Inventive Magic Weapons

[Lev]

Hello GitPF, what are the most inventive magic weapons you know of or have come up with?

These can be anything that uses an attack roll with your BAB in any non-touch way, for instance a mind blade's weapon would be considered a weapon, but something like a lightning orb would not be.

Magic weapons don't really seem flavorful as they could be, maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but what about things like weapons that have clever illusion spells on them, or that are selectively corporeal at will?

What magic weapons have the most flavor?

[Marnath]

I don't know if it's inventive or not, but one time I got the idea to make the spell Black Blade of Disaster be based on an actual artifact sword with all the same properties.

[blackjack217]

Sword of Eilistraee lets just say Loth forgot something: NEVER TRUST A DROW. Another way to stay this is someone cheated at chess

[true_shinken]

Blackrazor. It's so awesome.

[Beelzebub1111]

Frostrazor, Greenswath, Wave, Welm, Blackrazor.

[FMArthur]

One thing I made up for my games is a teleportation property (+2) that makes the weapon, when thrown at something and making contact, immediately teleport its user to the target and grasping the weapon, allowing for follow-up melee attacks. It was incredibly useful and has an ability that amounts to more than just +damage or +some modifier to some other numeric statistic and isn't just a spell scroll with a sharp point. It seems like a really obvious thing to make, so it probably exists in some book or Dragon Magazine, but I'm not going to search every obscure source for such an obvious and simple ability when I'm the DM anyway.

One disturbing weapon curse I came up with was a weapon that, when in hand, continually echoed the last words of people who'd been slain by it. I had to come up with quite a variety of phrases for it, though, and had to record every insignificant mook's dying words if he had any.

[Nanoblack]

Eh, not that creative, but a character of mine once had a musket with elemental burst for all five energy types on it. We called it the Prometheus and nothing ever lived from a crit on this thing. It was also paired with Persephone which was a pistol with similar properties to an oathbow, but it whispered dark speech instead of elven. If he had some extra charisma laying around, he could fire it to make mooks scatter or cower and it could weaken an object just before performed a ranged sunder. Good times.

[SurlySeraph]

Canon-wise, I like the spectral dagger.

Own-inventions-wise, I had a weapon I made up for an epic-level paladin of a deity who's basically Nice Cthulu:

Kalarath, Angharath's weapon, is made of a strange metal with a slight yellowish gleam. Kalarath can shift into a number of different weapons; its most common forms are a lance and a greatsword. Regardless of form, two features always stay the same. There is always a row of letters in an exotic language on it, spelling out a prayer to Kysul; and the hilt or grip is always ringed with uncannily realistic images of cephalopod eyes.
Both of these sets of symbols are dark blue and seem to shimmer and ripple like water when looked at directly. The language and wording of the prayer change from time to time.
Kalarath emits a soft blue light and the sound of quiet prayers in Aquan. Kalarath seems to shift in color and shape when seen from the corner of one's eye, especially when unattended.
Kysul transformed Kalarath, one of its Quori servants, into this weapon by a simple act of will, and gave it to Angharath to help him fight evil. Kalarath enjoys his task and is fully devoted to Kysul and the paladin Kysul chose to bear him, though he occasionally finds Angharath's lack of intelligence and experience exasperating.

Crunch-wise, a Intelligent +1 Deep Crystal Blindsighted Holy Morphing Valorous lance, plus various martial discipline enhancements. Special abilities: grants Improved Initiative, wielder does not need to breathe, Detect Chaos at will, Detect Magic at will, True Seeing at will, Teleport 1/day, Stoneskin 2/day, Greater Invisibility 2/day, Haste 3/day.

I really like the intelligent item rules, incidentally. They're expensive before high levels, of course, but you can do a lot with them.

[Beelzebub1111]

I really like the intelligent item rules, incidentally. They're expensive before high levels, of course, but you can do a lot with them.

The plus side is, as a DM, you can deny powers until they "gain the weapon's trust" (reach a level deemed appropriate)

[WeeFreeMen]

My favorite inventive magic weapon that I made for my group was a wind-up toy soilder. They found it in the village that had been attacked in the Tinkers (Artificer) house.

It was essentially a scry and die, mechanical ice-assassin.
It would walk to its target rain or shine and kill them in their sleep :D

It had some minor magic in it however the campaign was strictly NO magic. So it was pretty funny watching the PCs freak out when they found out I had sent 3 of them to kill the party.

"Watch out they toys are coming!"
-ah, good times.

[Dralnu]

Aw, just magical weapons and no touch attacks? I got two good ones that I'd like to share anyway. Consider this a disclaimer if you wanna skip.

I once had a crazy BBEG artificer who enjoyed making "better versions" of natural creatures, something like a mechanical druid. When the party defeated them, they got his prized weapon: Explosive Sheep Launcher, a rocket launcher that 3/day fire explosive sheep at the target and on its downtime replenished its own ammo by constructing it inside, so long as it was provided with sufficient raw materials. The sheep would be rocket propelled from its behind and ba-a-a-a all the way to its target, exploding as a Explosive Metmagic Fireball, CL equal to the wielder's level.

