Blackwater Blade [3.5 Item]

[Temotei]

Blackwater Blade

The blackwater blade is a thin, blood red-colored dagger that is known for its ability to steal strength and vitality from hit targets, channeling their life energy through the blade to the wielder. Set in the pommel is a black gem that glows red after hitting a living target, growing brighter and brighter the more the blade strikes living flesh.

The blackwater blade is a +1 bloodfeeding dagger with different options for using its bloodfeeding property other than for extra damage. If the blade has 2 stored blood points, expending them causes fatigue in the enemy next struck with the blade. Resisting this effect takes a very strong system--the creature subject to the blade must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to damage dealt (with the hit which expended the blood points) to resist fatigue. By expending 3 blood points, the wielder of the blackwater blade can transfer their own fatigue or exhaustion status to a target, with the same Fortitude save as given above to resist the effect. If you attempt to transfer exhaustion and the target succeeds on their Fortitude save, they are instead fatigued. Expending 5 blood points allows the wielder to perform a "blackwater strike," turning a single target's blood into free flowing black water, spilling in excess whenever damage is dealt by a weapon. A creature subject to this takes an additional 3 damage from any weapon that strikes them for the rest of the encounter. Resisting this effect requires a Fortitude save with a DC equal to the damage dealt by the same attack that the wielder expended blood points on.

Moderate necromancy; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ray of exhaustion, vampiric touch; price 16,302 gp; 8,302 gp + 640 XP.

[BladeofOblivion]

Mildly obscure TES 4: Oblivion reference FTW!

Good Job.

[Temotei]

Mildly obscure TES 4: Oblivion reference FTW!

I'm surprised the first poster to see it got the reference. Nice. Yeah, the weapon inspired me when I got it (again). :smalltongue:


Good Job.

Thanks. :smallbiggrin:

[unosarta]

On the ability that turns their blood to blackwater, it stands to reason that the reason that the blood being of a different substance is why they take more damage, which doesn't really make any sense for bludgeoning weapons. Maybe it only applies to Slashing and Piercing damage?

Otherwise, nice.

[Milskidasith]

On the ability that turns their blood to blackwater, it stands to reason that the reason that the blood being of a different substance is why they take more damage, which doesn't really make any sense for bludgeoning weapons. Maybe it only applies to Slashing and Piercing damage?

Otherwise, nice.

Bruising = internal bleeding. Weird blood that flows a lot, doesn't clot freely, and/or is acidic and melts your insides when spilled = pain with bruising.

[BladeofOblivion]

I'm surprised the first poster to see it got the reference. Nice. Yeah, the weapon inspired me when I got it (again). :smalltongue:

What can I say, I'm an Oblivion addict. Where do you think my name came from? That said, the fact that it wasn't a longsword threw me off for a moment, but the word "Fatigue" confirmed it for me. I would totally use this weapon, however.

[Temotei]

On the ability that turns their blood to blackwater, it stands to reason that the reason that the blood being of a different substance is why they take more damage, which doesn't really make any sense for bludgeoning weapons. Maybe it only applies to Slashing and Piercing damage?

Otherwise, nice.


Bruising = internal bleeding. Weird blood that flows a lot, doesn't clot freely, and/or is acidic and melts your insides when spilled = pain with bruising.

This (^) was my reasoning.


What can I say, I'm an Oblivion addict. Where do you think my name came from? That said, the fact that it wasn't a longsword threw me off for a moment, but the word "Fatigue" confirmed it for me. I would totally use this weapon, however.

I think it being a dagger fits better in D&D. That's basically the only reason I picked the dagger over the longsword. Plus, rogues can use it without multiclassing/wasting a feat/blah. :smallamused:

[unosarta]

Bruising = internal bleeding. Weird blood that flows a lot, doesn't clot freely, and/or is acidic and melts your insides when spilled = pain with bruising.

Pain isn't necessarily the same as damage. In that case, it seems that it would apply a penalty or something, not necessarily extra damage. Also, I don't get where the Acidic blood is coming from. If it is acidic, it is likely burning through your capillaries, veins and arteries anyway, and more than likely damaging heart tissues.

[Edit]:
This (^) was my reasoning.

Again, the reasoning doesn't quite match the text. If the blood was acidic, it would be dealing damage anyway, even without the bludgeoning. If it isn't, it's likely not going to be dealing enough damage to hurt the character. A penalty, I can see. Damage? Not so much.

[Temotei]

Pain isn't necessarily the same as damage. In that case, it seems that it would apply a penalty or something, not necessarily extra damage. Also, I don't get where the Acidic blood is coming from. If it is acidic, it is likely burning through your capillaries, veins and arteries anyway, and more than likely damaging heart tissues.

