Creating a Weapon for a friend. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating a Weapon for a friend. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BaldEagle78
11-13-06, 03:45 PM Hello,

I have a friend that would like me to create a weapon for him. For simplicity lets say a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword. I have a couple questions.

First, Can you place two elemental effects such as these on the same weapon?

Second, Under the rules for pricing a magic weapon it says, from the SRD:

Multiple Similar AbilitiesFor items with multiple similar abilities that don’t take up space on a character’s body use the following formula: Calculate the price of the single most costly ability, then add 75% of the value of the next most cosly ability, plus one-half the value of any other abilities.

So if possible would this be priced as a normal +3 weapon, or would the price be greater (and if so how much)?

It seemd to me that this would be sort of stretching the intent of the rules a little. Just wondering what everyone else thinks.

Thanks,
BaldEagle78
BaldEagle78
11-13-06, 03:49 PM Actually I misread that rule, so I guess all I really need to know is can a weapon with multiple elements (each giving +1d6 damage) be made?

Thanks
supernerd8916
11-13-06, 04:00 PM Actually I misread that rule, so I guess all I really need to know is can a weapon with multiple elements (each giving +1d6 damage) be made?

Yes.

I have a friend that would like me to create a weapon for him. For simplicity lets say a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword. I have a couple questions.
Out of curiosity, how much more complicated can it get?
BaldEagle78
11-13-06, 04:05 PM Out of curiosity, how much more complicated can it get?

you know, I don't guess it can really.
Quixotico
11-13-06, 05:23 PM *Goes for complication*

What would be the price of a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword that can have either the Flaming or Shocking ability active, but not both at the same time?
RavenDrake
11-13-06, 08:58 PM The price for making weapons and armour are actually very, very simple as long as you ONLY use the standard enhancements found in the books(instead of adding special effects like the specific weapons or trying to tack on x/Day spell abilities.)

There is a chart of weapon prices for +1 through +10. A weapon or armour can never have more than a +5 enhancement bonus, and it's Total Enhancement Value can never be more than +10. (Note, this is simply because exceeding either of those pushes the weapon to epic levels which exponentially increases the prices, and should generally not be allowed in a non-epic game). Weapons and Armour have thier own rules that generally exclude other priceing guidelines.

For your example of a +1 Flame, Shock Greatsword. Flameing and Shock are both listed with a market price of +1. The greatsword itself is +1. That means the weapon costs the same as a +3 bonus weapon. Consult the chart in the Magic Weapons and Armour section of the DMG for the price of a +3 weapon (18,000gp). Your weapon would cost a total of 18,350gp, including the price of the Masterwork Greatsword(350gp).

There are some enhancements(notably the elemental protection enhancements for armour and shields) that have a flat cost in thier price section rather than an enhancement bonus value. These simply add the listed value to the weapons market price and have no effect on the weapons enhancment value totals.

The "Multiple similar abilities" blip you quoted was for designing a brand new wonderous item, rod, or perhaps a unique specific weapon or armour that can't be constructed by the listed weapons and armour creation rules(Such as the Specific weapon Flametongue, which has a special spell-like attack). Those rules are much more complex and subjective than the basic weapons and armour rules. But for creating weapons from only the printed enhancements you only need to determine the Total Enhancement Enhancement bonus and add the price of weapon with that bonus to any flat-fee market price increase effects to determine the effective market price of a weapon. (note that to create a weapon of that type you need only to pay half the market price value in gp in raw materials and 1/25 that market price value in XP).

As for createing a weapon that can be one or the other(or even both), All of the elemental effects (Flameing, frost, shock, and thier burst equivilents) are all Command Word Activated. All of the elemental effects can be active at the same time.

