Here’s an expansion on the currant masterworking system, allowing smiths to customize weapons to a greater extent. It’s best suited to low-magic campaigns.
Serration: Certain slashing weapons are serrated, resulting in larger wounds that are difficult to heal, but making it difficult to penetrate armor or land a solid blow. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus on damage, but a –2 penalty on attack rolls. This process adds 100 gp to the value of a weapon, and has a Craft DC of 20.
Barbs- Barbs can be added to crossbow bolts or arrows to make their removal painful and difficult. However, barbed arrows have a difficult time penetrating armor, or even fine cloth such as silk. A barbed projectile deals +2 damage, but instead suffers a –2 damage penalty against opponents with a bonus of +3 or more from armor or natural armor, or those who are wearing fine cloth (such as those wearing a noble’s or royal outfit). Such arrows are not any harder to craft than normal ones.
Supple: Certain melee weapons are made of exceptionally flexible metal or wood, making them ideal for some of the more subtle maneuvers in combat but making them slightly easier to break. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus to disarm attempts: however, the HP of the weapon is lowered by two, and its hardness by one. This process adds 300 gp to the value of a weapon, and has a Craft DC of 22.
Guard: Weapons can be built with elaborate and effective guards, making it harder to disarm the wielder in combat. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus to the opposed attack roll when being disarmed, but not when disarming. This process adds 10 gp to the value of a weapon, adds 1 lb to its weight, and has a Craft DC of 15. Weapons not normally built with guards, such as a quarterstaff or crossbow, cannot have this enhancement.
Legendary: Weapons built of star-steel, carefully folded thousands of times, or forged in the fires of a volcano can rival even powerful magic weapons if enough time and effort is put into them. A weapon with a +2 bonus to attack rolls and +1 bonus to damage rolls adds 10,000 gp to the price of the weapon, and has a Craft DC of 30. Such a weapon’s hardness is increased by 1, its HP is increased by 10, and it is considered a magic weapon for the purposes of penetrating Damage Reduction. A weapon with a +3 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls adds 22,000 gp to the price of the weapon, and has a Craft DC of 40. Such a weapon’s hardness is increased by 2, its HP is increased by 20, and it is considered a magic weapon for the purposes of penetrating Damage Reduction. All bonuses granted through the Legendary property are Enhancement bonuses, though non-magical.
Heavy: Weapons built for exceptionally strong wielders can be robust and difficult to break. Additional HP can be added to a weapon: for every extra HP added to the weapon, it gains a Strength prerequisite that increased by 1 per HP, starting at 10. The GP value is increased by 5 per extra HP, and the Craft DC is also increased by 1. 2 HP can be added to a weapon (giving it a Strength prerequisite of 10): this adds 10 gp to the price of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 10. 4 HP can be added to a weapon (giving it a Strength prerequisite of 12): this adds 20 gp to the price of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 12…etc.
Note that every 2 HP added to the weapon increases its weight by 1 lb.
Balanced: A weapon designed for a graceful wielder can be wielded gracefully no matter how heavy it is: witness the graceful fighting styles built around the bo, a balanced quarterstaff. A one-handed Balanced weapon has its HP reduced by 3 and its damage reduced by 1 while a two-handed Balanced weapon has its HP reduced by 6 and its damage reduced by 2, but is considered a Finessable weapon even if it is not normally light or Finessable. A balanced weapon adds 300 gp to the weapon's value and has a Craft DC of 25.
Reverse-blade: Normally, those wishing to subdue their opponents train in the use of weapons designed for it, such as a sap: however, those who have had extensive training in bladed weapons may wish to use a reverse-blade sword rather than one of those. A reverse-blade slashing weapon has one or more of its edges deliberately dulled: it deals bludgeoning damage die as if it had been reduced by one size (for example, from Medium-sized to Small) and can deal subdual or lethal damage with no penalty. A reverse-blade weapon adds 5 gp to the value of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 10. Note that, unlike any other masterwork-like property, the Reverse-blade property may be added to a weapon at any time, even after the weapon has been built and been in use for some time.
Wooden: Typically used for practice in academies or dojos, wooden swords are wooden replicas of the real thing, designed to balance and handle approximately like a real sword. Some true masters of their art refuse to fight with anything but a wooden sword: if wouldn't be a challenge otherwise. A wooden sword deals subdual bludgeoning damage as if it had been reduced by two sizes (for example, from Large to Small). A wooden weapon can be produced for half the value of a typical one, and has a Craft DC of the base sword's -2.
Exotic: Certain weapons are more exotic versions of typical weapons, such as a scissor-bladed longsword, asymetrical nunchuku, or a greatsword with a tip nearly as wide as the base. Even experienced fighters find them difficult to predict: they provide a +2 bonus on feint checks. An exotic weapon is considered Exotic for purposes of crafting DC and cost: if it is already Exotic, add +2 to the Craft DC and 25 gp to the cost.
Collapsable: Exceptionally talented or innovative smiths can produce a weapon that dissasembles into several peices, making it much easier to conceal: a sword with a blade that unscrews, a crossbow with a removable stock, or a polearm with a telescoping stock could be used. A collapsable weapon is treated as a weapon a size smaller than it actually is for the purposes of concealing it with a Sleight of Hand check. A Collapsable weapon increases its value by 500 gp and its Craft DC by 5.
Dress: Some weapons are only designed for pomp and ceremony: inlaid with gold and polished to a gleaming sheen, such weapons look very impressive. A Dress weapon suffers a -1 penalty to attack and damage, but confers a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks and Perform: Weapon Drill checks made with the weapon. A Dress weapon increases its value by 100 gp and its Craft DC by 2.
