so we need at least one more point to remove the weight problem so heavy caster armor needs 9 points of mods before the cosmetic modifiers like skimpy modifier and lot of people gonna gladly sink money to have improved armor bonus multiple times to make that armored monokini go few more levels or keep them bit more secure at their level
so heavy full plate of caster needs wooping 9 points of modifiers before adding couple of improved armor bonus ( +6 or more) then lets say we throw skimpy in there we are basically spending 16 to 18 points so 1080 gp for custom armor that gonna be useless on few levels later and our armor just pass the +1 enchantment point so can we at least double the modifiers we have in base armor?

Well... Yeah. That's intentional. Armor makes casting difficult. That's why mages wear robes. From a mechanical perspective, arcane casters not having easy access to armor is a balance feature. Mages get defensive spells, warriors get armor and shields. Gishes get a little of both.

Casters are already orders of magnitude better than martials in the defense department. No need to give them easy access to full plate on top of it. And the mixed martial/magic classes like Bard already gain the ability to ignore ASF to one degree or another.

[AlephOzone]

Hello!! May I suggest a modification to allow a weapon's damage to be replaced by the character's Unarmed Damage? What with the monk and Spheres of Might damage progression, this would be really great!!

EDIT: I was convinced one could use monk unarmed damage in place of Gauntlet damage but im not sure this is 100% RAW. In practice, I wanted to be able to use some of these modifications, specially energy conduit, with monk unarmed damage through gauntlets or grieves. Also, the 3pp book Dragon Tiger Ox has rules for differentiated unarmed strike, such as kicks and headbutts, which may deal more or less damage or inflict debuffs. As an example, Headbutting requires both the attacker and the attacked ot make a Fort save or be sickened for one round, and Headbutting also deals damage with dice 1 category bigger (1d4 instead of 1d3, with it's own progression for monk unarmed damage)

This might not be RAW, but I still would like a weapon that can be used for "unarmed" strikes. I guess I could rule that weapons Attached to limbs can be used as such, but then what would you recommend it's cost in CP?

[Lemmy]

Hello!! May I suggest a modification to allow a weapon's damage to be replaced by the character's Unarmed Damage? What with the monk and Spheres of Might damage progression, this would be really great!!

EDIT: I was convinced one could use monk unarmed damage in place of Gauntlet damage but im not sure this is 100% RAW. In practice, I wanted to be able to use some of these modifications, specially energy conduit, with monk unarmed damage through gauntlets or grieves. Also, the 3pp book Dragon Tiger Ox has rules for differentiated unarmed strike, such as kicks and headbutts, which may deal more or less damage or inflict debuffs. As an example, Headbutting requires both the attacker and the attacked ot make a Fort save or be sickened for one round, and Headbutting also deals damage with dice 1 category bigger (1d4 instead of 1d3, with it's own progression for monk unarmed damage)

This might not be RAW, but I still would like a weapon that can be used for "unarmed" strikes. I guess I could rule that weapons Attached to limbs can be used as such, but then what would you recommend it's cost in CP?

Huh... I could swear I had a modification like that, to reflect pre-errata cestus and brass-knuckles. Apparently I added one for natural weapons but forgot to do the same for unarmed strikes.

Well. Thanks for reminding me, Aleph. I'll add the unarmed strike-boosting modification some time soon.

I've also been tinkering with a "scaling proficiency system", where weapons become more (or less) effective depending on their user's proficiency and BAB. Shamelessly stolen Inspired by Kirth's "Kirthfinder" homebrew.

[AlephOzone]

Aight, thank you!! This project is amazing, and I can't wait to see this scaling system.

[TheGrimPeddler]

Well... If you're that curious, you can check my Custom Armor Generation System here. But it's still very bare-bones, and nothing is definitive yet.

Once it has enough content, I'll make a feedback thread for it and add links in my signature and other works.

I rather like what I read so far. There's a lot of potential there, specially if designed for piecemeal armor systems.

Mind if I hijack the bones of the system for a little RPG I've been fiddling with? I think it'd make a great basis for the armor system I've been poking at (one of the few subsystems I need to iron out before I can begin running some tests). Long story short it seems like it'd benefit more from your armor system than PF's standard armor rules would, lol.

Either way, I will probably return to the armor doc later to offer up some suggestions on modifications. I can feel a few ideas simmering in the back of my mind.

Keep up the good work!

