custom hammer [Archive] - Wizards Community

custom hammer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
oskarblack
05-05-05, 07:08 AM i currently have great hammer but want to improve it. i dont know much about crating masterwork weapons so help is welcome. is there a section in the DM book on how to make masterwork weapons. i have 13000 gp to spend. my character is a cleric.
thanks.
chocobochicken
05-05-05, 08:41 AM What's a "great" hammer?

Masterwork weapons are easily explained in the Equipment chapter of the PHB. Any masterwork weapon costs an extra 300gp (for double-weapons, treat each end as a separate weapon), and grants a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls.

Crafting masterwork weapons is explained in the description of the Craft skill. You create the weapon like normal, but you also create a "masterwork component" as a separate (but simultaneous) skill check with a DC of 20.
Nuntius128
05-05-05, 10:42 AM What's a "great" hammer?

Probably a Goliath's Great Hammer, but medium sized.
NeueRegel
05-05-05, 10:47 AM Actually, to judge by his prose, I'm guessing that Oskarblack there honestly was just using the descriptive, not defining a weapon type. I think he meant only, "I have a hammer, and it's really great..."

My .02

NeueRegel
Nuntius128
05-05-05, 10:50 AM Actually, to judge by his prose, I'm guessing that Oskarblack there honestly was just using the descriptive, not defining a weapon type. I think he meant only, "I have a hammer, and it's really great..."

My .02

NeueRegel

Yeah, probably that, too.
chocobochicken
05-05-05, 11:20 AM I was curious. IMO, the system could really use a two-handed martial sledgehammer. :D
tarkin
05-05-05, 11:56 AM You mean like the Maul from Complete Warrior, without taking the EW feat?

1d10, 20x3, Hand and a half (Works like the bastard sword)
chocobochicken
05-05-05, 12:01 PM Heh.... I really gotta grab my own copy of that book one of these days. Thanks!
oskarblack
05-05-05, 06:05 PM sorry for the confusion i did mean great as in it was a good hammer. i've looked into making a masterwork hammer but it doesn;t seem that much better for the cost. so whats the most powerfull weapon i can get for 13000gp. i also need to know if there are explosives in DnD and if there is were can i find out about them.
thanks for help
Bluebrush
05-05-05, 07:00 PM Okay, let's see.

As noted, a Masterwork weapon costs 300gp on top of the base cost and grants a +1 to attack rolls. This is pretty good value for a low level character. Levels 2 to 5 are mostly okay with Masterwork weapons, but odds are you'll find a magic one soon enough.

For 13000gp you can get some magic weapons.

The magic weapon equation works thusly:
You take the cost of the masterwork weapon for a warhammer that's 312gp.
You work out the total bonus you want your weapon to have. This should include the cost of all enhancements. For instance a +2 bonus on a weapon costs the same amount as a +1 flaming weapon since "flaming" is a +1 enhancement. Note that before you add secondary effects, your weapon must have at least a base +1 enhancement. No +0 flaming weapons for instance.
Anyway. Work out the total effective bonus of the weapon, square it and multiply it by 2000 to get your price in gp. For example, a +3 warhammer costs (3*3*2000) + 300 + 12 for a total of 18312gp.

But that's not all. You can also use special materials for your weapon, like adamantine. These special materials cost extra but allow you to penetrate the damage reduction of certain kinda of enemies. For some of these materials, the cost of masterworking them is incorperated in the special material cost.

For 13000gp you could get, at most a +2 warhammer for 8312gp. Though you could also get an adamantine warhammer for 11012gp. Adamantine is fun since it allows you to ignore the hardness of most materials you're likely to encounter, so you can use it to smash through doors and stone walls with relative ease. Especially a good deal if you're keen on sundering.

A word of warning though. Sometimes it's best not to blow all your cash on a nifty weapon, especially if you're not a primary combatant. Don't forget you can get magic armour and wands and scrolls. All quite useful. But it's your character, do what you gotta do.

As to explosives, that's up to your GM. There's rules for firearms and explosives in the Dungeon Masters Guide, but they're strictly optional. Many GMs prefer not to use them.
You could look into Alchemist's Fire, which doesn't so much explode as set fire to things.

