I've always liked the idea of a flexible enchantment system, but I don't want to rewrite the core rules to accomodate it. So I've been working on something to get the same effect and wanted some feedback on it.
Item Slots
An item (weapon or armor) can be enchanted to allow gem slots. The downside is that the weapon must be created with the slots at creation. Note that this is at the time it is created, not enchanted. Thus when the MW weapon is created, the slots must be created at that time.
Types of Slots
Gem – A gem slot is designed to accept a fully enchanted gem. A gem holds a +1 enchantment. This can be a single +1, or it can be a +1 equivalent power. Gems can also come in sets. A set of gems can work together to generate a greater enchantment. For example, two gems can be used in tandem to generate a +2 enchantment power. However, they do nothing individually.
Shard – A shard slot is designed to accept an enchanted shard. A shard holds a non-plus enchantment. That is, an enchantment that normally only costs gold to add to an item. The maximum number of shard slots an item can have is the same as the number of Gem slots it may have.
Slots
The maximum number of gem slots that can be placed into an item depends on it's material.
Normal Wood – Maximum of 3 slots.
Darkwood, Iron wood – Maximum of 5 slots.
Leather – Maximum of 3 slots.
Dragonhide – Maximum of 6 slots.
Cold Iron – Maximum of 2 slots.
Steel – Maximum of 3 slots.
Silver – Maximum of 5 slots.
Mithral/Adamantine – Maximum of 6 slots.
Costs
The cost of the weapons and armor depends on the number of slots, a weapon or armor must have all it's slots enchanted at the same time. It cannot be done piecemeal. However, slots do not need to be completely filled. A sword with 3 slots and only one Gem benefits from that gem's power.
Gem Slots – The item is enchanted as if it were being enchanted for an enhancement bonus equal to the number of slots. However, the cost is increased by 20%. Thus a weapon with 1 slot would cost 2400gp.
Shard Slots – Shard slots add a flat 100gp per slot to add to an item.
Item Creation – Creating an item with slots increases the MW cost of the item by 50% per gem slot. For example, a sword with 3 slots would cost 300 * 1.5, or 450gp for the MW portion of the weapon. Shard slots cost a flat 25GP per slot. This represents the difficulty in keeping the item's structural integrity while having missing parts (the gems).
Gem cost – Gems cost 500gp per gem. Gem Sets, required for powers greater than +1, cost 500gp for the first gem, and 250gp for each additional gem in the set. If a set is broken up, replacements can be made. Each set has a master gem and one or more slave gems. An identify can determine whether a gem is the master or a slave.
Shard cost – Shards cost the standard cost of the ability that they imbue, plus 250gp.
Changing Gems
The user of the item can change them gems whenever they wish. Changing a gem requires a minute to disengage it. Once a new gem is put in, it takes 24 hours for the item and gem to synchronize before the item gains the benefits of the gem.
So, for example, a greatsword with 3 gem slots and 2 shard slots would cost 50gp (sword) + 450 gp (MW 3 slots) + 200 gp (shard slots) = 700gp.
To enchant the sword so it can accept gems and shards would cost 18,000gp (+3 enhancement) + 3,600gp (gem cost) + 75gp (shard cost) = 21,675gp.
To actually get the benefit of the slots, they'd need gems and shards. A +1 gem would cost 500gp. Two +1's would cost 1000gp. So, if the owner wanted to be able to have up to +3 enhancement bonus, a Fire enchantment, and a Bane enchantment, then that would cost 2500gp. Once he had the 5 gems, he could then place the gems in the greatsword in any combination that was valid. +1 flame orc bane, or +2 flame +3, or +2 orc bane.
If the item owner had armor with 2 shard slots, they could buy Glamer, Shadow, and Slick Shards. These shards would cost 2,950gp, 4,000gp, and 4,000gp respectively. The owner could then switch out the shards as needed, but still needing to wait 24 hours for the shards and armor to synchronize.
In the 3.5 Magic Item Compendium they had weapon and armor augment crystals that did much of what you're proposing. Might want to check that out.
In the 3.5 Magic Item Compendium they had weapon and armor augment crystals that did much of what you're proposing. Might want to check that out.
Oh, I have that. But it didn't really allow you to change up the weapon enchantments, they just allowed you to add a bit of customization. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but I'm really looking for a way to cut down on the following issues :
A) But, but, I like my sword, I don't want the +2 flaming great axe! Even if it's better than Betsy!
B) Sheesh, what are we going to do with all these +1 swords? I don't feel like lugging them all around!
For A, once the player has a weapon or armor they like that has the slots, most of their career can be used with that item, and just switching out the gems as they need for whatever they find themselves doing now.
For B, instead of them collecting a dozen +1 mancatchers (which I heard was a problem in an AP), they instead can either collect the swords, or, instead, take them gems out so they have more options and keep going. The gems are worth less than the sword, obviously, but they also take up no appreciable space or weight.
I am debating on whether to give a way to add slots after a weapon is enchanted. But I was hoping to hear some feedback one way or the other on it.
One thing to keep in mind is that weapon enhancement costs don't have a static cost.
Flaming isn't always 2,000 gp.
Compare:
Normal loot:
A +1 Holy Flame longsword is 32,000gp (+masterwork and base cost).
