I want a Sword Beam! [3.5]

[Dusk Eclipse]

To be clear I want to know if there is a way to get a line attack that originates from a weapon. I want to be able to leave a trail of destruction with a single slash. The closest I can think is refluffing Whirling Blade, but I want to know if there are other mechanical options.

[Zweisteine]

I doubt this is applicable, but a duskblade with a ranges spell (chain lightning or polar ray) is pretty much making a sword beam.

I'd bet there's at least one relevant maneuver in the Tome of Battle.

I'd say your best bet is to be holding a sword, and cast a spell. Fluff: spell shoots out of sword.

[Big Fau]

The Lightning Throw maneuver works with the same refluffing. Some Desert Wind/Shadow Hand maneuvers also work.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I doubt this is applicable, but a duskblade with a ranges spell (chain lightning or polar ray) is pretty much making a sword beam.

I'd bet there's at least one relevant maneuver in the Tome of Battle.

I'd say your best bet is to be holding a sword, and cast a spell. Fluff: spell shoots out of sword.

Yeah, but that is boring.


The Lightning Throw maneuver works with the same refluffing. Some Desert Wind/Shadow Hand maneuvers also work.

Lighting throw could also work for a non-casting character, shame it is so high level.

[Prime32]

You could try using the sword as a focus component for a line spell. Maybe install a wand chamber, or add the morphing property to a magic staff and transform it into a sword.

You could also try fluffing a bladed crossbow as a broadsword, giving it some way of supplying its own ammunition, and taking the Penetrating Shot feat.

There are more options if you're okay with single-target beams rather than a line. IIRC the scimitar Desert Wind (both the Weapons of Legacy and Tome of Battle versions) can shoot fire. Etherblades (see the Ethergaunt entry in Fiend Folio) can shoot nonmagical blasts of force.

[Captnq]

Hrm...

Wand chamber in a sword with a wand of lightning bolts? Oh... Wait...

go to my sig, get the EVD. Combat Equipment/WSA Extrapolated.

Blazing
Burning Hands
Everburning

You know, just read the whole thing. Lots of good stuff in there

Also... Check out the gauntlet subhandbook.

Lightning might fit.

[Nettlekid]

Perhaps the Soulbow, the archery PrC for the Soulknife? Instead of shooting the arrows from your palm like the character in the picture is doing, make your Soulknife's mind blade and then when you swing the blade, the mind arrow shoots out of that. Maybe? Put the Exit Wound ability on it to make it affect creatures is a line.

Or refluffing the Bloodstorm Blade. Its main thing is that it throws its weapon (any weapon) at one or several foes. Instead of actually throwing the weapon, say that he swings it and the "cut" flies out and slashes foes at a distance. When you get full-attack versions of that, use them in a line in order so you're attacking foes in a line.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I know I can re fluff stuff, but I was hoping for actual mechanics.

[Rubik]

The sorcerer's hand crossbow (A&EG 117, 4,000 gp for the weapon ability) allows you to cast ray spells out of it (and you even get the weapon's magical enhancement bonus to add to the spells), and you can take the effect and stick it on a melee weapon.

[Neknoh]

Not actual mechanics, but for some reason, this popped into my head reading this thread =)

http://www.nuklearpower.com/2001/08/15/episode-068-it-sounds-like-a-good-idea-to-me/

[TaiLiu]

The Wu Jen's Lightning Blade spell can do this on a mechanical level.

[Dusk Eclipse]

The sorcerer's hand crossbow (A&EG 117, 4,000 gp for the weapon ability) allows you to cast ray spells out of it (and you even get the weapon's magical enhancement bonus to add to the spells), and you can take the effect and stick it on a melee weapon.

Thanks, I'll check it.


The Wu Jen's Lightning Blade spell can do this on a mechanical level. Is that from Complete Arcane or Mage?

[Subaru Kujo]

Shouldn't be that much trouble to refluff a Flametongue sword to shoot out Lightning Bolts instead of Scorching Rays. What it'd cost is another matter entirely, but it could be done.

