Well... first off, hello dear Dumpshock

In a recent game a question concerning the Optional Spirit Power: Natural Weapons came up.

We were unsure about how to interpret the Powers text. (The Critter gains a weapon with Damage = to Force) and how this affects his Damagecode

Lets assume we have a Force 5 materialized Guardian Spirit with Natural Weapons.

We worked out two different Interpretations:

a) He gains an actual Melee Combat Weapon, meaning that his hits do Str/2 + 5 (Force) as every weapon in melee does

or

b) He gains a weapon that simply does 5 (Force) base damage + net hits

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So dear Dumpshockers, what is the correct interpretation for this scenario?

This one is the correct.

And welcome to Dumpshock chummer.

Thank you for the prompt answer!

This does mean, that I will start carring swords for my Einherjer' <.<

Yeah, the break-even point for Natural Weapon to pay off is pretty high. Lower-level Guardian spirits are better off picking up a firearms skill and grabbing an assault rifle.

Well, wait a second. Force is almost always going to be higher than STR/2, right? And P instead of S.

Anyway, I like the natural weapons of homunculi best. Take the stone homunculus for instance. : )

-glitch-

Yes, but handing a combat axe to the spirit makes his melee damage (force+2)/2+4, which is better damage then straight force up to force 10.

Yes but where is that combat axe coming from? Is that something a mage is carrying around waiting to hand to the spirit when he materializes? Don't spirits spend most of their time on the astral plane, where they can't carry equipment?

I always imagined that a spirit being armed with physical weaponry would be a very special case. And aside from guardian spirits, the idea of any spirits using weapons doesn't work for me on a flavor level. If a fire elemental touched a sword, the sword would just melt.

Anyway, regardless of the Natural Weapon situation, things like Elemental Attack and Engulf remain very viable options.

I agree with you on the rare part of arming Spirits, but since I currently play a Norwegian Giant Shaman, he does tend to carry around Weapons for his bound Guardians.
Not to mention that his brother, has a really annoying tendency to break his weapons.

Naturally, the Sight of two Giants walking down the streets of Seattle was... interesting to say the least. I am very thankful for the Shapechange spell by now!

You're right: the sight of a bear walking down the streets of Seattle is much easier on the eyes.