Even if it isn't acidic, internal bleeding can still cause a lot of damage.

Anyway, I see no reason to kick hammer-users in the groin just for...kicks.

Looks like he...got a kick out of that.

:smallcool:

YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

[unosarta]

Even if it isn't acidic, internal bleeding can still cause a lot of damage.
The thing about internal bleeding is, it usually causes that damage over a period of time. The reason that Hemophiliacs are in such danger is that, often times, the most dangerous bleeding is all but impossible to see, and that they have a lot of internal bleeding. Your standard attack with a bludgeoning weapon is likely not going to be covering enough space for this to have an immediate effect, and even if it were, I still doubt it would be that much damage, just saying.


Anyway, I see no reason to kick hammer-users in the groin just for...kicks.

Looks like he...got a kick out of that.

:smallcool:

YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

:smallbiggrin:

[Temotei]

The thing about internal bleeding is, it usually causes that damage over a period of time. The reason that Hemophiliacs are in such danger is that, often times, the most dangerous bleeding is all but impossible to see, and that they have a lot of internal bleeding. Your standard attack with a bludgeoning weapon is likely not going to be covering enough space for this to have an immediate effect, and even if it were, I still doubt it would be that much damage, just saying.

Even with as little sense as it makes, I'm going to keep it as is for simplicity's sake. It would be weird to think of a morningstar hitting and dealing both bludgeoning and piercing, then, too, since you'd have no idea which option to take. This way, there's no complications with that kind of weapon, and it's kept nice and simple with extra damage.

[unosarta]

Even with as little sense as it makes, I'm going to keep it as is for simplicity's sake. It would be weird to think of a morningstar hitting and dealing both bludgeoning and piercing, then, too, since you'd have no idea which option to take. This way, there's no complications with that kind of weapon, and it's kept nice and simple with extra damage.

OK, I guess. One way to do it, that might still pertain a little bit of realism would be for it to just apply to Piercing and Slashing, but if you want it to be Bludgeoning too, that is fine.

[Kinsmarck]

And here I'd run out of ideas for home-brewing magic items. Temotei, you and your TES reference here have inspired me. For that I thank you, and take my leave to stat Sufferthorn. Cheers! :smallbiggrin:

[Waargh!]

OK, I guess. One way to do it, that might still pertain a little bit of realism would be for it to just apply to Piercing and Slashing, but if you want it to be Bludgeoning too, that is fine.

Realistically when being pierced by a great-axe you don't really care what your blood looks like. You don't even care if you had blood or not. Most likely you don't care because you are dead.

So if you want to go on that path, every strike has to be assumed to actually make you bleed. Which is kind of...ridiculous. Every time you dodge the blow just to take a scratch? That is most likely the rare/lucky situation.

So you should see HP as a combination of fatigue, luck, increasing chances of fatal blow etc etc + physical damage, like a scratch or a small wound.

At this point is has become already too complicated. You will completely live it out on your imagination on what is happening so everything goes. A bludgeoning weapon can also cause external bleeding as well. So I guess keeping it simple is the best, not that having it only for slashing/piercing is a bad idea. But it is mostly a choice.

But it is kind of an exaggeration of your blood be turning to black water just to be dealt more damage. It would seem that it would have a more serious effect. Maybe changing the wording on "your blood turns black and it flows more freely". You know, it doesn't change to water (something different than blood) it just becomes black (for the fun of it, a weird/cool effect) and it free more freely to justify the extra damage.

[unosarta]

Realistically when being pierced by a great-axe you don't really care what your blood looks like. You don't even care if you had blood or not. Most likely you don't care because you are dead.

At this point is has become already too complicated. You will completely live it out on your imagination on what is happening so everything goes. A bludgeoning weapon can also cause external bleeding as well. So I guess keeping it simple is the best, not that having it only for slashing/piercing is a bad idea. But it is mostly a choice.

