I've seen people try to buy all kinds of "masterwork tools" (listed in the SRD as costing 50 gp) -- some of which make sense (e.g. masterwork weaponmaking tools for a +2 to Craft: Weapon checks), some of which are a bit iffy (e.g. masterwork pocket encyclopedia for a +2 to Spellcraft checks) and some of which are just...well... (e.g. masterwork lucky rabbit's foot for a +2 to Use Magic Device checks).
My suggestion: limit masterwork tools to only help with Craft or Profession checks.
Thoughts? Am I just being a grinch?
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Thoughts?
I can see hat you mean, even though I've never had a player try to pull something like this. Maybe just a sentence in the Masterwork Tool description that amounts to "limits masterwork tools to what is appropriate to your campaign." That might be enough to deter some players from trying things that are wacky, and would give a DM an actual, written rule to point at when he says no.
-Skeld
Director of Games
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Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.
So.. I am not really in favor of limiting this option, but I think that a GM is well within his right to limit abuses of this particular rule.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.
For the perfume and bribes, that sounds much more like a "kit" with a number of uses, sort of like the healer's kit or disguise kit.
Nevertheless, I think that more skills are unsuitable for a masterwork tool than are suitable, or an appropriate tool already exists.
- Acrobatics tool - a pogo stick/tumbling mat/tightrope walker's pole?
- Appraise tool - who would ever buy a merchant's scale and a magnifying glass?
- Bluff tool - a book: "The Compleat Liar's Guide to Bullsh!t"?
- Climb tool - who would buy a climber's kit?
- Craft - makes sense
- Diplomacy - sort of makes sense; has a precedent in courtier's clothing
- Disable Device - who would buy thieves' tools?
- Disguise - who would buy a disguise kit?
- Escape Artist - teflon underwear?
- Fly - Batman cape?
- Handle Animal - masterwork whip and chair?
- Heal - who would buy a healer's kit?
- Intimidate - Frankenstein mask?
- Knowledge - some sort of handbook would make sense
- Linguistics - some sort of handbook would make sense
- Perception - who would buy a telescope?
- Perform - who would buy a masterwork instrument?
- Profession - could make sense
- Ride - bit and bridle would make sense, but who would buy a military saddle?
- Sense Motive - see Bluff
- Sleight of Hand - tweezers?
- Spellcraft - some sort of handbook would make sense
- Stealth - some sort of clothing might make sense
- Survival - some sort of survival kit might make sense
- Swim - some sort of swim fins would make sense
- Use Magic Device - maybe a handbook
Thoughts? Am I just being a grinch?
Not terribly, but I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the broad applicability of these tools. A well-crafted violin makes it easier to play well. Metal cones in your ears may increase your Perception checks. Encyclopedias definitely help Knowledge checks. Small brass rods help with Use MAgic Device.
I think if a player can come up with a good explanation, +2 to skill checks is a worthy reward.
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Director of Games
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For the perfume and bribes, that sounds much more like a "kit" with a number of uses, sort of like the healer's kit or disguise kit.
Although true, no where does it say that a tool has to last forever. You would not expect a masterwork chisel to last forever. I admit, its a bit of a stretch, but that is what this particular rule is about, using one general rule to prevent the book from having to cover 35 individual masterwork tools. I am not sure that allowing a simple +2 bonus on a skill is really so broken that we need to reel in what is a relatively simple rule...
That said.. I may be wrong. I am open to suggestions, but I am not sure this is the problem it is made out to be.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.So.. I am not really in favor of limiting this option, but I think that a GM is well within his right to limit abuses of this particular rule.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
I think non-craft/profession/perform tools should either be bulky (5 lbs or more), of limited application (ex.: Camouflage clothing for a specific environement type), expensive (more than 50gp) or all of the above (like the alchemical lab).
A few small comments would help a DM from being baboozeled by a player.
Metal cones in your ears may increase your Perception checks. [..] Small brass rods help with Use MAgic Device.
I understand the cone goes in your ear, but I shudder to think where the small brass rod goes.
At least you didn't say "a horseshoe" as in "he's got a horseshoe up his...".
I agree that masterwork tools don't always make sense. But if you're not able to get a +2 bonus on every skill, it makes putting ranks in some skills worth more than others because some couldn't benefit from the bonus.