I made this one up for an archer:
- Quiver of Wonder: unlimited arrows, each time you draw one you roll a d100 and check a chart to see which magical arrow you drew.
1-11: Regular Arrow
12-23: Arrow of Biting (MIC)
24-35: Fountainhead Arrow (MIC)
36-47: Dragonsbreath Arrow (ROTW)
48-59: Serpentstongue Arrow (ROTW)
60-71: Blunt Arrow (ROTW)
72-83: Sleep Arrow
84-95: Screaming Bolt (Arrow)
96-100: Slaying Arrow

If any arrow has a DC, it is equal to 10 + wielder's DEX mod + half the wielder's total level. Drawn arrows disappear at the end of your round.

[RndmNumGen]

what about things like weapons [..,] that are selectively corporeal at will?

I gave one of my players a dagger somewhat like this. It would phase through objects, completely ignoring armor(even the magical kind) which let him attack everything using their touch AC, even though it was a weapon. It also let him cut through anything else he wished to use it on, including things made from adamantine, though trying to cut through a thick block of stone would take a while to do(yet was still possible).

[randomhero00]

A weapon that changes the owners gender...but is really good stats wise.

A weapon that requires a move action instead of a standard action. Sounds the same, but allows for a few inovative attacks (especially with ToB).

A weapon that grows into a character over a period of time, counts as natural attacks, and allows the delivery of touch spells.

[Lev]

A weapon that changes the owners gender...but is really good stats wise.

A weapon that requires a move action instead of a standard action. Sounds the same, but allows for a few inovative attacks (especially with ToB).

A weapon that grows into a character over a period of time, counts as natural attacks, and allows the delivery of touch spells.

I do like the idea of a slow natural graft-- more than I like the kensai.

[Hawriel]

I had a sword of shifting. It was sword that could change into any type of dagger or sword. The scabard would change accordingly. It had a slight danger sence quality and some inteligents. +2. It was enchanted up to +5 over the years.

Sence the character is mostly retiered it's used as a sword cane.

[Chrono22]

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Zephyr Blade
Price: 17,840 gp
Body Slot: –
Caster Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) evocation
Activation: ––, Immediate (command), Standard (command), and Swift (command)
Weight: -

This incredibly lightweight rapier seems to almost float in the palm of your hand. Gracefully curving lines cover the surface of the silver blade, giving it a feather-like motif. A light breeze constantly surrounds it.

Or

This object appears to be a perfectly ordinary sea-eagle's feather. A light breeze constantly surrounds it.

The zephyr blade is a weapon of legend, and the subject of more than a few arguments about its appearance. This +1 windcutter silver rapier has a number of wind-related powers and abilities, the most famous of which is its ability to turn the breeze itself into a weapon. The wielder can call upon the aid of the zephyr blade by expending a daily charge and an action. A zephyr blade has 4 charges, which are renewed each day at dawn.
Gust Step: By expending a charge as a swift action, the wielder gains a +10 enhancement bonus to speed for 1 round.
Ride the Wind: By expending a charge as an immediate action, the wielder's falling speed is slowed for 1 round (as per feather fall).
Sirrico Dance: By expending a charge as an immediate action, the wielder gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC against a single attack.
Backlash Squall: By expending a charge as a standard action, the wielder may launch a powerful blast of air (as per gust of wind). A successful fortitude save (DC 14) can allow a creature in the line of the blast to resist this effect.
A zephyr blade has an additional minor power. By holding it and speaking a command word as a standard action, the wielder may transform the weapon into an albatross feather or back.
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, feather fall, gust of wind, shield of faith.
Cost to Create: 8864 gp, 700 XP, 17 days.

.................................................. .............

Windcutter
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Piercing or slashing melee weapon
Caster Level: 3rd
Aura: Faint; (DC 16) evocation
Activation:--

This weapon is constantly surrounded by a flowing breeze, even indoors or underground.

A windcutter weapon creates a sharp, high-pressure wave of air when swung. This enables you to deliver your melee attacks at range, with an increment of 10 feet. When delivering a melee attack at range with a windcutter weapon, you apply your dexterity modifier instead of your strength modifier to the attack roll. Bonus damage from your strength modifier, the weapon's enhancement bonus and precision damage apply to the attack's damage, but any other magical properties of the weapon (such as bonus damage dice from the flaming weapon property) do not apply when melee attacks are delivered at range.
The wielder of a windcutter weapon still suffers all of the penalties and limitations associated with making ranged attacks (such as cover rules, penalties imposed by distance, and the effects of high wind), but these are not considered ranged attacks for the purposes of attacks of opportunity.
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, gust of wind.
Cost to Create: Varies

[grarrrg]

Hello GitPF, what are the most inventive magic weapons you know of or have come up with?
What magic weapons have the most flavor?

