Question on Magic Item + Other Player Interaction

[Doran]

So I'm playing a 10th level Goliath Warden, as part of a party trying to prevent the reactivation of an ancient civilization with Demon powers. The problem is this - I decided to play a character with a theme based heavily on the magic weapon he is wielding - a +2 Frost Warhammer, the idea being that he used the weapon in defense of his tribe, it bonded with him, and it's taken such a large part of his world view, that he's actually given himself the name Frosthammer.

The problem is this: We are now entering paragon tier with the first opportunity at a +3 thunder enchantment already available, the others offered it to me since I have a thunder daily that work well with it. The problem is that IC, my existing weapon is kind of a holy relic, so I refused and its kind of kept as a backup weapon. So I'm faced with a dilemma - optimizing my character or sticking to my concept.

I tried asking my GM, if instead of it being replaced by a new weapon, I could find a scroll or holy writ or blessing of the like from Kord, my characters patron God, which would upgrade the weapon to a +3 while keeping the frost property, but he has refused since it is not core.

My second problem is that when ever I try to speak to an NPC in character, the other players try to shut me up. I don't think its because what I'm saying is bad but simply because my character has low bluff/diplomacy/charisma.

The problem is that we don't really do any IC interparty roleplaying, so I don't want to be restricted to just plain fights or rollplaying, but have an opportunity to express my character.

Advice requested, please!

[Choco]

Dude, that is almost the exact same problem I had. I asked this same question earlier, and you may like the answer.

Page 198 of Adventurer's Vault, it says you can use the Enchant Magic Item ritual to increase the bonus on an existing weapon, though you cannot change the enchantment. So you could make your +2 Frost Warhammer into a +3 one, but you can't change it into a Thunder one. You just pay the difference in cost.

EDIT: And it really annoys me when DM's do what yours is doing. Once I even said I would gladly pay the full price of a new weapon if he could just fluff that I get to keep my existing one, but even that apparently is not allowed because it is not "in the rules". Nevermind that only the fluff would be changing...

[Daftendirekt]

Page 198 of Adventurer's Vault, it says you can use the Enchant Magic Item ritual to increase the bonus on an existing weapon, though you cannot change the enchantment. So you could make your +2 Frost Warhammer into a +3 one, but you can't change it into a Thunder one. You just pay the difference in cost.

Slap your DM in the face with the book open to that page, then say "IS THIS CORE ENOUGH FOR YOU?!"

[Choco]

And as for your second problem, there really is nothing you can do about it other than talk to the other players, because this is an OOC issue. I had the opposite problem with a group before where I was the only one with over 10 Charisma on the party. In MOST groups that would mean that even if my character was not the party leader, he would at least be something of an adviser to the character who is, but this particular group (dys)functioned in such a way that there was no leader and everyone did what they wanted on their own.

Then when Chaotic Stupid elf screwed up some diplomatic encounter (where I should have been talking in the first place) and angered a potential benefactor to the level of basically being our enemy, she promptly said "hey, you have all the charisma and diplomatic skills, you talk to him!". I realized that my view of the game/characters/party was completely different than everyone elses, so I just retired that character and made one to better fit the group.

[Doran]

Thanks guys! None of the group are ritual casters, so we'll have to find a wizard. The 13600gp to upgrade will probally be an issue, but perhaps I persuade the other to sell the sword instead in exchange. (none of us are proficient with it, as we got it from sticking an ordinary sword into a Balor's one)

As for the second problem, I'll talk it over with the other players.

[KillianHawkeye]

Slap your DM in the face with the book open to that page, then say "IS THIS CORE ENOUGH FOR YOU?!"

Adventurer's Vault is actually not a core D&D product....

[Doran]

Well I think the DM actually mean legal/non-homebrew.

[ashmanonar]

Adventurer's Vault is actually not a core D&D product....

AV is core. Anything not 3rd party or Dragon mag is core in 4th edition.

[KillianHawkeye]

AV is core. Anything not 3rd party or Dragon mag is core in 4th edition.

No, only the PHBs, DMGs, and MMs are core. AV, X Power, monster genre, etc., are all listed as D&D Rules Supplements.

[Vknight]

I think the point is it's still a wizards product and apart of the main game and may not be needed but is part or the rules. Including the weapons it contains