What about adding a time constraint? For example, using masterwork tools to gain a bonus requires a minimum of one minute's use?
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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For knowledge skills the Tools would be a set of books on a given subject that when referenced (meaning you need either a library or your own study) grant a competence bonus to your checks. We've seen these in plenty of Dungeon adventures in the past; the tomes on dead or forgotten demon lords from Wells of Darkness for example.
Pretty much you can have masterwork Tools, Kits, References, and as a step above this sites like alchemical labs and forges.
Now in some instances like diplomacy or bluff NOT having certain things would hinder you. Paltry bribes or not wearing the appropriate clothing can make things go far worse for you than not.
--I wanna Vrock. VROCK!
It's all opportunity cost to me. Convince me that the MW tool is better than having an antitoxin or a potion of CLW. Convince me that a disguise kit is a better purchase than a scroll of disguise self. I'm not sure one is clearly, far and away better. To me, that says balance.
Besides, the skill monkeys get outclasses by spellcasters at higher levels anyway. No amount of Climb skill is a levitate spell, to name just one simple example. Anything that that helps characters who focus on skills instead of combat or magic is a good thing, in my opinion.
Personally, I'd rather leave the door open for things like this than to have a huge quantified list of what skills can be "tool enhanced" or what masterwork tools exist. Not only is it simpler, but it leaves a lot of room for imagination.
Personally, I'd rather leave the door open for things like this than to have a huge quantified list of what skills can be "tool enhanced" or what masterwork tools exist.
But there already is a huge quantified list of tools for various skills (e.g. disguise kit, healer's kit, climber's kit, thieves' tools, merchant's scale, magnifying lens). My suggestion is to limit masterwork tools to Craft (and maybe Profession); that's an extremely short list, so it shouldn't cause a problem. If I were feeling generous with space, I'd also add an entry for a "masterwork" book that could give a +2 on a specific Knowledge skill (but that can't be used as a free action in the middle of combat!).
I agree that it doesn't really matter in a game where the DM can say "no, that's dumb" when Joe the Rogue tries to whip out a masterwork Sense Motive tool (a lie detector?). But in decentralized games (like the Core Coliseum on the WotC message boards, or RPGA-style games) it makes a difference.
You forgot the masterwork sewing needle. ^^
Besides, the skill monkeys get outclasses by spellcasters at higher levels anyway. No amount of Climb skill is a levitate spell, to name just one simple example. Anything that that helps characters who focus on skills instead of combat or magic is a good thing, in my opinion.
That's the gms fault to me. You can easily have more climbing episodes, traps, or stuck doors than the spellcasters can prepare spells for. And I see really no reason for 15 min adventuring days. Make time matter and tell the players that they can't wait all day to regain spells all the time.
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Appraise tool - who would ever buy a merchant's scale and a magnifying glass?
Merchants? Con Men? Drug Dealers? Alchemists?
Climb tool - who would buy a climber's kit?
Mountaineers? Spelunkers? Scouts?
Disable Device - who would buy thieves' tools?
Detectives? Bards? Locksmiths? Nancy Drew?
Disguise - who would buy a disguise kit?
Spies? Actors? Con Men? Half-Orcs?
Escape Artist - teflon underwear?
Thieves' Tools.
Heal - who would buy a healer's kit?
Soldiers? Atheists? Wizards, particularly Necromancers and those guys who make Owlbears?
Perception - who would buy a telescope?
Astronomers? Scouts? Pirates?
Perform - who would buy a masterwork instrument?
Musicians? Aristocrats?
Ride - bit and bridle would make sense, but who would buy a military saddle?
Professional soldiers? Paladins?
Frankly, if you take a looser interpretation of what a "tool" is, it's easier to come up with tools for the skills than it is to come up with reasons for 20th level commoners to exist. And tools can improve more than one skill. I'd let someone use a disguise kit to "toughen" themselves up for a +2 to Intimidate; or as you saw above, Thieves' Tools to help with most Escape Artist checks.
Mountaineers? Spelunkers? Scouts?Climb tool - who would buy a climber's kit?
You're missing my point. I'm asking "Who would buy a climber's kit for 80 gp when you could buy a 'generic' masterwork tool that does exactly the same thing for 50 gp?".
