Tome of Prattle: The vote of nine swords.

[Cogwheel]

Alright, I just got my ToB, and was looking at the nine swords, when I came up with this...

vote for which sword is your favorite, and which is your least favorite, along with reasons. After 100 votes each, I will tally up the number and declare the winner/loser.

Note that the votes should be based on flavor, thematic effect of the abilities, story, and such, not its actual power.

And without further ado, mine votes to get the ball rolling...

Favorite - Kamate. Why? Well, the explanation for the name, the history (mostly how it was forged) and, well, hobgoblins are really cool, as is lightning. I'm not much on an iron heart fan, but this reeks of awesome.

Least - Faithful Avenger. It had potential to be awesome, but the history for it, especially how it was written...bleh.


Current Count

Most

Kamate - 4
Supernal Clarity - 1
Eventide's Edge - 2
Tiger Fang - 2
Unfettered - 1

Least

Faithful Avenger - 4
Supernal Clarity - 1
Sword of The Last Citadel - 1
Umbral Awn - 3
Eventide's Edge -1

Start voting!:smallbiggrin:

[GeneralTacticus]

Favourite - Kamate. "It is death." 'Nuff said.

Least favourite - Umbral Awn. The other Eight Swords get history pages full of heroics and derring-do, or at least cool stuff happening. The history page for this one can be summarized as "Three different Shadow Hand adepts got hold of this weapon. They were all complete prats, so they died ignominiously. The end."

[Cogwheel]

True, Umbral Awn was a close second, but I really disliked Faithful Avenger, partly because the story could have been amazingly good.

So...

Most

Kamate - 2
All the rest - 0

Least

Faithful Avenger - 1
Umbral Awn - 1
All the rest - 0

[AslanCross]

I'm also for Kamate. It actually has hobgoblins in the story, and I like the deal about it being supposedly the first sword ever. Second place would be Supernal Clarity. I like the part about the githyanki smith knowing that the sword would never reach its full potential without her giving it up.

Least favorite is Faithful Avenger. The backstory isn't anything new.

[NEO|Phyte]

Tiger Fang would be my favorite, who DOESN'T love a 15-20x4 crit range on a weapon?

As for least favorite, indecisive currently, lemme look through again.

[Fax Celestis]

My personal favorite is the Setting Sun sword, and I think that the Sword of the White Citadel is a bit silly both mechanically and fluffily.

[Peregrine]

Kamate. "It is death."

Huh. I think I might have to look into this a bit further. I know at least one New Zealander who might be either peeved or thrilled that they've slipped in a snippet of Maori, depending on how it's been handled. Hobgoblins, you say?

[Fax Celestis]

Huh. I think I might have to look into this a bit further. I know at least one New Zealander who might be either peeved or thrilled that they've slipped in a snippet of Maori, depending on how it's been handled. Hobgoblins, you say?

Yup, and they happen to be the progenitors of the Sublime Way--well, at least Iron Heart.

[Merlin the Tuna]

Least favorite's gotta be Supernal Clarity, based largely on the idiocy that is its capstone ability. Time Stop? Cool! 1d4+1 rounds of free movement, so... 1 round to recover maneuvers, and d4 rounds to chill out, since I can't hit anybody.

Neat idea. Absolutely horrendous interaction with the rules.

[Cogwheel]

Alright, so...

Most

Tiger Fang - 1
Kamate - 3
Eventide's Edge - 1

Least

Faithful Avenger - 2
Umbral Awn - 1
Supernal Clarity - 1
Sword Of The Last Citadel - 1

hmm... seems like Kamate is better liked than I thought. Also, I think the name may be based on Filipino, seeing as in that language, kamatayan = Death (not dying Death, grim reaper death).

[Trouvere]

Interesting. There are a surprising number of cognates between Maori and Tagalog, considering how long ago their common ancestral language must have been spoken. Kamatayan is new to me, but rather nice. Off the top of my head, I can only think of 'rangi' / 'langit' for 'sky', and 'koe' / 'kayo'; 'mo' / 'mo' for 'you' and 'your'. 'Ka mate' in Maori most definitely means 'It is death', though - and seems the more likely source for the sword, since lots of people hear the phrase at the start of the All Blacks' haka.

[goat]

Least favorite's gotta be Supernal Clarity, based largely on the idiocy that is its capstone ability. Time Stop? Cool! 1d4+1 rounds of free movement, so... 1 round to recover maneuvers, and d4 rounds to chill out, since I can't hit anybody.

Neat idea. Absolutely horrendous interaction with the rules.

