Signature weapons?

[ZeroGear]

In almost every fantasy story I've read, and in most games I've played, It always seems important characters always have a signature weapon they use.
That got me wondering: do you guys only use the standard magic weapon enchantments, or do you allow your characters to come up with unique effects of their own?
If it's the latter (or you just make your own unique weapons), what weapons have come up so far?

Here are two I've created (prices omitted as they may not be replicated)

Summoner's crossbow
This weapon appears to be an elegantly carved light crossbow that bears the motifs of animals carved along its length. Ordinarily it acts as a +1 light crossbow, but its true power becomes apparent in the hands of a spellcaster. As a free action, the caster may sacrifice a spell slot or prepared spell to make the next attack a summoning shot. Instead of dealing damage, the next bolt fired is changed into an animal from the summon natures ally list equal to the level of the spell sacrificed (1st level = Summon Natures Ally I, etc...). The animal appears in any space adjacent to the target (or in the space if the animal is tiny) and remains for 5 rounds, after which it disappears. The animal attacks the target to the best of its ability during this time. Only one animal may be summoned per bolt.

Blade of the Beast
The cross guard of this longsword resembles the glowering visage of a wolf with eyes of ruby that seem to gleam hungrily. While perfectly usable as a +2 keen longsword, the blade of the beast is able to manifest wolf spirits when swung. The wielder may, in place of a regular melee attack, swing the blade to produce a ghostly wolf that deals 1d6 points of piercing damage to a non-adjacent creature within 15ft. The wielder must have both lone of sight and line of effect to the target, and the wielder must be able to swing the blade to use this ability. This ability may not be used to make attacks of opportunity.

(Note: If I am posting in the wrong forum, please tell me. I am not sure if it goes here or if it would be better off in the Homebrew section.)

[ForzaFiori]

I usually use the genric ones, but I'll add several to a weapon and then name it. I had a goliath with a large sized fullblade one time, named Foe-killer. It was +2 Keen and Flaming, I think. Had "Death to most!" written down the side in goliath.

[Krazzman]

Actually atm I just use the by the book approach.

I would like to use it in the two Pathfinder games (one I DM, the other I play in) to create something. But I'm a bit clueless as so far I just handed out an "Icycle Weapon Crystal", the two mundanes in the party so far have got two elemental wepaon crystals, one ice and one fire (dunno if it was generic elemental or explicit fire in the MiC).

In the other group I'm playing a cooking Sage-Bloodlines Sorcerer that now should switch to blasting. (As 3 buffer/supporter are a bit too much). With Craft Wondrous and Craft Magic Arms and Armor.
And I can't decide what the hell I should cast on the weapons of the guys I game with. We have a Healing Focused Cleric (Aasimar) that I would probably make her cepter (a Mace) withsome healing enhancing stuff. But I'm going to clear that with her, probably taking false life as a spell to get this effect or her help with healing spells.

[Vizzerdrix]

I usually use the genric ones, but I'll add several to a weapon and then name it. I had a goliath with a large sized fullblade one time, named Foe-killer. It was +2 Keen and Flaming, I think. Had "Death to most!" written down the side in goliath.

This. I like to take time and book dive for a few interesting materials and enchantments then combine them into something interesting and fun.
+1 flaming frost Glassteal Mercurial greatsword, anyone? Call it the thermometer.
:smallwink:

[The Bandicoot]

My highest level character had a...... Returning Merciful Adamantine Dagger of Flaming, Frost, and Shocking Burst.

It's name was Bob, but sometimes he called it Herbert.

[Morrolan]

With all the special weapon materials and magic effects availabe in books, I can usually create my intended weapon.

I usually make variations of Blackwand, the sword of the character I used for my nickname, if it fits the character ofcourse.

[ArcturusV]

Typically I'll go all out to make appropriate weapons for my character to fit their style, purpose, and ideals.