I'd let someone use a disguise kit to "toughen" themselves up for a +2 to Intimidate; or as you saw above, Thieves' Tools to help with most Escape Artist checks.
Sure, sounds great. What does this have to do with a 'generic' Disguise tool or a 'generic' Escape Artist tool?
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Why not control the use of masterwork tools by imposing a cost in time/charges to use certain skill groups? Craft checks take days already, but knowledge/spellcraft checks could be increased to a minute or at least a full-round action (time to consult book). Interaction skills like diplomacy could have a limited number of uses. Movement skills may be the exception here (can only jump at a certain speed and I can't see a vaulting pole wearing out), so I suggest making them more expensive.
Just throwing it out there...
You're missing my point. I'm asking "Who would buy a climber's kit for 80 gp when you could buy a 'generic' masterwork tool that does exactly the same thing for 50 gp?".
I see what you are saying a bit better now . . . in some cases these things are indeed redundant, and the generic tool is cheaper than the kit.
I know you still mentioned the tool be too open ended, but if the prices for the kits were dropped so that they were cheaper than the masterwork tool, so that the masterwork tool was a more expensive option, but still a catch all, do you think it would alleviate some problems.
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What I have done in the past was to treat masterwork versions of a given tool as +50gp over the cost of the non-masterwork tool.
This makes masterwork theives' tools 80 gp. The Masterwork tool entry is changed to a +50gp cost. That way, the GM can figure out what the appropriate cost of a masterwork tool is as needed.
Thus, a masterwork block and tackle would be 55 gp. The cost of masterwork manacles would go to 65 gp. A masterwork muscial instrument would only be 55 gp (more expensive ones would be art objects). A masterwork backpack could be 52gp and provide a bonus to Strength for figuring encumbrance.
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Why not control the use of masterwork tools by imposing a cost in time/charges to use certain skill groups? Craft checks take days already, but knowledge/spellcraft checks could be increased to a minute or at least a full-round action (time to consult book). Interaction skills like diplomacy could have a limited number of uses. Movement skills may be the exception here (can only jump at a certain speed and I can't see a vaulting pole wearing out), so I suggest making them more expensive.
Just throwing it out there...
Althus Spidersnick's Complete and Amazing Omnibus of Evergreen Fey -- +2 to Knowledge (nature), but hobgoblins come and wreck your house ... :)
What I have done in the past was to treat masterwork versions of a given tool as +50gp over the cost of the non-masterwork tool.
Sounds great; I would just suggest making it clear that if a skill uses a tool, then a masterwork version would cost 50 gp more. That would make it perfectly clear that not every skill has a tool.
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a simple thing to say is that if a listed item allready provides a bonus you can't buy a tool you have to buy that item. That's how it's been assumed in my games, but no one has ever tried to abuse the tool so I never knew there was this problem.
Anyone go back and read their statements only to think, man that came across sounding way dirtier sounding than I intended?
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It's all opportunity cost to me. Convince me that the MW tool is better than having an antitoxin or a potion of CLW. Convince me that a disguise kit is a better purchase than a scroll of disguise self. I'm not sure one is clearly, far and away better. To me, that says balance.
Besides, the skill monkeys get outclasses by spellcasters at higher levels anyway. No amount of Climb skill is a levitate spell, to name just one simple example. Anything that that helps characters who focus on skills instead of combat or magic is a good thing, in my opinion.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make????????
The disguise kit is reusable... is the disguise self scroll reusable? The healers kit is reusable, is the potion of cure light wounds reusable?
I see the two working together based upon needs and resources available. When you just came from a small town that didn't have any scrolls of levitate and you are in the wilderness and need to climb a cliff, I would be glad of a MW climb kit.
And when you know you will be in a series of nasty combats, I would rather the wizard prepare another fireball or whatever than a climbing spell when I have a CW climbing kit.
So yeah I think MW kits are a good thing.
It's all opportunity cost to me. Convince me that the MW tool is better than having an antitoxin or a potion of CLW. Convince me that a disguise kit is a better purchase than a scroll of disguise self. I'm not sure one is clearly, far and away better. To me, that says balance.