The rules on command words are pretty loose(so long as it always takes a standard action to activate or deactivate an effect or bank of effects) so you're pretty much within your rights to give the weapon several activation words. One word activates or deactivates all of the effects, and another word specifically activates only one of the effects. Talk to your DM about setting up special command word options like that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BaldEagle78 11-13-06, 03:45 PM	Hello, I have a friend that would like me to create a weapon for him. For simplicity lets say a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword. I have a couple questions. First, Can you place two elemental effects such as these on the same weapon? Second, Under the rules for pricing a magic weapon it says, from the SRD: Multiple Similar AbilitiesFor items with multiple similar abilities that don’t take up space on a character’s body use the following formula: Calculate the price of the single most costly ability, then add 75% of the value of the next most cosly ability, plus one-half the value of any other abilities. So if possible would this be priced as a normal +3 weapon, or would the price be greater (and if so how much)? It seemd to me that this would be sort of stretching the intent of the rules a little. Just wondering what everyone else thinks. Thanks, BaldEagle78
BaldEagle78 11-13-06, 03:49 PM	Actually I misread that rule, so I guess all I really need to know is can a weapon with multiple elements (each giving +1d6 damage) be made? Thanks
supernerd8916 11-13-06, 04:00 PM	Actually I misread that rule, so I guess all I really need to know is can a weapon with multiple elements (each giving +1d6 damage) be made? Yes. I have a friend that would like me to create a weapon for him. For simplicity lets say a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword. I have a couple questions. Out of curiosity, how much more complicated can it get?
BaldEagle78 11-13-06, 04:05 PM	Out of curiosity, how much more complicated can it get? you know, I don't guess it can really.
Quixotico 11-13-06, 05:23 PM	Goes for complication What would be the price of a +1 Flaming Shock Longsword that can have either the Flaming or Shocking ability active, but not both at the same time?
RavenDrake 11-13-06, 08:58 PM	The price for making weapons and armour are actually very, very simple as long as you ONLY use the standard enhancements found in the books(instead of adding special effects like the specific weapons or trying to tack on x/Day spell abilities.) There is a chart of weapon prices for +1 through +10. A weapon or armour can never have more than a +5 enhancement bonus, and it's Total Enhancement Value can never be more than +10. (Note, this is simply because exceeding either of those pushes the weapon to epic levels which exponentially increases the prices, and should generally not be allowed in a non-epic game). Weapons and Armour have thier own rules that generally exclude other priceing guidelines. For your example of a +1 Flame, Shock Greatsword. Flameing and Shock are both listed with a market price of +1. The greatsword itself is +1. That means the weapon costs the same as a +3 bonus weapon. Consult the chart in the Magic Weapons and Armour section of the DMG for the price of a +3 weapon (18,000gp). Your weapon would cost a total of 18,350gp, including the price of the Masterwork Greatsword(350gp). There are some enhancements(notably the elemental protection enhancements for armour and shields) that have a flat cost in thier price section rather than an enhancement bonus value. These simply add the listed value to the weapons market price and have no effect on the weapons enhancment value totals. The "Multiple similar abilities" blip you quoted was for designing a brand new wonderous item, rod, or perhaps a unique specific weapon or armour that can't be constructed by the listed weapons and armour creation rules(Such as the Specific weapon Flametongue, which has a special spell-like attack). Those rules are much more complex and subjective than the basic weapons and armour rules. But for creating weapons from only the printed enhancements you only need to determine the Total Enhancement Enhancement bonus and add the price of weapon with that bonus to any flat-fee market price increase effects to determine the effective market price of a weapon. (note that to create a weapon of that type you need only to pay half the market price value in gp in raw materials and 1/25 that market price value in XP). As for createing a weapon that can be one or the other(or even both), All of the elemental effects (Flameing, frost, shock, and thier burst equivilents) are all Command Word Activated. All of the elemental effects can be active at the same time. The rules on command words are pretty loose(so long as it always takes a standard action to activate or deactivate an effect or bank of effects) so you're pretty much within your rights to give the weapon several activation words. One word activates or deactivates all of the effects, and another word specifically activates only one of the effects. Talk to your DM about setting up special command word options like that.