Ray Weapons in Eberron (3.5e Other)

Ray Weapons in Eberron
The artificers of Eberron have developed an entirely new class of weapon. Rather than relying on magically-sharpened blades or flaming arrows, they have developed weapons that harness the power of magic itself, unleashing it in devastating rays and beams.

A ray weapon is treated as a magical weapon (and a masterwork one), and can be enhanced normally with an enhancement bonus and special qualities. A ray weapon’s enhancement bonus applies to any ranged touch attacks made with it as well as to any damage rolls made with it, if there is any (if a ray weapon has a dice roll other than damage, such as the death ray’s negative levels or the healing from a wandgun loaded with a healing wand, the enhancement bonus does not apply to it). Any special qualities applied to a ray weapon apply normally to any attacks made with it, with one exception–qualities that deal damage, such as flaming or icy do not apply to ray weapons that do not deal damage. It is possible to create a +1 flaming implosion cannon, but creating a +1 icy death ray would be useless.

Many ray weapons must be charged with a spell or infusion before they can be fired. Charging a ray weapon is a move action, and the character charging the ray weapon must be able to touch it. However, once charged, the ray weapon will function for any wielder–not just the character who charged it. A spell cast from a wand, scroll, or similar magic item can be used to charge a ray weapon. In addition, some ray weapons are built with a chamber into which a pearl of power can be placed. The wielder can take a move action to recharge the weapon using the extra spell slot the pearl would normally allow them to recover (even if they cannot normally cast spells of that level).

Most characters treat ray weapons as Exotic Weapons, and must take the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat to become proficient. However, a character with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms) feat, or who has both the Craft Magic Arms and Armor and Craft Wondrous Item feats instead treats all ray weapons as martial weapons. Firing a death ray is a standard action. A ray weapon can be held and fired with one hand, unless otherwise specified. Ray weapons are extremely complex magical power sources, and as such require both the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat and the Craft Wondrous Item feat to create. SMW::off

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