Here's an idea for implementing Drowcraft weaponry in S'samath and the Underdark. They would basically be for sale in the City as somewhat rare items with the following effects:
I'd like to give you all the opperunity to comment on this, and especially your thoughts on how this would affect the challenge rate balance of the environment in the Underdark. Or if you think this sort of thing is even desirabe to begin with!-Item material: Drowcraft
-Give +2 Enhancement or AC in the Underdark
-Only enhances a previously existing enhancement / AC bonus
-Lose effects in non Underdark areas
-Disintegrate in sunlight when on the surface during daylight hours
-Affects only these item slots: Cloak, Armour and Weapons
-Affects only items that are of the material: Drowcraft
-The effects are temporary, not permanent, so Merchants won't be confused and abused by thinking they are buying items with high permanent enchantments on them. But you won't be bothered by them expiring since they'll reapply immediately [compre with spells that give weapons temporary item properties, like holy avenger, or flame weapon]
-The Drow craft EB or AC bonus works properly in combat, giving only +2 over the regular version
-Gives messages for activation, deactivation and sunlight destruction
-No stacking with EB / AC item enhancing spells
-[Optional] Can be made to disintigrate by Daylight emitting spells?
-[Optional] Can be protected from Sunlight by a new Spell, and kept functional outside of the UD areas?...unless or until you get dispelled.
My thinking is that Drowcraft items would provide a boost for melee characters in terms of the total available Enhancement and AC bonuses. Is this too much? Or is it okay given that these weapons would be limited to Underdark areas only? (and are destroyed by sunlight)
Its just an idea and not a guarantee. But I am very certain we could implement this quickly enough if its okay.
The lore behind Drowcraft items: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061108a
A drowcraft weapon is energized by local earth nodes and the surrounding aura of faerzress. As long as it remains within an earth node or zone of faerzress, it grants its wielder a +2 luck bonus on attack and damage rolls, in addition to its normal enhancement bonus. Outside a faerzress zone (for example, aboveground), the weapon does not grant the luck bonus, but it otherwise works normally. A drowcraft weapon exposed to sunlight must make a DC 8 Fort save or dissolve utterly. A new save at the same DC is required for each day of exposure. Sheathed weapons or weapons exposed to indirect light (such as indoors) are still vulnerable to this effect, but a drowcraft weapon can be kept safe indefinitely inside a lead-lined case.
Special note regarding S'shamath: The City has no faerzress, but is situated on a big earth node. So Drowcraft items apparantly continue to work, but they can't be made in the City, which makes them scarce."