[QuadraticGish]

I've always liked your system and have been eyeballing for a while- enough that I've decided to introduce it to my group and games that I run. I have a question: Are you still working out the cost for those special materials listed? I've been eyeballing them for a while and I have yet to see a price assigned to those neat materials you have there.

[Lemmy]

Aight, thank you!! This project is amazing, and I can't wait to see this scaling system.

Thanks! I finally added the "Unarmed Extension" modification, BTW. Now your Monk's punches aren't made weaker by brass-knuckles!

[Lemmy]

I rather like what I read so far. There's a lot of potential there, specially if designed for piecemeal armor systems.

Mind if I hijack the bones of the system for a little RPG I've been fiddling with? I think it'd make a great basis for the armor system I've been poking at (one of the few subsystems I need to iron out before I can begin running some tests). Long story short it seems like it'd benefit more from your armor system than PF's standard armor rules would, lol.

Either way, I will probably return to the armor doc later to offer up some suggestions on modifications. I can feel a few ideas simmering in the back of my mind.

Keep up the good work!

Sure! Have fun! I'd appreciate a little note acknowledging my humble contribution to the inspiration, though.

[Lemmy]

I've always liked your system and have been eyeballing for a while- enough that I've decided to introduce it to my group and games that I run. I have a question: Are you still working out the cost for those special materials listed? I've been eyeballing them for a while and I have yet to see a price assigned to those neat materials you have there.

Oh, yeah... About that... Turns out that I really have no idea how to price those materials fairly (mostly because Pathfinder/3.5 item cost is all over the place)!

And more importantly... I completely forgot about it. Pricing stuff isn't nearly as fun as creating stuff... And while I'm kinda of taking a break* on this project , it's still a work of passion.

- - -

* By "break", I mean updates happen less often... Until I invariably get super-excited about this project again and start cranking out a bunch of stuff every day! It's been like that for... 2.5 years?! Holy ****!!! I'm more committed to this thing than to most of my personal relationships!

[noob]

Damage Reduction: Your armor grants damage reduction. This damage reduction is based on the weight class of the armor: DR 1 / bludgeoning for light armor, DR 2 / bludgeoning for medium armor and last but not least, DR 4 / bludgeoning for heavy armor.
If the armor isn’t made of adamantine or similarly hard material, its DR is also bypassed by adamantine.
Requirements: Light or heavier armor. Craft Points: 2 for cloth and light armor, 3 for medium and heavy

Well it is quite absurd to say the craft point cost for cloth armor if it is allowed only on light or heavier armor.
It is also quite fun how cloth armor can not be modified in any way due to the fact all the modifications either require heavier armor or costs more than two points(and cloth armor is capped at one point).
I guess cloth armor is a good armor because it is explicitly described as armor thus allowing it to be enchanted as an armor if you can get a masterwork cloth armor.(might be a significant improvement if the player had insane dex and wanted magic armor for getting death ward for cheaper than a custom continuous item doing that)

When is mithril applied?
I think that if it is applied late in the chain then it means someone could move in heavy armor without restriction(which would be one of the favorite armors for clerics)

I find funny the heavy armors from your armor crafter always have a lot more spell failure than the heavy armors from the srd and way less armor check penalty.

[Lemmy]

Well it is quite absurd to say the craft point cost for cloth armor if it is allowed only on light or heavier armor.

Huh... That's true. Missed that one. The Custom Armor system is still quite bare-bones... I published it here because people were curious, but I haven't put a lot of work on it yet...

It is also quite fun how cloth armor can not be modified in any way due to the fact all the modifications either require heavier armor or costs more than two points(and cloth armor is capped at one point).

I guess cloth armor is a good armor because it is explicitly described as armor thus allowing it to be enchanted as an armor if you can get a masterwork cloth armor.(might be a significant improvement if the player had insane dex and wanted magic armor for getting death ward for cheaper than a custom continuous item doing that)

Yes, the idea is that cloth barely counts as armor... I'm sure I'll eventually add modifications that it can use, maybe change some existing ones to include it as well.

When is mithril applied?
I think that if it is applied late in the chain then it means someone could move in heavy armor without restriction(which would be one of the favorite armors for clerics)

Mithril uses the total craft points of the type of armor it would be if it were made of steel. After all, the smith has just as much material as to work with as if he had been using steel... It's just much lighter.

I find funny the heavy armors from your armor crafter always have a lot more spell failure than the heavy armors from the srd and way less armor check penalty.

Yeah... Well... I don't mind that. Martials should have better skills and casters shouldn't be as good in armor. Besides, the ACP from the SRD armor are absurd! A Breastplate gives a -4 to Ride and Sleight of Hand, for goodness's sake!

