Best Magical Weapon Properties

[Veknironth]

Well, I don't want to step on the Palladium Challenge posts, so this is not a competition. I'm just curious as to people's opinions. Some people will go for maximum damage others for maximum for variability. So, give that the maximum number of magical abilities one can put into a weapon is three, what do you think is the best combination?

-Vek
"Again, there is no prize."

[Hotrod]

Do you mean properties that could be added to a weapon by an alchemist, or best magical features in a weapon, regardless of whether a book-legal alchemist could make it or not?

[Lukterran]

It depends on what you are going for.

If you just want munchkin like damage I would go with: Additional Die, Super-Sharpness and Armor Piercing.
Giving you +1D6+4 to bases damage of weapon, and lower criticals by -2 and automatically bypasses AR even natural AR.

But if you want to go with something that gives you a lot of options, I would go with: Blinding Flash, Teleports Wielder and Turns Holder Invisible. Allowing you blind flash, disappear and reappear and cause all sorts of confusion with an enemy as you pop around.

I know you aren't worried about cost or rarity in regard to your question but a good cheap option is always to get a weapon enchanted with: Color. Only 500gp and gives you a magic weapon. For a poor adventure just starting out it is nice to be able to hurt enemies that otherwise would be impervious to non-magical options.

For assassins a thrown weapon with: Invisible Weapon, Return to Wielder When Thrown and Venomblade (Dragon's Breath or Basilisk's Eye) is excellent combo.

You can also create a fantasy version of a gun with: Spits Fire Balls, Spits Lightning and Sound Effect. Six shooter.

In my opinion is Physical Transferal is just a beastly power. Add in Thunder Hammer to get an extra 2D6 damage to get more transferal power working and an Additional Die of Damage for an extra 3D6. Pair that with simultaneous strikes and you will trade blows with someone until they are a bloody puddle and you are standing there with nearly unharmed only a few scratches.

[Lukterran]

Magic Items for an assassin.

1. Assassin’s Blade (Superior Dwarven Forged) Scimitar
Damage: 3D6+8
Weight: 4lbs
Weapon Bonuses: +2 to strike and parry and +4 to damage

Enchantments:
- Additional Damage
- Invisible Weapon (+3 to initiative and +2 to strike and parry against those than can’t see invisible)
- Super-Sharpness (+4 to damage and reduce critical hit range by 2 points)

2. Final Strike (Superior Dwarven Forged) Throwing Axe
Damage: 2D4+4
Weight: 3lbs
Weapon Bonuses: +2 to strike and parry and +4 to damage

Enchantments:
- Armor Piercing
- Returns to Wielder When Thrown
- Venomblade (3x daily – Basilisk’s Eye; 4D6 damage and paralysis for 2D4 minutes)

3. Shadow Armor (Superior Dwarven Forged - Black Iron) Plate Armor - Full Suit
A.R.: 18
S.D.C.: 420
Weight: None
Armor Trait: Resistant to Fire (1/2 damage)

Enchantments:
- Noiseless
- Invisible Armor
- Regenerating Armor (Restores 10 S.D.C per hour)
- Weightless

[eliakon]

My favorite set up was
Armor Piercing, Indestructible, Teleports to Wielder.
Damage was only so-so...
...but I couldn't be disarmed, I could get through virtually any defenses, and I didn't have to worry about loosing my weapon.

One of my other favorites was a shield that was Invisible, Indestructible, and Teleported to Wielder.
I could use it as hidden cover, it was sweet (And yes, the GM in question ruled that Shields are a weapon due to the WP. I know that is not a universal ruling but I loved the item enough that I had to share it)

[drewkitty ~..~]

depends on the char
as a set I would go with the greater T-port to user in W.E. and indesctrctable

[Veknironth]

Well, Hotrod, I'm talking only about what an alchemist could do. I suppose it also depends on the type of weapon. Obviously, Super Sharpness won't help much on a hammer.

Actually, for straight damage blunt weapon is probably best. Throw on Additional Die of Damage, Thunder Hammer, and Armor Piercing, and you have a hammer that does an extra 3d6 and ignores AR. Yikes.

I think as you get higher in level, the Super Sharpness is better. You could end up with a low bar to make a critical strike. What do you guys think would happen if you add Super Sharpness with Eternally Sharp Blade? Would it keep the +4 damage and be eternally sharp, or would the bonuses stack?

-Vek
"I also like the gun option, although it has limited ammunition!"

[Veknironth]

Well, I had another thought. What else could be added to a flaming sword? It seems like the blade is really just fire, so it couldn't be Super Sharp, but could it have Additional Damage or Armor Piercing? Can you parry with a flaming sword?

-Vek
"Can you have a flail version of a flaming sword?"

[ShadowLogan]

Well, I don't want to step on the Palladium Challenge posts, so this is not a competition. I'm just curious as to people's opinions. Some people will go for maximum damage others for maximum for variability. So, give that the maximum number of magical abilities one can put into a weapon is three, what do you think is the best combination?

I think that depends on what you want it to do as others have suggested, and if some abilities can be reasonably purchased again (some obviously can not, but some could IMHO) along with the base weapon.

