[3.5]Violin of War-Price?

[Howler Dagger]

So, I have no cost idea for the item detailed below (and the variant). The purpose of this is an instrument a bard can hold with weapons
Violin of War

A Violin of War comes with the following items: A spearbow, a violin, shoulder rest and a case.

The violin and sjoulder rest allow you to use just your head and shoulders to hold the violin, While you can not play while using only your head and shoulders, it allows you to attack without having to stash your violin. The side effect is that your head is stuck in one direction, imposing a -2 penalty to attack rolls. In addition, whenever someone makes a succesful attack, bullrush, or trp on you you have a 50% chance of causing it to go out of tune, imposing a -3 to the DCs of your bardic msuic. You have a 20% chance of breaking it, in that case you can repair it with a succesful craft(?) check, DC 15

Spearbow: This functions as a shortspear, but can also be used to play a violin (or viola or cello or whatever)

Case: This functions as a buckler, usually made of wood. However, it has been specially modified to allow the somatic components of a bard spell. You can also store the Violin of War set in it.

Variant: Viola of War. Change the case to a light shield, and the penalty to attack rolls to -3.

[Howler Dagger]

50 views and no comments?

Fun Fact: The only unrealistic thing here is the spearbow. everything else is something you could realisticly do with a violin.

[BlackestOfMages]

I'd change the spearbow to a shortsword, and just have it be a blade lining the bow so it can be used to slash peoples :smallsmile:

[Cieyrin]

It definitely should be a masterwork instrument for being able to handle combat stress without getting irreparably destroyed. By that, I think a violin version should cost about 150 gp, 200 for the viola version. Also, bucklers and light shields have never disrupted somatic components, it's only heavy, extreme and tower shields that can't be used for anything besides being carried. To masterwork the weapon/armor part, just add 450 gp to the cost.

[jiriku]

Also, bucklers and light shields have never disrupted somatic components, it's only heavy, extreme and tower shields that can't be used for anything beside casting.

I think he's referring to ASF.

For the privilege of having -5% ASF, I'd suggest the case should cost a minimum of +400 gp. So, to extend Cieyrin's suggestions:

Violin + bow: 151 gp (451 gp for mwk weapon)
case: 415 gp (565 gp for mwk shield)

Price for a viola would not be meaningfully different in D&D, because musical instruments aren't priced differently and light shields are actually cheaper than bucklers.

Also, you know where this is going, don't you?

http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/gallopinggiraffes/elmariachi.jpg