Enc.: varies	IS: varies	Aura:	XP: + 4400 <>	GP: + 22k (+ 4,400 ch'ien) <>
Miscellaneous Weapons	-	<8Magic Items8>	-	DMG

Dancing: This weapon appears to be a + 2 weapon and is + 2 to hit and damage when held by the character.

However, upon uttering the command word, the MA weapon leaps to life, whirling and
flashing through the forms of the character's combat style.
It has the number of attacks equal to the character's martial arts style and has the same chance to hit as the character.
Before the command word can be spoken, the character must have fought with the weapon in the preceding combat round.
The weapon will not stray more than five feet from the character and will fight for 2-5 rounds and then instantly return to its owner's hands.
The command word can only be used once every TURN.
Obviously, this weapon does not function unless the character is proficient in a martial arts style that teaches the weapon's USE.

see Dancing Blade +
 

Enc.: varies	IS: metal, hard	Aura:	XP: 4400	GP: 22k
Swords	-	<8Magic Items8>	-	DMG

<font?>[USE] After 4 rounds of melee its wielder can opt to allow it to "dance".
"Dancing" consists of loosing the sword on any round when its bonus is + 1.
The sword then fights at the same level of experience as its wielder, doing so for 4 rounds.

<> Thereafter, it must again be grasped, as it returns to its wielder,
i.e. it is loosed to "dance" far 4 rounds, going from + 1 to +4,
and must be again held by its wielder at a + 1 stage and physically used for 4 successive rounds of melee combat.

<Dancing:> When "dancing", the sword will leave its owner's hand and may be up to 3" distant,
and at the end of its 4th round of solo combat it will move to its possessor's hand automatically.
Note that when "dancing" the sword cannot be physically hit,
although certain magic attacks such as a fireball, lightning bolt, or transmute metal to wood could affect it <short item save note, & link>.

Finally, remember that the dancing sword fights alone at the same level (and class) of its possessor --
if a 4th level fighter, the sword fights alone exactly the same;
if a 7th level thief is the wielder, the sword will so fight when "dancing".

Thus relieved of his or her weapon for 4 melee rounds, the possessor may act in virtually any manner
desired, as dictated by circumstances, and so long as he or she remains within 3" or less of the sword
(otherwise it falls "lifeless" to the ground and is a + 1 weapon when again grasped).
The possessor can rest, discharge missiles, draw another weapon and engage in hand-to-hand combat, etc.
 
 

DMPrata wrote:

Thanks, Gary. One more, if I may.... 

It is generally advised for the DM not to reveal the specific functions of magic items to the players, leaving them to discover an item's powers through experimentation. Thus, no DM should blurt out, "You found a sword +5!" How, then, would you recommend adjudicating the use of a defender sword? The basic operation of the item (assigning some of its "plusses" to one's AC) requires the player to have specific knowledge of the sword's numerical bonus. My PCs have just found one, and I'm not sure how to go about revealing this information. Do you have any suggestions for the perplexed DM? 

(Dare I say, I'm at sixes and sevens over this point....)
 

Heh...

Sure:) Have runes or like inscriptions in a most arcane language engraved somewhere on the sword.
If the party takes it to some NPC that can decipher that writing and they are willing to pay, and pay plenty, for his services, they learn the secret.
Otherwise, it remains a weapon of normal sort that has a magical aura...perhaps as iof someone had cast a low-level spell on it to dupe others.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Hmmm...

I wonder what part of, "Have arcane runes or glyphs written on a weapon, and only a paid sage or mage can read/interpret them correctly," was not understood.

I don't care of a +6 Defender is in question.
They need to have it deciphered in order to use it 

Gary