For example in terms of damage:
-a blunt weapon (Hercules Club) with enchantments of Slayer (pick one), Thunderstrike, Additional Damage and in some situations you are doing 12d6.
-Combine slayer (pick one) and Flaming Sword (max) and you can do the same amount of damage as above, plus have a slot free to add in another feature (to help or widen the slayer)
-an assassin blade with Slayer (pick), Additional Damage, and Venom Blade (Basilisk) and in one hit you have paralyzed the target (giving you option of an auto kill IINM), plus you did damage from the blade and poison and enchantment damage and potentially slayer.
-Vengance blade: Infection Wounds, Venom Blade, Sharpness (or Additional Damage)

non damage based concepts:
-Turn Invisible, Invisible Weapon, and one extra to allow you to fight while invisible (most oppoents are now fighting blind, Invisible feature is not restrictive like Psi/Spell by RAW)
-Color, Glow, Sound for a cool apperance

Additional Damage Vs Sharpness-types. While Sharpness types always deliver a static result, they are more than x3 the cost of additional damage. Is the main book flat damage bonus worth the extra cost for the variable damage? I'd say no, 1/3 of the time you do less damage, but 2/3 of the time you do equal or greater damage (75% of the time). Now the enhanced version from Western Empire IS much more attractive as you get an increased critical strike range and only 1/3 the time will you do better damage, but one still has to consider if the 5x the cost is worth it (I would say yes, especially if your critical strike range is improved outside the weapon).

Well, I had another thought. What else could be added to a flaming sword? It seems like the blade is really just fire, so it couldn't be Super Sharp, but could it have Additional Damage or Armor Piercing? Can you parry with a flaming sword?

Added to a Flaming Sword/Knife/Ball&Chain?... Lots actually.

From PF2E Main Book
-Additional Damage: NOT LIKELY as all of the flame weapons have maximu values, and the sword can apparently be tailored damage without incurring additional slots being used
-Blind Flash (useful as it would make the flames super bright momentarily)
-Color (for that not stock flame look)
-Impervious to Fire: probably an aspect of the flaming feature already
-Invisible Weapon: gives some bonuses, invisible flames might make a cool concept
-Slayers types: could double the damage to specific targets (and if they are further vulnerable could see even higher damage scores in certain situations)
-Sharpness types: NO, no physical blade
-Return types: Useful, probably more for the knife than other options since you won't be throwing them as much
-Spit Fire Ball/Lightning: both could be added, though Lightning might be outside of the theme
-Wielder types (it effects the wielder): useful
-Thunderhammer: NO, blunt weapon only (and ball and chain are ruled out)

[Lukterran]

Well, I had another thought. What else could be added to a flaming sword? It seems like the blade is really just fire, so it couldn't be Super Sharp, but could it have Additional Damage or Armor Piercing? Can you parry with a flaming sword?

-Vek
"Can you have a flail version of a flaming sword?"

I always assumed that a flaming sword still had the normal base of a sword but had flames around its blade. Regardless, yes you could still parry with it. Flaming swords aren't really true fire it has magical mass etc...it does cut. Otherwise it would just be a big torch.

[Veknironth]

Well, if we go with what Luk has posited, could you take a superior crafted blade with bonuses to strike and parry, and have that turned into a flaming sword and keep the balance bonuses?

-Vek
"I should probably be in a game so I wouldn't think of all this bizarre stuff."

[ShadowLogan]

I always assumed that a flaming sword still had the normal base of a sword but had flames around its blade. Regardless, yes you could still parry with it. Flaming swords aren't really true fire it has magical mass etc...it does cut. Otherwise it would just be a big torch.

That seems to go against the description of the weapons.

"Flaming Knife: A knife made of magic flame that extends from a handle..." and "Flaming Sword: A sword of magic flame that extends from a handle..." Granted both come with a scabbard, but the scabbard is used to protect others/objects from the constant flames (they are impervious to fire) since you probably don't want to the blade accidentally striking something/one.

This shows that there is no indication that a base blade exists. If a physical blade existed (separate from the magic flame) wouldn't they be described as a "A sword/knife blade covered in magic flame"? instead of what we were given?

I agree it can still parry since it is magic flame, so magically might have properties not present in ordinary flame. Plus they don't state you can't parry with it.

Well, if we go with what Luk has posited, could you take a superior crafted blade with bonuses to strike and parry, and have that turned into a flaming sword and keep the balance bonuses?

Given those parameters yes, though I disagree with the starting position.

However even without them, a GM could in theory fill in construction process to allow for superior crafted bonuses AFAIK we don't know if they magically transform the blade into flame or not and instead replace the physical blade with magical component (like Ward/Runes, or Gems in TW)... If it was the first case, then yes the blade craftsmanship should remain (its magic after all), but if it was the second case it clearly can't (though I suppose the hilt/handle could be crafted with superior bonuses for balance...).

All we know is that it takes 48hrs in a rush job per feature (pg249 under Magical Armor mentions the amount of time AND that it applies to weapons, I know it contradicts itself later on the same page in the Magic Weapons section)

[Lukterran]

Well, if we go with what Luk has posited, could you take a superior crafted blade with bonuses to strike and parry, and have that turned into a flaming sword and keep the balance bonuses?

-Vek
"I should probably be in a game so I wouldn't think of all this bizarre stuff."

In regard to parrying I would say yes. Without a doubt. I have seen flaming weapons in Canon with a parry bonus. I have never seen a flaming weapon combined with the eternally shape and flaming enchantment though. Still I would say yes you can because there aren't any rules stating otherwise. But that is debatable.

For example Kevin went out of the way to write 'Thunder Hammer: Applicable only to blunt weapons, excluding ball & chain types." Why because ball and chain types could be considered "blunt weapons" and also have Flaming Ball & Chain added. Yet he didn't say anywhere on the three flaming weapon enchantments that they could not have Eternally Sharp & Flaming Sword for example.

There is an off-handed remark in the North Hinter Land book pg 81 in regard to Frostblade that it is the counter part spell to the Flaming Sword. So if you want an example to how a flaming sword might be created I would assume it is similar.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I will say that 'the best' changes with what evaluating criteria is used to make the determination.