Magic Weapons Confusion

[Hragas]

I was reading a thread where someone was having an issue with magical weapons and he got his problem resolved. But it left me with a Question. He was proposing buying 2 +2 weapons so He was told it would cost him 16,000 which is correct. I think. But What I read it as was creating two +1 long swords, then adding another +1 enhancement. Wouldn't that cost 20,000?

[Midnight_Angel]

Hragas wrote:

Wouldn't that cost 20,000?

Why should it?

A +2 weapon costs 2 x 2 x 2000 + 300 + (basic costs), resulting in 8300 and a bit. So, two of them come at 16,600 plus pittance.

A +1 weapon, by the same formula, costs 2300 plus its base price.

For getting a weapon upgraded, you only pay the difference. You don't have to sell it (for half price), only to buy a better one.

[Hjolmaer]

Yes, just buy 2 +2 weapons would cost 16,000 gp.

Creating 2 +1 weapons would cost the creator 2,000 gp (each one costs half the base price, so 1,000 gp each)

Adding abilities to a weapon is equal to the cost of the new ability minus the existing ability.

So adding a second "+" (8,000 gp base) divided by 2 (creator spends half base price) gives 4,000 gp. So if a +2 weapon costs 4,000, then upping +1 to +2 would cost (4,000 - 1,000) 3,000 gp per weapon for a total cost of 8,000 gp for both.

All told, he'd be making two +2 weapons at 10,000 gp, as opposed to buying two +2 weapons for 16,000 gp. Or, he could simply make them both +2 to start with, and pay only 4,000 gp up front for each, for a total cost of 8,000 gp.

Assuming he's at least level 6, of course.

ETA: forgot to include the cost of masterwork weapons. The above math reflects only spellcasting/enchanting costs.

[Hragas]

Thank you! That clears up my confusion.

[Chemlak]

I think your maths is slightly off on the upgrade cost. I'm not sure how you got 10,000 gp total cost for (1000+3000)x2.

It's 8,000 gp total to craft two +2 swords, no matter if they're upgraded to that from +1 or made as +2 in the first place.

[Hjolmaer]

Yeah, I think I accidentally added in the original creation of +1 twice on accident (adding 1k to the price of each). Thanks for the catch.

Been a looooong day. I'll avoid more math until I get home.