Energy Enhancements are too good at +1 (math)


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Aust Diamondew said:
5 energy resistance isn't hard to come by and will pretty much negate a d6 energy damage.

That why I allow multiple instances of the same ability on a weapon . . . imagine a +1 double-flaming longsword: 1d8(slash) + 2d6(fire)
that averages : 4.5(slash) + [3.5+3.5] = 4(slash) and 7(fire) that averages 2 fire damage to a creature with Fire Resistance 5

edit: whoops, forgot the +1 to hit and damage
 

jaker2003 said:
That why I allow multiple instances of the same ability on a weapon . . . imagine a +1 double-flaming longsword: 1d8(slash) + 2d6(fire)
that averages : 4.5(slash) + [3.5+3.5] = 4(slash) and 7(fire) that averages 2 fire damage to a creature with Fire Resistance 5

edit: whoops, forgot the +1 to hit and damage

Your math is off. Since anything under 6 is zero, you can't just take an average. The actual average damage from the double flaming would be 2.27. So a total average of 7.77 per hit.

You would be better off, however, *not* doubling, and picking a different effect. Lets say +1 flaming shocking longsword. Against the same Fire resistance 5, that would average
4.5(sword)+1(magic)+3.5(electric)+.166(fire), or 9.167 per hit.
 

Aust Diamondew said:
5 energy resistance isn't hard to come by and will pretty much negate a d6 energy damage.

Isn't hard to come by? What, are the undead you're fighting taking epic level feats to get energy resistance?

Except for things that obviously have energy immunity (fire elementals, dragons), I actually very rarely run into energy resistance.

It's an expensive option on armor and the spells are generally not worth casting in combat, and aren't something you just happen to have already affecting you.

While I agree that energy resistance 5 effectively negates your 1d6 damage.... I've only seen it happen a couple times in the many 3.x campaigns I've played in.

-The Souljourner
 

I've Never allowed 2 Energy abilities to be activated at once.. etc. flaming + Shock...

You either have one, or the other.. Your blade is either flaming or "static", you could have both abilities in a weapon, but both couldn't be activated at the same time..

(i dunno if its mentioned anywhere in the Core books... Think i've read it before, or i jsut took the enchantment bonus into concideration)
 


The Souljourner said:
While I agree that energy resistance 5 effectively negates your 1d6 damage.... I've only seen it happen a couple times in the many 3.x campaigns I've played in.
Whereas it happens extremely often in the campaigns I either run or play in. We do both home-brew and WotC adventures.

Espcially at higher levels, energy resistances are a common feature of monsters. Just about all outsiders have it, as do some magical beasts and constructs.

YMMV, obviously.

I our current game, the +1 flaming bastard sword is pretty much just a +1 bastard sword that glows, for all the good the fire does.
 
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jaker2003 said:
and if we also bump up the die size for the burst, how would it fit the +2 cost then?
The burst damage is pretty pathetic, numbers-wise.

And I would NOT say +1d6 energy is equal to +1.5 enhancement bonus. It's a heck of a lot closer to exactly equal.
 

Nail said:
The burst damage is pretty pathetic, numbers-wise.
To prove that I have too much spare time & idle hands, I shall run some random numbers.

****

Equal fighters with same bab & +4 damage before magic item consideration, one has a +3 longsword & the other a +1 flaming burst longsword. I'll use a 50% confirmation roll and base chance to hit (determined by a +1 weapon).

+3 longsword
0.6 * ((4.5base + 4dam +3sword) * 1.05crit) = 7.245

+1 flaming burst longsword
0.5 * (((4.5base + 4dam +1sword) * 1.05crit + (0.05confirm * 5.5flaming burst)) +3.5flame) = 6.875

I would suspect that as the average damage goes up the better the flaming burst. Due to the exponential cost factor & the solid returns for every single +1, improved critical rather than keen would be a better choice for the fighter - if there is a feat to spare.
 

...actually, your crit numbers are off. Sorry! Your crit number should be 1.1.

I'll post more in a few minutes.
 

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