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Human Paragon 3
2009-07-06, 01:24 AM
Just found the Sizing weapon enhancement (it's in the magic item compendium on page 43), and I think there's some room for some serious monkey-king-like antics here.

Start with a simple +1 sizing quarter staff (price=7000 gp for those keeping track). The sizing ability lets you change it's size category to anything you want, from fine up to colossal. What can you accomplish with this?

Well, the obvious use is to make the weapon so big or small it's impossible to use. I guess if you polymorphed, you might want to bring your weapon with you, so there's that. And mechanically that's all it seems to do.

However, there are a few tricks a kind DM would let you pull off. Consider that a creature (or item, one would think) that increases in size doubles in width and length and increases its weight 8 fold. A quarter staff weighs 4 pounds according to the SRD.

Reduced down to diminutive, the staff weighs .0078 lbs, or about three and a half grams for our metric friends- easily small enough to tuck behind your ear or, say, pick your teeth with. Makes it very easy to smuggle, if you're into that kind of thing.

On the opposite side of the scale, a colossal quarterstaff would weigh 16,384 pounds, or about seven and a half metric tons. What would you like to do with your 8 ton staff? A make-shift bridge? Impromptu raft? Drop it on a dragon's toe? Roll it down a hill and smash a small town? Overload and destroy a cart? Break the camel's back? Expand it in a crack to enlarge the holy hell out of it? Propel yourself 100 feet into the air? Or the old chestnut, drop it on the BBEG. It would take some clever positioning, but just think of the antics! The antics!

And, if 8 tons is too big for your liking, you can make it huge instead for a more manageable 256 lbs. or gargantuan for a nice round 2048 lbs, very damn close to an even ton.

So, the next time somebody looks at your character and says, "Is that a tiny quarterstaff in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" you can look them strait in the eye and say, "Yes. I have wood. And it's not tiny; it's colossal."

Human Paragon 3
2009-07-06, 03:24 PM
Nobody else amused by this?

Tokiko Mima
2009-07-06, 04:40 PM
I am! Sizing is also great with the Morphing property. You have a weapon that will transform itself into any other weapon of any size. For example if you need to go from small dagger to medium two handed sword, just increase the size of the dagger three steps then use the Morphing property. It works great for Warblades that can change their weapon Feats at the beginning of every day.

This can also be a good ace in the hole for characters with Major Titan Bloodline: you have easy access to a gargantuan two handed warhammer you can fold away when not in use.

VirOath
2009-07-06, 04:45 PM
I am getting two different visions on this...

First is Dragonball and his extend-o-staff.

Second is a Hulking Hurler build using this staff to destroy a palace. I think you just created the ultimate weapon to the earth shattering build.

Zergrusheddie
2009-07-06, 05:04 PM
A Hulking Hurler with Bloodstorm Blade levels could have some serious fun with this thing. Except, why not use a Orc double Axe to maximize the weight. 61,440 pounds is a load of damage and with Bloodstorm Blade, it comes right back to you. Stuff like this always made me wonder: why the hell are catapults used in a world where creatures are capable of throwing a Sherman Tank into enemies castles, only to have it instantly reappear in their hands so they can chuck it again? :smallconfused:

-Cor-
2009-07-06, 05:07 PM
This could quickly degenerate into a catgirl killing festival, but yes... on the surface... it looks fun.

Commoner Rail Gun with a sizing staff?... Last commoner activates?

Heliomance
2009-07-06, 05:11 PM
Does nothing. Last commoner can't use the suddenly ridiculously big weapon, and is crushed under the weight. Momentum doesn't exist in D&D, the COmmoner Rail Gun doesn't work at the best of times.

-Cor-
2009-07-06, 05:14 PM
Does nothing. Last commoner can't use the suddenly ridiculously big weapon, and is crushed under the weight. Momentum doesn't exist in D&D, the COmmoner Rail Gun doesn't work at the best of times.

Yes yes... but you're not having any catgirl killing fun... :smalltongue:

Milskidasith
2009-07-06, 05:17 PM
Make a quarterstaff toothpick sized. Put it near the BBEG's dinner. When he picks his teeth... BOOM, he's crushed.

evisiron
2009-07-06, 05:18 PM
This could quickly degenerate into a catgirl killing festival, but yes... on the surface... it looks fun.

Commoner Rail Gun with a sizing staff?... Last commoner activates?

Should this be rendered in anime, the scene would last 18 minutes and be fantastic!

Human Paragon 3
2009-07-06, 11:50 PM
I am getting two different visions on this...

First is Dragonball and his extend-o-staff.

Second is a Hulking Hurler build using this staff to destroy a palace. I think you just created the ultimate weapon to the earth shattering build.

FYI: Goku is based on Son Wukung, the Monkey King I referenced in the OP.

As for the Hulking Hurler... ouch! I wasn't really considering how cheesy this could get. Call it unintended consequences.

VirOath
2009-07-07, 12:21 AM
A Hulking Hurler with Bloodstorm Blade levels could have some serious fun with this thing. Except, why not use a Orc double Axe to maximize the weight. 61,440 pounds is a load of damage and with Bloodstorm Blade, it comes right back to you. Stuff like this always made me wonder: why the hell are catapults used in a world where creatures are capable of throwing a Sherman Tank into enemies castles, only to have it instantly reappear in their hands so they can chuck it again? :smallconfused:

Maybe the years and years of training up countless recruits only to have one, maybe two than could even have a chance at performing this. And you would have to use an uncommonly friendly race too. Not economically feasible, and something that strong, if it ever rebels?

Remember that most adventurers have earned a kings ransom by that point in their career, they are the stuff of legend.


FYI: Goku is based on Son Wukung, the Monkey King I referenced in the OP.

As for the Hulking Hurler... ouch! I wasn't really considering how cheesy this could get. Call it unintended consequences.

Cool, I thought the reference was the other way around. Learn something new every day, or I'm not thinking of the same Monkey King.

And you can't call this cheesy because of the Hurler. They could use Instant Fortresses as ammo if they choose to. The fact that they can just rip out a huge chunk of the earth and toss it at someone for stupidly high damage doesn't get more broken no matter what you hand them.

ResplendentFire
2009-07-07, 05:04 AM
Nobody else amused by this?

I am late, but I appreciate that you mentioned the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. :)

Asheram
2009-07-07, 06:35 AM
This could quickly degenerate into a catgirl killing festival, but yes... on the surface... it looks fun.

Commoner Rail Gun with a sizing staff?... Last commoner activates?

Note that the Ruyi Jingu Bang; the monkey king staff, as noted by wikipedia, weighs about 7.5 metric tons.

The commoner railgun would fail quite easily, unfortunatly,