[DnD 3.5] Is there a way in core DnD3.5 to make a Dire Flail out of wood?

[prototype00]

I'd like to, in a purely core DnD3.5 game, use a Dire Flail Made out of wood (dire flail for the Greater Mighty Wallop and Wood for Spikes). Is there a special material that I am missing to do this?

prototype00

[ExLibrisMortis]

Darkwood might work. The rules are a bit unclear:

Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood.
Presumably, flails cannot be made out of darkwood, but you can shoot for the second clause, where you get a wooden flail without special benefits.

[prototype00]

Darkwood might work. The rules are a bit unclear:

Presumably, flails cannot be made out of darkwood, but you can shoot for the second clause, where you get a wooden flail without special benefits.

Hmm, thats a decent point, it might only function as a regular weapon with the second clause. I'll have to think about it.

The alternative is the Ironwood spell, but thats horribly restricted.

[WarKitty]

Darkwood might work. The rules are a bit unclear:

Presumably, flails cannot be made out of darkwood, but you can shoot for the second clause, where you get a wooden flail without special benefits.

I always assumed RAI on this was that items made partly out of wood didn't gain any benefits from being made out of darkwood - so for example a battleaxe doesn't gain any benefits because you can only make the handle out of darkwood and most of the weight is in the blade.

[prototype00]

I always assumed RAI on this was that items made partly out of wood didn't gain any benefits from being made out of darkwood - so for example a battleaxe doesn't gain any benefits because you can only make the handle out of darkwood and most of the weight is in the blade.

Could you still make a weapon out of darkwood though, like the dire-flail I mentioned in the OP? (And Enchant it later, and whatnot. Basically have it function as a regular non-darkwood weapon)

[ExLibrisMortis]

I always assumed RAI on this was that items made partly out of wood didn't gain any benefits from being made out of darkwood - so for example a battleaxe doesn't gain any benefits because you can only make the handle out of darkwood and most of the weight is in the blade.
Yes, that's what I think, too.


Hmm, thats a decent point, it might only function as a regular weapon with the second clause. I'll have to think about it.
Keep in mind that darkwood is especially light wood, but not especially strong. A darkwood sword is about as effective as an edged bamboo stick. And that's only a little hyperbolic.

[prototype00]

Yes, that's what I think, too.
Keep in mind that darkwood is especially light wood, but not especially strong. A darkwood sword is about as effective as an edged bamboo stick. And that's only a little hyperbolic.

Ah, thats kind of useless for a usable weapon then. I mean it defeats the point of using said wooden weapon in the first place.

[WarKitty]

May I ask why you want a wooden flail? We might be able to figure something out that would work.

[Luccan]

I was going to suggest Ironwood and Wood Shape, but you'd have to cast on the weapon again every few days (and be an 11th level Druid)

[prototype00]

May I ask why you want a wooden flail? We might be able to figure something out that would work.

To be a valid target of the spells Bramble and Spikes (mostly for the extra damage).

[WarKitty]

To be a valid target of the spells Bramble and Spikes (mostly for the extra damage).

If that's what you want, I'd try to make a wood-coated flail. I don't see why you couldn't, say, wrap a metal sphere in rattan or some other flexible wood. It's not RAW but as a DM I'd rule it would work.

[Gildedragon]

Iirc bronzewood lets one do this

[AslanCross]

Iirc bronzewood lets one do this

It does, but Bronzewood is from Eberron. It isn't core.

[Bohandas]

Isn't there a rule somewhere or other in the DMG about primitive materials? With those in play you ought be able to just make out of some dense hardwood, provided that your intended purposes leave leeway for the chain to still be metal