I guess, but honestly, the verisimilitude of D&D is messed up anyway. How does the Skeleton have DR 5/Bludgeoning, since they are dodging the blow anyway, so way does having it be bludgeoning and not slashing or piercing to do more damage? That doesn't make very much sense if you see it as a strange combination of ability to dodge and fatigue and luck. Apparently Skeletons aren't as lucky when they fight people with Clubs. :smallamused:

[Temotei]

I guess, but honestly, the verisimilitude of D&D is messed up anyway. How does the Skeleton have DR 5/Bludgeoning, since they are dodging the blow anyway, so way does having it be bludgeoning and not slashing or piercing to do more damage? That doesn't make very much sense if you see it as a strange combination of ability to dodge and fatigue and luck. Apparently Skeletons aren't as lucky when they fight people with Clubs. :smallamused:

Well, if you try to stab them, your weapon goes through them...and slashing them doesn't work well because they have really hard/thick bones. Bludgeoning weapons apparently crack the bones just fine. :smalltongue:

[unosarta]

Well, if you try to stab them, your weapon goes through them...and slashing them doesn't work well because they have really hard/thick bones. Bludgeoning weapons apparently crack the bones just fine. :smalltongue:

Except, that doesn't cover the luck thing at all. In fact, DR in general doesn't deal with that interpretation of hit points at all. Oh well, it is your item, if you don't want to change it, that is cool with me, it isn't like it's overpowered or anything.

Actually, I do have one question. Do natural attacks still do the extra damage? Like, I would imagine that claws would deal more damage, but are they considered "weapons" in this case?

[Temotei]

Except, that doesn't cover the luck thing at all. In fact, DR in general doesn't deal with that interpretation of hit points at all. Oh well, it is your item, if you don't want to change it, that is cool with me, it isn't like it's overpowered or anything.

Actually, I do have one question. Do natural attacks still do the extra damage? Like, I would imagine that claws would deal more damage, but are they considered "weapons" in this case?

Natural weapons are weapons that are physically a part of a creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#naturalWeapons).

There's your answer.

[unosarta]

Natural weapons are weapons that are physically a part of a creature (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#naturalWeapons).

There's your answer.

OK then. Also, does it stack? If so, you could have a Thri-kreen with 4 Blackwater Blades, and multiweapon fighting, who then increases damage against the target by 12 for the rest of the encounter, if they spend 5 blood charges.

Actually, that wouldn't even be all that powerful.

[Temotei]

OK then. Also, does it stack? If so, you could have a Thri-kreen with 4 Blackwater Blades, and multiweapon fighting, who then increases damage against the target by 12 for the rest of the encounter, if they spend 5 blood charges.

Actually, that wouldn't even be all that powerful.

Especially since you'd have to garner that many blood points before you use the ability, and the weapons can only hold up to 10 each. To get those points, you'd have to hit five times (five = 5 blood points), then hit again for the extra damage for the rest of the encounter.

Cost might be an issue, as well, or the DM might not think four blackwater blades should exist unless the players create them.

Speaking of, you could create a plane of specific weapons with genesis, right? That'd be interesting. :smalltongue:

[unosarta]

Cost might be an issue, as well, or the DM might not think four blackwater blades should exist unless the players create them.
Well, yes. But honestly, can you imagine how great that would look? Also, the Thri-Kreen could just drop the daggers afterwards, and use his or her claws, but that wouldn't look as cool.


Speaking of, you could create a plane of specific weapons with genesis, right? That'd be interesting. :smalltongue:
That sounds fun. I wonder if you could create a plane of a specific spell. That would be all kinds of fun.

"I planeshift him to the Plane of Evards Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)"
"...."

[Temotei]

Well, yes. But honestly, can you imagine how great that would look? Also, the Thri-Kreen could just drop the daggers afterwards, and use his or her claws, but that wouldn't look as cool.


That sounds fun. I wonder if you could create a plane of a specific spell. That would be all kinds of fun.

"I planeshift him to the Plane of Evards Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)"
"...."

I support these ideas.

[unosarta]

I support these ideas.

Plane of Continual Flame?

Plane of Wish (I don't even want to know how that works)?

Plane of Ghost Sound? (all visitors would think they were schizophrenic. Individuals hear different things?)

Plane of Obscuring Fog?

Plane of Sleep?

Plane of Silent Image? (similar to Plane of Ghost Sound, but with images)

Plane of Web?

Plane of Darkness?

Plane of Antimagic Field?

Plane of Daylight?

Plane of Crushing Despair?

Plane of Ice Storm?

Plane of Symbol of Pain?

Plane of Insanity?

Plane of Invisbility and Silence?

The list goes on...

[Waargh!]

Well, if you try to stab them, your weapon goes through them...and slashing them doesn't work well because they have really hard/thick bones. Bludgeoning weapons apparently crack the bones just fine. :smalltongue:

Even a missed hit it is like "phew, I avoided that hammer", than "meh, it was only a dagger". You can think of avoiding potential damage costs more HP. The whole idea is that you are getting closer and closer to kill the monster, since there are no injuries really game-wise in DnD. Eh, attacking with a hammer is kind of a more dangerous attack for the reason stated above.

Well, my honest opinion is that the system that makes more sense is the one that you get your HP back after the battle so you can actually simulate better the HPs.