Question on holy and unholy damage

[Nate Jones]

I've never understood the value of a Holy weapon. Wouldn't the wielder be better served by putting two elemental enhancements on the weapon instead. That way, you'd do 2d6 damage to all* creatures, instead of just evil ones.


*Except those few with elemental resistances

 

[Elethiomel]

The vaule of it is that when you are chiefly fighting evil creatures:
- The bonus damage goes against the same resistance as the normal damage. Thus, the enemy only gets use out of one resistance (DR in this case).
- The bonus damage is the very thing that makes DR unusable: Many evil creatures have DR X/Good.

 

[Nate Jones]

How overpowering would it be to house-rule that the Holy enhancement does as written, plus does 1d6 damage to non-evil creatures.

 

[hong]

No need to boost holy even more. It's already just about the only must-have weapon enchantment, assuming your campaign is anything like standard (ie, most opponents will be evil).

 

[Nate Jones]

Interesting. I've never had a player specifically take a Holy weapon. We've never played a game above 11th level, however.

 

[hong]

Well, from experience you're unlikely to see a lot of +2 enchantments below 11th level. Still doesn't mean you should boost holy, though.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Well, from experience you're unlikely to see a lot of +2 enchantments below 11th level. Still doesn't mean you should boost holy, though.

Exactly. I've rarely seen a fighter-type who could afford a holy weapon not acquire one at the first opportunity. I think it's underpriced at +2, myself, but overpriced at +3, so I'm not sure what the solution is.

I'm thinking, in future campaigns, of making it only do 1d6 extra damage, and dropping it to a +1 enhancement.