Besides, the skill monkeys get outclasses by spellcasters at higher levels anyway. No amount of Climb skill is a levitate spell, to name just one simple example. Anything that that helps characters who focus on skills instead of combat or magic is a good thing, in my opinion.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make????????
The disguise kit is reusable... is the disguise self scroll reusable? The healers kit is reusable, is the potion of cure light wounds reusable?
I see the two working together based upon needs and resources available. When you just came from a small town that didn't have any scrolls of levitate and you are in the wilderness and need to climb a cliff, I would be glad of a MW climb kit.
And when you know you will be in a series of nasty combats, I would rather the wizard prepare another fireball or whatever than a climbing spell when I have a CW climbing kit.
So yeah I think MW kits are a good thing.
I concur. I would add that the MW healer's kit has more uses than just healing battle wounds, and a disguise kit still works in an AM field. Yep, MW kits have a lot of uses in a robust game setting.
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Appraise tool - who would ever buy a merchant's scale and a magnifying glass?
merchants... my ship captain PC needs one to make bussiness ifshe wants to be tradeswoman asshe is supposed tobe.
Bluff tool - a book: "The Compleat Liar's Guide to Bullsh!t"?
it depends on the lie, sometimes you need a prope... like forged papers.
Climb tool - who would buy a climber's kit?
professional climbers? inteligent characters who have allergy to high altitudes?
Disable Device - who would buy thieves' tools?
not the same, thieves tools are mostly to openlocks... this would be more mechanical in aspect...pretty much what an "engenee" would use in the middle ages
Disguise - who would buy a disguise kit?
actors... spies... impersonators... assassins...
Escape Artist - teflon underwear?
chains canbe open too... small knives or acidsolutions to 'cut' rope
Handle Animal - masterwork whip and chair?
food and other training tools, every trainer use equipment, and notonly circus ones
Heal - who would buy a healer's kit?
smart people without cleric in their party... or justreal life examply, why buy a first aid kit if you can wait for the medic?
Intimidate - Frankenstein mask?
verynaste weapons sued for torture...
Perception - who would buy a telescope?
actually... yes... but the smaller version
Perform - who would buy a masterwork instrument?
the same fool that takes perform in the 1stplace
Ride - bit and bridle would make sense, but who would buy a military saddle?
soldiers, fighters... anyone who does mounted combat
Sleight of Hand - tweezers?
distractions, any distraction may help
Survival - some sort of survival kit might make...
ask campist and boyscouts how important in survival is having equipment or the lack of it
in general there could be lots of options for many of the skills... the limit here is 1) the imagination of every player... 2) what their DM would allow...
anyway i am in this with Jason... its a general rule, i owuld leave it there
just explain... if there is already a listed MW item in the equipment, then use that, if there is none, take this one nd talk your idea withyour DM
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ask campist and boyscouts how important in survival is having equipment or the lack of it
Most of the essential survival tools are found scattered throughout the equipment list. A good tinder box, signal whistle, tarp, candles or a sunrod, line and hooks, blanket, high energy food etc... the only thing missing is a really good multi-tool. :) Thanks, Les Stroud!
My auto survival kit is made of modern materials and includes a large standard first aid kit. It weighs about 5 pounds. A fantasy/medieval one would weigh twice that, not including a bedroll.
I think it would be a great idea if PFRPG added a line like "Adventurer's Kit". It could contain all of the normal items you need to get by in the outdoors and when "roughing it". Include a backpack/satchel and give it a reasonable weight/price and you save a heck of a lot of space on your equipment list.
A masterwork one could cost +50gp and grant +2 circumstance bonuses to survival checks to do everything but follow tracks. What do you think?
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Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.So.. I am not really in favor of limiting this option, but I think that a GM is well within his right to limit abuses of this particular rule.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
I always thought bribes, perfume or noble outfit and such would be good examples of *Circustance Bonus*, and not actually masterwork tools?
I always thought bribes, perfume or noble outfit and such would be good examples of *Circustance Bonus*, and not actually masterwork tools?Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.So.. I am not really in favor of limiting this option, but I think that a GM is well within his right to limit abuses of this particular rule.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Bribes yes but IMO the circumstance bonus is limited to the moment in time, and situational. The use of tools/items, masterwork or otherwise, is the player's efforts to get the odds in their favor by planning ahead. You know, to maybe partially offset some unplanned negative circumstance.
