+x weapons are just a game mechanic and not a good description of the weapon at all.
Why not come up with a few ideas that will add flavor to weapons with out making them powerful enough to raise them one without price level?
For instance:
Wayfinder: If this +1 Shortsword is placed on a reasonably flat surface, it will rotate on its own so that the point of the blade always points to the north.
Sailor's Friend: This polished +1 club always floats on the surface of any liquid. It gives a +2 swim bonus to the wielder when trying to stay afloat.
What flavor additions can you come up with?
+1 to CMD vs Disarm and Sunder.
+1 to confirm critical hits.
Detects a creature type (and sub-type if humanoid or outsider).
+1 to Saving Throws against 1 school of magic, one kind of attack form (curse, disease, or poison), or condition (fatigued, shaken, sickened).
+1 on Perception checks to notice a trap or hidden opponent.
+5% on rolls to avoid a miss chance due to concealment or total concealment.
How about shields too?
I'm looking at bringing in a cool magical shield.... and all I see are +1s.... REALLY??
Has anyone come up with some cool Shield abilities? Awesome but not munchkiny?
When I want +1 items to be interesting, I make their background interesting.
On hit, releases a spore cloud that disintegrates all fabric in a 5ft square. Ok this one might actually be worth a +1. ;)
When I want +1 items to be interesting, I make their background interesting.+1
They are really sharp and really easy to wield, that's all.
Why? Why does it have to be boring? It's still *magic* isn't it?
I posted a collaborative 100 random minor magic traits thing a while ago. Maybe someone could look that up.
How about shields too?
I'm looking at bringing in a cool magical shield.... and all I see are +1s.... REALLY??
Has anyone come up with some cool Shield abilities? Awesome but not munchkiny?
I gave a guy a +1 Shield of Ram that worked just like the ring version except it had a limited number of charges per day.
Another time I introduced these weird electric snapping turtle things for some reason. After the fight, the druid in the group got the idea to take one of the shells and turn it into a shield. I liked his creativity and decided that it functioned as a typical large shield except it gave Electricity Resistance 5 and the armor check penalty didn't count against swimming.
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Why? Why does it have to be boring? It's still *magic* isn't it?When I want +1 items to be interesting, I make their background interesting.+1
They are really sharp and really easy to wield, that's all.
Well, since Pathfinder is a high magic setting unto itself, since player characters are expected to be decked in magical gear head to toe when they reach high levels, magic is not that "magical" anyway. So a +1 sword is just that, an unnaturaly sharp, incredibly easy to wield sword.
Who said that a weapon that can cut through stuff much easier then a regular weapon and that is so much easier to wield is boring? I find that fact fascinating. Who made it? How did he sharpen it to such extent? How long did he work on this almost perfect balance? What do these beautiful runes along the blade mean? etc etc etc...
Fluffing a sword is really easy...do not confuse fluff with mechanics...they work together, but a +1 longsword i wield and call Slasher, is completely different then a +1 longsword my enemy wields and calls heart of darkness. Why? Shape, sound it makes when swung, does it glow? Look of hilt and crossguard. Is the blade serrated or no? Is the sword double-edged or single edged...
There is no need to add mechanical benefits to a weapon... all it really needs is fluff. And to cap it, here is an awesome article on the subject...
http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/magic-items.html
Misunderstood what you were saying. I like to fluff my magic items, even if they are weak in a high-magic setting. Adding changing mechanics is not necessary, but it can still be nifty. I don't really like magic items that can't/don't exist in reality just being... A generic +1 sword. What's a +1 sword?
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Like i said, a sword magically sharpened to unnatural sharpness,and balanced so meticulously as to have almost perfect balance. Now, A +2 weapon is better then +1 so this one will actually be even sharper and better balanced etc...
Now on the other hand, when you add special abilities, the fluffing potential goes through the roof.
I see enhancement bonuses as something that does not necessarily make the weapon unique. Simply because it just makes it better at hittinh and hurting things, without anything added in the oquasion like for instance the ability to sear the flesh of the enemy or to melt his skin, or to really really hurt a particular creature.
But a +1 blade is just that, a really sharp, really well balanced blade...nothing more.
You may find it boring, but i personally don't think that EVERY SINGLE ONE MAGICAL ITEM that the player come upon during adventuring should be unique and have a backstory. It's a magical world. Magic is par for the course there. Some stuff are just made so that they can do stuff better, no backstory involved.
Obviously the priority is still on the gameplay aspect. That is, it's much more important to involve the PCs and get/keep the story or whatever rolling than it is to painstakingly describe every single aspect or minor detail (especially while travelling overland for multiple uneventful days), but at least for magic items given to PCs or that they invest in or something like that, and the stuff that BBEGs have, (as opposed to +whatever items used to substitute hard tender in higher-level treasure tables)
So I guess I can understand both ways of looking at it, and whatever works for you folks on an individual basis, eh?
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Or you could just drop +X weapons and armor entirely, and keep only special weapon / armor qualities.
