Crafting Magic Weapon Question

[TracerBullet42]

A magic weapon must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus to have any of the abilities listed on Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities or Table: Ranged Weapon Special Abilities.

Just wondering why this is necessary. In a lower level game, it'd be more fun to give various types of magic weapons, rather than standard "+1" weapons, no?

Thoughts?

 

[frankthedm]

Just wondering why this is necessary. In a lower level game, it'd be more fun to give various types of magic weapons, rather than standard "+1" weapons, no?

Thoughts?

What you call fun, others call broken. The differences in foe HP between the time of 2000gp on a weapon is reasoanble and when 8K is reasonable are signifigant. Energy resists are also more common by that time.

I as DM have given out such weapons on the premise thier enchantments have faded slower than the enhancements, like a searing spear [1d4 fire].

The first +1 is also needed otherwise a lesser magic weapon a day could save someone 60000gp.

 

[Joker]

It's not nescessary, it's just a rule and can easily be ignored/house-ruled. Especially now that "+" weapons don't matter for damage reduction.

 

[Mouseferatu]

It's not nescessary, it's just a rule and can easily be ignored/house-ruled. Especially now that "+" weapons don't matter for damage reduction.

Indeed, I have ignored that rule a time or two in my own campaigns. I love the notion of a sword that's only magical when wielded against evil creatures (holy), or against creatures of a specific type (bane), but is an utterly mundane sword under other circumstances.

 

[Kerrick]

Just wondering why this is necessary. In a lower level game, it'd be more fun to give various types of magic weapons, rather than standard "+1" weapons, no?

I agree. I never saw the point of having to have +1 on a weapon just so you can put other stuff on it. Why not have a +1d6 fire sword, or a ghost touch mace, that are otherwise nonmagical? The way the crafting rules are set up, you can enchant them later, which means you won't chuck them if/when you DO find that +1 weapon. Even 1d4 would be cool.

What you call fun, others call broken. The differences in foe HP between the time of 2000gp on a weapon is reasoanble and when 8K is reasonable are signifigant. Energy resists are also more common by that time.

Yeah... but instead of the +1 enhancement, you're getting, say, +1d6 elemental or ghost touch or keen. And then later, you get the +1 bonus. It's all the same, just done in reverse of normal. So the fighter gets a little extra damage on his one attack per round - big deal. By the time he gets to multiple attacks, they'll have better weapons and be fighting bigger monsters.