Vorpal (Melee Weapon Magic Property)

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Vorpal

• Price: +5 bonus
• Aura strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Weight —

This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing melee weapon.

Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent's head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off.

To simulate this, on a natural 20 confirmed critical, a Vorpal weapon inflicts an amount of damage equal to the Bloodied value of the foe that was struck. IE, half the total hit points of the victim. If this is enough to kill the creature, its head was struck off. If not, it was merely a terrible gash to the neck or some other vital part.

Note: Creatures that are immune to critical damage still take normal critical damage on all confirmed criticals from a Vorpal weapon, but they are not affected by the Vorpal Strike for the Bloodied value.

• Creator feat, circle of death, keen edge; Cost +5 bonus