Minor Artifacts and Weapon Buffs

[Skrayper]

Question:
Artifact weapons obviously cannot be improved/changed through things like "Craft Magic Arms and Armor"; however, does this extend to temporary buffs?

For example, if you had a Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, could you use Align Weapon or Weapon of Awe in conjunction with it? What about the runes used by a Forgemaster Cleric?

[Name Violation]

Skrayper wrote:

Question:

Artifact weapons obviously cannot be improved/changed through things like "Craft Magic Arms and Armor"; however, does this extend to temporary buffs?

For example, if you had a Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, could you use Align Weapon or Weapon of Awe in conjunction with it? What about the runes used by a Forgemaster Cleric?

Unless the specific ability or artifact says you can't, sure you can.

You can also cast greater magic weapon and possibly make it a higher +# temporarily.

[Skrayper]

Name Violation wrote:

Skrayper wrote:

Question:

Artifact weapons obviously cannot be improved/changed through things like "Craft Magic Arms and Armor"; however, does this extend to temporary buffs?

For example, if you had a Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, could you use Align Weapon or Weapon of Awe in conjunction with it? What about the runes used by a Forgemaster Cleric?

Unless the specific ability or artifact says you can't, sure you can.

You can also cast greater magic weapon and possibly make it a higher +# temporarily.

I must admit to the confusing nature of the "+10 hard cap" rule as well. I see a lot of posts saying you can use Greater Magic Weapon to surpass the +10 cap, but that seems opposite of what it says in the Magic Weapon section:

Quote:

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.

What am I missing?

[Name Violation]

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.

But things that have special abilities that aren't of a + enhancement # can get up to +10.

A axe of dwarvish lords looks to be a +9 total, so any +1 ability (flaming, shock, whatever) is fair game (maybe from magus, warpriest, or occultist).

Align weapon, and weapon of awe don't add a + enhancement so those don't worry about any +10 cap anyway.

If you find something like a bound blade it's only a +5 equivalent, so you can GMW it up and add other abilities

[Skrayper]

I follow, but still don't understand GMW. Are you saying if I had a +1 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier, I could get a 12th level Cleric and make it a +3 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier?

[Name Violation]

Skrayper wrote:

I follow, but still don't understand GMW. Are you saying if I had a +1 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier, I could get a 12th level Cleric and make it a +3 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier?

Yes.

[Skrayper]

Name Violation wrote:

Skrayper wrote:

I follow, but still don't understand GMW. Are you saying if I had a +1 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier, I could get a 12th level Cleric and make it a +3 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier?

Yes.

Is there an FAQ that clarifies that? I'm just curious, as the Magic Weapon section seems to imply that spells cannot push a weapon past that +10 maximum.

[Name Violation]

Skrayper wrote:

Name Violation wrote:

Skrayper wrote:

I follow, but still don't understand GMW. Are you saying if I had a +1 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier, I could get a 12th level Cleric and make it a +3 Holy Speed Keen DragonBane Rapier?

Yes.

Is there an FAQ that clarifies that? I'm just curious, as the Magic Weapon section seems to imply that spells cannot push a weapon past that +10 maximum.

i may be doing math wrong?

holy 2
speed 4
keen 1
dragon bane 1
+1
9 total

i guess you can only gmw it up to a +2

[Gilfalas]

Name Violation wrote:

i may be doing math wrong?

speed 4

i guess you can only gmw it up to a +2

Speed is only +3 so you were right the first time. You could GMW that weapon to +3 for a total of 10 '+'s.

Weapon abilities expressed in '+'s do not actually count as enhancement bonuses for considering a weapons '+' to hit and damage. That is why GMW can increase the enhancement bonus on the example weapon as it only considers enhancement bonuses to hit and damage.