Improving Magic Items

[sfedi]

I was under the impression that you could enhance your sword (for exemple) from +1 to +1 flaming, just paying the difference between the costs of these two weapons.
You just have to give the weapon and cash to the wizard and he does the job.

My group is under the impression that you have to sell the +1 sword, and buy a new one +1 flaming. (i.e. you can't "upgrade" it)

Is it there in the rules? Where?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You may freely upgrade weapons and other items, as you laid out originally.

A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions. The cost to do this is the same as if the item was not magical. Thus, a +1 longsword can be made into a +2 vorpal longsword, with the cost to create it being equal to that of a +2 vorpal sword minus the cost of a +1 sword.

 

[dcollins]

Yes, it's in the rules. See the DMG Magic Item chapter, under "Creating Magic Items: Adding New Abilities". (In 3.0 it's the very last paragraph in the DMG, on p. 246. Not sure of page number in 3.5).

 

[IcyCool]

You may freely upgrade weapons and other items, as you laid out originally.

Provided your DM allows you to. And he should.

 

[sfedi]

Thank you very much.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I was under the impression that you could enhance your sword (for exemple) from +1 to +1 flaming, just paying the difference between the costs of these two weapons.
You just have to give the weapon and cash to the wizard and he does the job.

My group is under the impression that you have to sell the +1 sword, and buy a new one +1 flaming. (i.e. you can't "upgrade" it)

Is it there in the rules? Where?

Thanks in advance.

The caveat is this:

Enchantment (original or additional) takes time. If you're looking to get your sword upgraded to flaming while you eat your lunch so you can go back finish off the dungeon before dinner, you'd better be hungry for a long lunch.

This upgrade will take a bare minimum of 4 days.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I actually had reason to ask WoTC the same question. Their official answer was that it worked as you described it...

However, they noted that the rule has an intentionally vague area: Depending on the campaign, the spellcaster doing the enchantement could either be only of sufficient level to do the additional enchantment, or (for tougher campaigns) the caster must be of sufficient level to have been able to create the RESULTANT weapon.

 

[LordBOB]

this is what i would do. you already have a +1 sword, and you want it to be a +2 Flaming Sword. Look up the price of both the +1 sword and a +2 sword and add up the total cost. Now SUBTRACT the +1 price form the total price and thats what you would pay to upgrade to a +2 sword. Than simply add the Flamming ability to it and you have your final price.

As soon as I find my list of prices ill post what i would pay for a +2 Flaming Sword

 

[Infiniti2000]

this is what i would do. you already have a +1 sword, and you want it to be a +2 Flaming Sword. Look up the price of both the +1 sword and a +2 sword and add up the total cost. Now SUBTRACT the +1 price form the total price and thats what you would pay to upgrade to a +2 sword. Than simply add the Flamming ability to it and you have your final price.

As soon as I find my list of prices ill post what i would pay for a +2 Flaming Sword

Flaming is a +1 market modifier. You'd be upgrading from a +1 weapon to a +3 weapon (in terms of cost), which is a change from 2000gp to 18000gp, or 16000gp and take 16 days. If the weapon had special materials (e.g. cold iron) or other properties then it might cost even more. And, the person making it would not only pay half the price, but would need to be at least 5th caster level and have 640xp to spend. To be 5th level, he would need to be a wizard/sorcerer (etc.) with fireball, a druid with flame blade, or a higher level (7th or 9th) druid or cleric, respectively, with flame strike.

 

[Veldrane]

In 3.0 IIRC you could upgrade weapons and armors only... ...now in the 3.5 DMG I can't find that restriction... ...can you upgrade wondrous items too (say, a headband of intellect)..?