Spellblade Enchantment

[Crake]

So I was looking at the spellblade enchantment, because people seem to give it such high praise.

However, as I was reading it, I noticed the way it was written ("the next time you are subject to that spell", rather than "each time" or some other wording of that nature) seemed to imply it was a single time effect. Looking at it's measly price of 6,000gp, that seems about right, but the way people rave on about it, it makes me think that people use it as an on-going effect that practically makes you permanently immune to that single spell.

Is that really how people use that enchantment? I can see why people think it's so good if so, but I cannot see any way to read the effect without it quite clearly only being single use.

[Jowgen]

It's Spellblade, you might want to edit to avoid confusion.

The reason it's assumed to be continuous is the wording in context. For one the first line states:

The wielder of a spellblade weapon is immune to a single spell chosen at the time the weapon is created.

Based on how rules text is parsed, the subsequent lines serve as clarifications of that first overarching statement. At no point in the subsequent text does it specify that the weapon looses this benefit at any point, or set any kind of limit.

Arguably, you can read the text to limit the immunity to 1/round. As in, if the weapon is currently holding a spell you were subjected to, you are vulnerable to another instance of that spell until you discharge it; as it you are still on your "current time" rather than the "next time". But that is a pretty shaky reading in my book.

[Crake]

It's Spellblade, you might want to edit to avoid confusion.

The reason it's assumed to be continuous is the wording in context. For one the first line states:

The wielder of a spellblade weapon is immune to a single spell chosen at the time the weapon is created.

Based on how rules text is parsed, the subsequent lines serve as clarifications of that first overarching statement. At no point in the subsequent text does it specify that the weapon looses this benefit at any point, or set any kind of limit.

Arguably, you can read the text to limit the immunity to 1/round. As in, if the weapon is currently holding a spell you were subjected to, you are vulnerable to another instance of that spell until you discharge it; as it you are still on your "current time" rather than the "next time". But that is a pretty shaky reading in my book.

That would make sense if you had to activate the blade each time to gain the immunity, but the way it's written next implies just the next time, and not each subsequent time afterwards. Its the only way I could possibly reconcile the enchantment being a measly 6k gold. There are plenty of single use effects that come in around the 6k gold mark, and this seems like one of them.

[Jowgen]

True, it does say "the next time" as supposed to something like anything or whenever; which would've been clearer. Yet, it doesn't say "the first time", specify that it only works once, or state anything to suggest that the enchantment disappears, which would be rather unique, as 1-off WSA aren't a thing. After the effect is used, the weapon is still a Spellblade weapon. You still carry a weapon that states that you are immune to the spell, and that the next time you're subjected to the spell, it gets absorbed.

Even if you put maximum weight onto the "the next time" part of the text and decided to consider it equivalent to "the first time after the weapon gains this property but not anytime after" ; all that would happen is that the weapon would loose its ability to absorb and redirect spells. The immunity would remain utterly untouched, which would be silly in context. RAW-wise, the weapon could then be handed to another creature and regain its absorbing ability, as that creature hasn't had a prior time of being affected by the spell; which would be even sillier.

Considering how specific the Spellblade property is, I don't think the pricetag is out of range either. It is one very specific spell, which must be a targeted one. It is essentially a self-recharging ring of counterspells (4000 gp), except you don't get to change the spell between uses and only have access to a more limited subset of spells; although you do get the re-direction option. This lack of flexibility makes a regular ring of counterspells arguably the more practical choice for most creatures. It can be abused like many other things, but in itself all it does is provide one very specific protection against a specific thing you may never even be subject to.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

"The next time" applies to the next spell you're subjected to, yes.

But let's say you're subjected to that spell, and it basically bounces off. You're still holding the weapon, which still has the spellblade enhancement (not enchantment; it's not mind-affecting), which means the next time you're subjected to the spell after subjected to it the first time, it bounces off again. And you're still holding the weapon, which still has the spellblade enhancement, so the next time you're subjected to the spell, it bounces off. Again. And again. And again.

There's really no way to parse the enhancement text to justify it running out or being a one-time use effect, or whatever.