Doctor Despair
2021-02-06, 03:31 AM
https://y.yarn.co/79724af0-5238-4b17-8107-4c56cf52f043_text_hi.gif
There are a lot of ways to imbue a weapon with intelligence, but no ways (that I know of) to begin play as one.
Likewise, there are ways that feasibly would allow you trade your body for that of an intelligent magic weapon, but few that are available from an ECL appropriate to begin play.
However, a character with levels in Fiend of Possession can spend all day in an object (or creature, at a certain level) with no issue whatsoever. As a result, if you can enter the class soon enough, you can minimize the time spent not playing as a weapon. There are several races appropriate to enter, but the earliest I've seen that doesn't involve level-draining racial hitdie away before level 1 is to play as a Divine Minion (LA+1) Diabolus (LA+1) and taking three class levels that bestow the +5 base will save. As a result, we enter the class and a weapon by ECL 5 (or 4 with level-buy off), although admittedly you won't be doing much until the following level.
Once inside a weapon, you lose the ability to take physical actions, so you are relegated to contributing in ways that don't require physical actions. The following build is dedicated to optimizing this strategy while functioning as the strongest weapon possible:
Divine Minion (Sebek)
Diabolus
Stat
Array
4th
8th
12th
16th
20th
Final
Str
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Dex
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Con
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Int
17
+1
-
-
-
-
18
Wis
17
-
+1
-
-
-
18
Cha
14
-
-
+1
+1
+1
17
HD
Class
Feats
Class Features
Weapon Stats (WBL)
FoP Stats
Item
Familiar
Stats
Legacy
Stats
Notes
1
Ardent
Practiced Manifester
Assume psionic mantles (Repose, Empty Mind; Guardian, Deaden Blow)
Masterwork Spiked Gauntlet: (305/2700)
-
-
-
At this level, we primarily contribute with our wildshape. As a Divine Minion, we can wildshape as a free action to return to full HP each round, and we have the physical strength of a crocodile, so we aren't an insignificant addition to the party. However, as a 1HD creature, we have to be careful not to be one-shot by the foes we go up against.
2
Dragon Shaman
-
Draconic aura +1 (Vigor, Senses, Power), totem dragon
+1 to Spiked Gauntlet: (2305/5400)
-
-
-
With the addition of Dragon Shaman, we can now provide the party with a boost to initiative and perception skills pre-combat, damage during combat, and heal everyone back to half +1 after combat. Apart from that, our strategy is more or less like level 1: gator-aid our party! I'll see myself out.
3
Ardent
Constant Guardian
Assume psionic mantle (Time, Empathic Transfer)
-
-
-
-
As our final level as an independent character, we get an extra boost to initiative, we can offer AC to an adjacent ally, and we can help heal allies with our Empathic Transfer (that we selected as a result of Practiced Manifester). Our will save is finally 5, so we are all set to kick things off after this.
4
Fiend of Possession
-
Ethereal form, hide presence, possess object
Masterwork (300) Fine Riverine Shortspear (1266.05) with +1 (2000), Changeling (2,000), and Sizing (5000): (12,871.05/13,000)
-
-
-
At this level we can afford the weapon of choice, and we can enter items. As a riverine item, we are immune to damage (save for a few higher-level magical sources), and as we are sizing and changeling, we can morph to suit any wielder that has proficiency. We can designate our wielder (or anyone adjacent to them) as the target of our Constant Guardian, and manifest our powers from within the item as well. Our draconic auras project to our wielder and friends, too. With our psionic focus, we can use the Guardian mantle ability to take a hit for our wielder if they happen to break through their buffed AC; we are immune to damage as a riverine item, so this is essentially a free hit every time we use it. Fluff-wise, I'd imagine it as the sword dragging itself through the air to parry the blow.
5
Fiend of Possession
Least Legacy
Curse, magic item
Ring of Sustenance (2,500) and Least Legacy Ritual (2,500) purchased: (17,871.05/19,000)
+2
-
Unceasing Servant
With our second level, we can now curse those who try to steal us, and buff ourselves in the hand of our wielder. We become a legacy item, conferring a lot of benefits, among which are even more durability: upon being destroyed, we leave behind fragments that are trivial to repair and reforge into the original item again. We take a Ring of Sustenance so that we don't have to leave the object to eat or drink, and we gain the use of Unceasing Servant to manipulate the environment around us without needing to leave the item. We can also have our servant check hallways for traps in lieu of a party rogue.
