Surplus Spellblade Shenanigans

[Rubik]

For those of you who don't know what a spellblade is, it's a +6,000 gp weapon enhancement that is permanently keyed to a specific targeted spell. (Likely, anything with a Target line, or a ray or touch/ranged touch attack, though the ability doesn't specify; it cannot be keyed to a spell with an AoE or that creates an Effect.) So long as you're wielding the weapon, you're immune to the effects of the spell. Moreover, any time you're targeted by someone casting that spell, you can choose to redirect the spell at a new target as a free action on your next turn; otherwise, the spell dissipates.

In this thread, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151109) JeminiZero brought forth an idea that has some interesting implications about the spellblade weapon ability from the Player's Guide to Faerun. For the thread's TLDR version, if you have two different spellblades keyed to the same spell, you can bounce any number of castings of that spell back and forth between the spellblade weapons, storing numerous castings to be unleashed against your foes as a single free action.

There are a number of tricks you can pull with multiple spellblades, some of which are quite neat (see the aforementioned thread for details). I'm about to add a couple to the pile. Feel free to add additional suggestions, especially if they're at least 20% cooler.

Magic Missile Multiplicity - Let's say you have a targeted or ranged direct attack spell that applies to multiple opponents, such as a CL 3 Magic Missile spell. If you have three Magic Missile-oriented spellblades by that point, have three of your friends wielding the spellbladed weapons, then cast Magic Missile at two of them -- one missile each. Each of them will "catch" a full casting of CL 3 Magic Missile, and can then fire off a full spell -- which, of course, they'll aim at the other spellblade wielders. Each time one of the wielders absorbs the spell, they split the Magic Missiles between the other two wielders, doubling the number of Magic Missile castings in effect. Whenever you throw down with enemies, just have the spellblade wielders target one missile of each casting at another wielder, while targeting the enemy with the second missile of each casting, so you don't have to start over again. Eventually you'll get so many castings available that you can basically slaughter anything that isn't immune to the spell, and all with one casting.

In other words:

1.) You cast one missile at both A and B. A casts one missile at both B and C, and B casts at A and C. Now C has two castings, as do A and B.

2.) Now A and B repeat #1 and split each casting between two people each, and C casts at both A and B. Now everyone has four castings.

3.) Everyone repeats #2. Now everyone has eight castings.

4.) Everyone repeats #3. Now everyone has sixteen castings.

Etc.

Impersonal Property - If you're wielding a spellblade keyed to a spell with a target of Personal -- such as Divine Power -- you can use the spellblade to redirect that spell to others that are not you.

[herrhauptmann]

Isn't the first one just "Spellblade tennis?"

I like the idea of that for the second one. Great for cleric or something that buffs the other characters. (I'm probably going to steal that one)

[TuggyNE]

Isn't the first one just "Spellblade tennis?"

Not quite; instead of saving up spells for later use (hours, days, or weeks later), it takes a single seed spell and multiplies it steadily with time until there's an enormous pool from a single casting. Bonus if you use Force Missile Mage to get past shield.

[Rubik]

Not quite; instead of saving up spells for later use (hours, days, or weeks later), it takes a single seed spell and multiplies it steadily with time until there's an enormous pool from a single casting. Bonus if you use Force Missile Mage to get past shield.Shield only absorbs 101 hp in Magic Missile castings. In four rounds, you have three people who have sixteen Magic Missile spells on them. Each. And considering that this is something you can easily do pre-battle, I'm fairly sure you're going to eat up that Shield protection P.D.Q.

[Khatoblepas]

Shield only absorbs 101 hp in Magic Missile castings. In four rounds, you have three people who have sixteen Magic Missile spells on them. Each. And considering that this is something you can easily do pre-battle, I'm fairly sure you're going to eat up that Shield protection P.D.Q.

Uh, where does it say that?


Shield creates an invisible, tower shield-sized mobile disk of force that hovers in front of you. It negates magic missile attacks directed at you. The disk also provides a +4 shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks, since it is a force effect. The shield has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance. Unlike with a normal tower shield, you can’t use the shield spell for cover.

Perhaps you're thinking of Protection from Arrows?

[Juntao112]

Perhaps you're thinking of Protection from Arrows?

He's thinking of the Brooch of Shielding.

[Pickford]

For those of you who don't know what a spellblade is, it's a +6,000 gp weapon enhancement that is permanently keyed to a specific targeted spell. (Likely, anything with a Target line, or a ray or touch/ranged touch attack, though the ability doesn't specify; it cannot be keyed to a spell with an AoE or that creates an Effect.) So long as you're wielding the weapon, you're immune to the effects of the spell. Moreover, any time you're targeted by someone casting that spell, you can choose to redirect the spell at a new target as a free action on your next turn; otherwise, the spell dissipates.