[Lemmy]

On a separate note... I added the "Stainless" modification, which basically makes the weapon resistant (or immune) to rust and tarnish... Not incredibly useful, but still interesting.

I'm also tinkering around with a "self-coating" modification... But I don't know what to call it or how exactly it's going to work. Here's the "beta" version:

Spoiler: Self-Coating

Show

Self-Coating: This weapon is able to hold and apply coating (such as poison and magic oils) to itself (or its projectiles). It has a single compartment that holds the desired substance. Activate the mechanism requires a swift action. Refilling the compartment is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Finding the compartment without being familiar with the weapon requires close inspection and succeeding on a Perception check (DC 20).
Special: This modification can be taken multiple times in order to gain additional substance-holding compartments. It increases the weapon's cost by +500 gp and adds a new each time it's taken, including the first. The weapon's user can choose what compartment is applied to the weapon when activating this modification, but can only activate one of them per turn.
Requirements: None. Craft Points: 3

Might be too powerful, even for a 3 cp modification... But I really like the idea. Oh, and it makes it possible to create Weiss' weapon.

[khadgar567]

On a separate note... I added the "Stainless" modification, which basically makes the weapon resistant (or immune) to rust and tarnish... Not incredibly useful, but still interesting.

I'm also tinkering around with a "self-coating" modification... But I don't know what to call it or how exactly it's going to work. Here's the "beta" version:

Spoiler: Self-Coating

Show

Self-Coating: This weapon is able to hold and apply coating (such as poison and magic oils) to itself (or its projectiles). It has a single compartment that holds the desired substance. Activate the mechanism requires a swift action. Refilling the compartment is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Finding the compartment without being familiar with the weapon requires close inspection and succeeding on a Perception check (DC 20).
Special: This modification can be taken multiple times in order to gain additional substance-holding compartments. It increases the weapon's cost by +500 gp and adds a new each time it's taken, including the first. The weapon's user can choose what compartment is applied to the weapon when activating this modification, but can only activate one of them per turn.
Requirements: None. Craft Points: 3

Might be too powerful, even for a 3 cp modification... But i really like the idea. Oh, and it makes it possible to create Weiss' weapon.

kinda be careful mate since upon reading the draft first thing come to my mind in pop endless charge to this thing. and forget paying money to poison hell this combo makes you rich my virtue of having infinite poison in your hand to resell it.

[Lemmy]

kinda be careful mate since upon reading the draft first thing come to my mind in pop endless charge to this thing. and forget paying money to poison hell this combo makes you rich my virtue of having infinite poison in your hand to resell it.

Endless charge only works with fuel units/battery charges. It has no effect on poison, magic oil or anything that's applied to the weapon's blade.

The "Self-coating" modification is about quickly applying substances to your weapon's attacking end (e.g.: using a magical oil of bless weapon). It has nothing to do with charges/fuel.

Well... Unless you plan to soak your chainsaw's blade with gasoline.

[noob]

Endless charge only works with fuel units/battery charges. It has no effect on poison, magic oil or anything that's applied to the weapon's blade.

The "Self-coating" modification is about quickly applying substances to your weapon's attacking end (e.g.: using a magical oil of bless weapon). It has nothing to do with charges/fuel.

Well... Unless you plan to soak your chainsaw's blade with gasoline.

That is how you make flaming chainsaws.

[Lemmy]

That is how you make flaming chainsaws.

It's ONE way of making flaming chainsaws... My project is awesome enough that it offers another 2: Elemental Damage and Energy Conduit!

Because one can never have too many types of flaming chainsaws!

[Lemmy]

Added base price of special materials and a simple formula for calculating how it's multiplied for different types of weapons, armor and objects...

[noob]

I think you could add the modification trade armor for Maximum Dex Bonus to AC(-1 armor +1 Maximum Dex Bonus to AC) so that people can craft something similar to padded or leather armor or like hide armor or scale mail since with your system it is impossible to make armors similar to those.

