Character concept help: The Weaponfuser

[incandescent]

I'll be stepping down as DM when school starts and finally get to play a character, so I want to make sure I have something worthwhile planned out for the time comes because it is a rare thing for me to get to play from the other side of the screen. The concept i've been mulling over is the 'Weaponfuser', a warrior who fuses with the spirits built up in weapons by their former users. Light Blades end up devious and cunning, Axes end up reckless and ruthless, etc.

The problem is, I don't know how to go about this concept in a mechanically exciting way (I love all of my fluff and flavor to be represented mechanically as much as possible). The in-progress build I have in my mind is a fighter hybrid warden that focuses on the weapon master's strike at-will power and the warden daily powers to truly fuse with the weapon spirits, but I'm not too good at envisioning the end result.

What I'm looking for is alternate builds and suggestions I may not have thought of, class combinations, feats and powers that allow me to become the weapon i hold, even background/role playing suggestions might trigger an idea and any material is an option.

Thank you in advance.

[DragonBaneDM]

This SCREAMS Artificer to me. His go-to At Will is called Magic Weapon. You could fluff it as you putting sentience into one of your ally's weapons!

Also, the entire class is built around magical items and weaponry. You can enchant items sooner, and your attacks all deal with augmenting/enchanting equipment in some way.

It's an Int based class, with the "Tinkerer/Summoner" path being Int-Wis and the "Battlesmith/Sigil Infuser" path being Int-Con. I'm a big fan of the Int/Con version, but either work. The summons are very underwhelming for Heroic Tier, though, just a heads up. Animate Alabaster is where it gets sexy.

Eberron Player's Book is where to find.

Now that that's done:

No ninja no ninja no ninja STOP!

EDIT: Yeeaaaaahhhh!!!

[incandescent]

I've never played an artificer before, so trying something new like that might be right up my alley. Do they hybridize well or lose too much in the process? Something in me still wants to squeeze warden in there for those true polymorph powers.

[Fox Box Socks]

I once played a Deva Artificer that cast spells by painting sigils into the air with her rod.

Refluffing is fun.

[randomhero00]

I don't get what you mean by becoming your weapon. Like literally, you turn into a floating sword?

[incandescent]

I don't get what you mean by becoming your weapon. Like literally, you turn into a floating sword?

I originally got the idea from the warden daily powers. Except instead of embodying a natural spirit, I would embody the spirit developed in a weapon by it's many wielders. As an example, if i took the panther daily, I would fluff it as a light blade weapon spirit and my character would polymorph into a lithe metallic creature with malleable daggers for fingers or something.

EDIT: I meant the warden panther daily, not a barbarian rage.

[randomhero00]

I originally got the idea from the warden daily powers. Except instead of embodying a natural spirit, I would embody the spirit developed in a weapon by it's many wielders. As an example, if i took the panther rage, I would fluff it as a light blade weapon spirit and my character would polymorph into a lithe metallic creature with malleable daggers for fingers or something.

How about, instead of that, the spirits come out to fight for you? They're intangible but can still do damage. Eventually you too will be part of the way of the sword if you prove yourself to be a hero. And the sword only works for heroes.

To accomplish this you could either play a summoning class that uses blades. Or easier, just refluff almost any class and just say part of your damage comes from these spirit heroes. (read: you'll still be the same class mechanically and do the same damage, it'd just be fluff)

This concept could work especially well for those who powers that let you flank.

As for upgrading swords, you could fluff/pretend to do a ritual to transfer the spirits safely.

I'm kind of rambling. Is this making sense?

[incandescent]

How about, instead of that, the spirits come out to fight for you? They're intangible but can still do damage. Eventually you too will be part of the way of the sword if you prove yourself to be a hero. And the sword only works for heroes.

To accomplish this you could either play a summoning class that uses blades. Or easier, just refluff almost any class and just say part of your damage comes from these spirit heroes. (read: you'll still be the same class mechanically and do the same damage, it'd just be fluff)

This concept could work especially well for those who powers that let you flank.

As for upgrading swords, you could fluff/pretend to do a ritual to transfer the spirits safely.

I'm kind of rambling. Is this making sense?

Thanks for the idea, but I'm not really partial to summoning for this idea. I want it to be the character himself becoming the weapon, though it may be something to consider as the character develops in the story.

Something is coming together in my mind, i'll post the first few levels of a build in a while to help people better understand what i'm striving for.

EDIT: well, I can't seem to find an agreeable combination of artificer and warden, so i guess I need help making an artificer that can target himself with his buffs as much as his allies.

[Drglenn]

You could go barbarian and refluff your rages as bringing out the spirit of your weapon

[DragonBaneDM]

Agreeing with the above posters more and more.

The Artificer is more about enhancing magical weapons. I think if your original idea was Warden, go Warden friend. Barbarian also works well, but Artificer is more about affecting other things than it is yourself.

And to answer your question, I've found that Hybrid Artificer goes especially well with Swordmage, but I've seen Wizard pulled off as well. Also, there are some really good Artificer/Avenger builds, but that's more of a high level type deal. Hm... Finally, I wouldn't see why a Con Warlock wouldn't work.

[incandescent]

The last suggestion did it, I'm going with artificer hybrid warlock with eldritch strike and magic weapon as my go to at wills. The fluff part of the concept has evolved a little bit as well. Instead of transforming into weapons, the character suffered an accident while teleporting to the shadowfell as part of his artificer schooling. Now, he's psychologically tied to weapons, which act as keys for his distorted mind when he holds them, unlocking traits suited to wielders of those weapons.

Thanks for the help everyone, it helped a lot to bounce ideas around when trying to build a character concept.