Creating a magic sword: help?

[aboyd]

A player would like to create a magical sword. I'm trying to figure out a cost for the features of the sword, but I'm a little lost right now. I could use estimates or guidelines or guesses from other people here. It's OK if people come up with different numbers -- I'm pretty sure there are multiple ways to make this, so I'll consider a variety of methods.

The sword is a normal greatsword with these enhancements:

1. Base +2 enchantment
2. It can be used by warmages without needing to take the martial weapons feat
3. It can be wielded 1-handed without penalty
4. The damage die is increased to 2d10
5. Critical threat range is reduced to only a roll of 20
6. Critical multiplier is increased to x4
7. It confers some kind of feat which allows the user to apply intelligence bonus instead of strength bonus to hit & damage

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, lets break it down, referencing the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm):

1. Base +2 enchantment

This enhancement is worth 8Kgp.

2. It can be used by warmages without needing to take the martial weapons feat

This is effectively conferring a Feat- Martial WeapProf- to any Warmage.

I'd say that's equivalent to a +1 level enchantment.

3. It can be wielded 1-handed without penalty
4. The damage die is increased to 2d10

3 & 4 together are roughly equivalent to conferring the racial feature, Powerful Build.

I'd say that's equivalent to a +1 level enchantment.

5. Critical threat range is reduced to only a roll of 20
6. Critical multiplier is increased to x4

5 & 6 together are almost but not quite a wash. It would seem to be a net statistical benefit, especially with the weapon's large damage die and ability to be wielded 1 handed.

I'd say that's equivalent to a +1 level enchantment, possibly a +2.

7. It confers some kind of feat which allows the user to apply intelligence bonus instead of strength bonus to hit & damage

This is effectively conferring a Feat-type bonus, kind of like how Weapon Finesse, Zen Archery or Kung-Fu Genius allow PCs to use a different stat to determine the bonus to a type of combat, although its not one I'm aware of.

I'd say that's equivalent to a +1 level enchantment.

All told, that's about a +6 to +7 weapon, ranging from 72Kgp to 98Kgp.

YMMV, of course. Some might find my assessments of value for those enchantments to be a tad low.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I'd start it off as a +2 Bastard Sword, as that's functionally what it is, if with crazy base damage. The damage has been upped (AFAICS) two 'steps', so I'd make that an additional +2 enhancement bonus.

The Warmage-friendliness, maybe some extra gold value, but not a +1 (IMO).

Decreasing the total 'critical awesomeness' once (19-20 -> 20), and increasing it twice (x2 -> x4) = +1 enhancement bonus.

Allowing Int for attack and damage is pretty powerful (for magi, or in this case, in particular 'Warmagi') but circumstantial of course, so maybe another +1?

So yeah, +6 and some loose change, in my estimation. Basically, an artifact-level sword or something like it.

 

[Dragonnety]

You should substitute the Greatsword with the Mercurial Greatsword (2d8 dmg, crit X4). You will find it in the "Sword and Fist" book of 3.0 Edition.

 

[Thanee]

1) Base +2 enchantment
2) It can be used by warmages without needing to take the martial weapons feat
3) It can be wielded 1-handed without penalty
4) The damage die is increased to 2d10
5) Critical threat range is reduced to only a roll of 20
6) Critical multiplier is increased to x4
7) It confers some kind of feat which allows the user to apply intelligence bonus instead of strength bonus to hit & damage

This is how I would do it.

1) +2 enhancement, obviously
2) & 3) +1 enhancement
4) +1 enhancement, bordering on more (it's better than adding 1d6 elemental damage)
5) & 6) +1 enhancement, and pretty silly (just use a heavy pick instead)
7) +2 enhancement

Total +7 => 98,350 gp

Bye
Thanee

 

[Starbuck_II]

So yeah, +6 and some loose change, in my estimation. Basically, an artifact-level sword or something like it.

Um, Aus, Swords go to +10 pre-epic. +6 is not epic.

Look at the Sword of Kas for how Epic items would look.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Um, Aus, Swords go to +10 pre-epic. +6 is not epic.

Look at the Sword of Kas for how Epic items would look.