I've always been fond of the Flaming Dire Guitar...

[dsmiles]

How about some +2 Shocking Burst...

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[zyborg]

A weapon that changes the owners gender...but is really good stats wise.

A weapon that requires a move action instead of a standard action. Sounds the same, but allows for a few inovative attacks (especially with ToB).

A weapon that grows into a character over a period of time, counts as natural attacks, and allows the delivery of touch spells.

A weapon that changes the owner's gender? How exactly does that work? What exactly is it? I'm a bit curious...

As for the one that allows you to use a move action instead of a main action... that does seem pretty good. You could still do what would be 'another' main action this way.

[Lev]

How about some +2 Shocking Burst...

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Hmmm, I guess I could make them tasers IRL, they already have steel wire wrapped around them in a spiral to hold the wick so they can be lit on fire.

[bbugg]

We're in a 'magic is rare and dangerous' setting - I gave my players a Very Cold Sword and some Very Cold Vials of Very Cold Liquid.

The sword will do cold damage to whomever it touches - including creatures hit by it, but also the weilder. I figure that oven mits or the like will work just fine until they roll a 1...

The question with the vials is: potion or not? Of course, I'm not going to answer until they do something to test it.

Does anyone have any other ideas/suggestions for mechanically interesting, but not overpowering magical weapons/items I can introduce?

[Funkyodor]

Well, off the top of my head:
- Over & Under double crossbows, one use Rapid Shot until re-loaded. If you've seen Ladyhawke, you know how it works.
- Adding Beads of Force & Beads of Fireballs to arrows/bolts.
- Pair of Handaxe's. One Anarchic Unholy, the other Axiomatic Holy. They look identical and the evil / good one cannot be discerened because they switch. Any alignment can use them as long as they are used together because they fight each other instead of the wielder. When striking a Good/Evil/Chaotic/Lawful enemy, 50% chance you are hitting with the weapon you want. And they return to the wielders hand when thrown.
- Vampiric weapon that returns HP to the wielder equal to the damage dealt to the enemy, but the wielder starts to take on all the negative aspects of a Vampire. Remove curse to cancel the negative aspects, but risk death with no chance of resurrection. PC's found it on a Vampire, go figure.
- Flash bead / Thunderstone combination. Think flash/bang grenades.
- Dust of Appearance as an alchemical creation, not magical. Drastic reduction in price to less than 100g per use.

[Zieu]

- Adding Beads of Force & Beads of Fireballs to arrows/bolts.

Ooh. The Ranger in me likes this idea and would like to know what kind of Craft check would allow that...

[Diarmuid]

Blackrazor. It's so awesome.

Dont you mean Stormbringer, as that's clearly what the sword was supposed to represent, but without the copyright infringement....

[Diarmuid]

I gave one of my players a dagger somewhat like this. It would phase through objects, completely ignoring armor(even the magical kind) which let him attack everything using their touch AC, even though it was a weapon. It also let him cut through anything else he wished to use it on, including things made from adamantine, though trying to cut through a thick block of stone would take a while to do(yet was still possible).

So, in essence, you gave him a lightsaber?

[BRC]

In my current campaign, we only have a party of two, with one of the two being a beguiler. Since he's a support character without much party to support (And who is useless against any of the thousand things that have immunity to mind effecting abilities), I decided to boost his combat capabilities with a nifty little dagger called "Baiten's Switch", which has the vaugely defined ability to "Interact in strange ways with Beguiler Magic".
So far he's learned three tricks with it. If he uses Mirror Image, the Images can actually deal damage when they attack (it's 1d4 damage, and his BaB is pathetic, in a setting where people are lugging around pistols and shotguns), he can retrieve it with a slight-of-hand check, and he can use a Whelm spell to launch it (Attack roll+Int, and it deals half his normal whelm damage, but can affect mindless things). Every time I give him an ability, he comes up with eight variants that make perfect sense, but i've informed him that he's off the map, here there be arbitrary DM judgements, and so far things have been good.

[abadguy]

Saw this well stat-ed out weapon from another thread. Pretty much counters most foes

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PHEAR THE BATSHARKCHUCKS

[BRC]

Saw this well stat-ed out weapon from another thread. Pretty much counters most foes

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PHEAR THE BATSHARKCHUCKS

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It's completely unplayable, I would never let that be used in my games.
They forgot to stat it as a double weapon, which it clearly is.

[subject42]

I had the players encounter a ballista with a homebrewed "artillery" enhancement once. You could sacrifice damage to multiply the range increment by the number of damage dice that you sacrificed.

The party ranger stuffed that thing in his bag of holding lickety-split and commenced to start slaughtering goblins from a few miles away.

[Grendus]

Gnome-chucks. Which are just what they sound like. Careful, they bite.