Counterintuitively,
Avoid Weapon Special Abilities that Inflict Damage
If your PC has been taking feats like Favored in House (ECS 53), and Least Dragonmark (mark of finding (ECS 64)) (ECS 53), and Skill Focus (Bluff) (PH 100) so he can better make Seduce to Learn Secret checks while the other PCs have been specializing in monster murdering, and they realize you aren't contributing much in a fight, explain that you'll need their help. As a swashbuckler (who doesn't cast spells) you were going to need it anyway. That's not an insult but a fact of mid- and high-level play.
You'll need their help because the first weapon special ability you add to your rapier is spell storing (DMG 225) (+1 bonus). No other weapon special ability scales for damage as well as it does because it scales with your party, one of whom should be happy to refill your +1 spell storing rapier free of charge at the end of a slow adventuring day. If you must fill your own tank, take ranks in the Use Magic Device skill and load your +1 spell storing rapier using a wand of combust [evoc] (SpC 50) (2nd-level spell at caster level 10) (300 gp/charge) or a wand of vampiric touch [necro] (PH 298) (3rd-level spell at caster level 20) (900 gp/charge) or a wand of another spell that the Comments will inevitably suggest.
It sounds like you're in a game wherein sources of magic items are restricted. If you aren't, also consider the weapon special ability bloodstone (MIC 29) (+1 bonus), which is like the weapon special ability spell storing that only holds the spell vampiric touch but the touch is modified by the feat Empower Spell (PH 93) for free. Seriously. Then add the weapon special ability power storing (MIC 40) (+1 bonus) if there's a psion available; my unfamiliarity with psionics means I don't know what's best, but there must be something awesome and Eberron is psionics-friendly. Then virtually guarantee your attack hits by adding the weapon special ability impaling (MIC 37) (+1 bonus).
If you are confined to the Dungeon Master's Guide for your weapon, the only other serious choices for damage are the weapon special abilities bane (DMG 224) (+1 bonus), picking whatever the DM's throwing at you a lot, and holy (DMG 225) (+2 bonus) or, y'know, unholy (DMG 226) (+2 bonus) if you're an evil swashbuckler: a lot of your foes will be evil (or good) anyway; punish them for it. If chasing just damage buy the weapon special abilities magebane (CAr 143-4) (+1 bonus) and vampiric (MIC 45) (+2 bonus) if allowed.
The flat +5 damage from the weapon special ability collision (MIC 31) (+2 bonus) is the best you're going to get, but also consider, if it's permitted, the weapon special ability fierce (AE 96) (+2 bonus) that lets the weapon's wielder to take a penalty to his Armor Class up to his Dexterity bonus to add the the penalty's absolute value as a bonus to the weapon's damage.
Although others may disagree, most of the other damaging effects from the DMG and elsewhere inflict energy damage that a high level creature's energy resistance will easily absorb, employ effects high level foes are often immune to (e.g. ability damage and ability drain, critical hits, negative energy effects), or have saving throw DCs that are too low to be viable.
Effects That Don't Inflict Damage, But Take a Look
The weapon special ability dispelling (MIC 33) (+1 bonus) et. al. will make you popular with your group even if you aren't inflicting a lot of damage. The same goes for the weapon special ability revealing (MIC 42) (+1 bonus), which eliminates miss chances for your party; in high-level play miss chances are commonplace, and everyone will thank you even if you hit only once.
The elemental power weapon special abilities from DMG2 254-5 et. al. range from a +1 bonus to a +4 bonus and permit summoning of an elemental of increasing size based on the bonus purchased. Being an elemental-summoning swashbuckler may sound strange, but the value of minions with cool powers can't be overstated--ask any necromancer.
I don't like abilities that allow saving throws nor do I like abilities relying on critical hits, but the weapon special ability prismatic burst (MIC 40) (30,000 gp) is an exception to both. The flat cost means it's possible to add it to a weapon that's already full of other bonuses. The weapon special ability sending (LE 152) (+4 bonus) is also valuable, despite only activating on a natural 20 and a successful critical roll; a no-saving-throw teleport effect versus a high-level foe is more likely to remove him from battle than almost any other effect, although by the time this is avaialable most foes should have a way of returning to the battlefield shortly.
I've not heard of a DM actually allowing the weapon special ability smoking (LD 180) (+1 bonus), but I suggest it because it exists. It's a defensive ability, but a spectactular one, and defensive abilities keep you alive long enough to use offensive abilities. The weapon special ability spellblade (PG 120) (6,000 gp) is just as cool; pick a targeted spell the DM loves, ignore it, and even huck it back at the caster.
