So I'm semi struggling on this but it's not a terribly needed answer(I low ball stuff anyway).
So as I understand it with automatic progression there's NO special gear? At least non with +1s or 2s.
Put a different way, I want to drop a 'Sniping' enchanted weapon.
Do I just give them the cash in this system?
Is it enchanted as Sniping only when they have 4 points to put into the weapon?
Does the bad guy even get sniping?
I like Auto Progression a lot because it frees up the required stat items but I'm struggling to figure out what to give them that isn't just Wonderous items that doesn't go into the bag or consumables.
the progression is only the bonus to hit and damage (enhancment?) of the weapon. a weapon special power that count as '+X" is not the same and still can be made\found\bought. weapon just have to be masterwork and the cost is then applied as such.
so you don't need a weapon to have a +1 to have also grant it the flaming weapon ability. you can craft it as a flaming sword (with no "+") at the cost of making a masterwork weapon with the amount of "+" on it - in this case 2300+ weapon base cost (2000 for flaming 300 for masterwork)
as for sniping. i see 4 different kinds of weapon ability named sniping:
Sniping (normal) at +1,875 gp side cost, Sniping (improved) at 7,500 gp side cost, Sniping (greater) at+16,875 gp side cost and 'sniping' the +2 weapon ability. the first 3 just add to a general cost of the weapon so normal would be masterwork cost + 1,875 etc. the last would cost as a +2 weapon( which should also add masterwork so 8300+base weapon), as long as no other weapon ability is added.
There is another caveat to the weapon special abilities in automatic progression, that the abilities that have a "+2" type cost actually reduce the effective enhancement bonus you can grant.
Weapon Attunement
The character can attune herself to any one weapon in her possession, and can change that attunement once per day. The attuned weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus at 4th level. At 8th level, the character can split her attunement between two weapons, granting each a +1 enhancement bonus. At 9th level, she can grant a single weapon a +2 enhancement bonus instead of granting two weapons a +1 enhancement bonus each. At 14th level, she can either grant a single weapon a +3 enhancement bonus or grant two weapons a +2 enhancement bonus each. At 15th level, she can either grant a single weapon a +4 enhancement bonus or grant two weapons a +3 enhancement bonus each. At 17th level, she can either grant a single weapon a +5 enhancement bonus or grant one weapon a +4 enhancement bonus and another weapon a +3 enhancement bonus.Magic Weapons and Armor
In this system, magic weapons, armor, and shields never have enhancement bonuses of their own; those bonuses are granted only through attunement. Any weapon, armor, or shield special abilities on attuned items count against a character’s enhancement bonus from attunement. To determine an attuned magic item’s enhancement bonus, subtract the cost of its special ability from the enhancement bonus granted by attunement. (This applies only to special abilities whose cost is equivalent to an enhancement bonus, not to those that cost a flat amount of gold pieces.) For example, if a character with a +3 enhancement bonus from weapon attunement wields a keen scimitar, she subtracts 1 point of her enhancement bonus (for the cost of keen), leaving her with a +2 keen scimitar. If a character doesn’t have enough of an enhancement bonus to afford the special ability (such as a 4th-level character with a vorpal longsword), she can still use the weapon’s power on its own, but the weapon gains no enhancement bonus.In this system, adding bonus-equivalent special abilities to items costs significantly less because you are paying only for the special ability, not for a base enhancement bonus (see the table below). To determine the price of specific weapons and armor, remove the flat enhancement bonus and reduce the item’s cost by the amount listed on the table below. For example, a flame tongue is normally worth 20,715 gp, but under this system, it would lose its +1 enhancement bonus and its price would be reduced to 18,715 gp. Specific weapons and armor can be attuned; they then grant the character’s enhancement bonuses from weapon attunement and armor attunement as normal.
Base Price Modifier Weapon Cost Armor/Shield Cost
+1 2,000 gp 1,000 gp
+2 8,000 gp 4,000 gp
+3 18,000 gp 9,000 gp
+4 32,000 gp 16,000 gp
+5 50,000 gp 25,000 gp
Do keep in mind, this does intentionally depower weapons forcing you to use up enhancement bonus to also add special abilities.
Automatic Bonus Progression is meant to kind of depower players, while also allowing them to expand into interest gear rather than focus on just power up the big 6.