Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 j2.504 Jul 15, 2010 17:23:19	Okay, work with me on this... Let's say we have a specific magic weapon (or armor, etc.).  It has properties that aren't normally available as a generic weapon (or armor) property.  How do I compute/factor this when adding other enhancment based properties? I need to know for two reasons: 1)  A weapon becomes "epic" if the total enhancement bonuses exceeds a certain number. 2)  Most importantly, I need to figure out how to price the next added enhancement bonus. I'll provide a working example to help you to understand what I mean: Let's say you have an Assassin Whip (savage species page 48-49).  It's a standard +1 whip, but has a few other powers.  The total cost is $11021 gp. Here's the question:  Let's say I want to add another +1 value property to the whip that usually costs an enhancement bonus such as say bane or something.  How do I do the computation?  Specifically, how do I compute the value of the Assassin Whip's entangle properties? Does the entangle property cost in the form of an enhancement bonus, or does it count more like just a flat additional cost? Scenario 1:  Entangle as a flat cost: This is simple, you just add the appropriate cost for a +2 or whatever weapon to the existing +1 for the normal whip.  The entangle is treated as an additional/separate flat rate in the computation. Scenario 2:  Entangle treated as an enhancement bonus cost: This is where I get confused.  If the entangle is treated as a +1 bonus already, then the whip is already similar to a +2 weapon, meaning adding another +1 property would cost around the price of a +3 weapon. Most importantly which rulebook/pages has the breakdown.  I have most books (no weapons of legacy).  I believe it's in Magic Item Compendium, but I don't have that in front of me at the moment.
#2 j2.504 Jul 15, 2010 17:27:14	Since I'm on the topic of magic weapon enhancements, etc.  Here's another unrelated question that I've been thinking about for a while... Let's say I wanted to add the arrowmind spell to a bow.  I want it persistent 24/7.  What would be an appropriate cost for such a weapon? An alternative would be to add the ranged threat feat (from Dragon 350) to a bow, persistent 24/7.  What would be an appropriate cost for that? If there is already a property that lets you threaten with a bow, and avoid AOO's, I'd be 100% interested in that. I know there are a variety of workarounds by the way with prc/feat/item combo's.  But a simple ranged threat or arrowmind persisted solves the problem.  But even better would be placing that quality into the bow itself permanently.
#3 dead_weasel Jul 16, 2010 6:33:25	BIG FAT EDIT: There are no rules given for modifying or breaking down specific magical items; they are apparently meant to be used as-is, and not to be tampered with or questioned (no looking inside the black box!). Although I thought I had found a pattern in their pricing, this turned out to not be the case (hence the edit to my post). urpriest is correct that the cost for creating a continuous spell effect item is given, but the option to grant a feat with a magical item is not presented. The Magic Item Compendium merely reiterates the rules for adding magical abilities to existing items, and has a sidebar that seems relevant to the matter at hand on page 233: "This book intentionally does not present any detailed rules on pricing new magic items that you create. The Dungeon Master's Guide provides various methods of estimating (and don't un­derestimate the importance of that word in this task) gold piece values for simple magic items you design, but the very nature of magic item design in D&D doesn't lend itself to hard-and-fast rules for setting these prices."
#4 urpriest Jul 16, 2010 13:52:51	I'm not as familiar with the Magic Item Compendium as I would like to be, but I think it's safe to assume that things are a flat cost unless they're actually classified as equivalent to an enhancement bonus, so your Scenario 1 would be correct. I don't really have text to back this up though. The DMG's cost for an at-will, use activated spell should cover your arrowmind question, and I believe it also lists costs for feats. Magic Item Compendium might have updated costs for these.
#5 death_isthe_begining Jul 16, 2010 18:27:38	Actually the table is supposed to be used if you don't find an item with a similar function. If you do find an item that has a similar function then it is priced similarly.
#6 Balthanon Jul 16, 2010 23:00:52	Page 222 of the Magic Item Compendium covers enhancing specific items for relics with an example to back it up and mention that it functions like all other magic items, page 46 says it specifically for weapons, page 16 for armor.  As Ur-Priest thought, it does function like your scenario 1-- you simply add to the existing enhancement bonus of the weapon and treat the special functions as a flat cost.
#7 j2.504 Jul 17, 2010 1:58:17	Thanks everyone for taking time to post the info, and look it up.  It was all helpful.