The weapon special ability Keeper's fang (ECS 266) (+4 bonus) renders creatures you kill with the weapon unable to return from the dead via the spells "resurrection, raise dead, reincarnate, or similar effects"; the weapon becomes evil and makes you look like a jerk to some folks, but this is such a powerful ability in any typical Dungeons and Dragons campaign that its utility can't be ignored.
Don't Neglect Accessories!
A broken weapon made from aurorum (BE 38) (+4,000 gp) can be made whole as full-round action, but a weapon made from riverine (Sto 128) (+2,000 gp/lb.) is just immune to damage.
A weapon made from morghuth-iron (AE 14) (+4,000 gp) is constantly naturally poisonous, but the poison's saving throw DC is low, the weapon's wielder takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls with the weapon, and many high-level creatures are straight-up immune to poison. This is, however, far cheaper than many effects, and there's no use limit.
A weapon with the template pitspawned (DMG2 278) (+1,000 gp; 0 lbs.) grants the wielder a +2 bonus to critical rolls.
A wand chamber (Du 34) (100 gp; 0 lbs.) is a space in the weapon for a wand which can be used without drawing the wand; perfect if you've ranks in the Use Magic Device skill. A hilt hollow (Du 33) (300 gp; 0 lbs.) is a space in the weapon for a potion which must be extracted but it's easier than normal. Get both. An oil chamber (Du 33-4) (1,000 gp; 0 lbs.) is expensive, but can hold an oil of greater magic weapon [trans] (PH 251-2) (3rd-level spell at caster level 20) (DMG 230) (3,000 gp; 0.1 lbs.) or ghostoil (AE 34) (50 gp; 1 lb.). A triple weapon capsule retainer (CAd 121-2) (450 gp; 0 lbs.) holds 3 alchemical weapon capsules (CAd 122), which do everything from more damage to silvering your weapon on the fly.
You'll want a weapon with at least a +3 enhancement bonus (not just a +1 weapon with at least 1 additional +2 bonus or 2 additional +1 bonus weapon special abilities!) if planning to attach the most powerful augment crystals (MIC 221). Start with the crystal of return (least) (MIC 65) (300 gp; 0 lbs.) now if you've not the feat Quick Draw (PH 98) or another way to draw a weapon as a free action. Purchase more augment crystals as needed for the campaign.
Suggestions
All bets are off if the campaign allows more sources than these.
- A +1 bane (humans) holy spell-storing adamantine rapier (53,320 gp; 3 lbs.) if you can only use the Dungeon Master's Guide.
- A +1 bloodstone collision dispelling impaling prismatic burst spell-storing vampiric adamantine rapier (195,320 gp; 3 lbs.) if you can use the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Magic Items Compendium. Perspective: This weapon costs nearly two tons of gold.
The restriction on the 7th-level Sor/Wiz spell greater teleport [conj] (Player's Handbook 293) is that
you must have at least a reliable description of the place to which you are teleporting (such as a detailed description from someone else or a particularly precise map). If you attempt to teleport with insufficient information (or with misleading information), you disappear and simply reappear in your original location.
Ask the DM if there exists reliable descriptions that can be acquired that allow the spell greater teleport to reach the destination you want. Are there folks you can interview? Books to read? Tavern tales to absorb? Paintings to study? Sculpture gardens to enjoy? If a way of getting that reliable description exists, do what you must and find the destination that way.
If reliable descriptions don't exist, try scouting the area using an acquaintance.
If there's a creature with which you're familiar in or near the area to which you want to teleport, target that creature with the spell sending [evoc] (PH 275-6) (which is an evocation spell with no saving throw and that doesn't allow spell resistance), explaining to the target who you are, that you'll be casting the spell scrying [div] (PH 274-5) on him in just a minute, and that the creature is to fail the saving throw. The creature can do that.
Cast the spell scrying on the creature and study the area around the creature. If you can, do this a few more times to increase your familiarity. (Although the caster can't be Off Target with the spell greater teleport he still rolls on the chart for the 5th-level Sor/Wiz spell teleport [conj] (PH 292-3) when using the spell greater teleport because the possibility for a Similar Area or Mishap remain). Use this accumulated information as the destination for the spell greater teleport. Alternately, get all the information needed to use the spell greater teleport by targeting the acquaintance the 8th-level Sor/Wiz spell discern location [div] (PH 222).
If you can neither find a reliable description nor contact a friend, you're left with either getting a detailed description the hard way or getting a particularly precise map.