[Dusk Eclipse]

For 1/day it is extremely expensive, I don't think it is worth it.

[Subaru Kujo]

Is that from Complete Arcane or Mage?
It's in Complete Arcane.

For 1/day it is extremely expensive, I don't think it is worth it.

Probably not. It was an idea though, bad though it was.

[Rubik]

How about an intelligent magic item, or a use-activated spell trap?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Relies on DM fiat and the wonky/cheesy custom item guidelines.

[Endarire]

What about refluffing throwing/returning weapons?

[Rubik]

The Whirling Blade spell (Bard 2, Sorcerer 2, Wizard 2, Spell Compendium) allows you to make a melee attack against all enemies in a 60' line, and the weapon comes back to your hand at the end automatically. Say you're firing a sword-shaped blast (similar to Link's Master Sword) and you're good.

[SoraWolf7]

The Whirling Blade spell (Bard 2, Sorcerer 2, Wizard 2, Spell Compendium) allows you to make a melee attack against all enemies in a 60' line, and the weapon comes back to your hand at the end automatically. Say you're firing a sword-shaped blast (similar to Link's Master Sword) and you're good.

Add Brilliant to this sword, and it'd look more like a beam of energy in the shape of the blade. So a wand chamber in the Brilliant sword's handle with Whirling Blade would be sufficient.

[The Oni]

^ not to mention Brilliant Energy ignores AC so it would treat the blade like a beam spell rather than a sword; that's about as Sword Beam as it gets.

[Rubik]

^ not to mention Brilliant Energy ignores AC so it would treat the blade like a beam spell rather than a sword; that's about as Sword Beam as it gets.Brilliant energy swords suck. They only ignore material armor and shields, but nothing else, which basically mean they only work against humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and a select few other things, and they don't affect undead or constructs at all. Hope to heck that you never drop it, because you'll lose it forever as it falls to the center of the planet. Oh, and they're nauseatingly overpriced.

You're better off using that +4 for other things and casting the Wraithstrike spell.

[Dusk Eclipse]

The Whirling Blade spell (Bard 2, Sorcerer 2, Wizard 2, Spell Compendium) allows you to make a melee attack against all enemies in a 60' line, and the weapon comes back to your hand at the end automatically. Say you're firing a sword-shaped blast (similar to Link's Master Sword) and you're good.


Add Brilliant to this sword, and it'd look more like a beam of energy in the shape of the blade. So a wand chamber in the Brilliant sword's handle with Whirling Blade would be sufficient.

I Mentioned it in the opening post, but frankly I don't think there will be more options, but I think I can make something out of everything we've gathered here.

I'm thinking on a gish, probably with Wu Jen base (they get some gishy spells) if they get whirling blade, I'd probably use a few of my spell secrets to get some metamagic in there. Shaped Whirling blade can be lulz worthy 4 10 ft. cubes (IIRC) can make for a pretty long and wide path of destruction.

[nedz]

Javelin of Lightning. No reason it couldn't be made from a sword, except that it needs to be thrown. 1,500 gp for a one use item though.

[Rubik]

For even more fun, using Whirling Blade with Sculpt Spell, Explosive Spell, and similar.

[The Oni]

Brilliant energy swords suck. They only ignore material armor and shields, but nothing else, which basically mean they only work against humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and a select few other things, and they don't affect undead or constructs at all. Hope to heck that you never drop it, because you'll lose it forever as it falls to the center of the planet. Oh, and they're nauseatingly overpriced.

You're better off using that +4 for other things and casting the Wraithstrike spell.

If he asked for "cost-effective weapon" this would be true, but he didn't ask for "cost-effective weapon," he asked for Sword Beam, and I believe Whirling Brilliant Energy Blade is the swordbeamiest swordbeam that GP can buy.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I'm beginning to think Arcane thesis is going to be a must have.