Serration: Certain slashing weapons are serrated, resulting in larger wounds that are difficult to heal, but making it difficult to penetrate armor or land a solid blow. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus on damage, but a –2 penalty on attack rolls. This process adds 100 gp to the value of a weapon, and has a Craft DC of 20.
Barbs- Barbs can be added to crossbow bolts or arrows to make their removal painful and difficult. However, barbed arrows have a difficult time penetrating armor, or even fine cloth such as silk. A barbed projectile deals +2 damage, but instead suffers a –2 damage penalty against opponents with a bonus of +3 or more from armor or natural armor, or those who are wearing fine cloth (such as those wearing a noble’s or royal outfit). Such arrows are not any harder to craft than normal ones.
Supple: Certain melee weapons are made of exceptionally flexible metal or wood, making them ideal for some of the more subtle maneuvers in combat but making them slightly easier to break. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus to disarm attempts: however, the HP of the weapon is lowered by two, and its hardness by one. This process adds 300 gp to the value of a weapon, and has a Craft DC of 22.
Guard: Weapons can be built with elaborate and effective guards, making it harder to disarm the wielder in combat. Such weapons gain a +2 bonus to the opposed attack roll when being disarmed, but not when disarming. This process adds 10 gp to the value of a weapon, adds 1 lb to its weight, and has a Craft DC of 15. Weapons not normally built with guards, such as a quarterstaff or crossbow, cannot have this enhancement.
Legendary: Weapons built of star-steel, carefully folded thousands of times, or forged in the fires of a volcano can rival even powerful magic weapons if enough time and effort is put into them. A weapon with a +2 bonus to attack rolls and +1 bonus to damage rolls adds 10,000 gp to the price of the weapon, and has a Craft DC of 30. Such a weapon’s hardness is increased by 1, its HP is increased by 10, and it is considered a magic weapon for the purposes of penetrating Damage Reduction. A weapon with a +3 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls adds 22,000 gp to the price of the weapon, and has a Craft DC of 40. Such a weapon’s hardness is increased by 2, its HP is increased by 20, and it is considered a magic weapon for the purposes of penetrating Damage Reduction. All bonuses granted through the Legendary property are Enhancement bonuses, though non-magical.
Heavy: Weapons built for exceptionally strong wielders can be robust and difficult to break. Additional HP can be added to a weapon: for every extra HP added to the weapon, it gains a Strength prerequisite that increased by 1 per HP, starting at 10. The GP value is increased by 5 per extra HP, and the Craft DC is also increased by 1. 2 HP can be added to a weapon (giving it a Strength prerequisite of 10): this adds 10 gp to the price of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 10. 4 HP can be added to a weapon (giving it a Strength prerequisite of 12): this adds 20 gp to the price of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 12…etc.
Note that every 2 HP added to the weapon increases its weight by 1 lb.
Balanced: A weapon designed for a graceful wielder can be wielded gracefully no matter how heavy it is: witness the graceful fighting styles built around the bo, a balanced quarterstaff. A one-handed Balanced weapon has its HP reduced by 3 and its damage reduced by 1 while a two-handed Balanced weapon has its HP reduced by 6 and its damage reduced by 2, but is considered a Finessable weapon even if it is not normally light or Finessable. A balanced weapon adds 300 gp to the weapon's value and has a Craft DC of 25.
Reverse-blade: Normally, those wishing to subdue their opponents train in the use of weapons designed for it, such as a sap: however, those who have had extensive training in bladed weapons may wish to use a reverse-blade sword rather than one of those. A reverse-blade slashing weapon has one or more of its edges deliberately dulled: it deals bludgeoning damage die as if it had been reduced by one size (for example, from Medium-sized to Small) and can deal subdual or lethal damage with no penalty. A reverse-blade weapon adds 5 gp to the value of the weapon and has a Craft DC of 10. Note that, unlike any other masterwork-like property, the Reverse-blade property may be added to a weapon at any time, even after the weapon has been built and been in use for some time.
Wooden: Typically used for practice in academies or dojos, wooden swords are wooden replicas of the real thing, designed to balance and handle approximately like a real sword. Some true masters of their art refuse to fight with anything but a wooden sword: if wouldn't be a challenge otherwise. A wooden sword deals subdual bludgeoning damage as if it had been reduced by two sizes (for example, from Large to Small). A wooden weapon can be produced for half the value of a typical one, and has a Craft DC of the base sword's -2.
Exotic: Certain weapons are more exotic versions of typical weapons, such as a scissor-bladed longsword, asymetrical nunchuku, or a greatsword with a tip nearly as wide as the base. Even experienced fighters find them difficult to predict: they provide a +2 bonus on feint checks. An exotic weapon is considered Exotic for purposes of crafting DC and cost: if it is already Exotic, add +2 to the Craft DC and 25 gp to the cost.
Collapsable: Exceptionally talented or innovative smiths can produce a weapon that dissasembles into several peices, making it much easier to conceal: a sword with a blade that unscrews, a crossbow with a removable stock, or a polearm with a telescoping stock could be used. A collapsable weapon is treated as a weapon a size smaller than it actually is for the purposes of concealing it with a Sleight of Hand check. A Collapsable weapon increases its value by 500 gp and its Craft DC by 5.
Dress: Some weapons are only designed for pomp and ceremony: inlaid with gold and polished to a gleaming sheen, such weapons look very impressive. A Dress weapon suffers a -1 penalty to attack and damage, but confers a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks and Perform: Weapon Drill checks made with the weapon. A Dress weapon increases its value by 100 gp and its Craft DC by 2.
