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    Default Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    So, I randomly had an idea for a special magic weapon. Here it is.

    Equalization
    +1 Holy Unholy Axiomatic/+3 Parrying Defending mithral quarterstaff
    Unusual for a quarterstaff, this slim, hollow rod is made of mithral, with exquisite balancing and heft, and the ability to bypass DR as though it were made of alchemical silver (but with no penalty to damage). The wielder gains a +1 insight bonus to AC and all saving throws while in use, and may transfer some or all of the second head's enhancement bonus to AC, as the Defending ability. Furthermore, it strikes fearful blows with its first head against those of any alignment but Lawful Neutral or Neutral. However, Monks (of any legal alignment) may wield the staff without suffering negative levels from opposed alignments.

    Finally, three times a day, as an attack or part of a full attack or flurry, the user may declare a melee touch attack with the staff to force their opponent's armor to make a Will save against a DC of 14+the wielder's Str modifier or become unbuckled, loosened, and fall off; if the attack misses, the attempt is wasted. Failure on this save immediately negates the armor and shield bonuses (as well as any other special abilities) provided by all worn armor, and entangles the wearer until the end of their next turn, after which the armor drops away entirely. This is not effective against most cursed armor or shields.

    Moderate evocation [lawful]; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, order's wrath, holy smite, unholy blight, defensive precognition, shield or shield of faith, creator must be Lawful; Price 148,600gp; Cost 74,300gp + 5944xp

    As always, suggestions for better wording or more sensible powers/prerequisites/price are welcomed.

    (And yes, Chaos Monks can wield this with no penalties even if they're CG or CE.)
    Last edited by TuggyNE; 2013-03-05 at 04:11 AM. Reason: Tweaking wording
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    So, what happens after the next turn? Does the opponent just slip out of its armor? If so, this could be useful to have around in case you ever need to get out of armor quickly. I'm imagining being chased and having to cross a river. The monk taps the fighters armor, and it falls off so they can make good their escape.

    A couple nitpicks:
    • "DC 14+Str modifier" should be "DC 14 plus its wielder's Strength modifier"
    • "+1 insight to AC and saves" should be "+1 insight bonus to AC and all saving throws"


    I can't really comment on price or power. It looks okay to me, but I don't often play melee, and never at the levels where I could afford this.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    I'm thinking of borrowing PF's mithral-bypasses-DR/silver rule for this weapon, but I'm not sure that's quite appropriate. Any comments on that?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff the Green View Post
    So, what happens after the next turn? Does the opponent just slip out of its armor? If so, this could be useful to have around in case you ever need to get out of armor quickly. I'm imagining being chased and having to cross a river. The monk taps the fighters armor, and it falls off so they can make good their escape.
    Yeah, I should put in a note to that effect. But if you're spending 120+kgp on a fast-doff option, you clearly have way more gold than sense.

    A couple nitpicks:
    • "DC 14+Str modifier" should be "DC 14 plus its wielder's Strength modifier"
    • "+1 insight to AC and saves" should be "+1 insight bonus to AC and all saving throws"
    Fair enough, adjustments made.

    I also made it hopefully clearer that you have to be using the weapon (holding/ready to attack or defend with it) to gain the parrying benefit.

    I can't really comment on price or power. It looks okay to me, but I don't often play melee, and never at the levels where I could afford this.
    Yeah, I basically just went with straight table pricing, so it's probably a bit off, but hopefully not too bad. Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as you there.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Perhaps you could add a clause that says that the armor will just fall neatly off of a willing target without entangling them, since they were ready.

    Also, could this possibly be used to get rid of cursed gear?

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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Durazno View Post
    Perhaps you could add a clause that says that the armor will just fall neatly off of a willing target without entangling them, since they were ready.
    You can auto-fail your Will save, of course, but 1 round of entangling doesn't seem too horrendous in most cases.

    Also, could this possibly be used to get rid of cursed gear?
    Hmm. I'd think the specificity most such gear has of requiring remove curse (and nothing else) to take it off/disable it would override this. I might put in a note to that effect, though. (The quarterstaff isn't specifically designed to overcome this.)
    Quote Originally Posted by Water_Bear View Post
    That's RAW for you; 100% Rules-Legal, 110% silly.
    Quote Originally Posted by hamishspence View Post
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    This is a realism nitpick but there's a reason you don't make a quarterstaff out of metal, as they're friggin' heavy. A mithral staff would weigh 50 lbs easy. I'd suggest changing it to mithral end caps with a darkwood core, which is pretty common as staves go. Also, speaking of ends, is that enchantment on just one end or both, as quarterstaves are double weapons by default and it seems like it's one end but I'm not entirely sure if that's the case or not.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Cieyrin View Post
    This is a realism nitpick but there's a reason you don't make a quarterstaff out of metal, as they're friggin' heavy. A mithral staff would weigh 50 lbs easy. I'd suggest changing it to mithral end caps with a darkwood core, which is pretty common as staves go.
    Hmm. I suppose solid mithral would weigh about five times as much as wood for the same volume, calculating it out. Which is definitely not intended. However, hollow mithral might work (although it is of course harder to make, but who cares? ) I'll probably add a note to that effect.

