Fixing Legacy Weapons

[Asteron]

I like Legacy Weapons in theory, but they suck in practice.

You have to give up way too much for the recieved benefits. Nobody in their right mind is gioing to take a -4 penalty to Fortitude for some decent weapon abilities.

What would it take to fix Legacy Weapons to be worthwhile to take?

[Medic!]

I don't know how balancing it is or if it's really a fix, but at our table at home, Legacy Items/Weapons lose all of their associated penalties. We also take it a step further and let you either remove the ritual requirements entirely, or have it set so that if you burn a regular feat for the ritual it's free, but to get it as a bonus feat you pay the cashola for it.

[Asteron]

That's the direction that I am leaning in.

However, for the sake of "balance", lets say that some penalty is need to even out the abilities gained. What are some acceptable penalties for them?

[Skysaber]

That's the direction that I am leaning in.

However, for the sake of "balance", lets say that some penalty is need to even out the abilities gained. What are some acceptable penalties for them?

Go with the route already paved by intelligent weapons. If you aren't living up to the spirit of the Legacy (whatever that is, for that weapon) it simply withholds its powers.

So if you've got the sword of the high king, and you'd prefer to spend all day in bars and sleep in gutters, it refuses to be +2 or Keen for you. Oh dear.

Realistically though, worth less = costs less. Anything else is broken in concept. And quite frankly the benefits of stock Weapons of Legacy are low enough that people are pretty much always going to have better gear for their level already filling those slots.

[navar100]

Just remove the penalties. Legacy weapons are only magic weapons a character would keep instead of trading up. The weapon itself improves in ability commensurate with character level. There's nothing so OMG The Game Is Doomed! special about them that you need to worry about.

[TypoNinja]

Just remove the penalties. Legacy weapons are only magic weapons a character would keep instead of trading up. The weapon itself improves in ability commensurate with character level. There's nothing so OMG The Game Is Doomed! special about them that you need to worry about.

This is pretty much the long and short of it. Legacy weapons are a great idea poorly executed. The Legacy rituals required are enough of a penalty, and provide adventure hooks, they are decent.

All the associated penalties are trash, striking at the strength of a character for not nearly enough gain.

I've run a game with legacy weapons where the penalties were not used. Nobody noticed. They are essentially named weapons/other gear that wont be discarded two levels later.