Getting a Detailed Description
First, find a creature who's been where you want to go. Then extract the detailed description from the creature's mind.
"What?!"
The DM's made it clear that no amount of book learnin' or other research will do. The only remaining (even semi-)reliable descriptions are the memories of creatures who have been to the destination to which you want to teleport. Have the caster who is going to cast greater teleport use one or more of the following spells on that creature.
- The 2nd-level Sor/Wiz spell vision of fear [div] (Dragon #333 73), for 24 hours, grants the caster firsthand knowledge (suitable for scrying attempts and teleport destinations) of the caster's choice of either the target's most recent fear or the target's greatest fear. Note: That's awfully specific, though, but waiting by the docks or the trading post and interviewing recent arrivals from the region might find a suitable target.
- The 3rd-level corrupt spell absorb mind [div] (Book of Vile Darkness 84), for 1 min./level, grants the caster, after eating a portion of the dead creature's brain, "the creature's memories and knowledge to some degree, so that she has a 25% chance of recalling any important fact known to the creature." Note: I house rule this to 1 attempt per minute. The spell often requires me to ad lib the ridiculous.
- The 6th-level Sor/Wiz spell probe throughts [div] (Spell Compendium 162), for as long as the caster concentrates up to 1 round/level, grants the caster the the ability to "learn the answer to one question per round, to the best of the subject's knowledge.... and the answers to those questions are imparted directly to [the caster's] mind."
- The 7th-level Clr spell brain spider [div] (SpC 38), for 1 min./level, grants the caster, among other choices, the ability to eavesdrop on another creature's thoughts and learn that creature's "thoughts and memories... in detail."
- The 9th-level Sor spell mindrape [ench] (BV 99) grants the caster the ability to "enter... the mind of a creature, learning everything that creature knows."
One of those should get a description that's sufficient for the spell's caster to also use the spell greater teleport, but it's possible the DM may rule it's also necessary to retain this information perfectly to teleport accurately. If that's the case, use the following spell.
- The 3rd-level Sor/Wiz spell magic memory [div] (Wyrms of the North column "Deszeldaryndun")1 grants the caster the ability to "absorb the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and/or textures of [the caster's] immediate environment and magically record them in... memory." Then the caster "can later share [the] experience with another willing living creature simply by maintaining direct physical contact and letting the memory replay." Note: Confirm first that the DM allows this method of memory retention to work with another creature's memory. (I allow it to do so in my campaigns.)
Obviously, the spell magic memory is also useful if the caster who acquired the information must relay that information to the caster of the spell greater teleport.2
Getting a Particularly Precise Map
The skill Gather Information has this covered. It says
If you want to find out about a specific rumor ("Which way to the ruined temple of Erythnul?") or a specific item ("What can you tell me about that pretty sword the captain of the guard walks around with?"), or obtain a map, or do something else along those lines, the DC for the check is 15 to 25, or even higher. (PH 74).
Emphasis mine.
I'm guessing it'll be that even higher. In fact, I'm guessing the DM will just say No. If that's the case, while there are other magical maps in D&D 3.X,3 what's needed is this one:
- The held item Keoghtom's spidery map (Dragon #359 72) (26,400 gp; 0 lbs.) grants the bearer the ability "concentrate upon the map, searching [his] mind for a location, creature, or object. The map then acts as a find the path spell, showing in great detail the shortest, most direct physical route to the specified destination. [The owner] can only use the map once per day, and all other paths or locations on the map appear as an ever-changing blurred mass of webs."
The spidery map uses an effect like the 6th-level Clr spell find the path [div] (PH 230)--which has no distance limitation--, and it provides a destination--the crucial yet poorly defined thing necessary for employing the spell teleport et al. ("The spell instantly transports you to a designated destination..."). Pick the creature you know or the artifact you're aware of and activate the map (borrow a map from a friendly contact if its cost exceeds your funds--you only need the map once).4 That should be sufficient to use the spell greater teleport to get you where you want to go.
Alternative Means of Investigation and Travel
The 6th-level Sor/Wiz spell scry location [div] (Complete Scoundrel 102) is nearly impossible lest one possesses some connection to the location to be scried. The 6th-level Sor/Wiz spell shadow walk [illus] (PH 277) only allows travel at 50 MPH (that's, like, a week-long road trip on the Plane of Shadow--have fun!), but a level 12 caster can employ the spell phantom steed [conj] (PH 260) to go faster than that, and the 7th-level nomad power dream travel [psychoportation] (Expanded Psionics Handbook 96-7) goes faster than that--but navigation's an issue with a poorly drawn continental map (e.g. "We're going to California!" doesn't actually narrow it down that much). The DM will probably demand a familiar destination for the spell plane shift [conj] (PH 262) et al. because if folks could use the spell plane shift twice rather than risk greater teleport once, I expect most folks would; ask the DM.5
"Why Is This So Difficult?"
