Upgrading Equipment

[Andrew Besso]

The organized rules document ssys that I can upgrade a masterwork weapon or piece of armor to +1. Likewise I can upgrade the +1 item to +2. If I read the rule correctly, I would not be able to upgrade some other item the same way, for example I could not make a +1 ring of protection into a +2 ring of protection just by paying the cost difference. Likewise I could not turn my +1 rapier into a +1 keen rapier.

I hope I sm wrong...

[Enevhar Aldarion]

You are wrong. :)

As long as the item does not require the item creation rules to make, you can upgrade. The upgrade has to also be a legally allowed item either from Core or from the Additional Resources.

[Todd Lower]

There are a few restrictions to keep in mind. You can't change the basics of the item; for example: a +1 longsword (steel) can't be upgraded to a +1 adamantine longsword. As EA stated above the item has to be available in the core rules or additional resources, no custom items.

The generally accepted view of the rules are to allow the upgrade of any item in the books that has increasing power. A +2 belt of giant strength can be upgraded to a +4 belt of giant strength. It could also be upgraded to a +2 belt of physical might. But once that is done you would have to follow the rules for upgrading a belt of physical might. So a +4 belt of physical might is OK, but you couldn't upgrade just the strength portion of the belt.

[Jiggy]

Also keep in mind that the version of the item that you're upgrading into must either be on the "always available" list OR be within the price cap based on your Total Prestige Award (TPA). For instance, +1 armor and weapons are considered always available, so you can upgrade your masterwork breastplate into a +1 breastplate as soon as you have the 1,000gp you need to cover the cost. However, a +2 breastplate is not on the always available list; therefore, prior to upgrading from +1 to +2, you need to find the total cost (not just the difference) of a +2 breastplate and wait until your TPA spending cap is that high or higher.

[teribithia9]

Jiggy wrote:

Also keep in mind that the version of the item that you're upgrading into must either be on the "always available" list OR be within the price cap based on your Total Prestige Award (TPA). For instance, +1 armor and weapons are considered always available, so you can upgrade your masterwork breastplate into a +1 breastplate as soon as you have the 1,000gp you need to cover the cost. However, a +2 breastplate is not on the always available list; therefore, prior to upgrading from +1 to +2, you need to find the total cost (not just the difference) of a +2 breastplate and wait until your TPA spending cap is that high or higher.

Or have the +2 breastplate listed on a chronicle.

[Jiggy]

Or that, yes. Though so far I'm noticing a distinct lack of "basic" stuff like armor and weapons on my chronicle sheets. YMMV.

[Andrew Besso]

Woo-hoo! I'm wrong!

My rogue already has a masterwork rapier; I had not upgraded it to +1 because I want a keen rapier when I have the PA to buy it. If I understand the rules correctly, a +1 keen item costs the same as a +2 item. So a +1 keen rapier would cost:

20 (Rapier)
300 (MW)
2000 (+1)
8000 (Keen)
------
10320

Or is the 8000 gp (+base weapon +MW) the price of a +2 weapon, so it would cost 6000 gp to upgrade from +1 to +2 (or +1 keen)?

In any case, since I already have the MW rapier, I could only spend 2000 gp now and make it +1.

[Dragnmoon]

Just a reminder, you need the PA for the full price not the upgrade cost

[Andrew Besso]

Dragnmoon wrote:

Just a reminder, you need the PA for the full price not the upgrade cost

I know that. My real question here is whether a +1 keen rapier would cost 10320 gold or 8320 gold.

[AxeMurder0]

8032

Andrew Besso wrote:

Dragnmoon wrote:

Just a reminder, you need the PA for the full price not the upgrade cost

I know that. My real question here is whether a +1 keen rapier would cost 10320 gold or 8320 gold.

[Uninvited Ghost]

Andrew Besso wrote:

Dragnmoon wrote:

Just a reminder, you need the PA for the full price not the upgrade cost

I know that. My real question here is whether a +1 keen rapier would cost 10320 gold or 8320 gold.

My understanding is pay the difference. So 8320.

[Josh M Foster]

Andrew Besso wrote:

Dragnmoon wrote:

Just a reminder, you need the PA for the full price not the upgrade cost

I know that. My real question here is whether a +1 keen rapier would cost 10320 gold or 8320 gold.

8320. Same cost as a +2 weapon. The upgrade only costs the difference between the +1 (2320) and the +2 (8320), or 6000

[Vinyc Kettlebek]

Todd Lower wrote:

There are a few restrictions to keep in mind. You can't change the basics of the item; for example: a +1 longsword (steel) can't be upgraded to a +1 adamantine longsword. As EA stated above the item has to be available in the core rules or additional resources, no custom items.