[khadgar567]

I think you could add the modification trade armor for Maximum Dex Bonus to AC(-1 armor +1 Maximum Dex Bonus to AC) so that people can craft something similar to padded or leather armor or like hide armor or scale mail since with your system it is impossible to make armors similar to those.(also maybe make a modification that can reduce arcane spell failure but it could be hard to balance since if you can reduce any armor spell failure under 10% then mithril can reduce it to 0 basically giving free armor for arcane casters)

you can remove arcane spell failure but it costs wooping 3 points of modifications and if you go to much its basicly makes it +1 with out bonus

[noob]

you can remove arcane spell failure but it costs wooping 3 points of modifications and if you go to much its basicly makes it +1 with out bonus

Well it is still not very balanced:
A wizard can get a mithril medium armor of improved Magic Flow and have no spell failure and have 5 armor class(and a maximum dex modifier of 5)
I think it should not reduce of one category but rather do a reduction of 5%(still helps a lot but does not allows a caster to walk around with no spell failure and a mundane armor).

[Lemmy]

I think you could add the modification trade armor for Maximum Dex Bonus to AC(-1 armor +1 Maximum Dex Bonus to AC) so that people can craft something similar to padded or leather armor or like hide armor or scale mail since with your system it is impossible to make armors similar to those.

I'll probably add a Armor/Shield Flaws chapter later... That should allow greater variety of armor bonuses and penalties.

- - -

On a separate note... I really want to find a better name for the Barbed modification... As it is, I think it's too evocative of an specific type of weapon design. Something like wounding or vicious would be better, but those are already the names of existing magical enhancements... Sharp could work, but it implies that bladed weapons without that modification aren't sharp.

Maybe "Razor"?

I'm also thinking of limiting it to piercing and slashing and then adding a "bruising" modification for bludgeoning weapons... Unfortunately, so far I couldn't think of a "bruising" effect that wouldn't be too powerful or too weak for a weapon modification.

[TheGrimPeddler]

Unfortunately, so far I couldn't think of a "bruising" effect that wouldn't be too powerful or too weak for a weapon modification.

Bruising, a 1cp modification that adds (can't decide between 1d2, 1d4, or 1/2 your strength modifier) points of nonlethal damage to a weapon.
- If Damage Die Progression: Can increase the damage as per the damage progression table at a rate of 1 stage per 1 CP.
-If 1/2 Strength Modifier: You may pay 1CP to be able to increase the multiplier of your strength modifier for the purposes of this damage only, at a rate of .5x>1x>1.5x>2x, to a maximum of twice your strength bonus.

There, bruising.

I was originally going to go with 1d6, but that felt like it'd be a bit too much for 1cp. Then I thought 1/2 str or 1d4 would still be a bit too OP at early levels for most GM (I play with a lot of "soft" gms, of the Non-"Rappan Athuk/Temple of Elemental Evil Love-child Meat Grinder" variety). So, meh. Pick a base die for the progression, I'm pretty sure you've a better sense of game balance with this system than I do, lol.

[InkisRatticus]

Thank you for posting this, it is a DM's dream.

[Lemmy]

Bruising, a 1cp modification that adds (can't decide between 1d2, 1d4, or 1/2 your strength modifier) points of nonlethal damage to a weapon.
- If Damage Die Progression: Can increase the damage as per the damage progression table at a rate of 1 stage per 1 CP.
-If 1/2 Strength Modifier: You may pay 1CP to be able to increase the multiplier of your strength modifier for the purposes of this damage only, at a rate of .5x>1x>1.5x>2x, to a maximum of twice your strength bonus.

There, bruising.

I was originally going to go with 1d6, but that felt like it'd be a bit too much for 1cp. Then I thought 1/2 str or 1d4 would still be a bit too OP at early levels for most GM (I play with a lot of "soft" gms, of the Non-"Rappan Athuk/Temple of Elemental Evil Love-child Meat Grinder" variety). So, meh. Pick a base die for the progression, I'm pretty sure you've a better sense of game balance with this system than I do, lol.

Those are good ideas, but they do run into a few issues... There's already a "nonlethal" modification that allows the character to deal nonlethal damage at no penalties... So I feel like just adding +X damage might be too close to that. Aside from that, I'm not a fan of the idea of adding an easy way to increase Str-bonus-to-damage.

I was thinking of something like... Perhaps slow the enemy down? Or bruise a limb to impose a penalty to attack rolls made with that limb? But this being a weapon property, rather than a feat or class feature, it's hard to balance. A simple -2 could be too good... Hmmm... Maybe it could force the target to make a relatively easy Fort save (no more once per round) and on a failure, it suffers -1 to attack and/or damage rolls made with the bruised limb/natural weapon.

EDIT: I've been thinking of adding siege weapons... I suppose the easiest way would be just making them be really big versions of normal weapons... But I'd like a modification that allows weapons to be use via Kn(engineering) and to ignore a bit of Hardness.