Weapon help for my Soulknife//Warblade/Sword Sage?

[Elfkin_King]

I'm using the Pathfinder Soulknife with the martial adepts from 3.5 and I'm having some trouble figuring out what the damage of my Soul Blade should be when it Emulates a weapon.

I'm using a soulblade in 2 hands, which according to RAW, should be 2d6 (19-20x2).

The light weapon deals 1d6 points of damage, the one-handed weapon deals 1d8 points of damage, and the two-handed weapon deals 2d6 points of damage. All damages are based on a Medium-sized creature wielding Medium-sized weapons; adjust the weapon damage as appropriate for different sized weapons. In all forms, the mind blade has a critical range of 19-20/x2

But I'm having mine emulate a Katana, so that I can get the bonus for using it because of Diamond Mind (and would using a regular Bastard Sword do the job too, because it says "Bastard Sword (Katana)". I've run across several different rulings for the Katana and the Bastard sword, which seems a bit odd to me because in the description a Katana is supposed to be just a Masterwork Bastard Sword. And every time I see it laid out it's assuming I'm using it as a one-handed exotic weapon. But in the rules it can be used as a two-handed martial. I'm also not entirely sure I completely understand the blade skill "Emulate Weapon", which the description can be found in this box

The soulknife can form her mind blade to replicate any single melee weapon, chosen at the time she takes this blade skill. The soulknife is proficient with her mind blade in this form and it functions in all ways as the chosen weapon. This blade skill may be taken multiple times; each time, it allows the soulknife to form her mind blade to replicate a different melee weapon.

So.... basically here are all the questions I have.

1) What is the weapon damage and crit range of a bastard sword/katana (used in 2 hands)
2)What is the Weapon Damage and Crit range of my 2-handed mind blade emulating a katana/bastard sword?
3)Would a regular bastard sword be considered a favored weapon for the Diamond Mind discipline?
4) Would a Katana be considered a favored weapon for the Iron Heart discipline?

[ghanjrho]

I'm using the Pathfinder Soulknife with the martial adepts from 3.5 and I'm having some trouble figuring out what the damage of my Soul Blade should be when it Emulates a weapon.

I'm using a soulblade in 2 hands, which according to RAW, should be 2d6 (19-20x2).

The light weapon deals 1d6 points of damage, the one-handed weapon deals 1d8 points of damage, and the two-handed weapon deals 2d6 points of damage. All damages are based on a Medium-sized creature wielding Medium-sized weapons; adjust the weapon damage as appropriate for different sized weapons. In all forms, the mind blade has a critical range of 19-20/x2

But I'm having mine emulate a Katana, so that I can get the bonus for using it because of Diamond Mind (and would using a regular Bastard Sword do the job too, because it says "Bastard Sword (Katana)". I've run across several different rulings for the Katana and the Bastard sword, which seems a bit odd to me because in the description a Katana is supposed to be just a Masterwork Bastard Sword. And every time I see it laid out it's assuming I'm using it as a one-handed exotic weapon. But in the rules it can be used as a two-handed martial. I'm also not entirely sure I completely understand the blade skill "Emulate Weapon", which the description can be found in this box

The soulknife can form her mind blade to replicate any single melee weapon, chosen at the time she takes this blade skill. The soulknife is proficient with her mind blade in this form and it functions in all ways as the chosen weapon. This blade skill may be taken multiple times; each time, it allows the soulknife to form her mind blade to replicate a different melee weapon.

So.... basically here are all the questions I have.

1) What is the weapon damage and crit range of a bastard sword/katana (used in 2 hands)
2)What is the Weapon Damage and Crit range of my 2-handed mind blade emulating a katana/bastard sword?
3)Would a regular bastard sword be considered a favored weapon for the Diamond Mind discipline?
4) Would a Katana be considered a favored weapon for the Iron Heart discipline?


1) Depends on whether you are using the 3.5 or the Pathfinder katana. In 3.5, a katana was simply a masterwork bastard sword, but in PF, it's a 1d8 (Medium) 18-20/x2 One-Handed Exotic Weapon (that can be wielded as a Martial Weapon in two hands)
2) As above. Ask your DM which version of the katana he's using.
3) While subject to DM ruling, I'm tempted to say yes, largely because the phrasing in the ToB is "bastard sword (or katana)"
4) Again, DM ruling; again, lean yes, albeit for different reasons. A katana just feels to me like it fits in with the bastard word, long sword, dwarven waraxe and two-bladed sword.

As a bonus answer, the Emulate Weapon blade skill gives you a new blade form that perfectly emulates the chosen weapon, subject to the usual rules regarding blade forms. whether the chosen weapon is simple, martial, or exotic doesn't factor into it, and one-handed mind blades can still be wielded in two hands for the STR/PA bonus. So using Emulate Melee Weapon (katana(assuming the PF katana) changes your list of blade forms to:
1d6, 19-20 (light)
1d8, 19-20 (one-handed)
1d8, 18-20 (one-handed)
2d6, 19-20 (two-handed)

No muss, no fuss, no coconuts.

On a related note, why bother with discipline weapons? In the Tome of Battle, the only effects that I recall that involve Diamond Mind and Iron Heart disc. weapons are the relevant Blade Meditation feats, which are dubious at best.

[Elfkin_King]

1) Depends on whether you are using the 3.5 or the Pathfinder katana. In 3.5, a katana was simply a masterwork bastard sword, but in PF, it's a 1d8 (Medium) 18-20/x2 One-Handed Exotic Weapon (that can be wielded as a Martial Weapon in two hands)
2) As above. Ask your DM which version of the katana he's using.
3) While subject to DM ruling, I'm tempted to say yes, largely because the phrasing in the ToB is "bastard sword (or katana)"
4) Again, DM ruling; again, lean yes, albeit for different reasons. A katana just feels to me like it fits in with the bastard word, long sword, dwarven waraxe and two-bladed sword.

As a bonus answer, the Emulate Weapon blade skill gives you a new blade form that perfectly emulates the chosen weapon, subject to the usual rules regarding blade forms. whether the chosen weapon is simple, martial, or exotic doesn't factor into it, and one-handed mind blades can still be wielded in two hands for the STR/PA bonus. So using Emulate Melee Weapon (katana(assuming the PF katana) changes your list of blade forms to:
1d6, 19-20 (light)
1d8, 19-20 (one-handed)
1d8, 18-20 (one-handed)
2d6, 19-20 (two-handed)

No muss, no fuss, no coconuts.

On a related note, why bother with discipline weapons? In the Tome of Battle, the only effects that I recall that involve Diamond Mind and Iron Heart disc. weapons are the relevant Blade Meditation feats, which are dubious at best.

Because I essentially get weapon focus for free because of my sword sage levels and I didn't want it to go to waste. But in reality that +1 isn't all that much and may end up being too much of a hassle.

Also, I'm using the following feat, approved by the DM
Your skill with your weapon is matched only by the maneuvers you can pull off with them.
Prerequisites: 1st level soulknife, 1st level swordsage:
Add your full soulknife level to your initiator level for swordsage. Your swordsage levels count towards the enhancement bonus of your mind blade, and the damage of your psychic strike. Your soulknife levels improve your Quick to Act bonus and discipline focus abilities. In addition, you can change your soulknife into any weapon specified by your discipline focus abilities
So I was just trying to take advantage of it. Maybe it's too much hassle with not enough reward?