How do you calculate weapon costs? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How do you calculate weapon costs? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Richard_the_Garrulous
09-28-06, 06:22 PM My DM says that to enchant a weapon with something like keen costs 8,000 gp. I pointed out that to add a plus one enchantment (or its equivalent) is just 2000 gp. His argument was something about how it was really a plus two enchantment because I first had to add a +1 enchantment before giving it a special ability. Yet, I'm pretty sure the only requirement to enchant a weapon is that it's masterwork.

To get to the point, if I want to buy a keen longsword (with no other special abilities or enchantments), does it cost 2315 gp or 8315 gp?
molten_dragon
09-28-06, 06:28 PM The rules state that you cannot add any modifications to a weapon (keen, energy damage, bane, etc.) unless it has a +1 or higher enhancement bonus.
Lorianne
09-28-06, 07:00 PM *nods*
I've had this argument with my players before, and your DM is right...

"In addition to an enhancement bonus, weapons may have special abilities. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify attack or damage bonuses (except where specifically noted). A single weapon cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents) higher than +10. A weapon with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus."

There's the RaW for you...
You can also find it on page 223 of the DMG, under "Magic Weapon Special Ability Descrpitions".
Cifer
09-28-06, 07:38 PM Nothing to add here. There are no magical weapons without a "true" +1 enhancement bonus.
However, you then have a +1 keen sword, not a keen sword - the bonus doesn't vanish somehow.
If you want keenness without paying the cost, get someone to cast keen blade or get improved critical.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Richard_the_Garrulous 09-28-06, 06:22 PM	My DM says that to enchant a weapon with something like keen costs 8,000 gp. I pointed out that to add a plus one enchantment (or its equivalent) is just 2000 gp. His argument was something about how it was really a plus two enchantment because I first had to add a +1 enchantment before giving it a special ability. Yet, I'm pretty sure the only requirement to enchant a weapon is that it's masterwork. To get to the point, if I want to buy a keen longsword (with no other special abilities or enchantments), does it cost 2315 gp or 8315 gp?
molten_dragon 09-28-06, 06:28 PM	The rules state that you cannot add any modifications to a weapon (keen, energy damage, bane, etc.) unless it has a +1 or higher enhancement bonus.
Lorianne 09-28-06, 07:00 PM	nods I've had this argument with my players before, and your DM is right... "In addition to an enhancement bonus, weapons may have special abilities. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify attack or damage bonuses (except where specifically noted). A single weapon cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents) higher than +10. A weapon with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus." There's the RaW for you... You can also find it on page 223 of the DMG, under "Magic Weapon Special Ability Descrpitions".
Cifer 09-28-06, 07:38 PM	Nothing to add here. There are no magical weapons without a "true" +1 enhancement bonus. However, you then have a +1 keen sword, not a keen sword - the bonus doesn't vanish somehow. If you want keenness without paying the cost, get someone to cast keen blade or get improved critical.