Do the enhancment bonuses from a bow and from an arrow stack?

[Hypersmurf]

It doesnt matter though, it is 'lawfully aligned' with that enhancement, and 'chaotically aligned' with the other, but neither of those make it anything on the alignment chart.

From the text of the Align Weapon spell:

"Align weapon makes a weapon good, evil, lawful, or chaotic, as you choose. A weapon that is aligned can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. This spell has no effect on a weapon that already has an alignment."

A "weapon that is aligned" is a weapon that "has an alignment".

An Anarchic weapon is "chaotically aligned"; therefore it "has an alignment".

Of which there are nine choices, three of which are valid for something Chaotic. And none of those three are Lawful.

-Hyp.

 

[Scion]

Of which there are nine choices, three of which are valid for something Chaotic. And none of those three are Lawful..

this is the part where we diverge of course.

Sure, there are nine choices for creatures.

Who cares?

It has no bearing here. It simply has two enhancements that give it two qualities, and those qualities can exist in the same place unless something says that it cant. Just like fire and ice can exist in the same place.

It is exactly the same. Either both work, or neither do.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It simply has two enhancements that give it two qualities...

It has two enhancements, each of which causes it to be a "weapon that has an alignment", in an impossible combination.

-Hyp.

 

[Alzrius]

Okay, well, I emailed WotC's customer service, and the final answer here is that Hypersmurf was right all along. I also asked a few other questions. Here's the complete email below. My questions are in bold, and the responses are in normal font:

Do the anarchic, axiomatic, holy, and unholy magical weapon properties actually give the weapon an alignment, same as a creature?

- If you have the magic weapon special abilities that you mention, your weapon does take on an alignment. Since you cannot be both lawful and chaotic or good and evil, you cannot put conflicting abilities on the same weapon.

Likewise, how would it work if I wanted to add these properties to a sentient weapon, since these have listed alignments also?

- You can apply these to a sentient weapon as long as it doesn't conflict with the weapon's existing alignment.

Thirdly, ranged weapons confer their enhancement bonuses and magical properties on their ammunition. Likewise, the ammunition, if enchanted, has its enhancement bonus overridden, but keeps its magical properties (unless the firing weapon has those also, in which case they are overridden).What happens if the total conferred bonuses (enhancement bonuses and effective bonuses from the magic properties) on the ammunition was greater than +10? For example, what happens if a +1 speed unholy shocking burst arrow was fired from a +5 distance longbow of seeking? The enhancement bonus of the longbow overrides that of the arrow, but now the end result is a +5 distance speed unholy shocking burst arrow of seeking, with a total effective bonus of +14! Presumably some abilities wouldn't be conferred on the arrow, but how do you determine which ones?

- This situation isn't covered by the rules, so the DM would have to decide how he wants to handle it. A logical way to do it would be for the most powerful enhancements to override the least powerful ones.

Likewise, what happens when the ranged weapon has been made with a Craft Epic Arms and Armor feat, but the ammunition hasn't...or vice versa?

- Epic weapons can ovverride the restrictions on the total number of bonuses, so the afrementioned ammo would work fine if fired from a bow created using the Craft Epic Weapons feat.

Thanks!

*Please quote this e-mail in any reply.*

Darrin
Wizards of the Coast Customer Service Department
Wizards of the Coast
1-800-324-6496

So, Hypersmurf, hat's off to you for debating the good debate. You deserve it.

 

[Zimri]

I am still fairly certain (though it has no bearing on enhancements stacking) That a sword that is "good" being driven through the chest of a LG paladin by a BBEG isn't furthering the cause of "good". I am also fairly certain that a Skeleton that is serving bread to orphans isn't evil.

 

[Hypersmurf]

That a sword that is "good" being driven through the chest of a LG paladin by a BBEG isn't furthering the cause of "good".

A Lawful Good fighter who is Dominated by the BBEG and driving his sword through the chest of his brother the Paladin isn't furthering the cause of good either. But he's still of Lawful Good alignment.

I am also fairly certain that a Skeleton that is serving bread to orphans isn't evil.

It's not committing an evil act. But its alignment is Neutral Evil.

-Hyp.

 

[Zimri]

Ya know I thought about continuing to play the "things that can not form intent can not be anything other than nuetral" game. or the "if a (insert usually mindless and evil creature) does nothing but good things what alignment is it" game but somehow I don't think either of us really wants to.

I did think about subscribing just to be able to PM you though.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Arcane archer gets slightly crazier, actually:

+1 Bow of [everythinginess]
+1 Arrows of [different, situational stuff]

leaving the enhancing to your class ability.

It's possible to get all the compatable [no flaming icy, axiomatic anarchic, etc] DMG special properties, sans Brilliant Energy, in one arrow this way, along with a +5 bonus this way.

Bringing this back to topic somewhat, this isn't possible. Arcane Archer specifically states that the arrows need to be non-magical in order to get the enhancement bonus. So all your enchantments have to be on the bow if you go this route.

 

[AuraSeer]

Dang, Hyp, Customer Service agrees with you. I guess you were wrong after all.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Dang, Hyp, Customer Service agrees with you.

Hate it when that happens

-Hyp.