Good weapon for a level one ranger

[hobbitkniver]

Okay well I've joined a weekly DnD group at the local comic shop and we started at level one. While going through this dungeon, we encountered an armory and our DM said we could basically choose a weapon as long as it isn't too overpowered. I'm a dual-wielding ranger and we're playing in a loose 3.5/3.0 campaign. I need to find a weapon to choose. Examples include: +2 flaming greatsword. +2 rapier. +1 ghost touch screaming large mace. Any suggestions?

[Urpriest]

Your examples are a wide range of prices...is there no explicit limit beyond what your DM thinks is reasonable? Unfortunately we don't know your DM, so it's not going to be very easy to estimate that, even with your examples.

[Dusk Eclipse]

How about a +1 collision shortsword, extra 6 points of damage which multiply on crits are awesome, I am also fond on magebane (complete arcane version, not the MiC one)

[gallagher]

the obvious answer is a +1 spell storing net

then again, to everyone i have ever played with IRL, i am the only person who actually plays a net-and-trident ranger

[JonRG]

Any suggestions?

Wow, your DM must really want you to awesome it up.

My vote (even though it invokes a certain dark elf) would be for a scimitar. Good crit range and, unlike a rapier, you can wield it in two hands for 1.5x Str until you can dual-wield effectively.

As for enchants, in addition to needing the total equivalent modifier you are allowed (like the +2 flaming longsword is an equivalent +3 because flaming is valued at +1), it'd be cool to know more about what you expect to be fighting, what your favored enemy is, anything that could give Playgrounders a hint. (There are a lot of modifiers out there. :smalltongue:)

[hobbitkniver]

Wow, your DM must really want you to awesome it up.

My vote (even though it invokes a certain dark elf) would be for a scimitar. Good crit range and, unlike a rapier, you can wield it in two hands for 1.5x Str until you can dual-wield effectively.

As for enchants, in addition to needing the total equivalent modifier you are allowed (like the +2 flaming longsword is an equivalent +3 because flaming is valued at +1), it'd be cool to know more about what you expect to be fighting, what your favored enemy is, anything that could give Playgrounders a hint. (There are a lot of modifiers out there. :smalltongue:)

We're not really playing by the books completely. He's letting me dual wield at level one freely. As for being overpowered, I could do something unearthly powerful, but that would make me look like a jerk.

[Telonius]

...+2 anything at level 1 is one of the examples? That kind of is overpowered. Anyway, if that's the expected power level, a +1 Wounding scimitar would be powerful enough without looking like you're greedy. There's a lot of things that are immune to critical hits, but for the things that aren't, it's one of the few enchantments that scales with level. (The more hitdice your foes have, the more effect it has when you make them lose a constitution bonus).

[hobbitkniver]

...+2 anything at level 1 is one of the examples? That kind of is overpowered. Anyway, if that's the expected power level, a +1 Wounding scimitar would be powerful enough without looking like you're greedy. There's a lot of things that are immune to critical hits, but for the things that aren't, it's one of the few enchantments that scales with level. (The more hitdice your foes have, the more effect it has when you make them lose a constitution bonus).

Well the thing with being greedy is that one of them that I didn't mention gives the player the ability to shapeshift into a huge ****ing dragon once a game month. This is horrible, but I'm the new one and didn't feel like insulting him. I'll have to talk to the DM seperately.

Edit: Does wounding stack with itself over time?

[Telonius]

Wounding weapons deal 1 point of Constitution damage when it hits an enemy. So yes, in that sense, it "stacks." You know how, when you level up, you add your constitution bonus to your total max hitpoints? If your Constitution drops, you lose the extra hitpoints granted by the high constitution bonus. So, If something has 10 hitdice, each time you bring its Constitution bonus (bonus, not total score) down, it loses 10 hitpoints (one point for each time it added a hit die).

So if it starts out with a Con score of 15, that's a +2 to start. One hit brings it down to a 14, still a +2. (No change yet). Another hit after that brings it down to a 13, for +1, so it loses 10 hitpoints (in addition to any damage the character takes from the hit). Two more hits will bring it down to a +0, for another loss of ten points.