6
Fiend of Possession
Heighten Power
Control object
Spellblade (Disintegrate) on Spiked Gauntlets (6,000); Sudden Stunning added to weapon (2,000): (25,871.05/27,000)
+3
-
Featherfalling
With the addition of our spellblade, when we are targeted by a disintegrate spell, we are now immune -- and can retarget it if we wish. This leaves a rod of cancellation, sphere of annihilation, and mage's disjunction as possible ways to destroy our item (all high-level techniques, and all which should leave behind a shard to reforge from). We take heighten power to qualify for Mindbender later. Featherfalling, providing our wielder grips the spear firmly, should confer the benefits of featherfalling to them, too.
7
Fiend of Possession
-
Animate object, possess creature
Weapon enhancement increased to +2 (31,871.05/36,000)
+4
-
Resistance
Here we can possess creatures and our enhancement goes up, although that's less notable than the ability to animate our spear. It is sizing, so we can be a colossal animated object at will. This ability sadly stops functioning once the item gains sapience and becomes a creature, but for this and the next level, we can savor the surprise if need be. We can also use our possess creature ability to probe the memories of folks for interrogations.
8
Fiend of Possession
-
Ally or enemy, possess noncontinuous object
Weapon enhancement increased to +3 (41,871.05/49,000)
+5
-
Comprehend Languages
Our enhancement bonus has now caught up to our HD! We have comprehend languages constantly active, and we can possess a colossal noncontinuous object to help out our party in a pinch. More notable is the "Ally or Enemy" ability, ambiguously worded and as powerful as the DM allows it to be. As it is written, you can possess your wielder (or any allies) and grant a +4 profane bonus to each of their ability scores permanently, then return to your weapon. Is that balanced? Definitely not. Was it intended? Probably not; my intuition tells me they intended the buff to last only as long as you possess the creature, but they never actually included a sunset clause on the buff in the event that you left, nor a limit to the number of buffs you can apply (although the same source/type restriction stops them from stacking for the same ability score).
9
Fiend of Possession
Item Familiar
Control creature
Weapon enhancement increased to +4 (55,871.05/66,000)
+6
Invest life energy; invest skill ranks; sapience (10, 10, 12); senses; communication
-
Our enhancement has actually surpassed our HD, and we reach the capstone of our class just in time. Upon taking Item Familiar, our weapon becomes an intelligent item -- a creature, but also an item. As such, now must possess the creature. As we only sleep two hours each day and the weapon has no real means to resist or retaliate, we can slowly possess it over and over until such a time that it's essentially permanent. When we possess it, we can also use its abilities, which is notable because magical items can use their own abilities. We don't have any yet, but it will matter soon. As our item can't really be stolen or destroyed, it is a rare situation where we will be unlikely to be punished for fully investing our life energy and skill ranks for maximum benefits. Additionally, as our weapon is now an intelligent item, it has an ego score. When we possess and control the item, we should be able to have ego contests with our wielder if we choose to in order to gain "dominance" and control them without needing to possess them directly.
10
Mindbender, Psionic
-
Telepathy
Weapon enhancement increased to +5 (73,871.05/88,000)
+6
Lesser Power: Item can use detect magic at will
Restoration, Lesser
We get access to native telepathy a level earlier than we otherwise would (letting us communicate with our wielder effectively), we learn a new power (dealer's choice). We get access to detect magic at will, too, and Lesser Restoration a few times each day with a command word. Notably, we have to leave the item to use Lesser Restoration... until next level.
11
Legacy Champion
Lesser Legacy
Reduced ritual cost (lesser), bond of lore
Weapon enhancement increased to +6 (95,871.05/110,000)
+6
-
Intelligent Legacy, Major (Su); 120 feet darkvision/blindsense/hearing, common, common, 4 bonus languages, 18 int, 18 wis, 16 cha. Speech, telepathy. Three lesser powers (Constant Deathwatch, Major Image 1/day, Locate Object 3/day), two greater powers (detect thoughts at will, magic circle at will).
Our item's mental stats increase drastically, granting a slew of benefits. We get the power of speech, allowing us to use command-word powers. We have powerful sensory modes, and we get access to a slew of new powers (some sensory, some defensive, some general-use).
12
Legacy Champion
Mindsight
Replace legacy ability (least)
Weapon enhancement increased to +7 (121,871.05/150,000)
+7
-
Knock at will
Mindsight comes online here, giving us a massive sensory mode that we can warn our allies about with telepathy. We also get access to at-will knock, replacing the party rogue again in another capacity.
13
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (least)
Weapon enhancement increased to +9 (185,871.05/200,000)
+8
-
Melf's Acid Arrow at will
At this level, we get an at-will offensive mode for our actions. It's not the best attack, but we can perform it at-will, and it's acid damage (nice against objects), so it's a notable get.
