I tried to find a straight answer for this but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.
As far as I know, weapon enchantments do stack. However, there are a few things I'm unclear on:
1) let's say that a barbarian wanted a greatsword with +1 flaming and +1 frost. Does this cost an extra 4000gp (because the two +1 abilities are 2000gp each) or does it cost 8000gp as the two +1s add up to a +2 bonus?
2) let's say this barbarian wants a +1 flaming and a +1 frost sword, but only has 2000gp on him. He goes with flaming and then loots a few villages and comes back with some more money. Could he add the +1 frost bonus to his flaming sword, and if so, how much for?
EDIT:
3) another question I was just discussing with the GM. The defending weapon enchantment says:
A defending weapon allows the wielder to transfer some or all of the weapon's enhancement bonus to his AC as a bonus that stacks with all others. As a free action, the wielder chooses how to allocate the weapon's enhancement bonus at the start of his turn before using the weapon, and the bonus to AC lasts until his next turn. This ability can only be placed on melee weapons.
If there was a +1 flaming and +1 defending sword, could the weilder add 2 as a bonus to their armour class?
1)
Some magic weapons have special abilities. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify attack or damage bonuses (except where specifically noted). A single weapon cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents, including those from character abilities and spells) higher than +10. A weapon with a special ability must also have at least a +1 enhancement bonus. Weapons cannot possess the same special ability more than once.
A +1, Flaming, Frost Greatsword would have an effective magic weapon bonus of +3, and the price of the Greatsword would be 18,000 gp (3^2 x 2000).
2)
For starters, since the greatsword needs atleast an enhancement bonus of +1 before adding special abilities, the barbarian would not be able to buy a +1, flaming greatsword with 2000 gp since that would have a price of 8000 gp (2^2 x 2000).
He can add additional abilities (or pay someone to do it), and the price to do so would be the difference of the new and the old price of the magic weapon.
So, to upgrade a +1, Flaming greatsword to a +1, Flaming, Frost greatsword, the barbarian would need 10000 gp (18,000 - 8000 gp).
3)
No, he could not. If you read through the rules I quoted first, you can see that there is a difference between Enhancement bonus and Special abilities.
A +1, Flaming, Defending sword would only be able to relocate the single +1 bonus to AC.
1) You have to add them first, so it costs 8000 gp.
2) Yes. You pay the difference (8000 - 2000 = 6000). Unless you're in PFS, in which case I believe upgrades are illegal.
3) Nope. The "enchantment bonus" means the +N in the weapon being a +N whatever sword, not the cost of the properties. Basically you shouldn't really say "a greatsword wiwth +1 flaming and +1 frost"; it's "a +N flaming frost greatsword." The "+N" is because any weapon needs at least a +1 enchantment bonus before any properties can be added.
Hope that makes sense.
EDIT: Errr, my answers to #1 and #2 ignore the stricture in #3 and pretend that you could have a "+0 flaming frost greatsword," because I think that's what you were asking about. Sorry for any confusion.
You seem to be misunderstanding.
a +1 Flaming weapon is a +2 Weapon equivalent so the enchantments cost 8000. If you then want to make it a Frost weapon as well that would make it a +3 Equivalent weapon worth 18000gp, this would mean it would cost 10000gp to upgrade it.
If you had a +1 Flaming sword you could use the +1 value for AC.
The + value listed for enchantments on weapons is the cost equivalent rather than the bonus it gives. The enchantment bonus is separate so you can have a +5 flaming sword which would be a +6 weapon
Thanks guys :) it's one of the first times we've gotten high enough levels to buy enchanted items, so I was pretty confused by exactly what added up with what.
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Reading the answers on this thread made me a little confused as to what everybody is trying to say. So this is for clarity.
Every magic weapon has an Enhancement bonus. This normally ranges from +1 to +5 and this bonus is added to all attack rolls and damage rolls with the weapon.
Some magic weapons also have additional magical properties such as Flaming, Frost, Keen, Bane, Vorpal, etc. Each magical weapon might have none of these, or one, or more than one.
There is no such things as "+1 Flaming" in the way the OP seems to be talking about it. There is only "Flaming" which can be added to any magical weapon (for additional cost).
So when you create a magical weapon, or buy one, first you decide what Enhancement bonus it will have. +1? +2? Whatever you want and can afford. Then you add additional magical properties if you want them.
Each additional property adds to the cost. The amount is decided by the Base Price Modifier which, for most weapon abilities, is number like +1 (Flaming has a +1 modifier) or +2 (Wounding has a +2 modifier) or more (Vorpal has a +5 modifier). You add this modifier to the Enhancement bonus to get a final adjusted Enhancement bonus. (Note: a few abilities just have a gold piece cost, like Glamered, which just adds 4,000gp to the total cost of the weapon).
For example, a +1 sword with Flaming has an adjusted bonus of +2. A +4 sword with Vorpal has an adjusted bonus of +9. A +1 sword with Flaming, Frost, Keen, and Wounding has an adjusted bonus of +6. Etc.
Then you can just look on the table in the book to find out the price. That +1 Flaming sword is 8,000gp, the +4 Vorpal sword is 162,000gp, etc.
Finally, remember that the adjusted Enhancement bonus is ONLY used for calculating the price. The actual Enhancement bonus is what you add to attack and damage rolls. So that +4 Vorpal sword is priced as if it were a +9 sword but it still only adds +4 to attack and damage rolls.
The "enchantment bonus"
(Grinds teeth.) There is no such thing. "Enchantment" is a school of magic -- look it up. Enchantment spells have the [mind-affecting] descriptor. Swords are inanimate, mindless objects. Ergo, they are immune to enchantments.
They can, however, have "enhancement bonuses."
The "enchantment bonus"(Grinds teeth.) There is no such thing. "Enchantment" is a school of magic -- look it up. Enchantment spells have the [mind-affecting] descriptor. Swords are inanimate, mindless objects. Ergo, they are immune to enchantments.
They can, however, have "enhancement bonuses."
We all understood what he meant, and that's all that matters. For all intensive purposes, "enchantment" and "enhancement" mean basically the same thing unless you want to get nickpicky, since there is no confusion as to what rules are being referenced. It's literally nitpicking at it's worst to care about that sort of thing.
For all intensive purposes
It's literally nitpicking
it's worst
All three times. May I presume they were all intentional on your part, and not just one of them?
All three times. May I presume they were all intentional on your part, and not just one of them?For all intensive purposes
It's literally nitpicking
it's worst
I don't suppose that I can say the answer depends on which one you would find more annoying? Or does my answer have to be irregardless of your personal preferences?
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Or does my answer have to be irregardless of your personal preferences?
You're doing it again...
Or does my answer have to be irregardless of your personal preferences?You're doing it again...
I know, but let's just keep that between you and I.
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I know, but let's just keep that between you and I.Or does my answer have to be irregardless of your personal preferences?You're doing it again...
Right. Me and you will keep our secret.