In this thread, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151109) JeminiZero brought forth an idea that has some interesting implications about the spellblade weapon ability from the Player's Guide to Faerun. For the thread's TLDR version, if you have two different spellblades keyed to the same spell, you can bounce any number of castings of that spell back and forth between the spellblade weapons, storing numerous castings to be unleashed against your foes as a single free action.

There are a number of tricks you can pull with multiple spellblades, some of which are quite neat (see the aforementioned thread for details). I'm about to add a couple to the pile. Feel free to add additional suggestions, especially if they're at least 20% cooler.

Multiplicity - Let's say you have a targeted or ranged direct attack spell that applies to multiple opponents, such as a CL 3 Magic Missile spell. If you have three Magic Missile-oriented spellblades by that point, have three of your friends wielding the spellbladed weapons, then cast Magic Missile at two of them -- one missile each. Each of them will "catch" a full casting of CL 3 Magic Missile, and can then fire off a full spell -- which, of course, they'll aim at the other spellblade wielders. Each time one of the wielders absorbs the spell, they split the Magic Missiles between the other two wielders, doubling the number of Magic Missile castings in effect. Whenever you throw down with enemies, just have the spellblade wielders target one missile of each casting at another wielder, while targeting the enemy with the second missile of each casting, so you don't have to start over again. Eventually you'll get so many castings available that you can basically slaughter anything that isn't immune to the spell, and all with one casting.

In other words:

1.) You cast one missile at both A and B. A casts one missile at both B and C, and B casts at A and C. Now C has two castings, as do A and B.

2.) Now A and B repeat #1 and split each casting between two people each, and C casts at both A and B. Now everyone has four castings.

3.) Everyone repeats #2. Now everyone has eight castings.

4.) Everyone repeats #3. Now everyone has sixteen castings.

Etc.

Impersonal Property - If you're wielding a spellblade keyed to a spell with a target of Personal -- such as Divine Power -- you can use the spellblade to redirect that spell to others that are not you.

Doesn't this trick just make it incredibly likely that everyone has spell blades keyed to magic missile, rendering it useless?

[Rubik]

He's thinking of the Brooch of Shielding.Ah. You're right. I got them confused.


Doesn't this trick just make it incredibly likely that everyone has spell blades keyed to magic missile, rendering it useless?Then go for Scorching Ray. Or any Chained spell. Or any Split Rayed spell. Or any other offensive spell that affects multiple targets without an AoE or created Effect. Should work on any number of psionic powers, too.

Could we get this to work on Greater Magic Weapon somehow? I know levels in monk for everyone involved would do it...

[shaikujin]

If they only equip themselves with 1 spellblade, then yeah, they can't defend against other spells.

But if they are wielding surplus spellblades as per Rubik's post title, such as 8 hidden blades, spiked gauntlets, armor spikes, poison rings, braidblades, dueling cloak, bracers of striking, shieldspikes, spiked helm etc etc, I am sure a few can be assigned for this.

[TuggyNE]

If they only equip themselves with 1 spellblade, then yeah, they can't defend against other spells.

But if they are wielding surplus spellblades as per Rubik's post title, such as 8 hidden blades, spiked gauntlets, armor spikes, poison rings, braidblades, dueling cloak, bracers of striking, shieldspikes, spiked helm etc etc, I sure a few can be assigned for this.

More to the point, as far as I'm aware, you can stuff spellblade multiple times in different versions on the same weapon, and there isn't even any surcharge.

[Pickford]

More to the point, as far as I'm aware, you can stuff spellblade multiple times in different versions on the same weapon, and there isn't even any surcharge.

This is exactly why MD is totally reasonable :)

[Rubik]

This is exactly why MD is totally reasonable :)Not really. It's just intelligent use of resources, and anyone who uses MDJ except to prevent TPK is an ass.

But it is worth having spellblade on a few weapons, since there are times you just might want to be affected by the spell you would otherwise be immune to -- such as Divine Power, as I mentioned earlier.

[Chronos]

I'm not sure the Magic Missile Multiplication works. It seems to me that one spellblade absorbs the spell entirely, leaving nothing for the other one to absorb. Which one gets to absorb it? I dunno, I guess I'd go with whichever one is next in the initiative count.

[Psyren]

Not really. It's just intelligent use of resources, and anyone who uses MDJ except to prevent TPK is an ass.

But if people are walking around with magic swords pointy things crammed with NI castings of magic missile then I would expect MDJ to be a reasonable defense.

Anyway, the primary strategy against spellblades still applies - even if your Spellblade is keyed to dispel magic, that only protects the wielder, not the blade itself. So you can dispel the weapon directly and suppress it no matter what is in there.