Edit: Also, on almost all rules questions, The System Reference Document is your friend. (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html)
Here's the links to info on Magic items (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItems.html), Creating magic items (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsCreation.html), Magic weapons and armour (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsAW.html) and Special materials. (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/specialMaterials.html)

Also, what sort of idea are you going for?
oskarblack
05-06-05, 02:54 AM thanks for the help. do you mean what sort of idea i had in mind for the explosives?
Bluebrush
05-06-05, 04:47 AM Well, I meant the hammer, but sure, ask what you want about explosives.
oskarblack
05-09-05, 03:24 PM ok i've had a look at making a master work weapon and am not getting very far so could someone make one for me? i want it to be based on a "great axe" the budget is about 20000gp
thanks
Begle1
05-09-05, 06:33 PM ok i've had a look at making a master work weapon and am not getting very far so could someone make one for me? i want it to be based on a "great axe" the budget is about 20000gp
thanks

The term "Master Work" applies to a very well crafted mudane weapon. Mechanically, every "Master Work" weapon is identical. By the rules as written (RAW), a Master Work Great Axe would cost 320 GP, have a +1 to hit and do 1d12 damage with a critical of 20X3. Every master work great axe will do the same damage, have the same weight and cost the same.

With 20,000 GP available, you can make an axe much more powerful than a masterwork version. With 20,000 GP, magical enhancements become available. A +2 Great Axe would cost 8,320 GP, have a +2 to hit and do 1d12+2 damage with a critical of 20X3. Alternately, for the same price you can have a +1 Flaming Great Axe, a +1 Keen Great Axe, a +1 Dragon Bane Great Axe, or a +1 Throwing Great Axe.

So what you really want is a magical great axe, not a masterwork great axe.

Then again, because you're a cleric, you might very well (i.e. probably) be better off with magical armor. Remember, your the most valuable one in the party. If you die, then they'll all probably die with you.
Colmarr
05-09-05, 06:46 PM Oskar, all a masterwork weapon does is give you +1 to attack rolls.

If you want anything better than that, you need to make it magical. That gets expensive.

With 13,000gp to spend, you probably want to look at something like a +1 (insert-favourite-enemy-here) bane warhammer, which costs 8,312gp. It adds +1 to attack and damage but against the chosen enemy (eg. undead, goblinoids, or giants) it instead adds +3 to attack and 2d6+3 to damage.

Pick whichever enemy type your PC really hates, or which is most prevalent in your DM's campaign.

Another good option is +1 frost/flaming/shock warhammer, all of which cost 8,312gp. Frost, flaming, and shock are abilities that add a bonus 1d6 cold, fire, or electricity damage (respectively) on a successful hit. The ability needs to be activated and de-activated as a standard action.

With 20,000gp to spend, I would recommend a +1 holy warhammer, which costs 18,312gp. Holy is a weapon ability that adds 2d6 to damage against evil creatures. Given that most of the things that PCs fight are evil, it's generally very good value for money.
BladeDrinker
05-10-05, 12:28 AM If you are playing in the Forgotten Realms, you can ask your DM if you can use the special materials in the book Magic of Faerun in your weapon.
oskarblack
05-10-05, 02:18 PM ok think im going to go for the holy weapon ability. is there anyway of making it easier to hit the enemy by increasing the attack stat.
BladeDrinker
05-10-05, 03:50 PM ok think im going to go for the holy weapon ability. is there anyway of making it easier to hit the enemy by increasing the attack stat.

You mean beyond an enhancement bonus?
Colmarr
05-10-05, 05:25 PM The only way to increase a weapon's attack bonus is by increasing its enhancement bonus (ie. +1, +2, +3, +4, or +5) or with the Bane property (which adds +2 to the existing bonus when the weapon is used against the relevant enemy type).

There are of course many ways to increase a PC's attack bonus.

