DR/Magic - would you change it to this?

[Stalker0]

In that case, it might be better to houserule GMW. You could say that virtual +s count towards the total. So a +1 flaming longsword can at best be made a +4 flaming longsword, a +2 keen forst shortbow can at best become a +3 keen frost shortbow, etc.

 

[Nifft]

What I do find that is extremely boring, that there is today in 3.5 utterly no reason for a player to invest in straight pluses.

Due to the advent of the Greater Magical Weapon with its enormous duration, together with the DR X/magic

Er... if greater magic weapon gives you a +4, isn't that the same as any other +4?

How does increasing the value of +4 reduce the value of a spell that gives you a +4?

Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks, -- N

 

[green slime]

Er... if greater magic weapon gives you a +4, isn't that the same as any other +4?

How does increasing the value of +4 reduce the value of a spell that gives you a +4?

Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks, -- N

Maybe I wasn't so clear. The problem is just that the duration, availability, and applicability of GMW as written reduces the value of the permanent magical plus. One application of the spell lasts 1 hour / caster level.

Given the choice between, for example, at 8th level, of purchasing/acquiring a +2 longsword or a +1 longsword of frost, the smart player chooses the +1 longsword of frost, knowing that he can get a GMW cast upon his sword as needed, providing him with a +2 longsword of Frost (for example). He cannot otherwise easily get the sword ensorcelled from +2 to +2 of Frost, within the core rules. The lengthy duration of GMW only adds to the problem. And it gets worse as the character increases in level.

Furthermore, once this plight of the permanently plussed magical weapon is recognised, it only gets worse for the magical arrow. There are none. Why would anyone, ever, in their right mind, manufacture a bunch of magical arrows +3? Which is, to me, not a desirable consequence of the rules as they exist today.

A single 3rd level spell saves the party the equivalent of 6,000 gp at 8th level, 16,000 gp at 12th level, and 30,000 gp at 16th level.

Given the abandonment of the the gradiated DR X/+X for DR X/magic, together with the long duration, omnipresent GMW, the magical +2+n weapon (where "n" is a positive integer between 0 and 3) is a thing of the past.

Reduce the duration of the GMW to 1 minute per level, and you will see it becomes not such a clear cut issue any more.

 

[Fieari]

I'm still less interested in making +x weapons more powerful/worthwhile, and more interested in making DR/magic actually mean something besides wasted ink in the statblock.

 

[Stalker0]

I'm still less interested in making +x weapons more powerful/worthwhile, and more interested in making DR/magic actually mean something besides wasted ink in the statblock.

Keep in mind though that the DM can use effects to make that DR worthwhile. For example, a dumb creature with DR x/magic might not be that useful. But how about a smart fighter with his dumb creature pet? The fighter sunders the party's magic weapons, and all of a sudden that dumb creature is a lot stronger. There's a lot a DM can do to make DR magic useful.

 

[Nifft]

There are actually some cases where, at high level, DR x/magic matters. Mostly they have to do with summons.

A summoned Fire Elemental (the current favorite summon of our party's main mage) cannot penetrate magic DR. Likewise for most things that a Druid can summon.

The other time it matters is at very high level, when many opponents will have access to dispel magic. Your +5 Holy Avenger is out of comission for 1d4 rounds, while my greater magic weapon'd +1 flaming shocking frost sword isn't hitting much, and when it does, it isn't getting through their energy resistance 10. Sucks to be me.

- - - - -

Regarding ammo, I think that's a good point. No-one would make +3 arrows. However, one very well might make silver +1 undead-bane arrows, or +1 cold iron axiomatic evil-outsider-bane chaotic-outsider-bane arrows, or +1 silver anarchic evil-outsider-bane lawful-outsider-bane arrows, or +1 keen thundering seeking human-bane arrows (all for use with a +1 holy bow, of course).

Anyway. My 2cp.

Cheers, -- N