Sonic Weapon Song (1012)
The vast majority of nouns listed on the Weapon Guide of the play.net website [1] are available through the spellsong, with the most notable exceptions being the katana, naginata, claidhmore, and missile weapons. Some alternate nouns will still require a physical copy of the weapon in order to properly form the sonic equivalent.
Base abilities
- The base power of the created weapon is +10 AS (equivalent to an ora weapon); if the Bard swings at an undead creature, only this base value is used to determine the effective power of the weapon.
- When swung at a non-undead opponent, the Bard's training in SpellSongs will increase the power of the weapon: each two (2) Songs known will add one (+1) to the effective Enchant, to a maximum of a +35 weapon.
- Note that all spellsongs are counted in this, including the twelve for the Bard to actually cast this Song; a Bard who has just learned the spell will summon a weapon of
+10 + (12/2) == +10 +6 == +16 to AS. - Further note that a) rounding works (so learning one more spell would be 13/2 == +7) and b) spells known over the Bard's level do add in.
- Note that all spellsongs are counted in this, including the twelve for the Bard to actually cast this Song; a Bard who has just learned the spell will summon a weapon of
- Elemental flares of air--using the Impact critical table--are inherent to the weapon when swung at a non-undead opponent. Unlike "normal" elemental flares in more common weapons, the Sonic Weapon can and frequently does flare sequentially, on back-to-back swings. This makes the flares from the song among the most highly regarded flares in GemStone.
- In addition, a second chance of flaring is achieved when the Bard has trained even a single rank in Elemental Lore, Air; more ranks provide an increasing likelihood of the flare. This second chance is completely independent of the first, and has distinct messaging when triggered so the Bard will know whether the weapon has flared the "first" time or the "second" time if there is only one flare.
- All Sonic Weapons weigh 1/10 of a pound (16 coins), so the Bard receives a benefit towards encumbrance, as well.
Lore Benefits
- Elemental Lore, Air: The following training thresholds yield 3% additional chance for the secondary flare to activate: 3, 7, 12, 18, 25, 33, 42, 52, 63, 75, 88, 102. Note that the increase is continuous rather than discrete; each rank trained adds to the chance to flare.
Behind the Scenes: tactical considerations
Common thinking about Sonic Weapons typically revolves around the flares: use the smallest, fastest weapon possible and maximize the damage (and/or additional results such as stuns, severed limbs, or death) from the flares. To this end, Brawling weapons and small Edged or Blunt weapons--daggers, shortswords, cudgels, et cetera--are typically selected for use.
Large, slow weapons of the Two-Hand or Pole Arm types do benefit from the increased Enchant of knowing more spellsongs, and do have the flares; however, the primary benefit of those weapon styles lies in the raw initial damage being dealt by the weapon itself rather than the flares. (Some of the Brawling weapons can be swung twice in the same time it takes to swing a larger weapon once, which would be a total of four (4) chances for flares rather than only two (2).)
Making It Pretty
As a very welcome Christmas present, on 25 December 2005 GM Mestys announced that customized Sonic Weapons were possible. All such alterations must follow the standard alteration limits, including the 15/15/15 rule; a "long" or "show" description is permitted.
- Such alterations are available for Sonic Blade Song (1012) as well as for Sonic Armor (1014) and Sonic Shield Song (1009).
- Incant 1012 to bring forth your special weapon.
External Links
- Bard Base Spell Circle: Sonic Weapon Song, on Play.net