[P.S. Good choice on the +1 Holy warhammer ;) . It adds +1 to attack rolls and does 1d8 + 1 damage (plus Str mod). Against evil creatures, it does 1d8 + 2d6 + 1 damage]

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
oskarblack 05-05-05, 07:08 AM	i currently have great hammer but want to improve it. i dont know much about crating masterwork weapons so help is welcome. is there a section in the DM book on how to make masterwork weapons. i have 13000 gp to spend. my character is a cleric. thanks.
chocobochicken 05-05-05, 08:41 AM	What's a "great" hammer? Masterwork weapons are easily explained in the Equipment chapter of the PHB. Any masterwork weapon costs an extra 300gp (for double-weapons, treat each end as a separate weapon), and grants a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls. Crafting masterwork weapons is explained in the description of the Craft skill. You create the weapon like normal, but you also create a "masterwork component" as a separate (but simultaneous) skill check with a DC of 20.
Nuntius128 05-05-05, 10:42 AM	What's a "great" hammer? Probably a Goliath's Great Hammer, but medium sized.
NeueRegel 05-05-05, 10:47 AM	Actually, to judge by his prose, I'm guessing that Oskarblack there honestly was just using the descriptive, not defining a weapon type. I think he meant only, "I have a hammer, and it's really great..." My .02 NeueRegel
Nuntius128 05-05-05, 10:50 AM	Actually, to judge by his prose, I'm guessing that Oskarblack there honestly was just using the descriptive, not defining a weapon type. I think he meant only, "I have a hammer, and it's really great..." My .02 NeueRegel Yeah, probably that, too.
chocobochicken 05-05-05, 11:20 AM	I was curious. IMO, the system could really use a two-handed martial sledgehammer. :D
tarkin 05-05-05, 11:56 AM	You mean like the Maul from Complete Warrior, without taking the EW feat? 1d10, 20x3, Hand and a half (Works like the bastard sword)
chocobochicken 05-05-05, 12:01 PM	Heh.... I really gotta grab my own copy of that book one of these days. Thanks!
oskarblack 05-05-05, 06:05 PM	sorry for the confusion i did mean great as in it was a good hammer. i've looked into making a masterwork hammer but it doesn;t seem that much better for the cost. so whats the most powerfull weapon i can get for 13000gp. i also need to know if there are explosives in DnD and if there is were can i find out about them. thanks for help
Bluebrush 05-05-05, 07:00 PM	Okay, let's see. As noted, a Masterwork weapon costs 300gp on top of the base cost and grants a +1 to attack rolls. This is pretty good value for a low level character. Levels 2 to 5 are mostly okay with Masterwork weapons, but odds are you'll find a magic one soon enough. For 13000gp you can get some magic weapons. The magic weapon equation works thusly: You take the cost of the masterwork weapon for a warhammer that's 312gp. You work out the total bonus you want your weapon to have. This should include the cost of all enhancements. For instance a +2 bonus on a weapon costs the same amount as a +1 flaming weapon since "flaming" is a +1 enhancement. Note that before you add secondary effects, your weapon must have at least a base +1 enhancement. No +0 flaming weapons for instance. Anyway. Work out the total effective bonus of the weapon, square it and multiply it by 2000 to get your price in gp. For example, a +3 warhammer costs (332000) + 300 + 12 for a total of 18312gp. But that's not all. You can also use special materials for your weapon, like adamantine. These special materials cost extra but allow you to penetrate the damage reduction of certain kinda of enemies. For some of these materials, the cost of masterworking them is incorperated in the special material cost. For 13000gp you could get, at most a +2 warhammer for 8312gp. Though you could also get an adamantine warhammer for 11012gp. Adamantine is fun since it allows you to ignore the hardness of most materials you're likely to encounter, so you can use it to smash through doors and stone walls with relative ease. Especially a good deal if you're keen on sundering. A word of warning though. Sometimes it's best not to blow all your cash on a nifty weapon, especially if you're not a primary combatant. Don't forget you can get magic armour and wands and scrolls. All quite useful. But it's your character, do what you gotta do. As to explosives, that's up to your GM. There's rules for firearms and explosives in the Dungeon Masters Guide, but they're strictly optional. Many GMs