[3.5] Help creating weapon of legacy for a swordsage

[basalix]

Thanks in advanced. I am a DM who just recently came back into the fold of D&D. That last time I played I was in high school and it was 2e. One of my players is a Swordsage and has decided to make a very restrictive background so his character doesn't want many magic items, despite the fact that he is going to fall behind the rest of the party overtime.

I have decided to give him an Elven Courtblade, to retain his Weapon Finesse feat, and wanted it to be a weapon of legacy so it will at least grow with him over time. Unfortunately, my real world time hasn't afforded me the time to create this unique magic item. Would you be willing to help?

I am open to just about anything. The party includes:

Human Sorcerer (5) that will prestige into archmage
Halfling Rogue (5) that will prestige to assassin
Human Cleric (5)
Wood Elf Wildshaping Ranger (5)
Human Swordsage (5)

Thanks again!

[Big Fau]

The first thing you need to do is ignore the penalties associated with WoLs, or at least lessen them. Those are the absolute worst part of the book, and certainly not going to help the Swordsage keep up with the WBL the rest of the party will be using. Some Legacy Items have penalties to saving throws, then give a bonus to saving throws that's smaller than the penalty (which makes no sense).

Secondly, I recommend two or three Legacy Items, each with different effects. One a suit of light armor, one his weapon (the Courtblade), and one a miscellaneous piece of worn equipment.

An option is to give him the Ancestral Relic feat on top of his Legacy Item. Technically, LIs are only ever worth ~2,000gp as their rituals don't count towards their overall price, and the item is just a normal magic item to someone who hasn't awakened it yet. This is very cheesey, but it gives him another 200K worth of special abilities for his item. It would help him immensely.

The last problem you'll have is he may refuse to awaken the items due to his backstory.


Also, we need more details about his build to make the item. It's hard to tailor something to someone you know nothing about besides race and class.

[basalix]

Thank you for the response! I will get to my notes when I get home this evening and put more stats about his build up. I could probably slip in an ancestral relic for him as his armor or "other mundane item worn," but we've already worked the sword into the story as an item gifted to him after training with another Swordsage to learn maneuvers and stances. The aging SS gave it to him because he was the first worthy student he had found to weild the blade.

[Asrrin]

Hey I'm the sorcerer of the group, and normally the go-to rules lawyer for my DM friend here. We are all mid-high level optimized. Basalix will post our SS's stats when he gets them, but a while back I took a stab at helping to generate the LI. I'll include it here, and you guys can decide if it's under/over powered.



Name:
Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 Eleven Courtblade
Omen:
History:
Legacy Rituals:
5th: Easy quest and meditation, 2000gp
11th: Harder Quest, 13000gp
17th: Kill an appropriate CR monster singlehandedly, 40000gp

5:Maneuver, least
6:Invisibility: 1/day
7:Protection from Evil: Continuous
8:Weapon Enhancement: Magebane +1
9:no special this level
10:Speed Enhancement +10
11:Maneuver, Lesser
12:Cunning: You are never flat-footed.
13:Weapon Enhancement: Keen Thundering Magebane +1
14:Haste: 5/day, swift action to use, lasts one round per activation.
15: no special this level
16:Ability Enhancement +4: Con
17:Maneuver, Greater
18:Weapon Enhancement: Brilliant Energy Keen Thundering Magebane +2
19:Ability Enhancement +6: Dex
20:Dispel Magic, Greater: 1/day.

[basalix]

*shakes fist at the meddling sorcerer *

[Big Fau]

Assrin, I wouldn't include Brilliant Energy on any Legacy weapon. It prevents it from harming undead and constructs, two fairly common enemies. The SS would be forced to rely on Desert Wind's fire maneuvers and the Setting Sun throw maneuvers when faced against those, and it isn't always practical to do that.

[Forrestfire]

My personal suggestion would be to just ignore the weapons of legacy rules and just tie any item stuff he'd need to keep up into the sword. Maybe work with the player to figure out what abilities he wants to get from the sword, fluffed as either magic

Something like:

{table=head]Level|WBL|Item|Total
5|9,000gp|+1 sword [2300gp] that is grants the wielder supernatural insights regarding attack and defense (Ring of Protection +1 [2000gp] and Gloves of Dexterity +2 [4000gp])|8,300gp
6|13,000gp|The sword's magic helps the wielder resist effects, dodge blows, and clear his mind (Cloak of Resistance +1 [1000gp]) and the wielder's swordplay is so great it's as if he has a zone that blows can't get through (+1 Mithral Chain Shirt [2100gp]|11,400gp
7|19,000gp|The sword's edge is ridiculously sharp; it's now a +1 keen weapon [+6000gp]|17,400gp
[/table]

Etc... Basically a homebrewed legacy weapon that is a bit better than you could get from one, but also lets the player fluff all his magic items as his own talents or magic from the sword.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Brilliant Energy is completely worthless, there are far better options like the Discipline Weapon enhancement, they are quite good and fit a lot better than Brilliant Energy (just be sure to pay attention to which disciplines he favors).

[Adverb]

Basalix - does it have to be a Weapon of Legacy? The Ancestral Relic feat in BoED is a weapon that grows with the character over time, and allows the PC to get the things they most want while still putting a cap on how much they can get at a given ECL.

[basalix]

I am not adverse to any ideas. I figured I would come to you guys, experts imo, for assistance.

He has named his character Amends, and is on a mission to "make amends" for his evil older brother that F'ed it up for the rest of his family before he was born. He has foresworn most earthly possessions until he feels he can atone for the bad things his brother did.

I thought the sword would give him his unending desire to find the "perfect blade" since he is a SS after all. But, again, I am not leaving anything out at this point. I just don't want him to fall behind the rest of the group, which he eventually will if he doesn't change his ways.