Weapons and Enhancement Bonuses

[Kaledor]

Looking at the rules for magic weapons, it says that another weapon cannot damage your magic weapon unless it has a higher enhancement bonus than your weapon.

So, if I have a +3 sword, it can't be hurt by +2 or lower swords.

Now, what happens if I have a +3 flaming sword?
The flaming cost a "+1 bonus" but didn't really add one, so does the flaming provide any extra benefit to the weapons damage resistance?

What about hit points and hardness?
Does the cost of the "+1 bonus" for flaming add any more hit points?


Can a +2 sword damage a +1 Holy Flaming Keen Sword ??
And does that +1 Holy Flaming Keen sword have the exact same physical stats as a "regular" +1 sword?

 

[Legildur]

Sounds like you are playing 3.0E. Anyway, the ability to damage another weapon is based solely on the enhancement bonus (ie the +1 or +2 etc), not on the total bonus equivalent including the special abilities.

And the hardness and hit points is only affected by the literal enhancement bonus (ie don't include special abilities).

The FAQ on the WotC site may cover this.

 

[Kaledor]

Thanks,


Oh, and (out of curiosity) what was the "playing 3.0" in reference to?
Am I missing something obvious ?

 

[Tharian]

Just means you're are likely playing 3rd Edition as opposed to 3.5 Edition.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Oh, and (out of curiosity) what was the "playing 3.0" in reference to?
Am I missing something obvious ?

In D&D 3rd Edition, the rule you're talking about applied. A +3 weapon was simply invulnerable to damage from a +2 weapon.

In D&D Edition 3.5, the rule no longer exists. You'll find it in your DMG, but you'll also find it contradicted in a couple of places in the PHB and DMG... and if you apply the DMG errata, you'll see that the reference in the 3.5 DMG was accidentally carried forward from 3E, and should be removed.

-Hyp.

 

[Staffan]

In D&D Edition 3.5, the rule no longer exists. You'll find it in your DMG, but you'll also find it contradicted in a couple of places in the PHB and DMG... and if you apply the DMG errata, you'll see that the reference in the 3.5 DMG was accidentally carried forward from 3E, and should be removed.

And as a compensation of sorts, they made each plus give +2 hardness and +10 hp, instead of the +1/+1 they did in 3.0.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I'm kinda liking the 3.0 version of the rule. Helps explain why skilled swordsmen with magical swords can deflect bullets...