vampiric item enchantment pathfinder

[pensworth]

I'm looking to basically make a hp drain weapon enchant. Because I looked though the magic weapon creating section in the pathfinder srd and I found nothing.

So how about: vampirism
+2 enhancement bonus cost
Converts damage done to victims into health points. Damage converted only includes base weapon damage, no ability modifier or enchantment bonus.
Can only be used on melee weapons.

[AkazilliaDeNaro]

There already is an ability that does what you are looking for it is in the magic item compendium

VAMPIRIC
Price: +2 bonus
Property: Melee weapon
Caster Level: 9th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) necromancy
Activation: —
A gaping maw with elongated incisors adorns
this weapon. The fangs shimmer wetly.
A vampiric weapon deals an extra 1d6
points of damage to any living creature
it hits, and you heal damage equal to this
amount.
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, vampiric touch.
Cost to Create: Varies.

Edit:actually that is 3.5 but this would be exactly the same in PF.

[pensworth]

There already is an ability that does what you are looking for it is in the magic item compendium.

Edit:actually that is 3.5 but this would be exactly the same in PF.

Hmm for some reason the mechanics for this feels off. I guess I don't like the fact that it adds another damage dice to the weapon just for the pourpose of healing.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Hmm for some reason the mechanics for this feels off. I guess I don't like the fact that it adds another damage dice to the weapon just for the pourpose of healing.

A weapon enhancement that heals the user for all damage he deals is extremely powerful, especially in the hands of a properly optimized melee build. It is equivalent to abilities like fast healing 20, and it scales with the user's level and ability to dish out damage. I would hazard pinning it as a +6 enhancement, something that would only be available in an epic-level campaign.

Now, an item that steals life as temporary hit points, and has a cap on temporary hit points, would be more balanced. Something like...

Draining, Lesser: This weapon instantly draws any blood spilled into numerous grooves and pits on its surface. Whenever the weapon deals lethal damage to a living creature its wielder gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt for ten minutes. This effect cannot grant the wielder more than 5 temporary hit points. Caster level 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms And Armor, false life; Market Price: +1 bonus.

Draining: As Lesser Draining, but the effect cannot grant more than 10 temporary hit points. Market Price: +3 bonus.

[pensworth]

Ok I was thinking hard about this and I realized how powerful that would be.
How about this...

Vampirism:+3 enhancement bonus cost
Can only be enchanted into a major magic weapon.(+3 - +5)
Can only be used on melee weapons or a thrown ranged weapon with the Returning enchantment feature.

Converts damage done to victims into health points equal to half of the weapon's base damage roll round down. does not include str bonus damage or weapon enhancement bonus damage, or damage gained by weapon specialization feat or similar feats.
example: vampiric great sword, base damage 2D6, weapon damage roll 1+4=5, wielder heals by 2.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

I think that's pretty good. Making it based on the damage die of the weapon, ignoring all other bonuses, is a good way to keep it under control.

The easiest way to do this is to make the healing only grant temporary hit points, and give it a cap. That cuts off a broad swath of loopholes and abuses right there.

[sengmeng]

A lot of times, when D&D rules are used for a computer game, they include a way to have a weapon enchanted to cast a certain spell on opponents who are struck by it. So, if there's a way to do that in PF or 3.5, you just need to make a weapon cast "Vampiric Touch" on hit, and leave it at that. Not sure if this helps or hinders, but the fact that a spell of this type exists but not a weapon effect is kind of an oversight by the rule-makers. Plus, a life-stealing weapon, enchantment, or artifact exists in nearly every video game that has magic in it, so what's the deal, D&D?

[pensworth]

A lot of times, when D&D rules are used for a computer game, they include a way to have a weapon enchanted to cast a certain spell on opponents who are struck by it. So, if there's a way to do that in PF or 3.5, you just need to make a weapon cast "Vampiric Touch" on hit, and leave it at that. Not sure if this helps or hinders, but the fact that a spell of this type exists but not a weapon effect is kind of an oversight by the rule-makers. Plus, a life-stealing weapon, enchantment, or artifact exists in nearly every video game that has magic in it, so what's the deal, D&D?

I agree, whats up with that?

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

I agree, whats up with that?

D&D has hit points as a limiting factor on a party's ability to continue adventuring during the day in order to keep games at a duration of about 4 hours. Most video games have hit points as a player's ability to complete the next challenge or get to the next savepoint/checkpoint, in order to keep the duration of a level at 15 minutes or less.

Most D&D spells and abilities that drain hit points are per-day abilities for this reason (even level-draining monsters only get temporary hit points for it). This is why I recommend making life-draining weapon abilities grant temporary hit points, which will only last for the rest of the encounter.

[sengmeng]

D&D has hit points as a limiting factor on a party's ability to continue adventuring during the day in order to keep games at a duration of about 4 hours. Most video games have hit points as a player's ability to complete the next challenge or get to the next savepoint/checkpoint, in order to keep the duration of a level at 15 minutes or less.

Most D&D spells and abilities that drain hit points are per-day abilities for this reason (even level-draining monsters only get temporary hit points for it). This is why I recommend making life-draining weapon abilities grant temporary hit points, which will only last for the rest of the encounter.

But temporary hitpoints can take you over maximum... wouldn't it be more in line with the 4 hour session to only be able to heal damage with it?

[General Patton]

But temporary hitpoints can take you over maximum... wouldn't it be more in line with the 4 hour session to only be able to heal damage with it?

With temporary hitpoints, especially non-stacking ones, there is still the possibility of losing actual hitpoints when damaged. If an ability heals damage and is usable too often, then your total ability to soak up damage in a day can be way higher than your daily encounters are balanced for. You could potentially slog through a bunch of extra fights through hitpoints and infinite-use abilities alone. This is essentially the polar opposite of the five minute adventuring day, where you use up all your abilities to obliterate an encounter with ease and then immediately rest to recover.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

But temporary hitpoints can take you over maximum... wouldn't it be more in line with the 4 hour session to only be able to heal damage with it?

No, that's contrary to the point. The majority of healing abilities are limited to daily use. A life-stealing weapon has no such limit. If you make it heal you for a minute per day then you're good to go. Temporary hit points only last for the encounter you get them in (and since they do reduce healing, they're pretty powerful anyways, but you can't carry them between encounters).