    Also, speaking of ends, is that enchantment on just one end or both, as quarterstaves are double weapons by default and it seems like it's one end but I'm not entirely sure if that's the case or not.
    Well, don't I just feel silly.

    However, that gives me an idea to make one head Defending... hmm. How about that?
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    That's RAW for you; 100% Rules-Legal, 110% silly.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by tuggyne View Post
    Hmm. I suppose solid mithral would weigh about five times as much as wood for the same volume, calculating it out. Which is definitely not intended. However, hollow mithral might work (although it is of course harder to make, but who cares? ) I'll probably add a note to that effect.
    Could work, not being a materials engineer I'm not sure of the weight savings or the resulting strength from having a hollow staff but its magic as well as mithral, so it could work.

    Well, don't I just feel silly.

    However, that gives me an idea to make one head Defending... hmm. How about that?
    Sure, offense/defense ends makes for a neat equalizing effect.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    An explicit note about not getting rid of cursed armor might be worth the word count.

    Quote Originally Posted by tuggyne View Post
    I'm thinking of borrowing PF's mithral-bypasses-DR/silver rule for this weapon, but I'm not sure that's quite appropriate. Any comments on that?
    That is a perfectly reasonable special property for the weapon. Just make sure to phrase it in such a way that it doesn't scare off those who aren't familiar with PF, and/or are leary of such a rule being a general thing.
    Quote Originally Posted by tuggyne View Post
    Yeah, I should put in a note to that effect. But if you're spending 120+kgp on a fast-doff option, you clearly have way more gold than sense.
    Indeed.

    Is the attack to make armor fall off something that uses a standard action, or can it be done as on or more of the attacks of a flurry/full-attack? I am assuming a standard action.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by DracoDei View Post
    An explicit note about not getting rid of cursed armor might be worth the word count.
    Meh, fair enough.

    That is a perfectly reasonable special property for the weapon. Just make sure to phrase it in such a way that it doesn't scare off those who aren't familiar with PF, and/or are leary of such a rule being a general thing.
    Right, yeah.

    Is the attack to make armor fall off something that uses a standard action, or can it be done as on or more of the attacks of a flurry/full-attack? I am assuming a standard action.
    Hmm. Actually, I don't think making it work in a full attack would be too powerful.

    How are the adjustments?
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by tuggyne View Post
    How are the adjustments?
    Can you keep trying it in a full attack (or try it against different foes) more than once per turn?
    Furthermore, it strikes fearful blows with its first head against those of any alignment but Lawful Neutral or Neutral, and bypasses DR as though it were made of alchemical silver (but with no penalty to damage).
    This sentence starts out as fluff (since it is already covered by the weapon properties), but ends up as crunch with the stuff about mithril/silver.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by DracoDei View Post
    Can you keep trying it in a full attack (or try it against different foes) more than once per turn?
    If you want to blow all three uses per day, sure.

    This sentence starts out as fluff (since it is already covered by the weapon properties), but ends up as crunch with the stuff about mithril/silver.
    Right, fair enough.
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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Lemme see;

    +1 Holy Unholy Axiomatic = +7 bonus = 98.000 gp cost
    +3 parrying defending = +5 bonus = 50.000 gp cost
    +1 insight bonus to AC = 2.500 gp cost
    +1 bonus to all saves = 2.500 gp cost
    Touch-range specific Telekinesis 3/day = 10.000 gp cost


    Total cost should be 163.000 gp according to the rules BUT since this is rather unoptimized as a weapon, the lower cost might be appropriate (provided PCs don't get to enchant it into being optimized)
    Last edited by Belial_the_Leveler; 2013-03-05 at 09:16 AM.


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    Default Re: Equalization (3.5 specific magic weapon/minor artifact?, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Belial_the_Leveler View Post
    Lemme see;

    +1 Holy Unholy Axiomatic = +7 bonus = 98.000 gp cost
    +3 parrying defending = +5 bonus = 50.000 gp cost
    +1 insight bonus to AC = 2.500 gp cost
    +1 bonus to all saves = 2.500 gp cost
    Touch-range specific Telekinesis 3/day = 10.000 gp cost


    Total cost should be 163.000 gp according to the rules BUT since this is rather unoptimized as a weapon, the lower cost might be appropriate (provided PCs don't get to enchant it into being optimized)
    Parrying is the source of the AC/save bonus. So I think the only bit that's unaccounted for is the dis-armoring, which is useful, but probably not more than 10-20kgp, as you said.
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    Anyone knows blue is for sarcas'ing in · "Take 10 SAN damage from Dark Orchid" · Use of gray may indicate nitpicking · Green is sincerity

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