The Campaign Builder's Guild

Read and please PEACH - keep in mind that this is a replacement for magically-imbued weapons and armor in high fantasy games for a low fantasy, humanocentric world. Looking for ideas, suggestions and links to your own work if possible to compare for balance.

http://deismaar.pbwiki.com/Forged-Weapon-Materials-and-Properties

 

QuoteWell-balanced
Well-balanced weapons are balanced to fly straight and reduce the amount of weight on the haft and hilt of the weapon.


Melee
+1 enhancement bonus to hit

Missile
Range increased by 1.5

Armor
No effect

Cost
Three times the original price for melee weapons or 3 silver per ammunition for missile weapons

QuoteKeen
Keen weapons have a sharpened, honed edge.

Melee
+1 enhancement bonus to damage

Missile
+1 enhancement bonus to damage

Armor
No effect

Cost
Three times the original price for melee weapons or 3 silver per ammunition for missile weapons

QuoteWorghide
Worghide is a tough yet flexible hide wrought from the backs of the heartiest of wolves. It is highly saught after by hunters and scouts.

Melee
No effect

Missile
No effect

Armor
+1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class and raises the maximum Dexterity by 1 for limits by armor type and armor check penalties are lessened by 1 (to a minimum of 0). This applies to Padded, Leather, Studded Leather, Hide and Splint Armor only.

Cost
Original cost plus 150 silver for armor made from Worghide

QuoteSteel (Masterwork)
Steel is a strong, durable metal that has begun to see widespread usage in the Third Age.

Melee
+1 enhancement bonus to Critical range

Missile
Range increased by 1.5, +1 enhancement bonus to Critical range

Armor
+1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class and raises the maximum Dexterity by 1 for limits by armor type and armor check penalties are lessened by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

Cost
Original cost plus 300 silver for Steel melee weapon or 6 silver per ammunition for missile weapons

Original cost plus 150 silver for Steel armor

QuoteHornwood or Wychwood(Masterwork)
Hornwood is a strong, flexible wood used for shafts of bows and arrows.

Melee
+1 enhancement bonus to Critical range

Missile
Range increased by 1.5, +1 enhancement bonus to Critical range

Armor
No effect

Cost
Original cost plus 300 silver for Hornwood missile weapons such as bows and longspears or 6 silver per ammunition for missile weapons

QuoteIronwood (Masterwork)
Ironwood grows hearty in the depths of the Caledonian Mor and the Myrkwood, but is difficult to cut and harvest. Most weapons or other arms made from Ironwood are carved from driftwood.

Melee
+2 enhancement bonus to critical range

Missile
Range increased by 2, +2 enhancement bonus to Critical range

Armor
No effect

Cost
Original cost plus 600 silver for Ironwood melee weapons or 12 silver per ammunition for missile weapons

QuoteMoonmetal (Masterwork)
Moonmetal, or starstone as it is sometimes called, is a rare type of stone found in the most remote of places in Deismaar. Many monoliths from the First Age built in reverence of the old, nameless gods of the First Men, are made from moonmetal.

Melee
+2 enhancement bonus to critical range

Missile
Range increased by 2, +2 enhancement bonus to Critical range e

Armor
+2 enhancement bonus to Armor Class and raises the maximum Dexterity by 2 for limits by armor type and armor check penalties are lessened by 2 (to a minimum of 0).

Cost
Moonmetal cannot be purchased

I'm going to be working on a very similar system at some point in the future. One thing I'm planning on having is really uber weapons that have a Base Attack requirement for some of the bonuses.

So a Sword of Uberness might behave (All bonuses are competence):
BAB 1: +1 to hit
BAB 5: +1 to crit threat range
BAB 10: +1 to crit multiplier
BAB 15: +5 to hit
BAB 20: +2 to crit threat range and +2 to crit threat multiplier

Of course that's just an example, not balanced in the least.

I'm going to have to think on this a bit, but I like the idea.

If you want a truely low-fantasy world without changing the mechanics of the game too much, one can simply re-describe standard +1 through +5 weapons, shields, and armor as a function of their craftsmanship. Change Craft Magic Arms and Armor to be a non-caster feat; casters can use it to apply magical enhancements like flaming and vorpal, while anyone with craft ranks can apply +'s.

There are actually quite a few weapon enhancements that don't HAVE to be magical. Defending, Distance, Keen, Mighty Cleaving, Speed, Throwing, Vorpal, and Wounding I could think of very good non-magical explanations.