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Icewalker
2009-02-10, 02:15 AM
Two new weapon abilities I wrote up for my new campaign! Thought I'd post them.

The first is original. The second is a simple adaptation, which I know has been done before, one way or another, and at least once by WotC.

Sandsquall: A sandsquall weapon trails streaks of sand and dust through the air as it moves, hurting eyes and clouding the air. Anyone struck by a sandsquall weapon must make a DC 10 Fortitude save or be rendered blind for 1 round. In addition, on a critical hit, a sandsquall weapon surrounds its wielder with a swirling aura of sand, providing them with concealment (20% miss chance) for 1d4 rounds.
Moderate Conjuration; Craft Magic Arms and Armor and Blur; Price +1 bonus.

Melee Only:
Thundering Storm: A thundering storm weapon functions as a thundering weapon that also explodes in a massive cacophonous blast upon striking a successful critical hit. The burst does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra sonic damage from the thundering ability, a thundering storm weapon deals an extra 1d8 points of sonic damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d8 points of sonic damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d8 points of sonic damage. As well as this additional sonic damage, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + sonic damage dealt by the strike) on a successful critical hit or be rendered deaf for 2d4 rounds.
Strong Evocation; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor and blindness/deafness; Price +2 bonus.

xanaphia
2009-02-10, 02:19 AM
I like Sandsquall. It's an original idea. I think that it might be a bit strong for its price, though. Failing your Fort save would be completely debilitating.

The thunderburst is clever too. I like it.

Icewalker
2009-02-10, 03:33 AM
I dunno, I think it works for a +1 weapon. Being blind isn't terribly debilitating, it only lasts one round, and the Fortitude save is only DC 10.

yeah, I thought I'd try to put a new take on the standard '+1d10 on a crit' burst weapon. Wanted something a little more original.

The Mentalist
2009-02-10, 04:32 PM
Thundering Storm is quite nice mechanically although I love the flavor of a desert nomad with a Sandsquall Great Scimitar.

The Neoclassic
2009-02-10, 06:57 PM
Very nifty and creative!

The only thing I might suggest is having the DC on Sandsquall not automatically be 10... Maybe 10 + whatever level Blur is + caster ability modifier? Seems to fit a little better to me, but it's only my two copper.

Fax Celestis
2009-02-10, 07:48 PM
You realize that being blind is a Big Deal™, I hope.


The character cannot see. He takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), moves at half speed, and takes a -4 penalty on Search checks and on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Spot checks) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) to the blinded character.

This means that a blinded target is vulnerable to sneak attacks, slowed in mobility, cannot take AoOs, can't sneak attack even if he does hit, and can't 5' step. Relevant quotes:


Sneak Attack

If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.

A rogue can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.


Total Concealment

If you have line of effect to a target but not line of sight he is considered to have total concealment from you. You can’t attack an opponent that has total concealment, though you can attack into a square that you think he occupies. A successful attack into a square occupied by an enemy with total concealment has a 50% miss chance (instead of the normal 20% miss chance for an opponent with concealment).

You can’t execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with total concealment, even if you know what square or squares the opponent occupies.


Take 5-Foot Step

You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can’t take more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round when you move any distance.

You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.

You can only take a 5-foot step if your movement isn’t hampered by difficult terrain or darkness. Any creature with a speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a 5-foot step, since moving even 5 feet requires a move action for such a slow creature.

DrakebloodIV
2009-02-10, 10:46 PM
I think the cost should be +2 or +3 as it is comparable to other bonuses of the same nature, like Icy Burst.

Also, the Fort save is so low that even at mid to low levels the odds of being blinded are low.

For instance, in melee combat a 2nd level fighter with +3 to fort saves and 12 con (+1) has a total of +4 to fort saves and has only about a 1/4 chance of being blinded.

Caldarin
2009-02-10, 10:57 PM
the Sandsquall one is awesome

but what's the difference between Thundering in the dmg and the Thundering Storm

Icewalker
2009-02-11, 02:19 AM
I think the cost should be +2 or +3 as it is comparable to other bonuses of the same nature, like Icy Burst.

Also, the Fort save is so low that even at mid to low levels the odds of being blinded are low.

For instance, in melee combat a 2nd level fighter with +3 to fort saves and 12 con (+1) has a total of +4 to fort saves and has only about a 1/4 chance of being blinded.

Which should be +2 or +3? Thundering Storm is the burst equivalent of Thundering, and is +2, as the burst abilities are.

As to the blind, while it is a pretty big condition, I'm relying on the idea that a DC 10 save would be made regularly enough not to render it too powerful. Taking the fighter example:

Assuming 5th level, the first point that you would be able to buy a +1 Sandsquall weapon (if you blew over 8/9ths of your money on it): Fortitude save good is +4+con bonus, Fortitude save bad is +1+con bonus. So, low fortitude characters are blinded slightly under half of the time that the weapon hits, and high fortitude characters likely less than 1/4 of the time that the weapon hits. While blind is a big deal, I hope that these low chances balance it, as it only lasts 1 round.

Do you think it balances out? Perhaps a Fortitude save of DC 5+weapon enhancement bonus would be better?