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My auto survival kit is made of modern materials and includes a large standard first aid kit. It weighs about 5 pounds. A fantasy/medieval one would weigh twice that, not including a bedroll.
I think it would be a great idea if PFRPG added a line like "Adventurer's Kit". It could contain all of the normal items you need to get by in the outdoors and when "roughing it". Include a backpack/satchel and give it a reasonable weight/price and you save a heck of a lot of space on your equipment list.
A masterwork one could cost +50gp and grant +2 circumstance bonuses to survival checks to do everything but follow tracks. What do you think?
i agree in this
i like the Adventure's Kit :D
I have to say, the more I think about this, the more I think Hogarth is correct and that it should really be clearly stated that masterwork tools only function for craft and profession skills.
Not only is there the problem with existing items costing more than masterwork tools, the potential of people wanting said bonuses to stack, etc., but after reflecting it brings to mind a campaign that I played in, and something that always bothered me a bit in that campaign.
We were playing a hybrid Spycraft 2.0/D&D game, and we were using the rules for equipment from Spycraft, meaning our characters "requisitioned" equipment for a given mission. One of the characters picked the "laser" as his equipment, which our GM/Contol said was a magic item that did the same thing.
The problem is, without specifying what the thing was, other than to say it was a magic item, in game, everyone still kept calling it a laser, and in the end, it did kind of pull my out the campaign mindset a little (otherwise it was a good campaign, but that incedent just didn't sit well).
My point being, saying someone is using "masterwork tools" for a skill that takes a while or occurs "off screen" doesn't really detract from the overall story. You can picture tools for sailors and smiths and cooks, etc.
Saying that someone is using a "masterwork tool" for stealth, or knowledge checks isn't nearly as "smooth," and there will invariably be people that just never really bother to figure out what the tool is, other than a widget that provides a +2.
Its not that I think having items that grant bonuses to skills other than craft or profession skills should be a problem, but I do think that they need to be clearly defined. Items that grant a bonus to stealth? Problably should be noted as boots or a camoflaged cloak or something like that that.
I've also got no problem with having books or something give bonuses to knowledge checks or spellcraft rolls, but again, I think that you need to more clearly state how this works. Obviouly, in combat you aren't going to have a spellcaster whip out a book, look up some words, and figure out how to counterspell all in one round, and you can't grant a permanent bonus of +2, say, from a book from that point on just because the character had the book at one point in time. You would need something that said, if you spend an hour, for example, studying the book, you get a +2 bonus on your next check using that skill, but you don't get a bonus again until you can study again (just as an example).
So, yeah, the more I think about this, masterwork tools really do need to be clearly stated as being for craft and profession, at least to my way of thinking now.
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Bribes yes but IMO the circumstance bonus is limited to the moment in time, and situational. The use of tools/items, masterwork or otherwise, is the player's efforts to get the odds in their favor by planning ahead. You know, to maybe partially offset some unplanned negative circumstance.I always thought bribes, perfume or noble outfit and such would be good examples of *Circustance Bonus*, and not actually masterwork tools?Hey there all,
I think that you can come up with a masterwork tool for every skill, if you give it some thought. Here are some examples I came up with on the fly...
Spellcraft - A tome containing a myriad of sample spell effects and guides for identifying them.
Diplomacy - A pleasant perfume or situationally appropriate attire.
Bluff - Bribes or an appropriate distraction. This one is actually pretty tough and highly dependent on the situation.
Use Magic Device - A guide of common magic phrases and activation techniques.So.. I am not really in favor of limiting this option, but I think that a GM is well within his right to limit abuses of this particular rule.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
That is why I mentioned that perfume or outfit are not necessarily good examples of Masterwork Tools for Diplomacy -- they're useful only under certain conditions (in fact, some perfumes or jeweled noble outfits may even be offensive to some people). Therefore, since these examples depend so much on DM adjudication, I think it is more logical that they would confer Circumstance Bonus or Penalty (at least that's how I see them). For example, wearing a fine costume and perfume to a noble's ball would, indeed, most likely (in my campaigns) give you +2 Circumstance Bonus to your Bluff and Diplomacy rolls -- a group of beggars or cutthroats might find them offensive or ludicrous or even something they want to steal (which merits a penalty in my books).
