So my group has long balked at the term "masterwork", mostly in that a "masterwork" weapon isn't necessarily the work of a master. So we are trying to figure out better ways to emulate the works of true master craftsmen. Yes, we know the Master Craftsman feat exists (and we love that it does) but we wanted a way to have non-magical enhancements and not just non-mages make magical enhancements. So, here is our first attempt.
Fine Weapons:
Fine weapons are particularly well balanced and constructed. The finer a weapon is the more properly weighted the item is and the easier it is to swing. A Fine weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus to hit and costs three times as much as a normal weapon of its type. A Finer weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus to hit and costs six times as much as a normal weapon of its type. A Finest weapon has a +3 bonus to hit and costs nine times as much as a normal weapon of its type. This bonus is an inherent quality of the item and not of any magic in it. A Fine weapon does not count as a Masterwork weapon for the purposes of magical enhancement. A weapon may not have be both Fine and High Quality.
High Quality Weapons:
High Quality weapons have specially weighted ends or particularly well honed edges. Whatever the reason, High Quality weapons are more effective at drawing blood than others of its kind. The higher quality a weapon is the more damage it does. A High Quality weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus to damage and costs twice as much as a normal weapon of its type. A Higher Quality weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus to damage and costs four times as much as a normal weapon of its type. A Highest Quality weapon has a +3 enhancement bonus to damage and costs six times as much as a normal weapon of its type. This bonus is an inherent quality of the item and not of any magic in it. A High Quality weapon does not count as a Masterwork weapon for the purposes of magical enhancement. A weapon may not have be both Fine and High Quality.
Agile Armor:
Agile armor is more articulated than normal armor of its type, allowing for greater range of motion when performing physical tasks. An Agile suit of armor has its armor check penalty for skills reduced by 1 (minimum 0) and adds one quarter the base price to the cost of the armor. A More Agile suit of armor has its armor check penalty for skills reduced by 2 (minimum 0) and adds half the base price to the cost of the armor. A Most Agile suit of armor has its armor check penalty for skills reduced by 4 (minimum zero) and doubles the cost of the armor. This bonus is an inherent quality of the item and not of any magic in it. Agile armor does not count as Masterwork for the purposes of magical enhancement. A suit of armor may one be only of Agile, Nimble and Sturdy.
Nimble Armor:
Nimble armor is less restrictive than normal armor of its type, making it easier for arcane casters to use. A Nimble suit of armor has its arcane spell failure chance reduced by 5% (minimum 0%) and costs twice as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. A Nimbler suit of armor has its arcane spell failure chance reduced by 10% (minimum 0%) and costs five times as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. A Nimblest suit of armor has its arcane spell failure chance reduced by 15% (minimum 0%) and costs ten times as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. This bonus is an inherent quality of the item and not of any magic in it. Nimble armor does not count as Masterwork for the purposes of magical enhancement. A suit of armor may only be one of Agile, Nimble and Sturdy.
Sturdy Armor:
Sturdy armor is more protective than normal armor of its type. Some have slightly more metal, some have more protected joints, other are just of higher quality materials. A Sturdy suit of armor has a +1 enhancement bonus to armor class and costs four times as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. A Sturdier suit of armor has a +2 enhancement bonus to armor class and costs seven times as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. A Sturdiest suit of armor has a +3 enhancement bonus to armor class and costs ten times as much as a normal suit of armor of its type. This bonus is an inherent quality of the item and not of any magic in it. Sturdy armor does not count as Masterwork for the purposes of magical enhancement. A suit of armor may only be one of Agile, Nimble and Sturdy.
I'm not particularly sold on the Nimble quality and I don't know if the Sturdy quality is balanced at all. Please help me refine them. I very much want to implement something along these lines into our game and our world, but I want to make sure that it's well thought out and well tested.
I would direct your attention to the Artisan Craftsman feat from Dragon #358, page 39. The selection of additional abilities that could be added to nonmagical weapons was quite enjoyable.
In our games, we actually have incorporated this feat and the abilities it grants into the Master Craftsman Feat, allowing PCs to create signature 'traits' for their hand-crafted items, such as extremely sharp blades, very durable weapons and armor, very flexible armors or armors that make casting easier.
That's actually a pretty cool list. Most seem pretty situational for the price, but I like where it's headed. Thanks for the heads up on that.
Anyone have any comments on the houserule above though? Particularly on balance and pricing.
I should mention then that "masterwork" giving a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls has gone out (or would) under this system. Masterwork simply allows a weapon to gain magical enhancements.