If the creature starts out with a higher number of hitdice (say, 20) it will lose 20 hitpoints each time the con bonus decreases - since that bonus was added 20 times, not ten. When you're at higher levels, you're most often going to be fighting things that have more hitdice (A level 10 fighter instead of a level 2, for example), so it does more damage the stronger your foe is. That's what I mean when I say that the power scales with level. If you get a Flaming weapon, it deals 1d6 extra points of fire damage, period. Doesn't matter if the enemy is a dire rat or a Great Wyrm green dragon. 1d6 extra, and it never increases (unless the enemy is specifically vulnerable to fire).

Do note that there are a lot of things that are immune to the Wounding ability. Plants, Elementals, Undead, and Constructs are either immune to critical hits, have no constitution score, or both.

[hobbitkniver]

Wounding weapons deal 1 point of Constitution damage when it hits an enemy. So yes, in that sense, it "stacks." You know how, when you level up, you add your constitution bonus to your total max hitpoints? If your Constitution drops, you lose the extra hitpoints granted by the high constitution bonus. So, If something has 10 hitdice, each time you bring its Constitution bonus (bonus, not total score) down, it loses 10 hitpoints (one point for each time it added a hit die).

So if it starts out with a Con score of 15, that's a +2 to start. One hit brings it down to a 14, still a +2. (No change yet). Another hit after that brings it down to a 13, for +1, so it loses 10 hitpoints (in addition to any damage the character takes from the hit). Two more hits will bring it down to a +0, for another loss of ten points.

If the creature starts out with a higher number of hitdice (say, 20) it will lose 20 hitpoints each time the con bonus decreases - since that bonus was added 20 times, not ten. When you're at higher levels, you're most often going to be fighting things that have more hitdice (A level 10 fighter instead of a level 2, for example), so it does more damage the stronger your foe is. That's what I mean when I say that the power scales with level. If you get a Flaming weapon, it deals 1d6 extra points of fire damage, period. Doesn't matter if the enemy is a dire rat or a Great Wyrm green dragon. 1d6 extra, and it never increases (unless the enemy is specifically vulnerable to fire).

Do note that there are a lot of things that are immune to the Wounding ability. Plants, Elementals, Undead, and Constructs are either immune to critical hits, have no constitution score, or both.

Thank you Telonius, I am getting a wounding scimitar.

[holywhippet]

...+2 anything at level 1 is one of the examples? That kind of is overpowered. Anyway, if that's the expected power level, a +1 Wounding scimitar would be powerful enough without looking like you're greedy. There's a lot of things that are immune to critical hits, but for the things that aren't, it's one of the few enchantments that scales with level. (The more hitdice your foes have, the more effect it has when you make them lose a constitution bonus).

+3 actually, the wounding enchantment is a +2 level.

[Telonius]

Considering the DM already had a +3 in there (the +2 flaming greatsword) this shouldn't be a problem.

[holywhippet]

Considering the DM already had a +3 in there (the +2 flaming greatsword) this shouldn't be a problem.

Yeah I know. Which makes me wonder if the DM is an idiot, crazy or planning to drop so much hell upon the players that a +3 class sword will barely be enough.

[Person_Man]

Other options:

Paralyzing weapon enhancement: Any creature hit must Save or be paralyzed. They get a new save every round, but its still a very potent effect. +2 bonus, Book of Exalted Deeds pg 113.

Vampiric weapon enhancement: Each hit heals a small amount of damage. At low levels you can basically re-fill to full hit points every round. +2 bonus. Unapproachable East pg 54, and I think there's an update in the Magic Item Compendium as well.

Viper weapon enhancement: Your weapon turns into a Viper which you can attack with. This essentially adds Poison damage which deals ability damage to every attack you make. +1 bonus, Serpent Kingdoms pg 152.

Explosive: Whenever you hit with this weapon, everyone within 5 ft of your target (including the target, and potentially you) takes an additional 2d4 damage (Save for half). It's ridiculously handy at low levels, though if you're a TWF Ranger you'd have to use a one handed reach weapon like a Spinning Sword or Whip to avoid damaging yourself. Alternatively you can get Fire Resistance fairly easily via one feat or a variety of cheap magic items. +2 bonus, Complete Warrior pg 134.