New weapon or armor qualities could simulate *some* of the effects, but as specific-use functions, and not always on functions, so that a 'seeking sword' could have true strike as a prereq and give it's owner a +2 or +4 bonus to an attack roll as an immediate action three times a day (but no more than once / round).
An 'axe of reaving' could do the same, but using bull's strength as a crafting prereq, add +2 or +4 to it's damage on a hit as an immediate action 3 / day.
A 'shield of last resort' would use shield or shield of faith as a prereq, and give a +2 or +4 bonus to AC for the round, when activated as an immediate action, three times / day.
There would be no swords or armors that give a +1 bonus all day long, just weapons and armor that give temporary bonuses for heroic actions and encounters, and weapons with more flashy or specific enhancements like flaming or disrupting or bane.
+1 to CMD vs Disarm and Sunder.
+1 to confirm critical hits.
Detects a creature type (and sub-type if humanoid or outsider).
+1 to Saving Throws against 1 school of magic, one kind of attack form (curse, disease, or poison), or condition (fatigued, shaken, sickened).
+1 on Perception checks to notice a trap or hidden opponent.
+5% on rolls to avoid a miss chance due to concealment or total concealment.
These are good ideas..Thanks SmiloDan
When I want +1 items to be interesting, I make their background interesting.
What do you do if there is no bard in the party to figure out that the +1 longsword was forged for an elven hero 500 years ago and was lost during the kobold wars?
What kind of clues to the backstory would you put in to get the player interested in the magic item?
I was just thinking a weapon with a Trait level benefit could be cool...
Example:
A weapon that gives +1 to bluff
Boots that gives +1 stealth (or makes it a class skill if it isnt already)
A ring that grants a single language
An amulet that gives a Spell Like Ability (cantrip) like a trait would
A wand that allowed for +1 caster level for a specific spell
A headband that lets you perform a single set spell with Metamagic feats without increasing the spell level.These are very minor things that you can go to the APG for.
I was thinking something similar myself.
Micro magic Items (those under 1000gp value) would be good rewards for a low level party.Using traits as a guide is a good idea.
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Here's one a weapon that plays a theme song for your character when weilded. As you do more damage it get's louder.
There should also be minor "cursed" weapon fluff. Like every time you draw your weapon or hit an opponent it tells a very bad joke or pun.
Nothing that really effects game mechanics but fun/funny none the less.
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Nah, +1 items are not too special...wondrous items are special, specific weapons and armor are special. Magical items with special properties that are given names are special. Artifacts are special.
+1 sword is a magicaly sharp and balanced sword. No GM should go naming every single item that registers on detect magic. That makes those items that deserve to be named seem less important.
Heckler and Koch g36c is an awesome rifle, but do you go naming every single one? No.
You could go old school...
+1/+2 vs. reptiles
Why? Why does it have to be boring? It's still *magic* isn't it?When I want +1 items to be interesting, I make their background interesting.+1
They are really sharp and really easy to wield, that's all.
Why is it boring? Answer that before you want to make it more interesting.
That said, you can make weapons more interesting without resorting to more magic:
Spring-loaded blades in the hilt of a sword, for that corps-a-corps moment.
Crossbows built with two bows rather than one (for Ladyhawk fans).
Rapier's built into walking sticks so that they are concealed.
Bottle openers on the sword pommel.
Insignias on weapons that indicate a rank or ability.
Runes carved on a weapon that show a history or other story - maybe it belonged to a cadre of soldiers who want it returned, or is the heirloom of a family that have sworn to get it back ...
Lot's you can do to make things interesting, but interesting != more powerful.
Nah, +1 items are not too special...wondrous items are special, specific weapons and armor are special. Magical items with special properties that are given names are special. Artifacts are special.
+1 sword is a magicaly sharp and balanced sword. No GM should go naming every single item that registers on detect magic. That makes those items that deserve to be named seem less important.
Heckler and Koch g36c is an awesome rifle, but do you go naming every single one? No.
Since it takes a skilled craftsman a lot of time to do the best work that he can do to make a masterwork weapon and a spell caster spending enough resources to buy a small mansion and time casting spells to make a sword +1, I would say that they are pretty darn special.
In most campaigns, +1 Items are not cranked out from assembly line factories. They are crafted by hand by master craftsmen and enchanted by spellcasters. So it is safe to assume that they will reflect some of the personality of the creator.
As far as the H&K g36c goes; It is an H&K rifle, not an FN SCAR, Not a Stoner Rifle, not an AK-47 and certainly not a generic gun+1. Its a Heckler & Koch and that makes it stand out, makes it special.
Some guys do name their guns... Any Browncoats reading this thread will remember Vera and why she is special.
This thread is about putting some spice into what is normally a very bland(and metagame) description of a +1 weapon. Many people have alreay suggested giving the weapon a name and backstory, adding some minor powers to make it unique or just adding some non-magical features that make is stand out from the mundane.
There should be a reason for my character to want a magic weapon other than a metagame reason (ie. +1 to hit, +1 damage). Show me some features or weapons that are more than just 3000gp that fits in a scabbard.