Yeah, I know. I'm so used to rarer-magic / lower-magic D&D though, my perspective is generally a bit skewed, relative to core D&D [assumptions], or, for that matter, most players around the world, most likely. Ah well.

But yes, technically, you are probably correct.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

3 & 4 together are roughly equivalent to conferring the racial feature, Powerful Build.

I'd say that's equivalent to a +1 level enchantment.

Not really. Even with powerful build, a Goliath couldn't use a medium greatsword one-handed w/o a small penalty (-2 I think) for using the weapon different than its normal usage (2-handed). And 2d6-->3d6, which is a little worse than 2d10. Also, he's not paying for a larger weapon in base cost nor in the doubled weight, trivial as you may find those things.

2) Is a cheap cop-out ability. Just make it "treated as one grade lower (martial --> simple) for anyone." At most, a class or race restriction should merit only a 10% price deduction, and IMO there should be some reason for the restriction. This sounds like he's just trying to be a munchkin. I'll just arbitrarily say 18,000 gp for that (the generic feature for anyone). I don't think it's worth a +1, though it might be worth more than 18,000 I'm just bad at pricing things.

3) and 4) I don't know, it's an odd size mod. Instead of the 2-handed to 1-handed, just use a longsword as the model and eliminate 3. 1d8 --> 2d10 is definitely worth a +2 enhancement.

5) and 6) Is he willing to swap 19-20 for a x3? That could actually be considered a fair trade, arguably. As listed, I'd have to say a +1 mod, not a flat +gp cost, otherwise it becomes too good of an option at some point for anyone to get.

7) I just wouldn't allow that kind of thing.... If you're ok with it, sure, a +2 sounds good.

So...a +7 total (including the base +2 enhancement) with 18,000 or so extra for the treated as a simple weapon thing.

...Wow, I can't believe I have the harshest pricing total so far.

 

[billd91]

The sword is a normal greatsword with these enhancements:

1. Base +2 enchantment
2. It can be used by warmages without needing to take the martial weapons feat
3. It can be wielded 1-handed without penalty
4. The damage die is increased to 2d10
5. Critical threat range is reduced to only a roll of 20
6. Critical multiplier is increased to x4
7. It confers some kind of feat which allows the user to apply intelligence bonus instead of strength bonus to hit & damage

I have to say that some of these suggestions seem a bit... quirky. Why does it need to be a two-handed sword that acts like a single-handed simple weapon but just does a lot more damage? With these fairly arbitrary changes, I fear the weapon just becomes too expensive to be practical compared to putting reasonable enchantments on something else.

My take on it:
1) +2 as written
2) similar to Skillful property from Complete Arcane but without shifting wielder to 3/4 level attack bonus, so about half as useful, nets a +1
3) Pretty big deal because it could allow a pretty big AC increase with a shield, +1
4) Difficult to determine. Elemental damage averages +3.5 damage per hit, this would average +4. In the ballpark, but a little better +1-2 skewing toward the 1.
5-6) Going to 20/x3 from 19-20/x2 should be a wash, x4 should be worth +1. A crit that high with weapon base weapon that big is pretty severe. Most crit weapons that high do a LOT less damage as a base.
7) Using one stat for another in to-hit calculations is usually 1 feat, adding a damage shift should be more than that. I'd make that another +1-2 skewing toward the 2.

So my tally: +5 with 2 cases of +1-2 enhancements. Low-balling them would make this a +7 equivalent weapon, high-balling +9 (but probably too high). I think it would be fair at +7 or +8.

 

[aboyd]

I have to say that some of these suggestions seem a bit... quirky. Why does it need to be a two-handed sword that acts like a single-handed simple weapon but just does a lot more damage?

He's a kid. Think JRPGs. Teenagers with awesome hair styles, no acne, and massive, ridiculous swords.

Anyway, thanks everyone. I've tried to give everyone some good XP, but I've given so much to some of you lately that the system won't let me anymore.

I'll try to circle back and post how I tried to figure this out on my own. It looks pretty bumbling compared to what some of you did, but amazingly I came up with an amount that is close to most estimates (!!!). Thanks again.