14
Legacy Champion
Transfer Legacy
-
Weapon enhancement bonus increased to +10 (223,871.05/260,000)
+9
Increased Sapience; as level 11, but with +1 greater power (constant detect scrying) and +1 lesser power (cure moderate wounds on wielder 3/day). Mental stats all become 20.
Constant Obscurity
Item familiar gives our item another bump in intelligence, granting us a few new powers. We also become proof to divinations, and can detect when folks try. Transfer Legacy lets us pawn our abilities off on our wielder should they choose to activate them for some reason.
15
Legacy Champion
Legacy Focus
Replace legacy ability (lesser)
Ring of Mental Fortitude (333,871.05/340,000)
+10
-
-
We get mind blank without the immunity to divinations, but we already snagged a source of that last level. Our enhancement hits an astonishing +20.
16
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (lesser)
-
+11
-
Fireball 3/day
We get access to an offensive fireball 3x/day for all that it's wort at level 16. Enhancement can't stop, won't stop.
17
Legacy Champion
Greater Legacy
Reduced ritual cost (greater)
-
+11
-
Weapon enhancement increases to +7
Enhancement jumps up by +2; who needs BAB when you weapon can confer bonuses like these?
18
Legacy Champion
Quicken Legacy, Quicken Legacy
-
-
+12
Special Purpose: Defend chosen hero's type (True Resurrection on wielder 1/month)
-
We get access to true res should the worst come, and we can quicken our fireballs for added effect!
19
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (greater)
-
+13
-
-
Our enhancement goes up one more, setting us up for next level...
20
Legacy Champion
-
Replace legacy ability (greater)
-
+14
-
Weapon enhancement increases to +10
... when we cap out our enhancement bonus at +24!
Our wielder can save all their WBL for armor enhancements and other necessary items (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?187851-3-5-Lists-of-Necessary-Magic-Items). Will you be the most valuable party member? No, definitely not; casters are had-and-shoulders above this. Will you be the most talkative party member? Well, for roleplay purposes you're essentially a mute from levels 4-9, so not so much a party face. On the other hand, will this character be fun for others to play with? I'd think so. It lends itself to a uniquely cooperative style of play, and auto-confirming everything that isn't a nat-1 will feel pretty good for your party member. In your hands (or, well, with you in their hands), any build can be heroic.
There are a lot of ways to imbue a weapon with intelligence, but no ways (that I know of) to begin play as one.
Likewise, there are ways that feasibly would allow you trade your body for that of an intelligent magic weapon, but few that are available from an ECL appropriate to begin play.
However, a character with levels in Fiend of Possession can spend all day in an object (or creature, at a certain level) with no issue whatsoever. As a result, if you can enter the class soon enough, you can minimize the time spent not playing as a weapon. There are several races appropriate to enter, but the earliest I've seen that doesn't involve level-draining racial hitdie away before level 1 is to play as a Divine Minion (LA+1) Diabolus (LA+1) and taking three class levels that bestow the +5 base will save. As a result, we enter the class and a weapon by ECL 5 (or 4 with level-buy off), although admittedly you won't be doing much until the following level.
Once inside a weapon, you lose the ability to take physical actions, so you are relegated to contributing in ways that don't require physical actions. The following build is dedicated to optimizing this strategy while functioning as the strongest weapon possible:
Divine Minion (Sebek)
Diabolus
Stat
Array
4th
8th
12th
16th
20th
Final
Str
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Dex
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Con
8
-
-
-
-
-
8
Int
17
+1
-
-
-
-
18
Wis
17
-
+1
-
-
-
18
Cha
14
-
-
+1
+1
+1
17
HD
Class
Feats
Class Features
Weapon Stats (WBL)
FoP Stats
Item
Familiar
Stats
Legacy
Stats
Notes
1
Ardent
Practiced Manifester
Assume psionic mantles (Repose, Empty Mind; Guardian, Deaden Blow)
Masterwork Spiked Gauntlet: (305/2700)
-
-
-
At this level, we primarily contribute with our wildshape. As a Divine Minion, we can wildshape as a free action to return to full HP each round, and we have the physical strength of a crocodile, so we aren't an insignificant addition to the party. However, as a 1HD creature, we have to be careful not to be one-shot by the foes we go up against.
2
Dragon Shaman
-
Draconic aura +1 (Vigor, Senses, Power), totem dragon
+1 to Spiked Gauntlet: (2305/5400)
-
-
-
With the addition of Dragon Shaman, we can now provide the party with a boost to initiative and perception skills pre-combat, damage during combat, and heal everyone back to half +1 after combat. Apart from that, our strategy is more or less like level 1: gator-aid our party! I'll see myself out.
