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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
 Posted - 12 May 2006 : 23:05:39
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So, one of my groups will be traveling through the Dungeon of Swords fairly soon. Hence, I'm doing the normal process of research, map, key, and stat, and so forth and so on...and I realized something.
There is no good set of rules currently for flying weaponry.
None.
Let's look at the current rules cases:
1) Animated objects. (MM 13-14) This is a very unclear and confusing monster entry; it suffers from a 3.0 affliction where varied monsters were grouped as part of one entry due to lack of rules clarity (see the 3.0 skeleton) and should really be a template --- if the object rules supported it. Unfortunately, they don't. Hence, this case tries to strike balance between the rules problem that this idea is and simplicity. The problem is that it works --- for a very small subset of possibilities. Animated furniture is fine. Statuary (like the statue of Jergal in CoSQ) is a stretch. Anything beyond that, you're better off hand-crafting a construct.
2) Steeldance. (SC 206) This is unusable. There's hordes of needed information missing, and the case needed to make this a usable encounter is more than a bit wonky. Besides, the latest version has little to do with the concept of an animated blade as imagined in the Dungeon and elsewhere.
3) The dancing property. (DMG 224) This is unusable, too --- it suffers from all of the same problems as steeldance, except the problems making it into an encounter are even worse. The everdancing property (ELH 131) solves only part of the problem.
None of the ones I can think of(mind you, there's a *reason* semi-coherent is in the title) fit the desired result: an autonomous flying sword. Something like this. So, the following template:
Animated Weapon
An animated weapon is an autonomous construct often created to act as a guardian of a crypt or other place primarily used for object storage.
Creating An Animated Weapon
"Animated Weapon" is an unusual template in that it is applied to a weapon, instead of a creature. The weapon's statistics determine the resultant construct's statistics.
Size and Type: If the base weapon is light, the animated weapon's size is two sizes smaller than the base weapon's size. If the base weapon is one-handed, the animated weapon's size is one size smaller than the base weapon's size. If the base weapon is two-handed, the animated weapon's size is the same size as the base weapon. If the base weapon is a fullblade, shoot yourself before I do it. The animated weapon's type is construct.
Hit Dice: The animated weapon has one Hit Die.
Speed: Animated weapons have a fly speed of 40 feet (perfect).
Armor Class: An animated weapon has a deflection bonus to its' AC equal to the base weapon's enhancement bonus.
Attack: An animated weapon has a single attack with the base weapon's statistics plus its' Strength bonus x 1 1/2.
Special Qualities:
Construct Traits (Ex): MMIII 210, MM 308
Hardness (Ex): An animated weapon has hardness equal to the base weapon's hardness.
Unwieldable (Ex): An animated weapon cannot be wielded as a manufactured weapon.
Saves:
An animated weapon has normal saves for a creature of the construct type. It gains a resistance bonus to all saves equal to the base weapon's enhancement bonus.
Abilities:
An animated weapon's Strength and Dexterity scores are equal to 14+the base weapon's enhancement bonus. An animated weapon has no Constitution or Intelligence score, and is mindless. An animated weapon has Wisdom and Charisma scores of 10+the base weapon's enhancement bonus.
Skills and Feats:
An animated weapon has no skills or feats.
Environment:
Any land or underground. Animated weapons are often used as guardians in dungeons.
Organization:
Solitary, pair (2), squad(4) or army(16).
Challenge Rating:
An animated weapon has a CR of 1/2. If the value of the base weapon is equal to or greater than the average wealth of an NPC with a CR equal to that of the animated weapon, increase the CR by 1. Apply this after any other modifiers to the animated weapon's CR.
Treasure:
None. (As a variant, you may rule that the base weapon is recoverable as treasure; keep a careful eye on wealth guidelines if using this variant.)
Alignment:
Always neutral.
Advancement:
2+ HD(original size)
I'll post a sample creature in a bit.
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2006 : 23:39:42
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I discovered very recently that 3.x broked down the famous dancing property.
The fun part of it is that all the designers didn't notice, because the Solar still have it to make his famous Arrow of Slaying / Dancing vorpal sword but it doesn't work ! (except if he wants to suffer from attack of opportunity at each ranged attack!)
Same thing with the famous spell-aborbing ioun stones, in 3.x you have to ready an action to make it works. (The Twisted Run adventure designer didn't notice and gave it one to his BBEG because of a lack of SR).
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 01:32:51
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Arivia,
how about the Flying property in the Magic of Faerūn? I seem to recall that it was meant to be used to creating "animated, flying guardian weapons"? |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Eremite
Learned Scribe
Singapore
182 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 10:55:17
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What about using the living spell template, applying it to Mordenkainen's sword and then changing the type to construct? (Of course, I firmly believe that a living spell should be a construct rather than an ooze anyway but that's largely irrelevant).
Using this as a base, you could re-stat it depending on the size of the sword or other weapon. |
Best
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 14:30:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Asgetrion
Arivia,
how about the Flying property in the Magic of Faerūn? I seem to recall that it was meant to be used to creating "animated, flying guardian weapons"?
I knew I forgot something! Works, but as noted above, I don't like using animated objects for this.
quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
What about using the living spell template, applying it to Mordenkainen's sword and then changing the type to construct? (Of course, I firmly believe that a living spell should be a construct rather than an ooze anyway but that's largely irrelevant).
Using this as a base, you could re-stat it depending on the size of the sword or other weapon.
Mordenkainen's sword suffers from the same problems as steeldance; the living spell template's application results in something that is *not* a sword.
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 17:09:28
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Sample Creature:
Animated Sword CR 1
N Small construct
Init +2
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AC 13 (+1 deflection, +2 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 11
hp 1d10+10 (1 HD); hardness 12
Fort +1 Ref +3 Will +1
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Speed fly 40 ft (perfect)
Melee longsword +1 +3 (1d8+4/19-20)
Base Atk +0 Grp -2
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Abilities Str 15, Dex 15, Con --, Int --, Wis 11, Cha 11
SQ Construct traits, unwieldable
Base weapon: +1 longsword
EDIT: Corrected an error. |
Edited by - Arivia on 21 May 2006 06:49:04 |
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Eremite
Learned Scribe
Singapore
182 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 17:58:06
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Good point.
Shouldn't the hardness be increased to reflect the enchancement bonus? I think it's +2 hardness per +1 enhancement bonus. Also, does the construct have fewer hit points than a normal longsword?
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2006 : 18:10:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
Good point.
Shouldn't the hardness be increased to reflect the enchancement bonus? I think it's +2 hardness per +1 enhancement bonus.
You're right; I'd missed that. Added.
EDIT: The template already covers that; go rules language!
quote:
Also, does the construct have fewer hit points than a normal longsword?
No; this has 1d10+10 versus 5 for a normal longsword. |
Edited by - Arivia on 13 May 2006 18:11:36 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 19:49:04
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| The Complete Book of eldritch might (I think by Bruce Cordell, maybe not) had an interesting section on making intelligent magic items that level up. I've never used those rules, and 90% of the rest of the book had flaws I didn't like. However, it really stuck in my head that those rules on intelligent items were a little overpowered... but they had some real workability there (by just playing with the numbers). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2006 : 20:34:46
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Arivia, your reasoning and the template is very sound 
I discussed this with another DM, and he said that either a template or a golem-like construct should solve the problem with 'Flying weapons'. He also agreed that the 'Flying'-property presented in MoF is a bit unfinished idea. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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The Sword Problem (a semi-coherent semi-essay)
