[PF] Black Blade special materials?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Simple question: Can a Bladebound Magus's Black Blade be made of a special material, like cold iron or adamantine?

[Ilorin Lorati]

As far as I know it's considered to be a specific magic item and thus the rules it follows are the ones explicitly stated by the class feature. So no, it's not likely that it can be.

[Drelua]

I would say yes, but it would be up to the DM since it's a previously existing magic item, like a minor artifact. There must be more than one of them, so they should be different. I might take a minor ability away if it's a better material than steel, just so there's a reason not to take it.

[Psyren]

Note that in PF, high enhancement bonuses overcome those forms of DR anyway.

[Hruken]

The only mention of what the blade is is that it is a masterwork weapon for anyone other than its magus.

So, maybe. Considering the magus is not required to pay for the black blade, it does not count against WBL, and it cannot be enchanted, it might be a tad overpowered (free cold iron weapon, arcana to make magical so no price increases), but all in all I'd say it should be okay. It adds to the unique idea of the blade.

[StreamOfTheSky]

I was thinking of making a demon hunter, so having the blade be primal iron seemed cool.

But yeah, it's something you're given or it "finds" you, and you don't pay for it, nor allowed to pay to enhance it unfortunately, so it is kind of awkward.

I did forget that the enhancements will at least let it bypass material DR. That helps a lot, since the arcana boosted enhancement doesn't have the clause greater magic weapon does.

[Hruken]

Since the blade is found, and has its own goals that may align with the magus, I don't think it would be too hard to argue for a primal iron black blade. Make its goal the utter destruction of all demons, and it is driving the magus to do so. Maybe play off a somewhat unwilling magus, I dunno.

I had a very interesting thought about this idea. Wyroot black blade. Wooden scimitar made from wyroot. Have a source of ironwood spells, and go to town. Would likely be very hard to convince a DM to let you have one.

[Drelua]

I had a very interesting thought about this idea. Wyroot black blade. Wooden scimitar made from wyroot. Have a source of ironwood spells, and go to town. Would likely be very hard to convince a DM to let you have one.

Well, keep in mind that a black blade doesn't have to be a sword, just a one-handed slashing weapon, rapier or sword cane. It could be a battle axe with a wyroot handle and a primal iron blade, if your not playing a DEX-based magus and you could convince your DM to let that happen. I don't like your chances, though.

[Stone Heart]

Well, keep in mind that a black blade doesn't have to be a sword, just a one-handed slashing weapon, rapier or sword cane. It could be a battle axe with a wyroot handle and a primal iron blade, if your not playing a DEX-based magus and you could convince your DM to let that happen. I don't like your chances, though.

Interestingly enough, because it just needs to be a one handed slashing weapon, it could be a whip.

[StreamOfTheSky]

I was going with Dervish Dance, the game is low level and moderate point buy, so not being MAD really helps. Tiefling Bladebound Hexcrafter. Possibly also the Tiefling archetype even though I doubt I'd ever use any of its options - just because...you don't seem to lose anything for them. Probably why they're so terrible. :smallsmile:


I had a very interesting thought about this idea. Wyroot black blade. Wooden scimitar made from wyroot. Have a source of ironwood spells, and go to town. Would likely be very hard to convince a DM to let you have one.

I'd never want a wyroot weapon, at least as my regular blade. Any crits with it do no damage at all to the target and instead give you an arcana. Kind of undercuts the entire spellstrike for critical hits thing Magus is based around...

In any case, I found a cheaper material that I also really like, Chthonic Steel. The -10% cost to enhance it seems wildly broken, but since I can't enhance my black blade anyway... not an issue. The bonus to confirm crits is modest but will help, and the flavor of it fits the "soul metal" I was going for...right down to the golden shine.

[Drelua]

I'd never want a wyroot weapon, at least as my regular blade. Any crits with it do no damage at all to the target and instead give you an arcana. Kind of undercuts the entire spellstrike for critical hits thing Magus is based around...

Wow, I completely missed that bit about wyroot. It's like my brain thought it saw something cool and decided not to process the bit that makes it completely lame. I've lost track of the number of times I've seen something in Pathfinder that looks really cool until I read the fine print. :smallannoyed:

[Bhaakon]

I'd never want a wyroot weapon, at least as my regular blade. Any crits with it do no damage at all to the target and instead give you an arcana. Kind of undercuts the entire spellstrike for critical hits thing Magus is based around...

Perhaps. I don't think it's clear from the text whether the wyroot would negate the the spell damage or just the weapon damage.

[Hruken]

Oh crap, didn't notice the line about wyroot doing no damage on a crit. Moving on then.


Well, keep in mind that a black blade doesn't have to be a sword, just a one-handed slashing weapon, rapier or sword cane. It could be a battle axe...

Yeah, noticed that before. I have a dwarf bladebound magus with a dwarven waraxe on my list of characters that I want to play, but probably will never get around to playing.



Interestingly enough, because it just needs to be a one handed slashing weapon, it could be a whip.

Never thought about doing that, it sounds quite fun.

[Larsen]

With the rich parent trait it should be acceptable for most DMs to have it at first level.

Edit : forgot it was a 3rd level feature... so the problem is not the cost of the item

[Psyren]

I did forget that the enhancements will at least let it bypass material DR. That helps a lot, since the arcana boosted enhancement doesn't have the clause greater magic weapon does.

It's not just material:

+3 = bypasses cold iron/silver
+4 = bypasses adamantine
+5 = bypasses alignment

That's the vast majority of the ones you'll encounter.