Fuma Shuriken

[antman120]

Fuma Shuriken
Type: Throwing/Slashing
Damage: 1d8
Range Increment: 15 ft
Weight: 10 lbs
Critical: 18-20
Hardness: 15/ 10hp
Cost: 20 gp

A fuma shuriken is an extremly large shuriken, almost 3 feet across. It does not break after being thrown like normal shuriken. It is an exotic weapon.

This is justa first draft, so any ideas and changes would be welcome.

 

[JimAde]

Balance-wise I think it's fine. Mechanically it's most similar to a thrown spear except:

Lower range increment (minus)
Slashing rather than piercing (wash)
18-20/x2 crit rather than 20/x3 (plus)

And it's heavier and more expensive. If anything, I'd wonder if it's worth the exotic weapon proficiency feat for a powergamer. Will anybody in your campaign get the proficiency for free (monks, maybe)? I think it's very cool flavor-wise.

What need are you trying to meet? Are you emulating something from a book/movie/story or is it just the cool factor?

 

[The Edge]

sounds a little like a chakram.

 

[antman120]

Monks will get the proficency for free. Do you think it would be okay to raise the damage to 1d10.

 

[The Edge]

I don't think I would. although I have thought that normal shuriken should do more, perhaps 1d3 or 1d4.

Maybe you could drop the cost by 5 or so.

 

[JimAde]

I wouldn't raise the damage either. As a thrown weapon it already allows strength bonus. I think it's fine as-is. Since the monk (who would presumably be the one using it) gets the proficiency without spending a feat, I think it's balanced as-is.

 

[antman120]

I'll keep the damage at 1d8. Should I change the range increment.

 

[JimAde]

I don't have a strong opinion either way. If you did change it, what would you change it to, 15 feet?

Someone who wants to specialize in it can always take Point Blank Shot and Far Shot. That would make any shot within 20 feet at +1, 20-30 feet at no modifier, 30-40 feet -1. And those are useful feats in general.

 

[The Edge]

As a thrown weapon it already allows strength bonus.

*thoughtful look*

Er sily question, I may have overlooked this all this time :\ . For the normal shuriken, Does strength apply to them as any other thrown weapon?

 

[JimAde]

*thoughtful look*

Er sily question, I may have overlooked this all this time :\ . For the normal shuriken, Does strength apply to them as any other thrown weapon?

From the SRD (emphasis added):

Thrown Weapons: Daggers, clubs, shortspears, spears, darts, javelins, throwing axes, light hammers, tridents, shuriken, and nets are thrown weapons. The wielder applies his or her Strength modifier to damage dealt by thrown weapons (except for splash weapons).

What a strength bonus means for a net I have no idea, but yes shuriken count. Ogre monks are nasty with them.