Magic Weapon Queries (D&D 3.5)

[Kobold-Bard]

I have never been 100% on magic weapons. I would appreciate it if the boards could help me out. I'm buying not crafting.

1. After making it masterwork is it:
2000gp (+1) + 8000gp (+1) + 18,000gp (+1) = 28,000gp (+3 overall)
Or is it:
2000gp (+1) + 6000gp (+1) + 10,000gp (+1) = 18,000gp (+3 overall)

2. Can the same weapon be both Flaming and Frost, or would they cancel each other out some how?

3. Would the attack bonus of a +1 shortbow stack with the Masterwork bonus on arrows?

3a. How about if I make the arows +1 as well, does this stack.


Edit: On a side note can wands or a Ring of the Ram be used in conjunction with Sneak Attack?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[RMS Oceanic]

1. No.
+1 weapon cost = 2000gp
+2 = 8000gp
+3 = 18000gp
+4 = 32000gp
+5 = 50000gp

So to raise +1 to +2, it's 6000gp, or 16000gp to +3, or 24000gp to go from +2 to +4.

2. Yes. Your weapon will deal [weapon] + 1d6 flaming + 1d6 cold damage.

3. No. They're both enhancement bonuses, and named bonuses with the same name don't stack.

3a. Same answer.

Edit: You can sneak attack with anything that requires an attack roll and deals damage, as far as I know.

[adanedhel9]

1) It's the second option

2) Strictly speaking, the same weapon can be both without problem. Whether this makes sense is up to the DM.

3) No. Both are enhancement bonuses and do not stack.

3a) No. Both are enhancement bonuses and do not stack. However, if you are firing a +1 flaming arrow from a +1 frost bow (or any other combination of differing weapon enhancements), both the frost and flame effects apply.

[Tacoma]

As for the bow and arrow questions, adanedhel's answer surprises me. In 1E and 2E you always added the magic bonus of the bow and the arrow in the attack and damage.

He's right about masterwork items becoming magical - you lose the masterwork bonus as the magical bonus overlaps it.

As for the issue of a +1 bow firing a +1 arrow, the SRD says you use the higher bonus. But it appears that if you had a +1 Bow and Fire Arrows (+1d6 Fire damage) you'd get bow damage +1 to hit and damage and +1d6 fire damage.

It also appears you can have a Fire Bow and Fire Arrows, getting +2d6 Fire damage. Can anyone find anything to refute or support that hypothesis?

It seems the enhancement bonus (the +1 or whatever) is the stinker who doesn't wanna play nice with anyone else.

[Tacoma]

Sneak Attack surprises for me from the SRD:

You can't sneak attack someone who has concealment - so Blur grants immunity to sneak attacks?! o_O

You can sneak attack with a sap or blackjack to deal nonlethal Sneak Attack damage - so a high-level Rogue can completely blast someone with nonlethal damage. But other nonlethal or non-damaging attacks - such as attacking with a spoon or olive branch - does give lethal Sneak Attack damage so long as you strike a vital area. Olive Branch Eye Gouge!

[Kobold-Bard]

Thanks thats saved me 10,000gp to spend on other things.

I was actually going to have a +1 Flaming, Frost Shortbow and maybe masterwork arrows if the bonus stacked, but since it won't I won't bother the arrows.

In fact I may just forget the bow as well and use the money to buy a couple of Ram rings.

Bow: 1d4 + 5 (Bonus and Dex) + 1d6(Flaming) + 1d6(Frost) = 13 (average) / (21 max) (18,330gp)

Ring: 3d6 + 4 (Dex) + bull rush = 13 (average) / (22 max) (8500gp)

Add 5d6 sneak attack to each and the ring looks like the winner.

[Darth Stabber]

I had a +1 Flaming, frost, lightning, acid Rapier once, figured that it would hurt nearly everything, High level Item crafting is fun. once I hit epic it picked up ghost touch, keen and sonic burst.

[Tacoma]

Note that the ring uses a Standard Action to activate once while you will eventually get multiple attacks per round, or use Rapid Shot, and so you can pump out more attacks with the bow than the ring.

