How high can weapon enhancments go?

[Orannis]

So I am running into an issue. I was wanting to play a Paladin that has a halberd that is his families ancestral relic. We are starting at level 3 so I was going to take the Ancestral Relic feat from Book of Exalted Deeds and, following the feats description, I would get to upgrade it by offering a certain amount of gold or items. No problem yet, the issue arises in my planned character progression. I was Intending to have my character eventually (for a variety of reasons) become a kensai from Complete Warrior and I was looking over the entry at the part about signature weapon. It also allows you to enhance your weapon and further says that if the weapon already had an enhancement the xp cost is lowered. I guess what I am asking is the logical, but almost certainly stupid, question of can you actually have a weapon with what amounts to a +20 weapon? My gut is saying know but I can't find anything that says differently and, well, if I could play it I have to admit it would be pretty cool with all the abilities I could put on it. So I ask you playgrounders, what say you?

[TheCoelacanth]

Pre-epic the maximum is +5 and +5 worth of abilities.

[Keld Denar]

Um, there was a CharOp project around that combined Soulbound Weapon, a Fiend of Posession, and a couple of other tricks to get something like a +21 equivalent weapon, pre-epic. Its not just a function of the weapon itself, but it is effectively treated as such.

Also, to the above poster, its +5 for enhancement bonus, and +10 overall pre-epic. You could have a +1 Brilliant Energy Wounding Holy Vicsious weapon, which has +9 worth of +equivalent bonuses on it. In fact, assuming you have access to Greater Magic Weapon, this is the route to go, as post casting, you have the equivalent of a +14 weapon.

[KillianHawkeye]

Yeah, with the Epic rules, there's basically no limit.

[TroubleBrewing]

Yeah, with the Epic rules, there's basically no limit.

Well, no limit except that posed by the level of material wealth you can accrue.

(And at epic levels... Yeah, basically infinite. But there is a difference between functionally infinite and actually infinite.)

[2xMachina]

Well... if you want real high enchantments...

Bow (+1) +9
Arrow (+1) +9
GMW +5

For a total of +23

[Orannis]

I guess the thing that is confusing me is that while with the Ancestral relic feat the weapons power really does become awakened and turns the weapon into a +x or holy or whatever for whoever picks it up but on the other hand the Kensai signature weapon only functions as that in the hands of the Kensai. So is it REALLY a weapon of up +20 enhancements and abilities on it? The second I drop it it does back to being a normal ++5 vorpel halberd (or whatever) but in my hands it is much more powerful. Would there be a real difference between that and the greater magic weapon trick suggested above?

[Flickerdart]

The +5/+10 rule only applies when crafting magic items. Weapons amplified with other means (such as a +1 weapon with +9 worth of enhancements being GMW'd to +14) don't care about this rule.

The trick Keld Denar mentions is in my signature, and goes up to +26 without ML-boosting shenanigans.