[3.5] Non Magical Weapon Upgrades

[Coplantor]

So, is there a system for something like this? Core already brings things like different materials and masterwork. But are there more things like this? I'm not looking for realistic things.

I intend to run a medium to low magic campaign, but I want equipment to make huge differences, lke, for example, allowing mercurial to be a qualit you can ask master crafters to add to a weapon you want.

So, how much things like the above I can find in books? Or homebrews? Or whatever?

[Endarire]

There are Kaorti Resin weapons (Friend Folio) and also here that cost 50x the base weapon's price and require an exotic weapon proficiency to properly wield.

[arguskos]

If you're cool with brew, I've got a good number of new materials for ya. Adamantly Magical. Feel free to use them.

Additionally, you can do things such as adding new weapon/armor qualities. I like Serrated (increased crit range, only works on slashing/piercing weapons), Dire (adds +2 damage and some weight), and Articulated (armor quality that makes the armor easier to move in). Still, there's a lot of possibilities. Playing with materials seems like a good way to do things.

[The Glyphstone]

For low/medium magic games, a solution that always works is having weapons come in grades of craftsmanship, not simply 'magic'. A basic sword is normal, a master-crafted sword might be +1, an artisan sword is +2, and truly legendary blacksmiths with metoric starmetal can forge mundane blades with 'a +25% increase to accuracy and corresponding enhancement to damage'. Pick enhancements that could be excused as nonmagical (Keen, Collision, Distance, etc.) and flavor to taste. Invent more special materials, expanding on things like how Dragonhide armor in Draconomicon can give Energy Resistance. This keeps the low-magic feel without messing up 3.5's math any more than it already is.

[Sindri]

One of the DragonLance books included the Master class (basically an Expert upgraded to a real class) and one of the things they could learn was how to make items of beyond masterwork quality. You could get up to +5 swords, +10 skill tools, or completely unencumbering armor from a Master of sufficient level, for appropriately high prices and DCs.

edit: found it, it's in War of the Lance, page 21. They need to be level 3+ to double the effects of masterwork things, level 6+ to triple it, and so on until at level 12 they get 5x.

And of course there are various alchemical things you can do to make weapons deal energy damage, affect things they shouldn't, bypass DR and Regen, etc. You can upgrade those if you want more power and versatility on nonmagical things.

And if you really want to go all out, you can use the Gnomish Contraption rules from Races of Ansalon; with enough cash, time, and skill checks you can make almost reliable things that outperform most magic weapons (and transportation modes, and protection...)

[herrhauptmann]

There's also Dwarf/Gith/Elven craft weapons and armor.
Magic of Faerun has [heavy] weapons. But they require an extra feat to use.

Right in line with "Magic locations as treasure" you could create sites where "if you place a blade in the fountain on the night of the lunar eclipse" the weapon gets a pseudomagical property.
Requiring that for magic weapons gets away from the magicmart feel of most games, and makes magic weapons actually special beyond rarity. Sort of a fairy tale or legendary feel.

[Alleine]

Draconomicon has weapons that can be crafted from dragon bits to give them small amounts of energy damage. There are some other armor and clothing related things that can be done with dragonhide as well.

[Greenish]

Arms and Equipment Guide had stuff like that, I seem to recall. Gnomish Crossbow Scope was one of my favourites.

[FelixG]

Iron Kingdoms is an AMAZING campaign setting with stuff like you mentioned, its low magic so other forms of equipment have stepped into the void

[Loki Eremes]

Look for some upgrades in Complete Scoundrel
Bayonets for crossbows is a good example.


and my favourite one: slots for holding wands without the need to sheath or throw your weapon to use them

[Greenish]

and my favourite one: slots for holding wands without the need to sheath or throw your weapon to use them

Wand chambers, along with a couple of other non-magical weapon mods, are from Dungeonscape.

[Loki Eremes]

Wand chambers, along with a couple of other non-magical weapon mods, are from Dungeonscape.

thx, passed a year since i read CS

Well, at least youve got hidden spaces (not always a weapon upgrade but usefull anyway) and hidden blades in SC

sry for the early mistake :3

[Coplantor]

Oh, I remember the wand chambers, though I'm pretty sure I've seen them in Complete Adventurer.

Thanks everyone, now I have a lot of references to check.

[Darrin]

Dragon Magazine #358 had an article on some fairly cheap weapon/armor upgrades: blood grooves, reinforced, caster armor, etc.

DMGII has a variety of templates that can be added to weapons.

Feycraft on a light weapon, for example, lets you use your Dex bonus to attack as if you had Weapon Finesse.

Gloryborn weapon does +1 damage on a charge attack.

Hellforged weapon does +1 damage on flanked targets.

Pitspawned weapon gives you +2 on confirming criticals.

Soulforged weapon does +2 damage on opponents that are charging.

[Cicciograna]

This is something I made up some time ago. Basically it describes different degrees of "masterwork" quality that could be added to weapons and armors.

[Diarmuid]

I think the d20 Wheel of Time game also had a system in place for nonmagical weapons. Dont have my book with me atm but another place to check.

[Kansaschaser]

What book is the "Serrated" weapon quality found in?