Sorry for thread necro, but my questions are specific to this class...
No problem.
I am considering playing this and being a dragoon's weapon in an upcoming campaign, but after reading through that if you choose to be a weapon to have access to the manuvers, you must be a discipline weapon to both schools. I looked up the list and that limits the possible combinations to Falchion (Desert Wind / Devoted Spirit), Long sword (Devoted Spirit / Iron Heart / White Raven), Bastard sword (Diamond Mind / Iron Heart), Short sword ( Setting Sung / Shadow Hand), Great sword (Stone Dragon / White Raven), Great axe (Stone Dragon / Tiger Claw), and Unarmed Strike Maybe the weapon is a gauntlet there? (Setting Sun, Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon, Tiger Claw). To my knowledge barring certain maneuvers in tome of battle, it is not needed to use the discipline specific weapon to trigger the stances or maneuvers so I am not understanding why the restriction was made like that? I can understand being restricted to just two schools since you get a deep well of maneuvers over time.
Perhaps it is because I am considering explicitly playing this as a PC, that I am seeing a possible issue with it...?
Hmm, you're right, I wanted to go for theme but as it now it is a bit too much restrictive. Changed it so that you only need to be a discipline weapon for either school.
And yes gauntlet would fit for unarmed strikes.
I am also unclear on the status of a weapon relating to maneuver activation. In the case of a weapon or a tool in this as well I suppose (armor would be worn and already "in contact" so to speak) that is not in hand nor readied, but physically on the person, can they still trigger maneuvers and stances? And since I am asking the question for a tool as well, is there a distinction made between say, in the user's pack as opposed to on a belt? Does it require direct physical contact such as being in hand, and/or readied?
"Inside backpack" would not qualify indeed. Items with slots would need to be in their correct slot like weapon in hand, and so would tools that normally are held while used like a brush. A performer's suit would need to be worn as another example.
The character I am likely to be a weapon for is going to be another PC, and they are intended to play a dragoon/jump-o-mancer build, likely intending to use a lance because of the X2 damage while charging/dropping 10 feet. A lance is... not always the most practical weapon, and while digging through a few other books I recalled the Morphing property on P39 of magic item compendium...
I would be curious about what you think regarding a highly limited form of that, such as a specific related weapon size hand and class unlocking each 4 levels, such as a spear that can choose to change into a lance, halberd, short spear, trident. All relatively close in form.
Added Changing Lesser power.
Another possible thing I wanted to toss out, as the possibility of becoming a "set" of items rather than just a single item. Rather than morphing, being able to become a unified set of things such as a weapon, tool, armor, and a ring etc. This may be on the way to just being a self forging item or something if DIF is taken as well... As far as being a set, you have a feat for being two swords as it is, so it seemed like a possible option that I wanted to throw out.
Well, you can already do that with the other racial feat, Personal Item. Take it yourself, then have your cohort take it, and then your cohort's cohort takes it as well, repeat as necessary. Demands high level if you want lots of items, but being a full intelligent regalia is kinda of a high level conceptin my humble opinion.
Besides, although thematic, is there any real advantage? Youkai-Forged was only made because that school specifically depends on having said pair of blades. But otherwise being a full set by itself mostly simply means you're taking up more body slots for your wielder.
But ok, made it another feat.
