Weapon crystals, add properties

[Nifft]

It is useful when applicable but it is only applicable a small fraction of the time unless the Dungeon Master makes it applicable more often.

So why can I not call it mildly useful? It being useful only rarely and being good when useful makes that a good way of describing the situation!

The initial weapon Enhancement to make it Magical moves the weapons chance of doing damage from 0% to +55% and increases damage and increases Weapon Hardness and increases Weapon Hit Points and makes the weapon overcome Damage Reduction /Magic and lets the weapon hold stronger Weapon Crystals and lets the weapon be further Enchanted. If we call Ghost Touch Vastly Useful then the initial Enhancement is off the top of the meter!!

I could repeat my distinction between effect frequency vs. effect power, but you could also just read the text you quoted. That's less typing for me, so let's try that first. (It's similar to the difference between 20d6 and 6d20: the expected values may be close, but the variability is most certainly not.)

Once you get that point, I can move on to explaining the real price of weapon crystals.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Slaved]

You are not making any sense and you seem to have disregarded what I said so unless you have something else to put forward I am done.

 

[eamon]

Weapon crystals can add energy damage, which, even as an enhancement bonus cost is still chosen frequently. Allowing multiple energy damage enchantements on the cheap isn't a good idea. They can also add things like the life-drinking thing, etc all of which are attractive to have on all the time. Allowing that represents simple power creep. Weapon crystals are potentially always power creep, but their usage requirements, and their cost limit that if you can only apply one (and thus, the cost of the crystal isn't that much less than that of the equivalent weapon enchanment).

Things like ghost-touch are more typical. Basically, game-play wise, the fun thing about weapon crystals is that they let you pick the most appropriate ability for your weapon when you need it. It's their very limited nature which makes that game mechanic possible, and which remains a balancing factor - they can be cheap because you need to "load" the right one, and can't just stack all kinds of nasty abilities in one weapon.

Weapon-crystals will be less fun, and less balanced if you allow multiple abilities in one crystal. A better idea is to reduce the cost of the crystals you deem unattractive now, and let the PC's have a bunch. Otherwise, it's just another type of power-creep.

 

[Slaved]

Are energy enhancements chosen often because they are good or because Greater Magic Weapon makes the Straight Enhancement less worthwhile?

The Energy Weapon Crystals are like an unlimited use Personal Weapon Augmentation Infusion with a severly restricted option. Looking at the Energy Weapon Crystals like that actually makes them look overpriced!

 

[Stalker0]

No. They're cheap because you only get one at a time.

Cheers, -- N

Agree. They are WAY too cheap if you start allowing abilities to be piled on.

 

[Slaved]

Agree. They are WAY too cheap if you start allowing abilities to be piled on.

Why?

 

[akbearfoot]

I agree that they are cheap because they are limited to one at a time.


If they were allowed to be stacked, then the price would need to increase exponentially. Like all weapon enhancments do.


Multiply the price of the second augment times the total number of other augments on it. So if the secondary augment cost 10k then it would cost an additional 20k...if you put a 3rd thing on that also cost 10k, that would be another 30k. Thats assuming you allow stacking abilities, which I still think is a bad idea.


The other abilties that add flat gold piece costs always give indirect benefits. IE never bonuses to actual combat numbers, and they are priced as slotless bonuses.

 

[MarkB]

Why?

For the reasons Eamon described in detail.

 

[Slaved]

If they were allowed to be stacked, then the price would need to increase exponentially. Like all weapon enhancments do.

Not all do!!!

 

[Slaved]

For the reasons Eamon described in detail.

Then see my post directly after his.