The way I think you're intending for this to work:
A sword with 3 slots slotted with +1, Holy and Flaming would cost 12,000gp. That's just about 1/3 the cost of the same weapon, but with more power, since it can be cannibalized or upgraded on the fly.
I like the idea, though I'm not sure that it needs to be so complex, and not sure how to balance it.
Personally, I liked Weapons of Legacy for that sword you stick with feel.
Also, there was a feat in Book of Exalted Deeds that let you craft upgrades onto a chose piece of equipment by sacrificing gold (or gold equivalent items), which lets you turn those +1 swords into enhancements, but at a normal cost and without the added ability to keep changing the weapon.
The augment crystals were nice because they let you customize an otherwise normal weapon (normally generated and priced, that is), and allowed you to do so rather freely without necessarily skewing the value of character wealth so dramatically.
Maybe limit all weapons to a single slot, then allow crafting of additional slots where each additional slot is priced as a weapon enhancement of one higher bonus?
I think you missed the point Yeti.
You're paying for a +3 sword, and then 20% more. The gems have a flat cost on top of that. You're paying the cost up front for a +3 weapon. Then you're paying a surcharge for the convenience of being able to change out what those +3 slots can do.
So, for example, a +3 weapon is 16,000gp. A three slotted enchantment is 19,200gp. You're paying for the enchantment up front. Then you buy whatever combination of gems you want.
If you bought a +1 flame shock sword, a +2 flame and a +3 sword, they are all 16,000gp. Using these rules. You'd buy a 3 slot sword for 19,200gp (plus the 750gp for MW) + 500gp x 5 gems. Total cost 24,450gp. However, for that cost, you could with a days notice switch the sword from +3 to +1 flame shock to +2 flame to +2 shock.
It's irrelevant what gem yo uput in what slot, as you paid for the +3 enhancement up front. You're just paying a surcharge to be able to change what that enhancement is with 24 hours notice.
I did miss that, yeah. Hmm...I like it, kinda. It's like using Materia in FF7.
I did miss that, yeah. Hmm...I like it, kinda. It's like using Materia in FF7.
Yep, that was the original inspiration. :)
I KNEW it! :)
LOL
That a complaint or a happy dance?
It makes the iconic hero who starts with the ancient blade of his family possible, I like that. In wilderness campaigns characters can upgrade their weapons without the need of a big city, the exotic weapon user becomes possible without having a store for elven curve blades appear without logical reason.
On the other hand, the legendary sword of insert name here is not legendary for itself anymore but for it's gems... the concept of slots should not be sole
It makes the iconic hero who starts with the ancient blade of his family possible, I like that. In wilderness campaigns characters can upgrade their weapons without the need of a big city, the exotic weapon user becomes possible without having a store for elven curve blades appear without logical reason.
On the other hand, the legendary sword of insert name here is not legendary for itself anymore but for it's gems... the concept of slots should not be sole
It's entirely possible to have enchantments on the sword in addition to the slots. So a +1 Orc Bane Dual Slotted sword (costing like a +4, with the last +2 costing +20%).
Also, it allows for the legendary gems as well, passed down in a family, but not given until the offspring proves his worth. :) A +3 gem set that gives several abilities above the norm.
Not quite enough for happy dance. More of a 'oh yeah, I'm good'. Of course, I think you've mentioned this idea elsewhere, so it may not be all me.I KNEW it! :)LOL
That a complaint or a happy dance?
Hey, I'll take that over a bust in the chops. :)
Nah, I'll save those for things we disagree on. ;)
Just beware, I have a wife who's been known to fight dirty when someone busts me in the chops. :)
So... Two sistems of enchantments? The normal one and the slots, a weapon can have a maximun of a +5 enhancement and +10 total bonus, you can have a sword with ten slots, a +5 sword with 5 slots or +1 holy flame sword with 6 slots. You could start with a weapon with 5 slots and then later enchant it to up to +5, so it's a +5 weapon with 5 slots. Did I get this right? Cause if I did then I love the idea.
Edited cause my english started to break up halfway through. It's late.
So... Two sistems of enchantments? The normal one and the slots, a weapon can have a maximun of a +5 enhancement and +10 total bonus, you can have a sword with ten slots, a +5 sword with 5 slots or +1 holy flame sword with 6 slots. You could start with a weapon with 5 slots and then later enchant it to up to +5, so it's a +5 weapon with 5 slots. Did I get this right? Cause if I did then I love the idea.
Edited cause my english started to break up halfway through. It's late.
I'll try to answer if I understand.
Yes, the slots are a seperate but linked system to the normal enchantments. The rules about maximum enchantment level remain in place. Maximum a weapon can have is +10 total. However, it could have +5 Enhancement and +5 in Gem slots, in which case all gem slots have to be non-enhancement crystals. Gems like flame, frost, bane, holy, etc.
You could have a 3 slot sword and further enchant it normally, adding permanent enhcantments to it, but it would affect what gems could be placed in it. For example, if you had a 3 slot sword, and then enchanted it further into a +1 Flame 3 slot sword (total enchantment +5), then you cuold not put a flame gem in it. You could do a flame burst gem, however, since it has Flame on it already.
That is awesome.