StreamOfTheSky
Adventurer
Namely, that warriors are discouraged from using multiple kinds of weapons, but rather to use only a single specific one to save money on the high cost of enhancing weapons.
This is just a simple little idea I came up with and my DM allowed for one game with a specific character who I wanted to have many different exotic weapons, using different ones any given day (thanks to the flavorfully awesome Weapon Adaptation of Warblades) to actually make that feasible past level 3. For all I know it's been done before, came up with it a few years ago:
Hands of the Taiko: Any one masterwork weapon held in the hands gains the gauntlets' enhancement bonus. If the weapon is magical, any inherent properties of it worth a market price modifier (i.e., +1) are nulled by these gauntlets, though they can be turned on and off as a free action. Augment crystals and spells targeting the weapon function normally. Takes hands slot. Cost: 1.5x normal weapon enhancement cost (ie, +1 costs 3000 gp, +2 costs 12000 gp, etc...)
So...you pay 1.5x cost, ie the "wrong slot" cost, and can apply the bonus ot whatever masterwork weapon you happen to pick up. I limited it to masterwork for knee-jerk balance reasons, though with more playtesting may find it ok to apply even to a muddy stick off the ground. I limited it to one weapon held to keep it from being a ridiculous steal for TWF and to limit the usefulness to throwing builds (with 4 levels of Bloodstorm Blade to do a full thrown weapon attack with the same weapon, it's still possible). It adds some versatility, but at sizable cost. I found it to be pretty balanced in the limited play time it was used.
And the name? I have trouble naming things. The character in question was a descendant of the Toyotomi, and was thus named in honor of Hideyoshi Toyotomi (the Taiko) for lack of a better idea. Feel free to rename it with something that actually describes what it does.
For what it's worth, in my own games I allow Monks to pay 1.5x cost for a robe to enhance unarmed strike, instead of the obscene costs of the DMG amulet, which is really only ever worth it if you're a creature with multiple natural attacks to enhance. I mean, by RAW a monk is infinitely better off just getting buffed with GMW or GMF. So creating an item like this might not have offended my sensibilities as much as it may yours.
EDIT: The item as written DOES extend its benefit to ranged weapons such as bows, if that was unclear. Obviously if you placed a melee only special ability on the gauntlets it would not function with a bow and vice-versa. Again, the point is to pay a little more to add your enhancement to an assortment of weapons.
This is just a simple little idea I came up with and my DM allowed for one game with a specific character who I wanted to have many different exotic weapons, using different ones any given day (thanks to the flavorfully awesome Weapon Adaptation of Warblades) to actually make that feasible past level 3. For all I know it's been done before, came up with it a few years ago:
Hands of the Taiko: Any one masterwork weapon held in the hands gains the gauntlets' enhancement bonus. If the weapon is magical, any inherent properties of it worth a market price modifier (i.e., +1) are nulled by these gauntlets, though they can be turned on and off as a free action. Augment crystals and spells targeting the weapon function normally. Takes hands slot. Cost: 1.5x normal weapon enhancement cost (ie, +1 costs 3000 gp, +2 costs 12000 gp, etc...)
So...you pay 1.5x cost, ie the "wrong slot" cost, and can apply the bonus ot whatever masterwork weapon you happen to pick up. I limited it to masterwork for knee-jerk balance reasons, though with more playtesting may find it ok to apply even to a muddy stick off the ground. I limited it to one weapon held to keep it from being a ridiculous steal for TWF and to limit the usefulness to throwing builds (with 4 levels of Bloodstorm Blade to do a full thrown weapon attack with the same weapon, it's still possible). It adds some versatility, but at sizable cost. I found it to be pretty balanced in the limited play time it was used.
And the name? I have trouble naming things. The character in question was a descendant of the Toyotomi, and was thus named in honor of Hideyoshi Toyotomi (the Taiko) for lack of a better idea. Feel free to rename it with something that actually describes what it does.
For what it's worth, in my own games I allow Monks to pay 1.5x cost for a robe to enhance unarmed strike, instead of the obscene costs of the DMG amulet, which is really only ever worth it if you're a creature with multiple natural attacks to enhance. I mean, by RAW a monk is infinitely better off just getting buffed with GMW or GMF. So creating an item like this might not have offended my sensibilities as much as it may yours.
EDIT: The item as written DOES extend its benefit to ranged weapons such as bows, if that was unclear. Obviously if you placed a melee only special ability on the gauntlets it would not function with a bow and vice-versa. Again, the point is to pay a little more to add your enhancement to an assortment of weapons.
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