I am assuming that when i spend one of my Arcane pool to enhance my weapon granting it a +1 it is not counted as being magic for purposes of bypassing DR/ and whatnot, correct?
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I am assuming that when i spend one of my Arcane pool to enhance my weapon granting it a +1 it is not counted as being magic for purposes of bypassing DR/ and whatnot, correct?
You assume incorrectly. Arcane pool gives it an enhancement bonus which is all that is needed to make it magic. Arcan pool at high enough levels can also be used for +3 to bypass cold-iron/silver, +4 to bypass adamantine and +5 to bypass alignment
You assume incorrectly. Only the spell "Greater Magic Weapon" has a similar clause and that clause does not prevent it from beating DR/magic.
There is no wording in either Arcane Pool or the (CRB p561) Damage Reduction - Overcoming DR section that limits the enhancement bonus in any way.
Only the spell "Greater Magic Weapon" limits the enhancement bonus so that it does not qualify as Cold Iron, Silver, Adamantine, or Alignment.
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Your weapon need not be masterwork to be enhanced by your Arcane Pool. Normally you would need a masterwork weapon in order to enhance it to a +1, but the Magus ability is different.
Arcane Pool (Su): At 1st level, the magus gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his magus level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.
At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's base price modifier (see the Magic Weapon Special Ability Descriptions). These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus.
A magus can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.
Edit: Doh! Dual-ninja'd. That's what I get for spending time looking for quotes.
You assume incorrectly. Only the spell "Greater Magic Weapon" has a similar clause and that clause does not prevent it from beating DR/magic.
There is no wording in either Arcane Pool or the (CRB p561) Damage Reduction - Overcoming DR section that limits the enhancement bonus in any way.
Only the spell "Greater Magic Weapon" limits the enhancement bonus so that it does not qualify as Cold Iron, Silver, Adamantine, or Alignment.
So can i attack an Incorporeal creature with an "Enhanced" sword by spending the one Arcane Pool point or is this only making my sword a glorified masterwork weapon for 1 minute?
I'd like to know if i need to purchase some oils for my Magus or i can just stick with using my Arcane pool to "empower" my sword until i can afford an +1 Adamantine Scimitar.
ezrider23,
If you cast "Magic Weapon", use the Magus ability "Arcane Pool", or use the Paladin ability "Divine Bond" on a weapon (even a non-masterwork weapon) it all amounts to the same thing.
You now have a +1 weapon and it counts as magic for the purposes of bypassing DR and whether or not it can strike incorporeal creatures. Also, because it is now a +1 weapon (even temporarily) it adds +1 to attack and damage for the duration of the ability.
Now, lets say you take a non-magic sword up to +3, +4, or +5 using either Greater Magic Weapon, Arcane Pool, or Divine Bond things change a bit.
Greater Magic Weapon will still do the same thing as Magic Weapon regarding bypassing DR/Magic and striking incorporeal creatures but it will not bypass DR/Cold Iron, DR/Silver, DR/Adamantine, or DR/Alignment because the spell specifically states that it does not.
However, Arcane Pool and Divine Bond do not have such a clause so they will count for the purposes of DR/Cold Iron, DR/Silver, DR/Adamantine, or DR/Alignment.
In short, if you have an enhancement bonus on a weapon treat it as if it were manufactured that way for the purposes of all effects unless the method of enhancing it (such as Greater Magic Weapon) states otherwise.
That's what i was wondering. Nowhere in the Arcane pool enhancement does it state this but it is specifically called out in GMW so hence my confusion. It is also specifically called out in the feat Arcane Strike so it got me wondering if they "basically" worked the same way.
All that aside i believe i understand how it works a bit better now. Thanks.
Arcane Strike is an entirely different effect. It does not provide an enhancement bonus. It provides a damage bonus AND allows you to bypass DR/magic.