The generally accepted view of the rules are to allow the upgrade of any item in the books that has increasing power. A +2 belt of giant strength can be upgraded to a +4 belt of giant strength. It could also be upgraded to a +2 belt of physical might. But once that is done you would have to follow the rules for upgrading a belt of physical might. So a +4 belt of physical might is OK, but you couldn't upgrade just the strength portion of the belt.

Wouldn’t the various stat items be considered different items in terms of upgrade availability? Now a single stat item has an upgrade progression of +2/+4/+6. The double stat item and the triple stat item do too, but I don’t see how you can jump from one to the other as if they are the same item.

Buy a +2 str belt and eventually you can upgrade to a +4 str belt or +6 str belt. If you get a +2 str/con belt you have the option to eventually upgrade to +4 str/con or +6 str/con belt.

I see these as two different items and need to be purchased and upgraded independently of each other. The only way to transition from a single stat item to a double/triple stat item would be to sell the single and buy the double/triple.

Or is there a “homerule” for the campaign that has been posted by someone official to allow a single stat item to be upgraded to a double/triple stat item just by paying the difference? Similar to the ”homerule” ruling allowing strength bows to have the strength modifier changed as an upgrade to the original weapon.

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Yep, the previous head of the PFS, Joshua Frost, posted that you can upgrade a single stat item to a multiple stat item, so long as the base item type stays the same and what you are upgrading to would normally be available to buy in a legal source book.

[Todd Lower]

Vinyc Kettlebek wrote:

Or is there a “homerule” for the campaign that has been posted by someone official to allow a single stat item to be upgraded to a double/triple stat item just by paying the difference? Similar to the ”homerule” ruling allowing strength bows to have the strength modifier changed as an upgrade to the original weapon.

What EA said. Also can upgrade the strength rating on bows in Society play.

[kikanaide]

Todd Lower wrote:

What EA said. Also can upgrade the strength rating on bows in Society play.

Do we have a link available for that one?

[Todd Lower]

kikanaide wrote:

Todd Lower wrote:

What EA said. Also can upgrade the strength rating on bows in Society play.

Do we have a link available for that one?

Here is a copy of the post in question.

Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Upgrade by paying the difference.

Just to be sure, you are referring to both the Magical (+1 weapon to +2 weapon for 6000 gp) and the non-Magical (Masterwork Composite Longbow of +1 STR to +2 STR for 100 gp) are both available by paying the respective differences, 6000 gp and 100 gp?

Joshua J. Frost, Tue, Sep 15, 2009, 05:11 PM Flag | List |

here is the link: link

[kikanaide]

Todd Lower wrote:

Here is a copy of the post in question.

Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Upgrade by paying the difference.

Just to be sure, you are referring to both the Magical (+1 weapon to +2 weapon for 6000 gp) and the non-Magical (Masterwork Composite Longbow of +1 STR to +2 STR for 100 gp) are both available by paying the respective differences, 6000 gp and 100 gp?

Joshua J. Frost, Tue, Sep 15, 2009, 05:11 PM Flag | List |

here is the link: link

Much obliged.

[Count Crackula]

Silly question that's more for campaign play...I know the Pathfinder books offer time tables for creating items depending on price, etc., but I'm not seeing anything in any of the books that talk about the commitment involved. If I were a GM and one of my players was creating a magic item that took three days to make, is he/she pretty much spending every waking moment forging this item?

Also, if he/she is on the road, but has some sort of masterwork tool kit, can they forge armor/weapons/wondrous items on the side while everyone is around the campfire or on watch?

[Curaigh]

creating magic items.
& not in PFS
8 hours (1 normal day) for every 1000 gp in the base price.
EDIT: might have missed the question.

prd wrote:

creator also needs a fairly quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to work.

[Don Walker]

Characters are not allowed to craft magic items in PFS beyond the use of the skill for Day Job rolls. Or in some cases, consumables such as alchemist fire by an Alchemist. In any case those items may never be sold for a profit. It basically amounts to buying the items for a discount, such as bullets for a Gunslinger.

In general, during a PFS Adventure, characters are usually traveling during any down time. And travel is not conducive to crafting items. Swaying ships, bumpy roads, even wind gusts in airships.

That doesn't mean the character could not have made the item before or after the adventure, but during the adventure, no.

And time between adventures is undefined so you don't need to worry about any time commitment for this.