3
Ardent
Constant Guardian
Assume psionic mantle (Time, Empathic Transfer)
-
-
-
-
As our final level as an independent character, we get an extra boost to initiative, we can offer AC to an adjacent ally, and we can help heal allies with our Empathic Transfer (that we selected as a result of Practiced Manifester). Our will save is finally 5, so we are all set to kick things off after this.
4
Fiend of Possession
-
Ethereal form, hide presence, possess object
Masterwork (300) Fine Riverine Shortspear (1266.05) with +1 (2000), Changeling (2,000), and Sizing (5000): (12,871.05/13,000)
-
-
-
At this level we can afford the weapon of choice, and we can enter items. As a riverine item, we are immune to damage (save for a few higher-level magical sources), and as we are sizing and changeling, we can morph to suit any wielder that has proficiency. We can designate our wielder (or anyone adjacent to them) as the target of our Constant Guardian, and manifest our powers from within the item as well. Our draconic auras project to our wielder and friends, too. With our psionic focus, we can use the Guardian mantle ability to take a hit for our wielder if they happen to break through their buffed AC; we are immune to damage as a riverine item, so this is essentially a free hit every time we use it. Fluff-wise, I'd imagine it as the sword dragging itself through the air to parry the blow.
5
Fiend of Possession
Least Legacy
Curse, magic item
Ring of Sustenance (2,500) and Least Legacy Ritual (2,500) purchased: (17,871.05/19,000)
+2
-
Unceasing Servant
With our second level, we can now curse those who try to steal us, and buff ourselves in the hand of our wielder. We become a legacy item, conferring a lot of benefits, among which are even more durability: upon being destroyed, we leave behind fragments that are trivial to repair and reforge into the original item again. We take a Ring of Sustenance so that we don't have to leave the object to eat or drink, and we gain the use of Unceasing Servant to manipulate the environment around us without needing to leave the item. We can also have our servant check hallways for traps in lieu of a party rogue.
6
Fiend of Possession
Heighten Power
Control object
Spellblade (Disintegrate) on Spiked Gauntlets (6,000); Sudden Stunning added to weapon (2,000): (25,871.05/27,000)
+3
-
Featherfalling
With the addition of our spellblade, when we are targeted by a disintegrate spell, we are now immune -- and can retarget it if we wish. This leaves a rod of cancellation, sphere of annihilation, and mage's disjunction as possible ways to destroy our item (all high-level techniques, and all which should leave behind a shard to reforge from). We take heighten power to qualify for Mindbender later. Featherfalling, providing our wielder grips the spear firmly, should confer the benefits of featherfalling to them, too.
7
Fiend of Possession
-
Animate object, possess creature
Weapon enhancement increased to +2 (31,871.05/36,000)
+4
-
Resistance
Here we can possess creatures and our enhancement goes up, although that's less notable than the ability to animate our spear. It is sizing, so we can be a colossal animated object at will. This ability sadly stops functioning once the item gains sapience and becomes a creature, but for this and the next level, we can savor the surprise if need be. We can also use our possess creature ability to probe the memories of folks for interrogations.
8
Fiend of Possession
-
Ally or enemy, possess noncontinuous object
Weapon enhancement increased to +3 (41,871.05/49,000)
+5
-
Comprehend Languages
Our enhancement bonus has now caught up to our HD! We have comprehend languages constantly active, and we can possess a colossal noncontinuous object to help out our party in a pinch. More notable is the "Ally or Enemy" ability, ambiguously worded and as powerful as the DM allows it to be. As it is written, you can possess your wielder (or any allies) and grant a +4 profane bonus to each of their ability scores permanently, then return to your weapon. Is that balanced? Definitely not. Was it intended? Probably not; my intuition tells me they intended the buff to last only as long as you possess the creature, but they never actually included a sunset clause on the buff in the event that you left, nor a limit to the number of buffs you can apply (although the same source/type restriction stops them from stacking for the same ability score).
9
Fiend of Possession
Item Familiar
Control creature
Weapon enhancement increased to +4 (55,871.05/66,000)
+6
Invest life energy; invest skill ranks; sapience (10, 10, 12); senses; communication
-
Our enhancement has actually surpassed our HD, and we reach the capstone of our class just in time. Upon taking Item Familiar, our weapon becomes an intelligent item -- a creature, but also an item. As such, now must possess the creature. As we only sleep two hours each day and the weapon has no real means to resist or retaliate, we can slowly possess it over and over until such a time that it's essentially permanent. When we possess it, we can also use its abilities, which is notable because magical items can use their own abilities. We don't have any yet, but it will matter soon. As our item can't really be stolen or destroyed, it is a rare situation where we will be unlikely to be punished for fully investing our life energy and skill ranks for maximum benefits. Additionally, as our weapon is now an intelligent item, it has an ego score. When we possess and control the item, we should be able to have ego contests with our wielder if we choose to in order to gain "dominance" and control them without needing to possess them directly.
