Minor Expansion to Enchant Magic Item - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Minor Expansion to Enchant Magic Item

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
MrCelsius
Jun 27, 2008 19:07:58 I intend to add the house rule that the Enchant Magic Item ritual can be used to transfer magical properties from one item to another. The receiving weapon must be a valid target for the abilities (no putting vorpal on a maul), all abilities must be transferred (no scraping +1 off of a +5), and if the recipient weapon already has magical properties, they're swapped to the donor weapon.

Thus a +3 lightning falchion and a nonmagical greatsword would create a nonmagical falchion and a +3 lightning greatsword, while a +4 lifedrinker greataxe and a +1 frost dagger would become a +4 lifedrinker dagger and a +1 frost greataxe.

The sole point of this is to preserve flavour and realism.
It preserves flavour by letting a given party member wield their weapon of choice (be it their grandfather's sword, a particular style of weapon, or a halberd they affectionately refer to as 'Vera') without being punished for it ('Hey, a +4 greatsword! Now you can upgrade from your +1 maul!' 'But I like wielding a maul! Oh well, disenchant it. If we find four more, I can make a single +4 maul...').
It preserves realism by keeping the fighter's favourite weapon from cropping up with suspicious frequency ('How come every time you need an upgrade to that spiked chain, we happen to come across an enemy who's wielding a better one than yours?' 'Uh... luck?').

Ultimately, I don't see any reason not to use this variant. As Joel and Mike were known to say; what do you think, sirs?
#2
greyscale1
Jun 27, 2008 20:47:13 Fair, but I would include 2 restrictions.

First a RP restriction: the item to be enhanced must be of significant quality. Basically just no heavily damaged mundane weapons or table legs getting lifestealing.

Residuum = to 5% the cost of the enchantment being moved.

True players should get this utility, but definitely not free, and definitely not overpriced. Just enough to keep them doing meaningful things with it rather than playing goofy enchantment swapping games.
#3
decivre
Jun 28, 2008 0:52:43 I would stack on a 25 gp cost (similar to the disenchant component cost), and require that the enchantments on either item can fit the item it'll be transferred to... you can swap a vorpal sword with a mundane club because vorpal clubs can't exist in accordance with the enchantment.

Also, put certain stipulations, like how the condition of the items are also swapped. If the player thought they could get around their magic weapon being broken by swapping the enchantment, laugh as the new weapon cracks in half and the old one reforms as new.
#4
MrCelsius
Jun 30, 2008 13:15:41
I would stack on a 25 gp cost

Yes, I definitely see the point to suggestions of a minor expense to this use of the ritual. Making it cost a modicum of resources will help reign in the 'for funsies' factor.

and require that the enchantments on either item can fit the item it'll be transferred to... you can swap a vorpal sword with a mundane club because vorpal clubs can't exist in accordance with the enchantment.

I think I covered this caveat already.

Also, put certain stipulations, like how the condition of the items are also swapped. If the player thought they could get around their magic weapon being broken by swapping the enchantment, laugh as the new weapon cracks in half and the old one reforms as new.

Haha, yep. I thought of this one about ten minutes after I posted, and decided to leave it and see if anyone else hit upon the same exploit.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 MrCelsius Jun 27, 2008 19:07:58	I intend to add the house rule that the Enchant Magic Item ritual can be used to transfer magical properties from one item to another. The receiving weapon must be a valid target for the abilities (no putting vorpal on a maul), all abilities must be transferred (no scraping +1 off of a +5), and if the recipient weapon already has magical properties, they're swapped to the donor weapon. Thus a +3 lightning falchion and a nonmagical greatsword would create a nonmagical falchion and a +3 lightning greatsword, while a +4 lifedrinker greataxe and a +1 frost dagger would become a +4 lifedrinker dagger and a +1 frost greataxe. The sole point of this is to preserve flavour and realism. It preserves flavour by letting a given party member wield their weapon of choice (be it their grandfather's sword, a particular style of weapon, or a halberd they affectionately refer to as 'Vera') without being punished for it ('Hey, a +4 greatsword! Now you can upgrade from your +1 maul!' 'But I like wielding a maul! Oh well, disenchant it. If we find four more, I can make a single +4 maul...'). It preserves realism by keeping the fighter's favourite weapon from cropping up with suspicious frequency ('How come every time you need an upgrade to that spiked chain, we happen to come across an enemy who's wielding a better one than yours?' 'Uh... luck?'). Ultimately, I don't see any reason not to use this variant. As Joel and Mike were known to say; what do you think, sirs?
#2 greyscale1 Jun 27, 2008 20:47:13	Fair, but I would include 2 restrictions. First a RP restriction: the item to be enhanced must be of significant quality. Basically just no heavily damaged mundane weapons or table legs getting lifestealing. Residuum = to 5% the cost of the enchantment being moved. True players should get this utility, but definitely not free, and definitely not overpriced. Just enough to keep them doing meaningful things with it rather than playing goofy enchantment swapping games.
#3 decivre Jun 28, 2008 0:52:43	I would stack on a 25 gp cost (similar to the disenchant component cost), and require that the enchantments on either item can fit the item it'll be transferred to... you can swap a vorpal sword with a mundane club because vorpal clubs can't exist in accordance with the enchantment. Also, put certain stipulations, like how the condition of the items are also swapped. If the player thought they could get around their magic weapon being broken by swapping the enchantment, laugh as the new weapon cracks in half and the old one reforms as new.
#4 MrCelsius Jun 30, 2008 13:15:41	I would stack on a 25 gp cost Yes, I definitely see the point to suggestions of a minor expense to this use of the ritual. Making it cost a modicum of resources will help reign in the 'for funsies' factor. and require that the enchantments on either item can fit the item it'll be transferred to... you can swap a vorpal sword with a mundane club because vorpal clubs can't exist in accordance with the enchantment. I think I covered this caveat already. Also, put certain stipulations, like how the condition of the items are also swapped. If the player thought they could get around their magic weapon being broken by swapping the enchantment, laugh as the new weapon cracks in half and the old one reforms as new. Haha, yep. I thought of this one about ten minutes after I posted, and decided to leave it and see if anyone else hit upon the same exploit.