prefer not to use them. You could look into Alchemist's Fire, which doesn't so much explode as set fire to things. Edit: Also, on almost all rules questions, The System Reference Document is your friend. (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html) Here's the links to info on Magic items (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItems.html), Creating magic items (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsCreation.html), Magic weapons and armour (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsAW.html) and Special materials. (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/specialMaterials.html) Also, what sort of idea are you going for?
oskarblack 05-06-05, 02:54 AM	thanks for the help. do you mean what sort of idea i had in mind for the explosives?
Bluebrush 05-06-05, 04:47 AM	Well, I meant the hammer, but sure, ask what you want about explosives.
oskarblack 05-09-05, 03:24 PM	ok i've had a look at making a master work weapon and am not getting very far so could someone make one for me? i want it to be based on a "great axe" the budget is about 20000gp thanks
Begle1 05-09-05, 06:33 PM	ok i've had a look at making a master work weapon and am not getting very far so could someone make one for me? i want it to be based on a "great axe" the budget is about 20000gp thanks The term "Master Work" applies to a very well crafted mudane weapon. Mechanically, every "Master Work" weapon is identical. By the rules as written (RAW), a Master Work Great Axe would cost 320 GP, have a +1 to hit and do 1d12 damage with a critical of 20X3. Every master work great axe will do the same damage, have the same weight and cost the same. With 20,000 GP available, you can make an axe much more powerful than a masterwork version. With 20,000 GP, magical enhancements become available. A +2 Great Axe would cost 8,320 GP, have a +2 to hit and do 1d12+2 damage with a critical of 20X3. Alternately, for the same price you can have a +1 Flaming Great Axe, a +1 Keen Great Axe, a +1 Dragon Bane Great Axe, or a +1 Throwing Great Axe. So what you really want is a magical great axe, not a masterwork great axe. Then again, because you're a cleric, you might very well (i.e. probably) be better off with magical armor. Remember, your the most valuable one in the party. If you die, then they'll all probably die with you.
Colmarr 05-09-05, 06:46 PM	Oskar, all a masterwork weapon does is give you +1 to attack rolls. If you want anything better than that, you need to make it magical. That gets expensive. With 13,000gp to spend, you probably want to look at something like a +1 (insert-favourite-enemy-here) bane warhammer, which costs 8,312gp. It adds +1 to attack and damage but against the chosen enemy (eg. undead, goblinoids, or giants) it instead adds +3 to attack and 2d6+3 to damage. Pick whichever enemy type your PC really hates, or which is most prevalent in your DM's campaign. Another good option is +1 frost/flaming/shock warhammer, all of which cost 8,312gp. Frost, flaming, and shock are abilities that add a bonus 1d6 cold, fire, or electricity damage (respectively) on a successful hit. The ability needs to be activated and de-activated as a standard action. With 20,000gp to spend, I would recommend a +1 holy warhammer, which costs 18,312gp. Holy is a weapon ability that adds 2d6 to damage against evil creatures. Given that most of the things that PCs fight are evil, it's generally very good value for money.
BladeDrinker 05-10-05, 12:28 AM	If you are playing in the Forgotten Realms, you can ask your DM if you can use the special materials in the book Magic of Faerun in your weapon.
oskarblack 05-10-05, 02:18 PM	ok think im going to go for the holy weapon ability. is there anyway of making it easier to hit the enemy by increasing the attack stat.
BladeDrinker 05-10-05, 03:50 PM	ok think im going to go for the holy weapon ability. is there anyway of making it easier to hit the enemy by increasing the attack stat. You mean beyond an enhancement bonus?
Colmarr 05-10-05, 05:25 PM	The only way to increase a weapon's attack bonus is by increasing its enhancement bonus (ie. +1, +2, +3, +4, or +5) or with the Bane property (which adds +2 to the existing bonus when the weapon is used against the relevant enemy type). There are of course many ways to increase a PC's attack bonus. [P.S. Good choice on the +1 Holy warhammer ;) . It adds +1 to attack rolls and does 1d8 + 1 damage (plus Str mod). Against evil creatures, it does 1d8 + 2d6 + 1 damage]