Also I tend to ask my DMs if it was possible to upgrade and reforge rather than just ditch for new weapons. Somehow things loose the iconic, signature, or other identifying quality if it really is just the weapon I looted on my last adventure until I get a new, better weapon two or three adventures down the line.

Like my character Reman Valarius who used a quarterstaff throughout his adventuring career, from first level to retirement, using his own minor magical gifts and his smithing knowledge to continually upgrade the weapon to meet the dangers he faced. Ended up going from being a "simple oak stick" to eventually being shod and bound in rare alchemical medals, stacked with enchantments, able to manifest abilities that he had found iconic and useful to his adventures. Like the "sand control" ability my DM ended up giving me knowledge of.... in a desert campaign. Think that was the first ability I put into the weapon and became part of his signature combat style.

And anyone else's if my DM eventually does the sequel campaign as promised and someone else finds/inherits his staff.

[Slipperychicken]

I find you can make pretty much anything with a combination of standard enhancements and custom spell effects thrown onto the weapon. I personally like to wait until the weapon does something cool (or kill something important), then give it an appropriate name. There are so many crunch combinations for items (most of which amount to "it hits harder"), but the real distinguishing feature, what makes it "cool" to me is the history.

Basically, using the normal rules for crunch, then let it "earn its name", as it were.

[Rogue Shadows]

From this point forwards in my game I've decided to stop handing out generic magic weapons beyond a +1 enhancement. Everything above that will have a name, story, and unique set of powers, chosen from a combination of the default weapon table, and the "intelligent items" table. They won't all be intelligent, of course, but they'll all have something to make them unique.

[OverdrivePrime]

I like to give special weapons a history, a name and a purpose. Most of them aren't that snazzy in terms of effect (except weapons of unusual make) but why they where made, who made them and how they look usually sets them apart.

[AttilaTheGeek]

Disclaimer: My group plays Pathfinder, not sure if this rule applies in other systems.


A weapon with a special ability must also have at least a +1 enhancement bonus. Weapons cannot possess the same special ability more than once.

Our group has house-ruled these two lines out because special abilities are just so much more cool than a "+X sword". Notable cool things that have come out of ruling those out are a Shocking Burst, Spell Storing (Shocking Grasp), Spell Storing (Lightning Bolt) bastard sword for our magus, a Flaming, Icy, Shocking, Corrosive greataxe from an enemy gish who used elemental evocations, and a set of two Dancing, Distance longbows for the party ranger, who would just set up shop with them 200' back and basically be artillery fire.

[Slipperychicken]

Disclaimer: My group plays Pathfinder, not sure if this rule applies in other systems.


That's part of what they stole from 3.5. I've seen groups who waive the +1 requirements before, which could be seen as a buff to weapon-reliant classes, as they don't need to pour as much WBL into their weapons to get what they're supposed to. I'm just curious, does your group still count non-plussed enchanted weapons as magical for the purpose of overcoming DR?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

There was one 3.5 book called Weapons of Legacy that did this by allowing you to spend XP on levelling your weapon with you, giving it certain abilities and such as you gained levels.

I don't think it worked mechanically, fairly certain it was terribly unbalanced, but it was an attempt.

[TuggyNE]

There was one 3.5 book called Weapons of Legacy that did this by allowing you to spend XP on levelling your weapon with you, giving it certain abilities and such as you gained levels.

I don't think it worked mechanically, fairly certain it was terribly unbalanced, but it was an attempt.

The main problem I've heard with WoL is that it gave fairly moderate bonuses, which would actually be more or less worthwhile, except that there were some substantial drawbacks: -1 HP/level, less skill points, that kind of thing. Add to that the fact that you had to go out of your way to unlock the bonuses and it wasn't really worth the trouble of reading the book, never mind actually using the weapons.

[AttilaTheGeek]

I'm just curious, does your group still count non-plussed enchanted weapons as magical for the purpose of overcoming DR?

