Switch Blade (3.5e Equipment)
Switch Blade: The name is a misnomer and explains why this weapon has not been located despite numerous attempts. A wizard named Rengir the bold gave this weapon to King Andu. Only a few murals depict the late King with this heavy mace in his hand and later images show a short sword or a longsword. The artists refused to believe that the 'switch blade' was a heavy mace. There are rumors that King Andu was also given a set of armor from the same wizard with similar metallic changing properties.
This +3 heavy mace has the same basic features of a typical heavy mace with an all-metal composite, however, that is where the similarities end. In its natural state the weapon has 12 hardness and 30 hp, reflecting the various metals used to forge it. Depending on how the light hits the heavy mace, various hues and colors can be seen. This chameleon color can be hidden with Weapon Black or by concealing it.
Turning the handle in one direction exposes small spikes on the head of the weapon. This makes the weapon similar to a morningstar, dealing bludgeoning and piercing damage. Turning the handle the other direction will expose four small, semi-circular blades. This makes the weapon deal bludgeoning and slashing damage. There is no method of making this weapon deal bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing or piercing and slashing damage.
Three times per day the Switch Blade can determine a creature's vulnerabilities and resistances similar to the spell Know Vulnerabilities. This is a bit different since the wielder does not gain any knowledge from this ability. Also, this ability ignores spell resistance and does not allow a saving throw for the creature in question. Spells that prevent divination spells, however, block this ability. If there are resistances and vulnerabilities, the weapon will adapt and change metallic composition like the spell Conversion or imbue the weapon with a specific energy type as per spell Weapon of Energy.
For example, if used on an iron golem, the weapon will know that it has construct traits, damage reduction 50/+3, is slowed instead of damaged by electricity, is healed instead of damaged by fire, and is vulnerable to rust attacks. The known vulnerability can not be reproduced by this weapon, so the weapon will be imbued with an energy attack (either acid, cold, or sonic damage). If used on a balor, the weapon will know that it has damage reduction 30/+3, spell resistance 28, is immune to poison and electricity, has acid, cold, and fire resistance 20, and does not have any particular vulnerabilities. The weapon will be imbued with the sonic energy attack since there is no known vulnerability and sonic is the only energy type not resisted.
If multiple energy types are equally effective, the weapon will choose one of the most effective types at random. If the creature's resistances and vulnerabilities change through magic then the weapon will adapt to the new change as long as the duration for the ability hasn't expired. The imbued energy attack lasts for one turn and the metal retains the converted property for 10 minutes or when the weapon is no longer grasped.
Here are some of the metallic properties it can assume (the DM can add/delete or switch some out to fit the campaign).
Faint Transmutation;CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Conversion, Energy Vulnerability, Know Vulnerabilities, Weapon of Energy; Cost 19,011 gp + 2,133 XP; Weight: 8.4 lb.; Market Price: 38,022 gp
Switch Blade:
| Material | Notes | Hardness | Hitpoints | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurorum | item sundered can be reformed as a full round action | 10 | 30 | BoED |
| Baatorian Green Steel | slashing or piercing weapons deal 1 extra point of damage | 12 | 30 | AEG |
| Cold Iron | weapons overcome DR/cold iron | 10 | 30 | DMG |
| Darksteel | weapons do +1 electrical damage | 10 | 30 | MoF |
| Dlarun | weapons do +1 cold damage | 10 | 30 | MoF |
| Fever Iron | weapons do +1 fire damage | 12 | 30 | MoF |
| Frystalline | weapon treated as good for overcoming DR | 10 | 15 | BoED |
| Glassteel | difficult to spot at distance, weighs half as much | 20 | 40 | RoF |
| Gold | weapons treated as heavy weapons, weighs twice as much | 10 | 30 | MoF |
| Living Metal | heals 1 damage/minute | 12 | 30 | MoF |
| Mithral | weighs half as much | 15 | 30 | DMG |
| Pearlsteel | weighs 25% less than normal, weapons attack better and do more damage underwater | N/A | N/A | Storm |
| Platinum | weapons treated as heavy weapons, weighs twice as much | 10 | 30 | MoF |
| Reinforced Silver | weapons overcome DR/silver and do +1 damage to such creatures | 10 | 30 | MoF |
| Starmetal | weapons bypass hardness less than 20 and do +1D6 damage to extraplanar creatures on the Material Plane | 20 | 40 | CA |
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