Enc.: varies	IS: metal, hard	Aura:	XP: 10k	GP: 50k
Swords	-	Magic Items	-	DMG

Sword of Sharpness is a weapon which is treated as +3 or better for
purposes of who or what can be hit by it, even though it gets only +1
bonus "to hit" and on damage inflicted.

Its power is great, however, for on
a very high "to hit" die roll as shown below it will sever an extremity
-- arm, leg, neck, tail, tentacle whatever --
determined by random dice roll:
 

Opponent is	Modified score to sever*
normal/armored	19-21
larger than man-sized	20-21
solid metal or stone	21

    * Considers only the sword's bonus of +1.

A sword of sharpness will respond to its wielder's desire with respect to the light it sheds --
none, a 5' circle of dim illumination, a 15' light, or a 30' radius glow equal to a light spell.
<cf. Magic Weapons, WSG>

Q: Do Strength bonuses apply when using
vorpal or sharpness swords? The
DMG seems to suggest that they don't.

A: NO, they do not, for purposes of determining
the special effects of each.
The magic which gives them their special
powers cannot be affected by
strength or magical bonuses, other than
that contained in the sword itself. HOWEVER,
if the roll is low enough NOT to
trigger the special function, then all
other bonuses are added to determine
"to hit" and damage.
(Polyhedron #2)

Q: How do you determine which limb
is severed when the to-hit roll indicates
that a sword of sharpness has
severed an extremity?
A: The easiest way would be to assign a
number or group of numbers to each
extremity, then roll a die. A human, for
example, has five extremities (a head, two
arms, and two legs). Roll 1d10: 1,2 =
head; 3,4 = right arm; and so on. A lizard
man has six extremities (a head, four
limbs, and a tail), so you would roll 1d6.
You could create several complex tables
taking into account the reach of the weapon,
the facing of the target, and so on, but
why bother? (See the DMG, page 166, for
details.)
(146.12)

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