Oh, of course. You can't really say a flaming sword isn't magical. :smalltongue:

[ArcturusV]

Sounds like Weapon of Legacy was borrowing, or inspired by, the Samurai class ability from Oriental Adventures. Or at least covering the same thematic territory.

I never much liked the Oriental Adventures ability on the Samurai myself. The concept is nice. But as a main frontline Fighter (Who had to spread out and use 5 stats at good ratings as is), losing out on Gold to empower your Katana/Wakizashi... and the levels you unlocked additional pluses/abilities you could put on always falling behind what I'd see as people were getting loot... wasn't really great.

"Oh look. I turned level 4. I can get a +1 weapon while the rest of my party is getting +2 weapons from loot." was basically how it went every time I saw it in action.

[Scow2]

Oh, of course. You can't really say a flaming sword isn't magical. :smalltongue:

But the magic is entirely in propagating the flames around the blade. But a +X weapon has its magic imbued into the blade itself, giving it an aura that hones the blade, increases its ability to rend the flesh, guide the hand of the user to its target, etc.

That +1 bonus is far too often sold short.

[Vaz]

Sounds like Weapon of Legacy was borrowing, or inspired by, the Samurai class ability from Oriental Adventures. Or at least covering the same thematic territory.

I never much liked the Oriental Adventures ability on the Samurai myself. The concept is nice. But as a main frontline Fighter (Who had to spread out and use 5 stats at good ratings as is), losing out on Gold to empower your Katana/Wakizashi... and the levels you unlocked additional pluses/abilities you could put on always falling behind what I'd see as people were getting loot... wasn't really great.

"Oh look. I turned level 4. I can get a +1 weapon while the rest of my party is getting +2 weapons from loot." was basically how it went every time I saw it in action.
In rokugan AEG it was XP instead, much better as you allowed the typically lower powered casters (Shugenja) keep up when crafting.

I like the kensai much more though, but it is still not brilliant.

[lunar2]

There was one 3.5 book called Weapons of Legacy that did this by allowing you to spend XP on levelling your weapon with you, giving it certain abilities and such as you gained levels.

I don't think it worked mechanically, fairly certain it was terribly unbalanced, but it was an attempt.


The main problem I've heard with WoL is that it gave fairly moderate bonuses, which would actually be more or less worthwhile, except that there were some substantial drawbacks: -1 HP/level, less skill points, that kind of thing. Add to that the fact that you had to go out of your way to unlock the bonuses and it wasn't really worth the trouble of reading the book, never mind actually using the weapons.

actually, legacy items are well worth the GP spent, including the GP spent mitigating the personal costs, if you found your own items (this costs some XP too, but evena dding that to the cost doesn't significantly close the gap).

and the actual ritual you have to do don't have to be too bad of a sidetrack, if you are founding your own legacy (and therefore your own rituals).

so yeah, using pre printed legacy items is a bad idea. founding you own legacy, or using an item designed by your DM is generally worth it if you know what you are doing.

[Invader]

It's not a weapon but one of my PC's will be getting Filk's Fearsome Fullplate pretty soon in my campaign. It's basically regular full plate but 1/day as an immediate action when struck by an opponent, the wearer can direct a fear spell towards the attacker.

That's the most recent unique item but I'm a big fan of custom items in general.

[AttilaTheGeek]

But the magic is entirely in propagating the flames around the blade. But a +X weapon has its magic imbued into the blade itself, giving it an aura that hones the blade, increases its ability to rend the flesh, guide the hand of the user to its target, etc.

That +1 bonus is far too often sold short.

I'm not saying that it's not as powerful, or often more so, than a standard 1d6 elemental damage, but that saying "I have a sword that's on fire!" is a lot more satisfying for many players than saying "I have a +1 sword" because many people just like rolling big numbers, and a 1d6 elemental enhancement will consistently hit as hard as or harder than a +1 enhancement. Of course, the +1's advantage comes from it hitting more often, but hitting 5% more is unnoticeable, where hitting for sometimes an extra 6 damage is incredibly satisfying.