[Rubik]

If he asked for "cost-effective weapon" this would be true, but he didn't ask for "cost-effective weapon," he asked for Sword Beam, and I believe Whirling Brilliant Energy Blade is the swordbeamiest swordbeam that GP can buy.Problem is, it really isn't useful unless the bulk of the enemies you plan on going up against are knights wearing heavy armor. And even then, it's far better to use gauntlets with wand chambers and a Wraithstrike wand.

[The Oni]

Problem is, it really isn't useful unless the bulk of the enemies you plan on going up against are knights wearing heavy armor. And even then, it's far better to use gauntlets with wand chambers and a Wraithstrike wand.

Problem is, Wraithstrike makes your weapon a ghostly weapon, not a beam weapon, and Dusk suggested that the flavor was important. You're basically telling him how to get the best steak when he asked for a hamburger.

[Rubik]

Problem is, Wraithstrike makes your weapon a ghostly weapon, not a beam weapon, and Dusk suggested that the flavor was important.What's the difference between brilliant energy and Wraithstrike, other than the fact that the latter is ridiculously more effective and the former is ridiculously more expensive?


You're basically telling him how to get the best steak when he asked for a hamburger.Do note that you can easily grind up the steak, and it becomes far superior hamburger.

[The Oni]

What's the difference between brilliant energy and Wraithstrike, other than the fact that the latter is ridiculously more effective and the former is ridiculously more expensive?


Mechanically nothing. But if it was a question of mechanics then why use a blade at all? Ranged touch attacks would effectively do the same and you can get more of them using a class other than Bard. Flavor is the important part.


Do note that you can easily grind up the steak, and it becomes far superior hamburger.

But you can't grind it up at the restaurant where you ordered it, you'd have to take it home :smallbiggrin:

[Rubik]

Mechanically nothing. But if it was a question of mechanics then why use a blade at all? Ranged touch attacks would effectively do the same and you can get more of them using a class other than Bard. Flavor is the important part.And you can fluff as you see fit.

Anyway, tossing out a swift action Wraithstrike followed by a Sculpt Spell'd Whirling Blade (made with metamagic reducers, of course), each from a different wand (and each in a different wand chamber) would be pretty inexpensive overall, especially since you probably wouldn't need to use both more than 1-2x per combat. And I imagine it could be quite fun.


But you can't grind it up at the restaurant where you ordered it, you'd have to take it home :smallbiggrin:I take it you've never ordered a steakburger, then? They're pretty darned good.

[The Oni]

I am not disputing the veracity of your method nor the quality of steakburgers (they are fantastic), I'm simply pointing out that, RAW, Whirling Brilliant Energy Blade works perfectly fine - it was already suggested that the player simply refluff Whirling Blade or any number of other powers to involve beams, but he wanted it to be more rules-solid. BE makes the crunch match the fluff and that's ideal.

And I think things can work well refluffed. I've played a PF Summoner who didn't even really use that much magic and just built his eidolon out of mechanical parts, but the idea that he still had to perform the ritual and summon the eidolon from another plane meant that it was still a magical eidolon, not a mechanical minion. So, it depends on how much refluffing you're OK with without the appropriate crunch.

(I later homebrewed an archetype where the eidolon really was mechanical and the summoner used alchemist bombs instead of spells, but that's mostly irrelevant.)

[ShurikVch]

Dragon #348, pg. 88, have Wizard variant "Focus Caster" (replace a familiar).

A chosen masterwork-quality object now become a required Focus for all your spells. The Focus is associated with one school of magic and grants you benefits
associated with that school (see below). The Focus has the following properties:
a) bonus to Hardness equal to ½ Caster level (max 2x original Hardness) & bonus to hit-point equal to Caster level (max 2x original hp).
b) if destroyed, you may replace it with by bonding with a new masterwork-quality (but not magical) object of the same type, spending 24 hours, and expending
100 gp of reagents;
c) if your Focus is a weapon or a shield, you are Proficient with it (but not any other weapons / shields of the same type).
d) if you enchant your Focus, the XP & base materials cost is reduced by 10%.
e) additional bonus is School of Magic specific (note: if you are a Specialized Wizard, your Focus has the same School of Magic as your specialty):
Note of this:

