Bane weapon = +7???

[drnuncheon]

Back on topic (sort of), why even create a Bane weapon from a minmax POV? I'd MUCH rather create a Holy weapon and get the 2d6 bonus vs. most monsters than an OCCASIONAL extra +2 enhancement bonus. I'd only get one of these BAne weapons if they were part of treasure, personally.

I can think of a few reasons:

1) Holy weapons need holy smite which is a 4th level spell, thus needing the services of a 7th level cleric with the Good domain. Bane weapons just need summon monster I which requires a 1st level arcane caster or cleric of any stripe. (Plus, of course, someone with the Craft Magic Arms & Armor feat for both.)

2) If you know you're going to be fighting lots of a particular kind of enemy, bane may well be better. Jethrok Giantbane the dwarven giant-hunter might want the extra +2 to hit, since he's fighting giants most of the time anyway. (And he might be fighting Neutral giants, too.)

J

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

3) Maybe you can't use a holy weapon because your alignment is neutral.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Back on topic (sort of), why even create a Bane weapon from a minmax POV? I'd MUCH rather create a Holy weapon and get the 2d6 bonus vs. most monsters than an OCCASIONAL extra +2 enhancement bonus. I'd only get one of these BAne weapons if they were part of treasure, personally.

From a minmax POV I would rather forge a bane weapon for my Paladin if I know we will fight a certain type of monster often. If she were to notice that she was not getting those bonus dice for damage, she might ask inconvenient questions about the creatures we were fighting...

More seriously, bane weapons are easier to make than holy. But I do not think the weapons crafting rules necessarily make much sense when you look at them in detail. Why should a Belt of +2 Str & +2 Con only cost a bit more than 2x the +2 Str belt, while the +2 Bane weapon cost 4x that of a vanilla +2 sword? I do not think that is right.

On the positive side, the DM can ignore the costs and place interesting enough weapons from the list of available options, and it gives something for minmaxers to play with that won't get out of hand if they want spend their money.

 

[drnuncheon]

Why should a Belt of +2 Str & +2 Con only cost a bit more than 2x the +2 Str belt.

Actually, it should cost 3x that of the +2 str belt. The cost for the +2 con is doubled because it is on an item with another property (effectively the same as not taking up an item slot).

J

 

[drnuncheon]

3) Maybe you can't use a holy weapon because your alignment is neutral.

Actually, neutral people can use holy or unholy weapons. Or both, one in each hand - only people of the opposing alignment get the negative level.

Technically, an evil person could use a holy sword too, as long as they didn't mind sucking up the negative level.

Of course, technically, there's also nothing stopping you from putting the holy and unholy properties on the same weapon. (Heck, load it up with 'lawful' and 'chaotic' too, call it the 'Greatsword of Balance'. Give it to a TN character and go to town.)

J

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Actually, it should cost 3x that of the +2 str belt. The cost for the +2 con is doubled because it is on an item with another property (effectively the same as not taking up an item slot).

J

A reasonable opinion, but not supported by what is written in the DMG (for what that is worth).

IIRC, the specific example of putting two properties into an item was given a suggested increased cost of 10%.

A "no slot" item is technically one that does not occupy any of the defined item slots, e.g. a Luckstone you carry in your pocket.

I do not necessarily disagree with you about what it "should" cost, but the guidelines for item creation seem to have a different opinion.

 

[Artoomis]

A reasonable opinion, but not supported by what is written in the DMG (for what that is worth).

IIRC, the specific example of putting two properties into an item was given a suggested increased cost of 10%.

A "no slot" item is technically one that does not occupy any of the defined item slots, e.g. a Luckstone you carry in your pocket.

I do not necessarily disagree with you about what it "should" cost, but the guidelines for item creation seem to have a different opinion.

errata:

p. 243, In this text: “For items that do take up a limited space (such as a ring or a necklace), each additional
power not only has no discount but instead has a 10% increase in price.”
CHANGE “10%” to: 100%

I hope that helps.

 

[kreynolds]

Artoomis, where the heck are you getting this from? I have never seen nor even heard of it. Any source would do.

p. 243, In this text: “For items that do take up a limited space (such as a ring or a necklace), each additional
power not only has no discount but instead has a 10% increase in price.”
CHANGE “10%” to: 100%

Is that from DMG corrections?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Found it!

Go to www.wizards.com.
Search on "errata".
DMG errata about a page down.

 

[Artoomis]

Artoomis, where the heck are you getting this from? I have never seen nor even heard of it. Any source would do.

p. 243, In this text: “For items that do take up a limited space (such as a ring or a necklace), each additional
power not only has no discount but instead has a 10% increase in price.”
CHANGE “10%” to: 100%

Is that from DMG corrections?

Yep - offical DMG errata.

dmg errata