10
Mindbender, Psionic
-
Telepathy
Weapon enhancement increased to +5 (73,871.05/88,000)
+6
Lesser Power: Item can use detect magic at will
Restoration, Lesser
We get access to native telepathy a level earlier than we otherwise would (letting us communicate with our wielder effectively), we learn a new power (dealer's choice). We get access to detect magic at will, too, and Lesser Restoration a few times each day with a command word. Notably, we have to leave the item to use Lesser Restoration... until next level.
11
Legacy Champion
Lesser Legacy
Reduced ritual cost (lesser), bond of lore
Weapon enhancement increased to +6 (95,871.05/110,000)
+6
-
Intelligent Legacy, Major (Su); 120 feet darkvision/blindsense/hearing, common, common, 4 bonus languages, 18 int, 18 wis, 16 cha. Speech, telepathy. Three lesser powers (Constant Deathwatch, Major Image 1/day, Locate Object 3/day), two greater powers (detect thoughts at will, magic circle at will).
Our item's mental stats increase drastically, granting a slew of benefits. We get the power of speech, allowing us to use command-word powers. We have powerful sensory modes, and we get access to a slew of new powers (some sensory, some defensive, some general-use).
12
Legacy Champion
Mindsight
Replace legacy ability (least)
Weapon enhancement increased to +7 (121,871.05/150,000)
+7
-
Knock at will
Mindsight comes online here, giving us a massive sensory mode that we can warn our allies about with telepathy. We also get access to at-will knock, replacing the party rogue again in another capacity.
13
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (least)
Weapon enhancement increased to +9 (185,871.05/200,000)
+8
-
Melf's Acid Arrow at will
At this level, we get an at-will offensive mode for our actions. It's not the best attack, but we can perform it at-will, and it's acid damage (nice against objects), so it's a notable get.
14
Legacy Champion
Transfer Legacy
-
Weapon enhancement bonus increased to +10 (223,871.05/260,000)
+9
Increased Sapience; as level 11, but with +1 greater power (constant detect scrying) and +1 lesser power (cure moderate wounds on wielder 3/day). Mental stats all become 20.
Constant Obscurity
Item familiar gives our item another bump in intelligence, granting us a few new powers. We also become proof to divinations, and can detect when folks try. Transfer Legacy lets us pawn our abilities off on our wielder should they choose to activate them for some reason.
15
Legacy Champion
Legacy Focus
Replace legacy ability (lesser)
Ring of Mental Fortitude (333,871.05/340,000)
+10
-
-
We get mind blank without the immunity to divinations, but we already snagged a source of that last level. Our enhancement hits an astonishing +20.
16
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (lesser)
-
+11
-
Fireball 3/day
We get access to an offensive fireball 3x/day for all that it's wort at level 16. Enhancement can't stop, won't stop.
17
Legacy Champion
Greater Legacy
Reduced ritual cost (greater)
-
+11
-
Weapon enhancement increases to +7
Enhancement jumps up by +2; who needs BAB when you weapon can confer bonuses like these?
18
Legacy Champion
Quicken Legacy, Quicken Legacy
-
-
+12
Special Purpose: Defend chosen hero's type (True Resurrection on wielder 1/month)
-
We get access to true res should the worst come, and we can quicken our fireballs for added effect!
19
Legacy Champion
-
Extra legacy ability use (greater)
-
+13
-
-
Our enhancement goes up one more, setting us up for next level...
20
Legacy Champion
-
Replace legacy ability (greater)
-
+14
-
Weapon enhancement increases to +10
... when we cap out our enhancement bonus at +24!
Our wielder can save all their WBL for armor enhancements and other necessary items (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?187851-3-5-Lists-of-Necessary-Magic-Items). Will you be the most valuable party member? No, definitely not; casters are had-and-shoulders above this. Will you be the most talkative party member? Well, for roleplay purposes you're essentially a mute from levels 4-9, so not so much a party face. On the other hand, will this character be fun for others to play with? I'd think so. It lends itself to a uniquely cooperative style of play, and auto-confirming everything that isn't a nat-1 will feel pretty good for your party member. In your hands (or, well, with you in their hands), any build can be heroic.