It strikes me that a +1 sword does not have to have a name, but could have an origin.
It might be an ancient Thessalonian Rune Blade decorated with glowing runes.
It could be a Chelaxian Officers blade lost during a minor battle some 50 years ago.
etc.
BTW I'm writing all of these ideas that you folks post down to give me a pool of resources for my campaign, so I appreciate every suggestion.
My biggest issue with the sword +1, is how to refer to it 'in-character'
We've tried longsword enchanted ot the first power... or a First level enchantment... and a few others. but they always feel clunky and awkward.
It's basically named after a game mechanic, that has no 'in game' translation.
And i'm not sure why, but in Pathfinder they DO seem to be EVERYWHERE... Also diminshing their 'specialness'.
Refer to it as "your sword". Or call it "Vera". Your character's story is only peripherally about her toys.. or that's what it should be. My Fighter refers to his greatsword as Diplomacy, his mace as Negotiator and his bow as Messenger.My biggest issue with the sword +1, is how to refer to it 'in-character'
I've got a +1 adamantine machete I call 'Reason'
But it more a complaint about 'shopping' and Identifying things... what does the mage tell the character his new toy is compared to the other ones...
Easy enough to break character..
I'm not sure if Pathfinder still has this or not... but in 2E, there were monsters that needed +2 or +3 to hit... When discussing vulnerabilities, it got clunky staying in character.
Refer to it as "your sword". Or call it "Vera". Your character's story is only peripherally about her toys.. or that's what it should be. My Fighter refers to his greatsword as Diplomacy, his mace as Negotiator and his bow as Messenger.My biggest issue with the sword +1, is how to refer to it 'in-character'
Hey, you stole the name of Captain Taldor's Warhammer!!!! His warhammer is Diplomacy, his even larger hammer is Discourse, and there was a suggestion at a recent game that the character get a throwing hammer named Rebuttal.
Refer to it as "your sword". Or call it "Vera". Your character's story is only peripherally about her toys.. or that's what it should be. My Fighter refers to his greatsword as Diplomacy, his mace as Negotiator and his bow as Messenger.My biggest issue with the sword +1, is how to refer to it 'in-character'
I've got a +1 adamantine machete I call 'Reason'
But it more a complaint about 'shopping' and Identifying things... what does the mage tell the character his new toy is compared to the other ones...
Easy enough to break character..
I'm not sure if Pathfinder still has this or not... but in 2E, there were monsters that needed +2 or +3 to hit... When discussing vulnerabilities, it got clunky staying in character.
I love the machete you got there. My people have been using that tool to settle arguments for years.
I was just thinking a weapon with a Trait level benefit could be cool...
Example:
A weapon that gives +1 to bluff
Boots that gives +1 stealth (or makes it a class skill if it isnt already)
A ring that grants a single language
An amulet that gives a Spell Like Ability (cantrip) like a trait would
A wand that allowed for +1 caster level for a specific spell
A headband that lets you perform a single set spell with Metamagic feats without increasing the spell level.These are very minor things that you can go to the APG for.
I was thinking something similar myself.
Micro magic Items (those under 1000gp value) would be good rewards for a low level party.Using traits as a guide is a good idea.
An excellent idea. I think you just gave me something I can use Saturday in-game.
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Misunderstood what you were saying. I like to fluff my magic items, even if they are weak in a high-magic setting. Adding changing mechanics is not necessary, but it can still be nifty. I don't really like magic items that can't/don't exist in reality just being... A generic +1 sword. What's a +1 sword?About 3000gp isnt it?
There are some groovy items and backgrounds on the NWN Forums for the game and several of the persistent worlds come up with +1 AND... items that are pretty cool as well.
Moneychanger - Upon command, this +1 sword shatters into 3000 gold pieces, never to become a sword again.
when an enemy is near and the sword is drawn , the song "do you beileve" by cher plays and if you look closely at the blade you can almost see tiny people dancing in a strange room with weird lights?
that was one we had in a game once
+1 sword is a magicaly sharp and balanced sword. No GM should go naming every single item that registers on detect magic. That makes those items that deserve to be named seem less important.A +1 weapon represents a (unless I am wrong) 3000gp investment. Sure I don't name my Audi but if I had a weapon that cost me as much as my car in an age that weapon is particularly different (ie able to damage supernatural critters) I'd be naming the sucker and even if I didnt (as the buyer) at least I'd be interested in where it ended up and the family of the buyer (mine) would be interested in it as part of family history and investment.
I suppose I come from a game philosophy where Mages don't clock into the magic item factory and stamp out another 20 generic magic weapons.
i name my car
Poisnts too
http://www.enworld.org/forum/pathfinder-rpg-discussion/304900-1001-minor-tr aits-magic-swords.html
And
http://www.enworld.org/forum/pathfinder-rpg-discussion/306899-lets-do-again -1001-armor-enchantments.html
I would have to say my favorite example of a magic sword with just a + on it would be the sword wielded by carrot on the disk. It's just a sharp brutal sword.