That is why I mentioned that perfume or outfit are not necessarily good examples of Masterwork Tools for Diplomacy -- they're useful only under certain conditions (in fact, some perfumes or jeweled noble outfits may even be offensive to some people). Therefore, since these examples depend so much on DM adjudication, I think it is more logical that they would confer Circumstance Bonus or Penalty (at least that's how I see them). For example, wearing a fine costume and perfume to a noble's ball would, indeed, most likely (in my campaigns) give you +2 Circumstance Bonus to your Bluff and Diplomacy rolls -- a group of beggars or cutthroats might find them offensive or ludicrous or even something they want to steal (which merits a penalty in my books).
Makes sense. Thx for expanding on your point.
I think it's better to think of the masterwork tools a bit more like the masterwork thieves tools. Are they better crafted? Not necessarily. The implication is that the kit itself includes more specialized tools so that the user can do a better job with the task at hand.
THAT's what I think of in many cases when referring to masterwork tools. You've got more options so that you're attempt to achieve the task is always a bit more optimal. For a masterwork diplomacy kit, it has some basic jewelry, grooming devices, and so on with a broad applicability. Enough to get that +2 which, frankly, isn't so big a bonus that I'm afraid of giving it to someone who spent the 50 gp.
I don't see any need to codify a list of skills that can't be helped by tools. Any sane DM knows how to say "no" already.
Right; in D&D I don't like the idea of coming up with the mechanics first ("this item gives me a +2 on Sense Motive!") and the justification later ("uh...it's a book that explains body language, I guess"). I'm more lenient with that in a "generic" system like Champions, though.
I'd much rather see my players coming up with how to spend money ("I find out what play he's attending tonight and I arrange to bump into him") and then have me (the DM) decide the result afterwards ("O.K., that gives you a +2 on your Diplomacy check").
Similarly, we could make the weapon chart much smaller by saying:
- Light weapons cost 5 gp and do 1d6 damage.
- One-handed weapons cost 25 gp and do 1d8 damage.
- Two-handed weapons cost 50 gp and do 1d12 damage.
- Pick one of: piercing, slashing or bludgeoning damage for no extra charge.
- Martial weapons get to add one of the following menu items: x3 critical damage, a 19-20 critical range, or a 18-20 critical range (in exchange for damage as a weapon one size smaller).
- Exotic weapons add two items from the above menu.
- You can get a reach version of the weapon for no extra charge.
But that wouldn't feel "D&D-like" to me.
I have to say, the more I think about this, the more I think Hogarth is correct and that it should really be clearly stated that masterwork tools only function for craft and profession skills.
Not only is there the problem with existing items costing more than masterwork tools, the potential of people wanting said bonuses to stack, etc., but after reflecting it brings to mind a campaign that I played in, and something that always bothered me a bit in that campaign.
We were playing a hybrid Spycraft 2.0/D&D game, and we were using the rules for equipment from Spycraft, meaning our characters "requisitioned" equipment for a given mission. One of the characters picked the "laser" as his equipment, which our GM/Contol said was a magic item that did the same thing.
The problem is, without specifying what the thing was, other than to say it was a magic item, in game, everyone still kept calling it a laser, and in the end, it did kind of pull my out the campaign mindset a little (otherwise it was a good campaign, but that incedent just didn't sit well).
My point being, saying someone is using "masterwork tools" for a skill that takes a while or occurs "off screen" doesn't really detract from the overall story. You can picture tools for sailors and smiths and cooks, etc.
Saying that someone is using a "masterwork tool" for stealth, or knowledge checks isn't nearly as "smooth," and there will invariably be people that just never really bother to figure out what the tool is, other than a widget that provides a +2.
Its not that I think having items that grant bonuses to skills other than craft or profession skills should be a problem, but I do think that they need to be clearly defined. Items that grant a bonus to stealth? Problably should be noted as boots or a camoflaged cloak or something like that that.
I've also got no problem with having books or something give bonuses to knowledge checks or spellcraft rolls, but again, I think that you need to more clearly state how this works....