Broken Item? Axe-Staff!

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Well, no, there are no rules for taking apart a magical axe and replacing the haft with a magical staff.

What someone with both Craft Staff and Craft Arms & Armor *could* do is take the axe, enchant it as an axe, then enchant it as a staff using the 'multiple different abilities' rule

The SRD you guys are linking to is not the current 3.5 SRD. But I also notice that the table I quoted from the 3.5 SRD does not match the text. The text of the 3.5 reads the same as the SRD version you linked to. So I believe text trumps tables.

3.5 SRD

 

[AbeTheGnome]

the d20srd site is very much 3.5, as stated here. if you don't believe it, check out the entry for haste.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

the d20srd site is very much 3.5, as stated here. if you don't believe it, check out the entry for haste.

Well, their SRD does not match exactly to the revised SRD on the WoTC web site. Wonder why that is?

Edit: I also note that it says it is 2 1/2 years old. And that the person who posted that version made changes and additions that are unofficial.

 

[Nifft]

Since the benefit is so limited in this case, adding the two costs seems reasonable. Adding a charged item to a permanent item in general seems like a weak boost.

Combining two permanent items (and thus saving yourself an item slot) should incur a high cost.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Dominic Ladon]

Sounds fine to me... I actually designed a similar item for my half celestial cleric that was a mix between a mace and a spear. The concept was basically a spear with a mace head at the end opposite of the point. I always thought it would be fun to dive bomb an opponent from the sky with the spear end and then swing the mace head at them with the added momentum from the spear length.

 

[Pyrex]

Well, their SRD does not match exactly to the revised SRD on the WoTC web site. Wonder why that is?

The text I quoted is identical to the same section on the WotC site you linked.

Multiple Different Abilities: Abilities such as an attack roll bonus or saving throw bonus and a spell-like function are not similar, and their values are simply added together to determine the cost. For items that do take up a space on a character’s body each additional power not only has no discount but instead has a 50% increase in price.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

The text I quoted is identical to the same section on the WotC site you linked.

I agree, but the table entry in the two SRDs does not match. The WotC table lists x2, while the SRD you linked says x1.5. I assume the person who posted the SRD you linked made the change to the table based on the practice of text trumping tables, thus unofficially fixing it (unless he is incorporating errata, I didn't check that).

 

[starwed]

All of the nicely formatted SRD web pages I know of incorporate errata. And I'm pretty sure the issue you're talking of does have official errata on it.

You have to use a strong dose of common sense when using the pricing guidelines in the DMG or you will end up with some really broken items.

Also, some items which are way overpriced.

About pricing this particular item: Since it's not exactly a slotted item, I don't think a full 1.5 times multiplier is fair; in fact, there are already staves which function as magic weapons. All we're doing here is switching the type of weapon enchanted. And it's that most racially appropriate weapon for a dwarf: the axe.

I'd simply say that it's the sum of the base costs, with the caveat that only a dwarf can use the item.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

All of the nicely formatted SRD web pages I know of incorporate errata. And I'm pretty sure the issue you're talking of does have official errata on it.


Also, some items which are way overpriced.

About pricing this particular item: Since it's not exactly a slotted item, I don't think a full 1.5 times multiplier is fair; in fact, there are already staves which function as magic weapons. All we're doing here is switching the type of weapon enchanted. And it's that most racially appropriate weapon for a dwarf: the axe.

I'd simply say that it's the sum of the base costs, with the caveat that only a dwarf can use the item.

I don't know if it "just" switching the type of weapon. Its switching a sub-par weapon for a optimal weapon for a fighting gish. This allows him to switch between weapon and staff without having to sheathe or drop and draw when he wants to switch. Probably not worth 50% of the staff's cost, but not totally worthless either. I'd probablt tack on a small add-hoc amount to the combined cost, no more than 2k.

 

[starwed]

2k was actually the amount I came up with for that abiltity (by comparing to a haversack, which is of similiar utility in grabbing scrolls), and I'd charge that in general for a weapon/staff.

But in return for making it a dwarf-only, I knock it back down to the original level. ^_^ Dwarves like axes, so it's just an item that makes sense.