Evocation – Longsword, Dagger, other Bladed Weapon
1st level – your Evocation spells do +1 hp of damage (applies to all in area-of-effect or one if there are multiple missiles).
7th level – your Evocation spells bypass the first 5 points of a target’s Energy Resistance (though Energy Immunity still applies).
15th level – one Evocation spell per day may ignore one Target’s Energy Immunity. Not too impressive.
I think, this is better:

Necromancy – Flail, Kama, Sickle, Scythe, other Harvesting-inspired Weapon
1st level – your Necromancy spells can be cast at +25% range.
7th level – your Necromancy spells that inflict Ability Penalties, Ability Damage, or Ability Drain do +1 point.
15th level – a target that fails a Fortitude save vs. one of your Necromancy spells is also Fatigued. Use machete as focus, and shoot rays of death from it :smallcool:

[FMArthur]

Isn't the Desert Wind Maneuver Firesnake pretty much this exact concept put into print specifically for a warrior-type with no finagling or refluffing needed?

EDIT: Actually, Desert Wind has multiple fitting maneuvers. The discipline is half-dedicated to shooting fire out of weapons.
Burning Brand (boost) turns your weapon into a stream of fire that you attack as normally with, with extended reach.
Fan the Flames shoots fire out of your weapon.
Hatchling's Flame shoots a cone of fire out of your weapon.
Wyrm's Flame is another, higher level cone of fire to shoot out of your weapon.

[Elric VIII]

Okay, so I had a character that I wanted to try out that would work here. The build works best at level 6 because of PrC requirements.

The main idea behind it was that your character was a sentient weapon that drew people into its thrall.

Be a Psion Telepath and take the ACF that grants telepathy and take Mindsight (to communicate with your thrall and actually see the things you want to shoot). Buy Dorjes of the correct powers to do the psionic sandwich trick to make yourself into a longsword. Prestige into Thrallherd at 6 and grab yourself a level 4 fighter (or whatever, but fighter is nice and simple) to wield you. Shoot Energy Rays (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyRay.htm) and similar. ???? Profit.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Dragon #348, pg. 88, have Wizard variant "Focus Caster" (replace a familiar).

Note of this:
Not too impressive.
I think, this is better:
Use machete as focus, and shoot rays of death from it :smallcool:

That is awesome, I really need to track down that issue, thanks.


Isn't the Desert Wind Maneuver Firesnake pretty much this exact concept put into print specifically for a warrior-type with no finagling or refluffing needed?

EDIT: Actually, Desert Wind has multiple fitting maneuvers. The discipline is half-dedicated to shooting fire out of weapons.
Burning Brand (boost) turns your weapon into a stream of fire that you attack as normally with, with extended reach.
Fan the Flames shoots fire out of your weapon.
Hatchling's Flame shoots a cone of fire out of your weapon.
Wyrm's Flame is another, higher level cone of fire to shoot out of your weapon.

I don't really bother with Desert wind when building ToB characters, but that seems to work thanks.


Okay, so I had a character that I wanted to try out that would work here. The build works best at level 6 because of PrC requirements.

The main idea behind it was that your character was a sentient weapon that drew people into its thrall.

Be a Psion Telepath and take the ACF that grants telepathy and take Mindsight (to communicate with your thrall and actually see the things you want to shoot). Buy Dorjes of the correct powers to do the psionic sandwich trick to make yourself into a longsword. Prestige into Thrallherd at 6 and grab yourself a level 4 fighter (or whatever, but fighter is nice and simple) to wield you. Shoot Energy Rays (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyRay.htm) and similar. ???? Profit.

Could be really amusing, but I doubt it would fly in many tables

[ShurikVch]

That is awesome, I really need to track down that issue, thanks. Glad you like it! :smallsmile:


To be clear I want to know if there is a way to get a line attack that originates from a weapon. I want to be able to leave a trail of destruction with a single slash. If you go for machete and necromancy, there is a spell just for you: Junglerazer (http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/junglerazer--4672/)!
(Note: Focus Caster will extend range up to 150 ft. :smallwink: )

[Dusk Eclipse]

Tad niche, but it is what I asked. Thanks.

