Axe of Multi Striking

[big teej]

greetings playground, I have a conundrum here facing my very first character, and his continued playability...

(I'm also not entirely sure if this is the correct forum but oh well)

spoilered for rambling length, enjoy

now to my extremely limited knowledge, the only magical enhancement for a weapon that increases the number of blows dealt to the opponent is "of speed"

several months ago, My first character, Cog Skulltaker, Barbarian of Khorne, had a magical axe fused with his ancestral axe, giving us, in game terms a
+1 axe of multi-striking +1

it counts as a normal + 1 greataxe, with the following ability

(there is no 'set' definition for it, this is merely a officialish description)

multi-striking - Upon a successful melee attack, a second attack is rolled by the axe, the only modifiers to this attack are the weapon's own enhancement.

so in example, lets say cog lands a fell blow upon a gnoll, (+4 for strength, +3 for BAB, +1 for weapon focus, + 1 for magic axe) regardless of damage dealt, a second attack roll is made at +1 and ONLY +1, as the axes magical enhancement is only a +1


the second +1 one in the name of the axe is the number of multi-strikes
so a +2 axe of multi-striking +2 would deal an additional two blows on a successful attack.


my question is in two parts.
1) is there an existing enchantment that does EXACTLY this that I am unaware of, if so, please direct me too it.
2) what level of enhancement (by the consensus of the playground) would this be?

my group has thus far treated it as a + 1 enhancement that can be increased, but it would still cost as much as a +1 (so a +2 of x of multi striking +2 would = 4,000 gp, as if you'd added two different +1 enhancements)

I have long contemplated making it more scaled
I.E. the first multi strike = +1 enhancement, and costs as such
the second = +2 enhancement, and costs as much as such
etc.

we (as a group) have refrained from such a scale due to the real lack of hits on the multi strikes.

(the first blow is at a total of +9, while the multi strike is only at +1, and even if taken all the way to a +5 weapon of multi strike +5 would only have +5 to hit)

if the playground could help me reach a workable ... 'formula' or something that I can take to future DMs and say "this is how it works" that'd be fantastic, if the playground cannot come to a consensus, or simply hurls the idea in the garbage, I shall simply bring it up with my future DM's beforehand

thankyou in advance.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

This is a very, VERY weak ability at anything past about...oh...level 1.

A 20th level fighter has a +5 weapon, +20 BaB, and assorted modifiers. He's fighting monsters with AC 30+.

Your "extra attack" is, meanwhile, hitting at +5. You'll only hit on a natural 20 at almost every level past about 3-4.

[big teej]

I'm aware in the grand scheme of things it's not that powerful, but it's my first character, and I've grown rather attached to my first magic item EVER :smallredface:


which is also partly why I'm currently in favor of the +1 that stacks method, but I'm aware that the combined intellect of the playground far supercedes my own, and I was curious as to its thoughts.

how would you run it? regardless of comparitive power?

a + 1 that stacks?
a scaling method?
something else?

[W3bDragon]

how would you run it? regardless of comparitive power?

a + 1 that stacks?
a scaling method?
something else?

Well I'd stay away from additional attacks. They would get cumbersome very quickly with more pluses. Rolling 5 additional attacks for every swing looking for a 20 isn't that fun.

I'm thinking that you make it just 1 powerful mod, without pluses. So it would be +1 Axe of Multi Striking. Multi Striking would grant you two rolls for every swing of the axe you take. You always take the better of the two rolls. Multi Striking is equal to a +5 enhancement.

That could be a bit overkill since that's a powerful ability, but either way I'd be partial to making it one benefit rather than a scaling ability.

[Dead_Jester]

I'd go for a static penalty to attack rolls that gives you an extra attack like twf, so it scales but is still less accurate than speed (but should also be less expensive), maybe reducing the penalties with further levels of enchanting if your using improving enchants. However, the cost of improving the enchant should follow the standard guidelines (price of the new bonus minus that of the old one). And if your really evil, try getting your DM to let make additional attacks with further enchants and reduce the penalties. And stack it with twf and another axe with the same enchantments ...

As for the two attack rolls, remember that khorne isn't about accuracy, it's about tearing people apart and drinking their blood from their skulls, so gettting two attack rolls doesn't really fit (its more of a Tzenntch thing). As for two damage rolls, well that is a different story ...

[imp_fireball]

how would you run it? regardless of comparitive power?

a + 1 that stacks?
a scaling method?
something else?

Make an advanced version in the form of a +1 that stacks and uses your full attack bonus. The effective price of this would be much higher though.

[big teej]

As for the two attack rolls, remember that khorne isn't about accuracy, it's about tearing people apart and drinking their blood from their skulls, so gettting two attack rolls doesn't really fit (its more of a Tzenntch thing). As for two damage rolls, well that is a different story ...

In my (and my barbarian's) defense, the character did NOT ask for the enchantment.... sorta. -insert long story here-

but I went with it because I liked the idea of smacking something with an axe and it exploding into a welter of gore from the magical second strike.

-pow- ha! you barely cut me!

-multi-strikes kick in-

"oh no!!!" -falls apart messily-

was the idea
and I liked it :smallcool: