MIC-Cold Iron weapons

[Twowolves]

There's no way to justify doubling the enhancement cost of cold iron. It costs nearly as much as adamantine already, but it's only good for bypassing some DR while adamantine is pretty darn good. I don't think I've ever actually had anyone buy a cold iron weapon, that's how little use they are. For the most part, 5th level adventurers don't go weapon shopping with a fear of pixies in their hearts.

But they might go weapon shopping with a fear of demons in their hearts....

In 3.0, you couldn't enchant cold iron at all, citing it's "anti-magical" nature. In 3.5, you could but it became more expensive.

It makes sense that they swapped the double cost and the +2000gp entries on the table in the MIC. My only follow up question would be, is the +2000gp penalty a one-time cost, or for each additional magical enhancement added? So a +1 cold iron weapon and a +1 flaming keen weapon both are just an extra 2000gp?

 

[lukelightning]

They're so expensive 'cuz the Baatezu have bought up all the cold iron mines.

 

[MarkB]

Sounds to me like they accidentally swapped the costs around in the Magic Item Compendium.

DMG: Double cost of base weapon, +2000 gp to enchant
MIC: Double cost of enchantment, +2000 gp base cost

I'd just chalk it up as an error and ignore it.

Even within the MIC there's support for this. The Magebane weapon property (page 38) "can be added to a cold iron weapon without paying the extra 2,000 gp".

 

[Dracomeander]

My only follow up question would be, is the +2000gp penalty a one-time cost, or for each additional magical enhancement added? So a +1 cold iron weapon and a +1 flaming keen weapon both are just an extra 2000gp?

The +2000 gp penalty is incurred each time the weapon is enhanced.

Making a +1 cold iron longsword costs 4330 gp (330 mw cold iron + 2000 enhancement + 2000 cold iron penalty).

Making a +1 holy cold iron longsword costs 20330gp (330 mw cold iron + 18000 enhancement & holy + 2000 cold iron penalty).

Improving a +1 cold iron long sword (cost 4330 gp) to a +1 holy cold iron longsword costs 18000 gp (16000 difference between 1 equivalent and 3 equivalent enhancement + 2000 cold iron penalty).

 

[Twowolves]

Even within the MIC there's support for this. The Magebane weapon property (page 38) "can be added to a cold iron weapon without paying the extra 2,000 gp".

Kinda like I pointed out in the original post?

 

[MarkB]

Kinda like I pointed out in the original post?

Yeah, but there were all those other words and numbers. You can't expect people to notice every little thing.

 

[Twowolves]

Yeah, but there were all those other words and numbers. You can't expect people to notice every little thing.

LoL! True.

 

[Twowolves]

The +2000 gp penalty is incurred each time the weapon is enhanced.

Making a +1 cold iron longsword costs 4330 gp (330 mw cold iron + 2000 enhancement + 2000 cold iron penalty).

Making a +1 holy cold iron longsword costs 20330gp (330 mw cold iron + 18000 enhancement & holy + 2000 cold iron penalty).

Improving a +1 cold iron long sword (cost 4330 gp) to a +1 holy cold iron longsword costs 18000 gp (16000 difference between 1 equivalent and 3 equivalent enhancement + 2000 cold iron penalty).

So, you are saying the cost of a magical cold iron weapon will vary greatly depending on how and when it was made?

 

[Dracomeander]

So, you are saying the cost of a magical cold iron weapon will vary greatly depending on how and when it was made?

Sort of. The variable in the cost is the number of different times the cold iron weapon was enhanced. Each time the weapon is enhanced costs the normal calculated amount plus the 2000 penalty for enhancing cold iron.

It will affect a character trying to improve a weapon to grow in power throughout the character's career, but probably not affect the character making a one time purchase of a powerful holy cold iron weapon to go after that Demon Lord that requires Cold Iron and Good to defeat the Demon Lord's DR.

 

[Nightfall]

*thinks he'll just keep to making Cold iron expensive but not MIC expensive...* Some things shouldn't cost THAT much, even for cold iron.