The ability to teleport to places with which one's already familiar is incredibly powerful. That the spell greater teleport eliminates both the distance limit ("I can see the moon, right?") and the possibility of being Off Target really is sufficient to call the spell greater teleport. Adding the ability to teleport to places unseen--if reliable descriptions or particularly precise maps are easily acquired--hurts the verisimilitude of many campaigns.
It's also possible the DM wants the PCs to reach the destination the old fashioned way--booking passage on a ship and sailing away or hiring a guide and riding hard--rather than allowing the blind teleport. It could be it's the journey that counts, not the confrontation at the end.
You should probably ask the DM if he wants you teleporting there. Maybe the plot is the PCs getting to the destination.
The column appears not to be archived. Here's the spell.
Magic Memory
Divination [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You and one other living creature
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No
You absorb the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and/or textures of your immediate environment and magically record them in your memory for as long as you concentrate (up to 1 round/level). Anything that causes you to break your concentration ends the record. You can later share your experience with another willing living creature simply by maintaining direct physical contact and letting the memory replay. For as long as contact is maintained, that creature's senses perceive the earlier recorded environment. Once the memory is replayed, the spell ends, and the memory becomes a normal memory for both you and the target.
Arcane Focus: A mind flayer tentacle. Note: Fortunately, no gp cost. I didn't want hard-up-for-cash mind flayers selling their tentacles to the wizards' college.
The only other ways to get perfect memory in D&D 3.X that I'm immediately aware of are the prestige classes Jordain vizier (Shining South 33) and shadow scout (Oriental Adventures 44)--neither of whom are casters--and maybe the cerebrex (Dragon Compendium Volume 1 72)--whose eidetic memory is a numerical bonus instead of actual memory--, although there very well could be other prestige classes or an infusion, mystery, power, soulmeld, utterance, vestige, or something else that does so. The skill Autohypnosis (XPH 36-7) only allows memorization of "text..., numbers, diagrams, or sigils;" ask the DM if a map's a diagram.
- There's the map of unseen lands (MIC 164) (5,200 gp; 0 lbs.) and the greater and lesser underdark maps (DrU 77 and 76) (major and minor artifact; 0 and 1 lbs.)), for example.
- The spell magic memory works for memorizing the map, too. Unfortunately, the 0th-level Sor/Wiz spell amanuensis [trans] (SpC 9) "copies only nonmagical text, not illustrations or magical writings."
- Or not. You're in the DM's hands because of 5d% miles off one always is when using the spell plane shift (unless you've greater plane shift [conj] (SpC 159) and a previously visited location). There're not-nice folks on every plane; don't expect to arrive among pleasant folk unless the DM wants you to.
Best Answer
The one candidate that came to mind, the cataclysm mage of Explorer’s Handbook, does not do so. Its Dragonmark Secret allows a 10th-level cataclysm mage to manifest any least, lesser, or greater dragonmark they choose, but even they cannot control Siberys marks.
I would also recommend allowing them to qualify for things that specify the Least Dragonmark feat – as this is effectively shorthand for “having a true dragonmark,” typically used when a specific mark is required. The only place I would balk would be things that specifically rely on the powers of a specific mark level – Dragonmarked’s black dog prestige class makes no sense if you lack the spell-like abilities of the Least Dragonmark of Hospitality, since it expands on those abilities.
But overall it seems certain to me that “true dragonmark” is meant only to contrast with aberrant marks. This is definitely how the fluff refers to it. Unfortunately, I cannot find a mechanical statement to this effect.
It specifically refers to entering the class with those feats, while the bit about dragonmark heir specifies that you cannot ever enter it once you have heir of Siberys levels.
Also, RAW, the Dungeon Master’s Guide specifies that prestige class requirements must be met only to take the first level of a prestige class. No general rule specifies that requirements must continue to be met, though Complete Warrior and Complete Arcane do specify this for their own classes in a way that seems to try to apply generally (but cannot, by errata rules, and also because to do so would break classes, e.g. dragon disciple).
Finally, possibly worth noting: 4e eliminated the requirement that heirs of Siberys not already hold a dragonmark. This certainly implies that there need not be a conflict between Siberys marks and their inferior brethren.