[PF] Why is this ability so common?

[deuxhero]

Bladethirst (Su): An arcane duelist of 6th level or higher may use performance to grant one weapon, one natural weapon, one end of a double weapon, or 50 items of ammunition of the same type within 30 feet a +1 enhancement bonus. This enhancement bonus increases by +1 for every three levels after 6th (maximum +5 at 18th level). These bonuses stack with existing bonuses and may be used to increase the item’s enhancement bonus up to +5 or to add any of the following weapon properties: defending, distance, ghost touch, keen, mighty cleaving, returning, shock, shocking burst, seeking, speed, or wounding. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before adding special abilities.


The first type of bond allows the paladin to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the paladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.

If a weapon bonded with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.


At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus.


At 4th level, as a swift action, a sohei may spend 1 point from his ki pool to grant any weapon he wields (including his unarmed strike) a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls, increasing by +1 per four levels after 4th to a maximum bonus of +5 at 20th level, until the end of his next turn.

I mean it's not a BAD ability, but it's very "why". I think there is more than just the 4 (not counting Anti-Paladin).

[Benly]

Well, it lets you use found weapons without being totally ineffective, so there's that going for it. Adding properties is a moderately useful way to let a character buff her damage or get specialized effects without having to put too much effort into designing the mechanics, too. From the user end, Disrupting or Ghost Touch are both things that are really nice to have when you need them but maybe not something you'd want to spend your money on having permanently, so there's that I guess?

[Ketiara]

yea it lets you have the special ability enchantment along with the normal weap upgrade enchantment. I would love to have this ability for when I had my stunshot sling that never hit anything:smallsmile:

[Invader]

People also invest a lot feats into making a specific weapon better and it gives them a way to enhance their weapon instead of taking another one that they might not be optimized for.

[Drothmal]

The way I see it, there is both a crunch and a fluff reason behind this ability

From the fluff perspective, being able to use your powers (divine, arcane, supernatural, etc) to improve the weapon you are wielding plays very well into the idea of becoming one with the weapon and making your character have abilities that distinguish him or her from the rest of NPCs

From a crunch perspective: Weapons are the most common way of dealing direct damage, they are used by most classes AND they are incredibly expensive to enchant. Thus providing players with the ability to customize weapons for specific fights on the flight while at the same time allowing the opportunity to have a weapon that would be well beyond their WBL is a very smart design choice, thus making it a very coveted ability that can be applied to many classes and archetypes

(An example on the money perspective, I'm playing a lvl 5 bladebound magus though PbP. For important fights, he can have a +4 weapon that can be customized to the enemy being fought. Normally such weapon -without flexiblity- would cost 32000, which is three times the WBL.)

tl;dr: It is common because it is a useful tool mechanic wise while being a flavorful option fluff wise

[doko239]

There's also the fact that all of the classes listed are fairly melee-dependant, and depriving them of their primary weapon (the old "captured and disarmed" trope) can hurt them more than other classes.

[Benly]

I feel like I should mention that most of the good things to be said about this ability don't apply to the sohei version, since it doesn't grant properties (and so doesn't stack with a primary weapon) and only lasts for one round instead of minutes.

This is because monks don't get nice things. :smalltongue:

[Starbuck_II]

Because the game runs so smoothly if everyone has GMW (caster equal character level) 1/day. Casters are needed if dispel magic ruins your casting, but normal buff is innate.

That way you can load up on special ability for weapon and still hit level appropriately.

[Chained Birds]

Because the game runs so smoothly if everyone has GMW (caster equal character level) 1/day. Casters are needed if dispel magic ruins your casting, but normal buff is innate.

That way you can load up on special ability for weapon and still hit level appropriately.

The downside is that GMW doesn't grant you the DR destruction that a normal +X Weapon would give. It only goes up to Magic Weapon status, so at least the Paladin can feel happy that his ability allows him to negate most DRs.