And for elements, if your DM will go for it, try getting them in the following order of desirability:

Force (hardly anything out there is force resistant and its quiet)
Acid (more stuff is resistant to acid than sonic, but this is quiet) <- good vs objects
Sonic (again, hardly anyone is sonic-resistant, but it's loud) <- good vs objects
Electric (a few creatures are resistant or immune to electric, and it's quiet)
Cold (a LOT of creatures are resistant or immune to cold)
Fire (a LOT of creatures are resistant or immune to fire)

Ideally you'd have multiple d6 effects of Force and Acid, with an emergency supply of Sonic arrows in case something is immune to both of those.

[Fax Celestis]

Tacoma, I much prefer the psychokinetic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/weapons.htm#psychokinetic) enhancement. +1d4 untyped damage that ignores DR.

[Tacoma]

Tacoma, I much prefer the psychokinetic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/weapons.htm#psychokinetic) enhancement. +1d4 untyped damage that ignores DR.


D:

My god ... it's full of stars!

[Keld Denar]

Consider instead of +flaming frost on your bow getting Exit Wounds instead. It only gives +1d6 damage, but its not elemental type and thus not subject to energy resistance. Exit Wounds also allows you to keep attacking foes in a line behind your initial target, at a -4 penalty. Plus, nothing is cooler than the idea of your arrows ripping through a person and imbedding themselves in the foe behind them. Its a +2 equivalent, which would be the same cost as a +flaming frost weapon, or 18000g (plus base cost of bow).

[Kobold-Bard]

One more thing, when making ammo out of silver, is it +2gp per arrow, or +2gp for a set of 20.

Sorry if this sounds idiotic, but I'm not used to playing non casters.

[Simanos]

It'd be cool to have a big sword with one side of the blade hot and the other cold. The flat sides I mean not the edges. :smallcool:


Consider instead of +flaming frost on your bow getting Exit Wounds instead. It only gives +1d6 damage, but its not elemental type and thus not subject to energy resistance. Exit Wounds also allows you to keep attacking foes in a line behind your initial target, at a -4 penalty. Plus, nothing is cooler than the idea of your arrows ripping through a person and imbedding themselves in the foe behind them. Its a +2 equivalent, which would be the same cost as a +flaming frost weapon, or 18000g (plus base cost of bow).
How Splat is that?
Does it go through anything? A Giant? A Golem? A Dragon?
And you told me splat books are fine :smalltongue:

[Keld Denar]

How Splat is that?
Does it go through anything? A Giant? A Golem? A Dragon?
And you told me splat books are fine :smalltongue:

Its in Magic Item Compendium, a book that should have been published LONG ago with lots of cool little toys, cheap magic items with minor abilities, and a few new big toys. MIC, Spell Compendium, and Tome of Battle should have been released YEARS earlier, because they are generally very well thought out and balanced, baring a couple minor oopses. More balanced (and fun!) than straight core though, IMO.

And yes, it goes through any foe, provided you don't miss. Its strong, but by no means over powered. You pay for a +2 bonus, but only get the benefit of a +1 unless you are able to line up your foes in exactly the way you want, which is sometimes tough. So, sometimes it does more damage, sometimes it does less. A skilled player will make it do more damage more often, though.

[Gloverboy]

Flaming and Frost? Reminds me of "How to kill a mockingbird"

The fun part of weapon enhancement is going Monk/Kensai, then enhancing your fists.

then see if you can make it stack with the Ancestral weapon feat. then maybe take vow of poverty. Maybe if your DM is drunk.

I'm currently thinking of doing some undead arm grafts. They could be Ancestral (These were my Fathers hands!) and could possibly still work with poverty (What? its not a sword or anything, its an ARM!)

then of course your DM would have to be stoned.

[MickJay]

Exit Wounds sounds like fun when the enemy is in front of an ally :smallamused:

[Simanos]

And yes, it goes through any foe, provided you don't miss. Its strong, but by no means over powered. You pay for a +2 bonus, but only get the benefit of a +1 unless you are able to line up your foes in exactly the way you want, which is sometimes tough. So, sometimes it does more damage, sometimes it does less. A skilled player will make it do more damage more often, though.
Too much Diablo 2 Amazon for me there :smalltongue: