[PF]Superstition and Magical Weapons

[mephnick]

In an upcoming campaign I'll likely be playing a superstitious barbarian with a grudge against magic. For strictly role-playing purposes, is there a way to make strong weapons that aren't magical? It seems silly to be superstitious of magic and then walk around with an enhanced flaming great-axe.

Are there any options for me or should I just suck it up and ignore the contradiction?

[Kelb_Panthera]

It'd help immensely if this barbarian makes exceptions for self-sourced magic. For instance, would he be opposed to the magic of an ancestral relic (BoED) or his own signature weapon via kensai levels (CW, and I know it's not a valid choice since he's not lawful, but I'm trying to get a feel for where the line is?) How about a legacy weapon (WoL) or the DMG2 variant for enhancing a weapon as a non-caster.

If it's got to be strictly non-magical then you're going to have to look to 3rd party.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Vow of Poverty from Book of Exalted Deeds is your only real option, unfortunately, and it will make you pretty gimped.

Best to just ignore the contradiction. Your weapons and equipment don't get names like other heroes tend to do for theirs. They are not honored relics, a part of your very warrior soul, or anything like that. They're just tools that help with your job of slaying mages. Tools to be dispassionately used and then disposed of when no longer needed.

[Joshinthemosh]

How does this barbarian feel about psionic weapons(This one is not my strength) Posions? Kaorti Resin? Other special materials?

Also by this token how does feel about "non traditional" magic like that of the Runescarred Barbarian? Workarounds like that could be interesting RP opportunities for the party. "Here drink this. It's...............(bluff check) water.........yeah."

Also carry a lot of weapons and some really really strong booze. Pour on greataxe. Set greataxe on fire. Game barbarian

Edit: WOW I fail at reading. I apologize. Titan Mauler? Can that work? It at least can give a damage boost via size? I also would ask the DM if you can bring in some 3.5 stuff for getting some more options

[Akal Saris]

What if he is superstitious, except for items crafted by his own people or their allies? So he would only buy a Flaming Greataxe if he saw the markings on it that came from the Mammoth Lords of the North, for example, or from a spellcaster he trusted implicitly (another PC, an NPC ally, or a cohort, perhaps).

[Psyren]

Recall that in PF, you don't need magic to craft magical items at all. A master craftsman can craft arms and armor so well that they duplicate the effectiveness of magical equipment in every way, even if the craftsman doesn't know a single spell. (In game terms, this is represented by increasing the DC by 10 to ignore the spell and caster level prerequisites.)

So your superstitious barbarian can simply acquire all his "magic items" from such a person.

[grarrrg]

Go with "plausible deniability".
Remember, Barbarians have no way to Detect Magic.

A +1 Keen Sword will just be a really nice sword, and not 'obviously magical'.
A +1 Flaming Sword on the other hand is obviously magical because it shoots out flames and stuff.

Basically, do NOT seek out magical equipment.
But, if you happen to find "really fancy armor", then by all means go ahead and wear it.

[Yomega]

Worst sugestion EVER multyclass monk so your unarmed attack damage goes up, then go nuts with vows

[Hand_of_Vecna]

What if he is superstitious, except for items crafted by his own people or their allies? So he would only buy a Flaming Greataxe if he saw the markings on it that came from the Mammoth Lords of the North, for example, or from a spellcaster he trusted implicitly (another PC, an NPC ally, or a cohort, perhaps).

This can be a lot of fun. I played a Barbarian who followed this rule once and he had all alternate slot items.

Head:I don't think I ever felt the need for an item that should have filled the head slot.
Ring: Tokens braided into hair
Neck: Belt Buckle
Cloak: Kilt, it was the kilt of useful items, always good for a laugh when I reached under my kilt for something
Body/Armor: Ritual tattoos mechanically simulated armor including an armor check penalty.
Belt, Bracer and Boots: functioned normally

If you want to get really extreme ask for a price on a medicine bag that can store xp from destroyed items like the Artificer class feature allowing you to cash in when you go home.

[Lord Il Palazzo]

Worst sugestion EVER multyclass monk so your unarmed attack damage goes up, then go nuts with vowsI can top that. Just play a monk!

Seriously though, could you try convincing your DM to let you trade your weapon proficiency (or some part of it) for monk-style unarmed striking (similar to the unarmed swordsage adaptation)? It wouldn't be perfect, but the dice scaling would be better than being stuck with a 1d8 non-magic longsword for the whole game and you might be able to convince your DM to let you have whatever that amulet is that enhances natural attacks based on enchantments put on the amulet (I can't remember the name and source so someone help me out) if your character would be more accepting of that than of magic weapons.

[mephnick]

Hmm, good suggestions.

I'll likely try and limit it to "weapons made by own clan" and "not noticeably magic effects" like keen/defending/etc

I'd feel fine using a keen sword that just seems like a really well forged sword and can still ignore obviously magical things like elements.

Thanks!

[StreamOfTheSky]

Recall that in PF, you don't need magic to craft magical items at all. A master craftsman can craft arms and armor so well that they duplicate the effectiveness of magical equipment in every way, even if the craftsman doesn't know a single spell. (In game terms, this is represented by increasing the DC by 10 to ignore the spell and caster level prerequisites.)

So your superstitious barbarian can simply acquire all his "magic items" from such a person.

Master Craftsman is a trap. You pay 2 feats to do something one feat does, more poorly, and by investing in a much less generally useful skill (and if you want to make arms AND armor, multiple crappy skills, instead of just maxing out spellcraft). Because they chose to make MC have the same level requirement as Craft Arms & Armor, you also effectively have to wait 2 extra levels before you can even do it, during which time your MC feat is doing diddly squat for you.

Even after that, you can only make arms and armor, ever. The real prize is wondrous items.