These items have been divided into two groups: Generic Magical Weapons and Weapon-Specific Items. Generic Magical Weapons are listed as powers that can be given to any weapon type. For example, a Sword +1 is just as easily defined as a Trident +1; the descriptions are the same. Weapon-Specific Items are magical weapons whose powers are obviously tied to the type of weapon. Examples are such items as the Cleaving Battleaxe or the De-Were Spear. This is not to say that a GM couldn't define the De-Were Flail as the power of a De-Were Spear in a flail, but only the original conception is listed here.
Some of these powers may be compatible and can be combined on a weapon. Of course, this makes the weapon more powerful and of higher level.
In addition, a weapon can have intelligence, an alignment, and/or special powers. Intelligence means that the weapon is sentient and has some control over itself and, in some unfortunate cases, its wielder. Alignment means that the weapon is pledged to a particular religion and tries to follow the precepts of that religion. Special powers are magical abilities that go beyond the weapon's combat abilities. These special powers are often limited in the number of times they can be used. These attributes, previously associated only with swords, may be given to any magical weapon.
The system of referring to magical items in terms of +N has for tradition been retained when the actual meaning is +5N% to hit or to save. This system, although inaccurate, has the advantages of being familiar to people and of avoiding silly nitpicking over a few percentage points by quantizing the abilities of items.
Unless otherwise stated, all weapons give their bonus to damage as well as to hit. Any bonus to damage (magical, spell, or strength) is never multiplied when damage is increased by multipliers such as double damage criticals, backstabs, or the power of slaying. Any penalty to damage can never reduce the .bd maximum damage below 1. For example, a -3 dagger (doing D3 damage) still does a point of damage if a 3 is rolled.
Note that +0 weapons and other items are legal and even occasionally useful. Such weapons can hit creatures that can only be hit by magical weapons (rather than +N magical weapons), they can hit creatures requiring silvered weapons to hit without the penalties that silver normally has, and they frequently have powers besides the simple +0.
Unless otherwise stated, magical weapons shed no light and weigh normal amounts.
Magical weapons may only be used by characters that may normally use the weapon type. When "clerics" is listed in the restrictions of a weapon or group of weapons, the weapon is one of the standard clerical set. Whether or not a particular cleric can use a weapon depends upon the prohibitions of his religion. A cleric can use a magical weapon if the type is normally available to him. The special abilities of a magical weapon can only be used by someone able to wield the weapon.
Last Modified on September 10,1995.
ammulder@princeton.edu