Tools of the Trade
There are certain connotations we have when it comes to weapons. “Main character” hero-types wield longswords. Axes are for barbarians and others who are more concerned with dealing damage than protecting themselves. Hammers are for clerics and paladins. Scythes are for people who are a little too excited about necromancy.
What we sometimes forget is that a lot of these weapons have other purposes, and can be viewed in a whole different light. That hammer doesn’t have to be a weapon of divine justice: it may be a tool used to forge weapons and armor (or, more likely, pots and pans). That axe might be better suited for cutting down trees than giants. Today’s article presents three weapons that blur the line between tool and instrument of death, with abilities adventurers can still find very useful, but which have humble, blue-collar, working themes.
PICK OF THE MERRY MINER PRICE 53,308 gp
Slot none; CL 10th; Weight 6 lbs.
Aura moderate transmutation
These +3 keen adamantine heavy picks also function as a rod of metal and mineral detection, except that the range at which they can find minerals increases to 120 feet. Additionally, they are capable of confirming critical hits against objects and against any creature of the construct type, or which is primarily made of earth, rock, stone, metal, or a similar substance, even if that creature would normally be immune to critical hits or precision-based damage.
Finally, once per day, the wielder of a pick of the merry miner can touch the weapon to a natural stone or earthen surface (but not worked stone) and affect it as though by the spell passwall, except that the length of the passage created is up to 30 feet.
None of a pick of the merry miner’s unique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +4-equivalent weapon for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, keen edge, locate object, passwall
SMITHY’S HAMMER PRICE 22,312 gp
Slot none; CL 10th; Weight 5 lbs.
Aura moderate evocation
These heavy black hammers are prized as much for their ability to mend and protect as their capacity for destruction. Each smithy’s hammer functions as a +1 flaming warhammer. Additionally, by lightly banging the hammer on any metal object for 10 minutes, the smithy’s hammer can affect it as though by the spell mending, even repairing objects that have been broken into multiple pieces into a single, cohesive whole that is as good as when it was first forged. If the smithy’s hammer is used in this way on a weapon, shield, or suit of armor that is not damaged and is not of masterwork quality, it becomes masterwork for 1 hour.
Additionally, three times per day, the wielder of a smithy’s hammer can touch it to a single shield or suit of armor and speak a command word. If she does, she can transfer any amount of the smithy’s hammer’s enhancement bonus to the touched shield or suit of armor. This enhancement bonus does not stack with any existing enhancement bonus the shield or suit of armor may possess. The benefits last for 1 hour, or until the wielder touches the smithy’s hammer to the shield or suit of armor and speaks the command word again to end the effect.
Some of a smithy’s hammer’s unique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +3-equivalent weapon for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, flame blade, flame strike, or fireball,and magic weapon, mending
WOODSMAN’S AXE PRICE 38,310 gp
Slot none; CL 9th; Weight 6 lbs.
Aura moderate transmutation
These +2 keen plant-bane battleaxes have handles carved from great and majestic redwood trees, with rustic and hand-crafted leather grips. Though they are often found in the hands of giant slayers and others who routinely fight large opponents, they were originally created to aid lumberjacks in their daily work.
A woodsman’s axe ignores the hardness of wooden objects. Additionally, while it is held, its wielder suffers no penalty on Climb checks for climbing with one hand, and gains a competence bonus on Climb checks equal to the weapon’s enhancement bonus. Finally, whenever the wielder of a woodsman’s axe confirms a critical hit with it against a creature at least one size category larger than herself, she may make a trip combat maneuver against that creature as a free action, with a bonus on the check equal to 1 per 5 points of damaged inflicted by the critical hit. When performing a trip combat maneuver in this way, the wielder never provokes an attack of opportunity, and can trip creatures of up to any size category.
None of a woodsman’s axe’s unique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +4-equivalent weapon for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must have 5 ranks in the Climb skill, keen edge, summon monster I, telekinesis.