The basic idea I'm shooting for is to provide a way for characters to start out with whatever base weapon they want and not feel like they're gimping themselves for not going for the max crit range or the like at the end of the game.
The rough idea is to create higher levels of masterwork that a master workman/smith can add on to an existing weapon, this can be fluffed as improving the grip, making small adjustments to the balance of the blade, special honing techniques, and use of special alchemical agents to improve the weapon.
Basic formula for price is Masterwork bonus Squared * 300.
The standard masterwork weapon (+1 enhancement bonus to hit) is treated as Master Work 1.
Adding any of the following would increase the Masterwork bonus by 1 each:
Increase Critical Threat Range by 1 (to a maximum of 18-20) (This would stack with keen and other effects that alter threat range.
Increase Critical multiplier by 1 (to a maximum of x4).
Increase Damage to 1d8 (or equivalent for small or large weapons).
Increase Damage to 2d6 (or equivalent for small or large weapons).
Add Reach Property (treat as a +2 bonus).
Thoughts? Criticisms? Falafel?
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I could see players using this system for doing stuff like upping the damage of a rapier to a d8 or improving the crit range of a long sword. For such a cheap price, I would definitely do it. I do not see people using it to pick some weak weapon to improve or bring up to par. The only player who would do that are the ones who choose to gimp themself for flavor. Even then, they are still behind the curve because the players who picked the better weapons to begin with did not need to spend the same money, that money is available for other options and gear. From a power gaming or optimizing perspective, these options are too good to pass up at that cheap of a price, especially on already good weapons.
I understand that the enlarge person table goes from d6 to d8 to 2d6 but you may want to consider going from d8 to d10. Likewise the chart takes a d10 to 2d8. You may want to do d10 to 2d6. This makes the jumps only about 1or 1.5 points better Each jump.
I'm not sure I understand the part about changing the damage dice.
Would every weapon with a dice lower than 1d8 become 1d8 and every weapon that already has 1d8 becomes 2d6?
That means a masterwork (2) blowgun could be at +1 to hit and deal 1d8 damage instead of 1d2?
With the changes in crit range and crit multiplier you could see some trouble. Think about a keen scimitar with a x3 multiplier or even a x4 if it is possible to take the same masterwork option twice.
While I like the idea I see some strong powergaming potential.
I think you should be careful with the increase in critical threat range/multiplier. Increasing threat range on a high multiplier weapon and vice versa is very powerful.
Threat range +1 on a longsword for 900 gp is powerful, but on a battleaxe it's incredible. Especially if combined with improved critical/keen. Likewise, +1 multiplier on a battleaxe is strong but on a rapier is completely awesome.
For this reason, I'd personally instead have +bonus to threat confirmation rolls, and bonus damage on a critical. Especially since the gold cost is far lower than keen.
EDIT: Other than that it looks good, though I'd limit reach to certain weapons (reach on a halberd or trident or even greataxe makes sense, less so on a spiked gauntlet or kama)
I think these make more sense as temporary improvements. For one, power level would be less of a concern because it's only temporary, it would be distinct from the magical effect (which is permanent), and it fits with the flavor by requiring you to regularly inspect and repair your weapons.
You could, for instance, grant the Keen special quality good for 1d4 critical hits, at which point it returns to normal.
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also, you could scale cost with current crit range/multiplier.
for example, a dagger already has a +1 crit range (at x19-20/x2) and so increasing it to x18-20/x2 would be bringing it to +2 crit range which is 2*2*300 = 1200gp
whereas
a quarterstaff already has a +0 crit multiplier (at x20/x2) so increasing it to x20/x3 would be bringing it to +1 crit multiplier which is 1*300 = 300gp
and yeah, as Ilja points out, increasing crit range on a weapon that already has an increased crit multiplier, or vice versa, is incrementally superior. maybe such an instance should cube (^3) the price rather than square (^2) it?
ie
dagger has +1 crit range (at x19-20/x2) and so increasing it's crit multiplier to x19-20/x3 would be a +2 overall crit range/mult and so would cost 2*2*2*300 = 2400gp
i like the temporary sharpening rate Big Lemon mentioned. this could cost 10%?
It looks like the board ate my earlier reply so, in short, thanks everyone for the feedback.
It's really good advice, especially on the difference in slapping a threat/multiplier increase on a weapon that is already above 20/x2.
I'm not sure if I'm going to go back to the drawing board with the basic idea or just scrap it.
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I applaud the effort and think it's worth carrying through. I personally don't like the dependance on magical items character develop at high levels so I'm glad to see any decent ideas for resolving that.
Yeah, it's a good idea. I never really liked the lack of "ultraepicly super-duper-forged weapons" that aren't infused by magic.