1 round to recover manoeuvres, a few more rounds to rearrange the scenery, get into position, neck a potion and straighten your hair so you look good killing something.


Or, a few rounds to make a craft (witty put-down) check so you have something good to say as you deliver a killing blow.

[Cogwheel]

Ah, the source is Maori, than, I guess. Just a funny old coincidence. Incidentally, in Japanese, kamate means (directly translated) "Scythe-hand". Interesting, but not exactly relevant. Oh well...

On with the votes!

[Shas aia Toriia]

I vote for Supernal Clarity as my favorite, and Umbrawl Dawn my least favourite.

Oh, and to counter the Time Stops theory. . .

1. Recover maneuvers

2. Do the other aforementioned things

3. Put your sword on the opponents neck.

4. When time resumes, slash down. I think that would qualify as an instant kill. :smallbiggrin:

[Cogwheel]

Most

Kamate - 3
Supernal Clarity - 1
Eventide's Edge - 1
Tiger Fang - 1

Least

Faithful Avenger - 2
Supernal Clarity - 1
Sword of The Last Citadel - 1
Umbral Awn - 2

[Skjaldbakka]

Most

Kamate - 3
Supernal Clarity - 1
Eventide's Edge - 1
Tiger Fang - 1

Least

Faithful Avenger - 2
Supernal Clarity - 1
Sword of The Last Citadel - 1
Umbral Awn - 2

You should really be editing the current results into the top post for this kind of thing, shouldn't you?

My vote- Favorite, Eventide's Edge
Least Favorite- Umbral Awn

[Cogwheel]

Good idea, consider it done.

[Neon Knight]

Favorite: Kamate (Hobgoblins + "It is death" = WIN!)

Least Favorite: Faithful Avenger (So very, very, dull background)

[Cogwheel]

Seems like I'm not alone... I'll update the list later, but I think Kamate is going to end up being the winner here.

[Gralamin]

Favourite - Tiger Fang
Least Favourite - Eventide's Edge

[Cogwheel]

Updated in the first post with the current count. Don't forget to add your reasons!

[Shas aia Toriia]

Reasons, OK. ..

I like Supernal Clarity because Diamond Mind is my favorite Discipline.

4*your concentration check in damage? By level 20, you can easily be outpacing the Iron Heart? final move that does +100 damage.

[Cogwheel]

Wha? Never noticed that bit of absurd brokenness...wow. Now if only they made a jump version of that in Tiger Claw, my Thri-kreen would be so happy...:smallbiggrin:

[GeneralTacticus]

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Diamond Nightmare Blade (the manoeuvre you're probably thinking of) has you make a Concentration check vs. your target's AC - if you succeed, your damage on the subsequent attack is quadrupled. Absolutely hideous* if you can combine it with Power Attack and True Strike or some way of turning your attack into a touch attack (e.g. Wraithstrike or Deep Impact), but not quite as broken as that.

Greater Insightful Strike, however, does 2x your Concentration check in damage, which is indeed pretty sweet. Guaranteed to force a massive damage save with a dagger? Yes please.

* Take a greatsword at level 20. Power Attack for full, giving you +40 to damage. Now quadruple that. Between the weapon itself, any enchantments it has, and your own strength, you can quite easily break 200 damage on a single blow; with a bit of effort to maximise your damage, you have a decent chance of one-shotting a Balor.

[Shas aia Toriia]

Thank you Tacticus for correcting me. However, it is still as broken as it was before. :smallamused:

[NEO|Phyte]

Wha? Never noticed that bit of absurd brokenness...wow. Now if only they made a jump version of that in Tiger Claw, my Thri-kreen would be so happy...:smallbiggrin:

Even WITHOUT that, my Thri-kreen is happy. :smallamused:

[skywalker]

Least favorite: Faithful Avenger. I never liked falchions. Although its powers are pretty nice. Just kinda lame, tho, I think.

Most favorite: Unfettered. Greatswords and Goliaths FTW.

My favorite "omen": Supernal Clarity. Time slows for an instant? That's bad ass.

Special mention to Kamate, "It is Death" is pretty cool, its omen is horrible though. "kamate, kamate, kamate, kamate!" What? That would scare the crap outta me, hearing voices chanting every time I drew my sword...

[Cogwheel]

'Kay, the first post has been updatificationized. Also, Unfettered is fairly good, just doesn't click as well as Kamate for me. Oh, and thanks for reminding me of that omen - it may be creepy, but I love it.

[Shas aia Toriia]

Bump to see more results. :smallcool: