...and, then, my brain decided that I didn't get to be done with Codex II.
See, I was trying to figure out how exactly to attack the Warheart item issue--I don't want to just directly copy it if possible, and I'm trying to decide how I want the spellshape attack to work in there--when my brain betrayed me.
"You know," it said, "you put some Wondrous Items in Codex I, and no magic items in Codex II at
all. I guess
someone isn't dedicated to his current project."
"Like hell I'm not!" I roared at my brain, trying--in futility, as always--to punch it in the snout and thereby establish my dominance. "Just watch! The Warheart Items could go really well in Codex II! Yeah, there's going to be a magic items chapter in there, just for them!"
"An entire chapter, for just one thing?" my jerk of a brain asked.
...things rapidly went downhill from there. So, I guess I'm now semi-officially announcing that, at some point, the shaper's
lamen will be a thing. You'll be able to use a lamen to enhance your spellshape attacks like they were weapons, sort of like a necklace of natural weapons. Except that, instead of using the necklace of natural weapons way of doing it, the effects of a lamen will automatically apply to any spellshape attack you shape, unless you choose to suppress the lamen's effects. However, a lamen costs approximately twice as much as a similar weapon of the same total enhancement bonus.
I'll give it more thought and planning when I actually feel alive. As it is right now, I keep having to read the thread over again, as I keep almost-dozing-off. Basically, though, modifying your spellshape attacks will be a thing that you're capable of doing.
Update (11/26/11): So, some more thinking has occurred in those rare moments that my family allows me to myself. First of all, Still Spellshape is going to be removed--it's too good, and it lets you bypass too much.
Secondly, a new feat will be added. This is the feat that's going to let you craft the warheart-item-equivalents, as well as crafting lamen (lamens? Plural to be investigated). A lamen is going to work sort of like an ioun stone, in that it won't take up an item slot, but it probably won't circle your head. Base price currently undetermined.
It's going to work like enhancing an item, except that the enhancement bonus will apply on either checks made to overcome spell resistance or on attack rolls, depending on the spellshape attack. Moreover, there's going to be a specific list of enhancements, rather than just being any weapon effect.
There's also going to be a nice conversion setup that lets a crafter convert pre-existing bonuses to other bonuses, making it easier and cheaper to redesign your combat style.
Pricing is still up in the air, but I'm thinking 1.5 x the cost of a weapon with the equivalent bonus level. Spellshape attacks are a little better than weapons, after all, but I don't want it to be too cost-prohibitive.
Still trying to decide if there are any other sorts of magic item that should be included for spellshapers.
Update Again (11/29/11): So, I've written up the actual rules text for lamens and about a quarter of the special abilities. I just need to write up the other fifteen, figure out Spellheart Items, and write the feat.
I'm then planning to make a single "Items" thread, much as there's a single thread for feats. I expect to have it up this weekend or next.
Update the Third (11/30/11): Nothing new to report in the way of progress, as I fell asleep last night when I was planning to write more enhancements for lamens. However, I
have figured out how spellheart items are going to work.
Weapons will be capable of holding formulae that modify spellshape attacks, whereas armor will hold formulae that affect you or your allies, rather than splitting it on major and minor formulae. This allows armor that holds things like Brilliant Radiance, which makes more sense than a sword.
They will get enhancement bonuses in the same way that warheart items do, and they won't be conventionally enhanceable, also like warheart items.
However!
A spellheart weapon will not deal damage in the way that a normal weapon of its type will. Instead, it will always deal damage as though it was the spellshape attack contained in it. Moreover, spellheart items do not get an enhancement bonus to damage, and you do not add your Strength modifier to damage rolls with them.
In other words, a Warhammer of Crushing Slam won't deal 1d8 points of bludgeoning damage, with a x3 critical modifier. As a Crushing Stone weapon, it will deal damage as though it were a
rockslam attack shaped according to your shaper level. As a weapon of a 5th-level formula, it will have a +3 enhancement bonus to attack rolls, and it will have an initiator level of 9th. In total: +3 enhancement bonus on attack rolls, deals Xd8 points of bludgeoning damage, x2 critical modifier. Once per encounter, you can shape the Crushing Slam formula through the weapon.
That's for 28,000 gp, so, not bad. However! There is more. A spellheart weapon can be enhanced as though it were a lamen, which I'm going to have to figure out how to price. Since the weapon already has the enhancement bonuses, I can't just have it priced normally--you'd pay for some of the enhancement twice. I'm thinking you pay the amount necessary for the enhancement
increase. Thus, to enhance a spellheart weapon that already had a +3 enhancement bonus with an ability that costs a +1 bonus, you would pay the difference between +3 and +4--21,000 gp. (I'm also making this the case for further enhancing lamens that have already been enhanced, so yay for not having to pay XP costs for already-applied enhancements.)
This means that, technically, a spellheart weapon as a lamen works out as cheaper than a normal lamen. However, since the lamen enhancements would only apply to spellshape attacks channeled through the weapon, I'm okay with that. Also gives something nice to spellshape champions, so, yay.
Spellheart armor has its spell failure chance reduced by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus increased by 2, and armor check penalty decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0). This stacks with, say, being made of mithril, allowing for goodness.
The Updates Never End (11/30/11): Scratch much of what was said in the above update about spellheart weapons and armor. Weapons will work like normal weapons of their kind, with an enhancement bonus to attacks and damage based on formula level. Strength will apply to damage as normal, and all attributes will be...well...normal. Except that, as a free action, you can choose to verb the energies of the spellshape attack, causing the weapon to deal damage as though you were channeling the appropriate spellshape attack through it. Once per encounter, you can shape the formula inside the weapon.
If you have the ability to actually channel a spellshape attack through a weapon (because you're a spellshape champion), you can
choose, when channeling a spellshape attack, to have the weapon deal damage appropriate for the spellshape attack, rather than for the weapon. In such a case, it will basically work like a spellforged weapon.
Spellheart weapons
will be enhanceable as lamens, but the enhancements will only apply when you're channeling a spellshape attack through the weapon as described in the paragraph above.
Spellheart armor is just armor with a formula inside it and an enhancement bonus. No reduction of arcane spell failure chance or armor check penalty, and no increase of maximum Dexterity bonus.
Making a spellheart item will be a process of enhancement, not forging.
Things Left to Do:- Write the rest of the lamen enhancements. They've all been planned, I just need to get off my ass and write.
- Write up the rules for spellheart weapons and armor. If possible, also come up with a better name.
- Format Chapter 6 in terms of introduction, descriptions, and what have you.
- Post!
