Newbie Question about Weapons, +1 and Damage

[Zergaloth]

I'm at a loss here. I'm confused about the listing of some weapons and the effects their +1, +2, etc have. Bear with me...

A normal short sword is listed as
Short Sword (1d6 / 19-20)

A Short Sword + 1 can be masterwork or magic.
If masterwork, it gains +1 to Attack, but not to Damage
If magic, it gains +1 to Attack and +1 to Damage

So... will a Magic Short Sword +1 be listed as
Short Sword +1 (1d6+1 / 19-20) ?
I mean, will the stats already incorporate the +1 into the damage, or do I have to do this myself?

//

I came upon this problem because I bought Crypt of the Everflame as my first real adventure after the Beginner Box. At the back of the book, I find a few pre-generated characters.

Valeros is equipped with a
Longsword +3 (1d8+3 / 19-20) (i thought the Damage+3 was because of the magic +3)
but he also has
a Short Sword +2 (1d6+1 / 19-20)

Is this a completely made-up short sword that for some reason deals more damage, and do I need to add the +2-magic-attack-and-damage-bonus myself? Or is the bonus already in the statblock, and if so, why is it only +1 while it's a +2 weapon.

Same goes for Merisiel's dagger
Dagger +3 (1d4+1 / 19-20)

[Jiggy]

In a character's stat block, the number after the weapon name is your total bonus to hit, including your STR, BAB, etc. It is not part of the name of the weapon.

So when Valeros has:
Longsword +3 (1d8+3 / 19-20)

He does not have a "longsword +3". There is no such weapon. A longsword with a +3 enhancement bonus is called a "+3 longsword" (including being italicized).

Instead, he has a longsword, his total attack modifier when using it is +3. (I'm guessing this is the sum of a +3 STR bonus, +1 BAB, and +1 from Weapon Focus, minus 2 from using TWF. No magical enhancement bonus involved.)

The damage he deals, in total, is 1d8+3. The damage bonus there is probably just his STR bonus, and nothing more.

The shortsword, then:
Short Sword +2 (1d6+1 / 19-20)

Again, since a magic weapon would be written as +2 short sword if that's what it was, this means he has a "short sword" and his total attack modifier comes out to +2. (Probably the same breakdown as his longsword, but without the +1 from Weapon Focus.)

The damage bonus of +1 is probably the result of taking his STR bonus of +3 and halving it due to it being his "off-hand" weapon in a two-weapon fighting sequence. It is not the result of magical enhancement.

Hope that helps!

[ZZTRaider]

I don't have Crypt of the Everflame, so I can't really check to confirm my suspicions, but I'm guessing they're fairly low level?

Typically, you list magic enchantments before the weapon name. For example:
+3 longsword
+1 flaming short sword

In stat blocks, they're in the format of
[weapon type] [attack bonus] ([damage] / [crit information])

So, the longsword, for example, should be a nonmagical longsword. Valeros gets 1d20+3 on his attack roll (the +3 will be from some combination of his Base Attack Bonus and his Strength). Melee weapons also add your Strength modifier to damage (or 1.5 times your Strength modifier if you're wielding the weapon with both hands), so that's where the 1d8+3 comes from.

[Lanassa]

I just checked the module and realised that you're reading the entry wrong.

In Valero's entry the line "Longswoord +3 (1d8+3 ...)" does not mean that the sword is magig. +3 is his total attack bonus:
BAB +1 (for a 1st level fighter) plus
STR +3 minus
TWF -2 plus
Weapon focus +1
totals: +3 to his attack with the main weapon

The same goes for Merisiel's dagger. She has +3 attack bonus becausse she's using it as a ranged weapon, hence the DEX modifier (+3).
Neither weapon is magic. If they were, the entry should read as follows:

+3 longsword +6 (1d8+6 ...)
+3 dagger +6 (1d4+4 ...)

Edit: ninja'd and in better wording

[Sindalla]

Jiggy wrote:

In a character's stat block, the number after the weapon name is your total bonus to hit, including your STR, BAB, etc. It is not part of the name of the weapon.

So when Valeros has:
Longsword +3 (1d8+3 / 19-20)

He does not have a "longsword +3". There is no such weapon. A longsword with a +3 enhancement bonus is called a "+3 longsword" (including being italicized).

Instead, he has a longsword, his total attack modifier when using it is +3. (I'm guessing this is the sum of a +3 STR bonus, +1 BAB, and +1 from Weapon Focus, minus 2 from using TWF. No magical enhancement bonus involved.)

The damage he deals, in total, is 1d8+3. The damage bonus there is probably just his STR bonus, and nothing more.

The shortsword, then:
Short Sword +2 (1d6+1 / 19-20)

Again, since a magic weapon would be written as +2 short sword if that's what it was, this means he has a "short sword" and his total attack modifier comes out to +2. (Probably the same breakdown as his longsword, but without the +1 from Weapon Focus.)

The damage bonus of +1 is probably the result of taking his STR bonus of +3 and halving it due to it being his "off-hand" weapon in a two-weapon fighting sequence. It is not the result of magical enhancement.

Hope that helps!

+1

[Zergaloth]

Wow. This community rocks. Everything explained in no time. Thanks a lot! I might have further questions after tonight's session, but for now, I understand completely. Tanks again.

[Jiggy]

Zergaloth wrote:

Tanks again.

Crap, again?! We haven't even had time to put down new mines since the first wave! Everybody scramble! Get to the artillery! MOVE!

[SlimGauge]

I haven't cleaned the previous tanks out of the anti-tank ditch yet !

[Jiggy]

Get command on the horn, we're gonna need air support!