[Drachasor]

The Somatic Weaponry feat sort of does this. You use your weapon for the somatic component of any spell, so basically blasts are going to originate from the weapon. Though you could still do the same thing without the weapon.

You could combine it with focus caster though.

[Seth Phoenix]

I humbly apologize for necroing here, but what about modifying ever so slightly the Blood Wind spell to allow using it while armed with a sword rather than limiting to unarmed and natural weapons? I'm relatively new to the game, so I apologize if this isn't adequate.

[ATHATH]

I humbly apologize for necroing here, but what about modifying ever so slightly the Blood Wind spell to allow using it while armed with a sword rather than limiting to unarmed and natural weapons? I'm relatively new to the game, so I apologize if this isn't adequate.
For future reference, you should make a new thread that contains a link to the old one instead of necro-ing the old thread.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Thunderlance from Spell Compendium, preferably with Persistent Spell and Greater Magic Weapon, can extend up to 20 ft. but still hit adjacent foes and anyone in between.

War Hulk 1 can spend a full round action that makes an attack that hits three adjacent squares, so say the thunderlance goes all the way through three creatures in a straight line. War Hulk 4 can make every swing on a full attack do this.

[Gruftzwerg]

While not a sword beam, Hammer of Moradin Dwarfs have some nice fluffy abilities.

Quake: 60ft cone originating from the point of impact of your hammer. Reflex DC 10 + HoM-lvl + Str or be knocked prone

Power Throw: throw Hammer in a 60ft line, 1 attack roll checks all enemy ACs that it flies by. (+ Hammer returns back)

one lacks damage, the other throws the weapon.
maybe not what you are looking for, maybe it is?^^

[LordOfCain]

Was this inspired by that one character from Worm?

[the_david]

Isn't it possible to add a spell to a weapon as a command activated ability? Expensive, but still a possibility, right?

[Darrin]

Hmmm.

Penetrating Shot doesn't really work with thrown weapons, but what about if we add the Aptitude property? Make an attack roll against every enemy in a 60' line. Unfortunately, bonus damage only applies to the first target.

If it absolutely has to be a projectile weapon, though... use an Elvencraft longbow, but throw it as a quarterstaff. That should still qualify as a ranged attack with a projectile weapon.

[SecretlyaFish]

I instantly thought of Lemon Grabs sound sword when I read this. What an artifact of evil that would be, combined with his voice!

[gooddragon1]

If you're willing to use homebrew: Animus Swordsman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?511213-Animus-Swordsman-(3-5-Base-Class)-PEACH).

I made it just for the purpose of having some of the stereotypical anime attacks.

Actually, nevermind... you want a line attack rather than what the version it has does.

Here's a revised version for your purposes:


Blade Beam (Su): An animus swordsman can channel their ki to create a beam of energy which can harm their opponents. As a standard action, an animus swordsman may create a beam of energy (usually in the form of a crescent arc, but it can be unique to the animus swordsman depending on their animus) that travels out to a distance of up to 50 feet + 5 feet per animus swordsman level. Targets in a line out to this distance must succeed on a reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 animus swordsman level + animus swordsman strength modifier for half damage) or take damage as a normal weapon attack would deal plus an additional 1d6 damage at 1st level, 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter (8th, 12th, etc). This attack can benefit from far shot, improved precise shot, point blank shot, precise shot, shot on the run, and similar feats. A blade beam is subject to damage reduction and hardness. Although the blade beam technique uses a weapon, it is not treated as a weapon attack. At 5th level, a blade beam can instead be used as a targeted dispel magic (except that it can affect anything that could be dispelled by some means availabile to a wizard of equivalent level (even force effects for example since they can be dispelled by mage's disjunction at 17th level), substitute animus swordsman level for caster level, and it does not have a maximum level bonus restriction).

[FocusWolf413]

Eldritch Glaive, and cast EB with the line blast shape?