GMW on Magical Weapons

[Hypersmurf]

Doubtless this topic has come up contless times before, but I rarely visit House Rules... forgive me?

"There's no point getting more than a +1 enhancement bonus on a weapon; load out with elemental damage abilities, keen, etc, etc, instead, and then cast GMW."

From what I understand, this tendency annoys some DMs.

Would it be too cruel to the spell, do you think, to House Rule that GMW takes the market price modifiers of the weapon's special abilities into account?

eg with a GMW +4...

1. A longsword becomes a +4 longsword.
2. A +2 longsword becomes a +4 longsword.
3. A +1 keen longsword becomes a +3 keen longsword.
4. A +1 shocking burst longsword becomes a +2 shocking burst longsword.
5. A +1 vorpal longsword of speed is unaffected.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

Actually, that sounds like a great idea. Maybe pair it with a change in GMW duration (10 min/lvl)?

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Hypersmurf---This is a good idea.

Nail---I don't know if the shorter duration is necessary. It seems like it would be one or the other, I suppose.

 

[Zagyg-The-Mad]

I like this idea. Never really had a problem with anyone doing that little munchkin trick, but then again I never thought of it myself, and you just gave me a good way of avoiding it should it ever come up. Thanks much good sir!!!

 

[Crothian]

I perfer the shorter durations, but I think many of the spells that last one hour per level is too long.

 

[dead_radish]

It's an interesting idea - are you suggesting it because GMW is getting abused in your campaings? If so, remember that Dispel Magic gets rid of it, and a simple monster with Dispel Magic and a +2/30 DR becomes verrrrrrry nasty.

The main argument for GMW I have is that it allows PC's to focus on something other than buying better and better weapons (and it allows them to have interesting weapons, instead of just a +3 longsword, then a +4, then a +5) - they can use GMW, and buy interesting stuff. Also remember that it's easy enough to disrupt the rest of GMW'ers, thereby causing them quite a pickle.

And there's nothing more annoying to a pc than picking up a "Powerful magic weapon" from an enemy, and then having it be a plain ol' sword the next day.

 

[incognito]

If so, remember that Dispel Magic gets rid of it, and a simple monster with Dispel Magic and a +2/30 DR becomes verrrrrrry nasty.

Nah, all things beign equal, the one time they do run into that (or 2nd or third time), they will take out the creature will spells, or cast a GWM from a scroll, etc.

Players typically out number anything capable of dispelling thier magics, so GMW is a pretty viable plan.

 

[Crothian]

But it still is an inconvience to the PCs. During the round or two that they are ineffective agansit the monster they battle could very well turn. Plus, it's rarely one battle and it's over, the best way to challenge PCs is many small battles that slowly brings them down and uses resources.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's an interesting idea - are you suggesting it because GMW is getting abused in your campaings? If so, remember that Dispel Magic gets rid of it, and a simple monster with Dispel Magic and a +2/30 DR becomes verrrrrrry nasty.

I don't see the relevance... that will happen with GMW as written anyway?

The main argument for GMW I have is that it allows PC's to focus on something other than buying better and better weapons (and it allows them to have interesting weapons, instead of just a +3 longsword, then a +4, then a +5) - they can use GMW, and buy interesting stuff.

I just find that characters walking around with +9 market-equivalent weapons for the price of a +5 irks me.

-Hyp.

 

[dead_radish]

I don't see the relevance... that will happen with GMW as written anyway?

Yup - I'm wondering why the nerfing of GMW, and comparing it to a normal magic weapon, rather than commenting on the changes vs. dispel magic.

I just find that characters walking around with +9 market-equivalent weapons for the price of a +5 irks me.

-Hyp.

+9, limited duration, dispellable weapons. Granted, it's strong. It's a 3rd/4th lvl spell as well. And to get a +5 out of it, you're talking about a 15th lvl caster. Who can do things like Chain Lightning, Mass Haste, Tenser's Transform, Anti-magic, Limited Wish, etc.....

That's why most all the casters I play have dispel magic memorized and ready - everything should be buffed. So I'll debuff most things. And as a DM, most of my antagonists have, at the very least, a scroll of dispel magic. If everyone does it, then most of the populace will know about it, and counter it. Arms races and all that....