The next time I DM a campaign, I'm thinking of instituting the following house rule. Magic weapons and/or armor can only have extra abilities whose total + value is equal to or less than the base bonus of the item.
For example, if you have a +2 longsword, you can only have another +2 worth of special abilities on it. So you could have a +2 holy longsword, but not a +2 holy flaming shocking keen longsword.
This will eliminate the situation where high-level PCs will make +1 weapons with tons of abilities stacked on them and then cast GMW to make them +5, essentially giving themselves a +14 weapon for the price of a +10, and completely eliminating the disadvantage of ignoring the enchantment bonus of the weapon in favor of special abilities.
Opinions?
For example, if you have a +2 longsword, you can only have another +2 worth of special abilities on it. So you could have a +2 holy longsword, but not a +2 holy flaming shocking keen longsword.
This will eliminate the situation where high-level PCs will make +1 weapons with tons of abilities stacked on them and then cast GMW to make them +5, essentially giving themselves a +14 weapon for the price of a +10, and completely eliminating the disadvantage of ignoring the enchantment bonus of the weapon in favor of special abilities.
Opinions?