I believe it would be faster and cheaper to craft a +1 weapon yourself.
Yep! That's the perplexing part. With Xanathar's downtime crafting guides, making a +1 Weapon (an Uncommon item), takes 2 work weeks and 200 gp. In the Bastion rules, making a masterwork weapon takes 3 weeks and 800gp. Sure, yes, you commission this piece, so you can go about doing other things at the same time. But still? Four times the cost? For less?
And either way, at the end you'll end up with a magical weapon. So, there's very little point to having masterwork items, if they're just a stepping stone. My argument is that they ought to be an item classification in their own right. And a useful one, at that.
Why do I want this? Not entirely sure, actually. A part of me just like the idea of an item of great quality, rare materials, or exquisite design that performs better than the bargain bin version - and yet, is not enchanted.
I feel like there's room in the story ecology niche for such items, right? Maybe it's made from a rare material that resists enchantment? Maybe it is for bringing into a magic dead zone?Maybe it's made for a group or culture that abhors magic, and instead have mastered techniques to make superior arms and armour?
I dunno. I guess I'm just a teensy bit disappointed with the current take on masterwork items :)
The thing everyone is forgetting or just leaving out is you have to expend a spell slot every day to make it yourself. Meaning you have to be a spellcaster. If you aren’t a spellcaster it will be far easier to have one cast magic weapon once than it is to get a spellcaster to hang out with you each day for two weeks to expend the appropriate level spell slot.
I believe it would be faster and cheaper to craft a +1 weapon yourself.
Yep! That's the perplexing part. With Xanathar's downtime crafting guides, making a +1 Weapon (an Uncommon item), takes 2 work weeks and 200 gp. In the Bastion rules, making a masterwork weapon takes 3 weeks and 800gp. Sure, yes, you commission this piece, so you can go about doing other things at the same time. But still? Four times the cost? For less?
And either way, at the end you'll end up with a magical weapon. So, there's very little point to having masterwork items, if they're just a stepping stone. My argument is that they ought to be an item classification in their own right. And a useful one, at that.
Why do I want this? Not entirely sure, actually. A part of me just like the idea of an item of great quality, rare materials, or exquisite design that performs better than the bargain bin version - and yet, is not enchanted.
I feel like there's room in the story ecology niche for such items, right? Maybe it's made from a rare material that resists enchantment? Maybe it is for bringing into a magic dead zone?Maybe it's made for a group or culture that abhors magic, and instead have mastered techniques to make superior arms and armour?
I dunno. I guess I'm just a teensy bit disappointed with the current take on masterwork items :)
The thing everyone is forgetting or just leaving out is you have to expend a spell slot every day to make it yourself. Meaning you have to be a spellcaster. If you aren’t a spellcaster it will be far easier to have one cast magic weapon once than it is to get a spellcaster to hang out with you each day for two weeks to expend the appropriate level spell slot.
To make a +1 weapon you don’t need to cast Magic Weapon at all. The DMG just requires you to be a spell caster of a certain level depending on the rarity of the magic item. You only need to be able cast the spell if the magic item has spells with it. Like a Wand of Magic Missile.
Xanathar’s requires proficiency in the tool needed for the item or Arcana and a formula with a possible required component from a creature.
I believe it would be faster and cheaper to craft a +1 weapon yourself.
Yep! That's the perplexing part. With Xanathar's downtime crafting guides, making a +1 Weapon (an Uncommon item), takes 2 work weeks and 200 gp. In the Bastion rules, making a masterwork weapon takes 3 weeks and 800gp. Sure, yes, you commission this piece, so you can go about doing other things at the same time. But still? Four times the cost? For less?
And either way, at the end you'll end up with a magical weapon. So, there's very little point to having masterwork items, if they're just a stepping stone. My argument is that they ought to be an item classification in their own right. And a useful one, at that.
Why do I want this? Not entirely sure, actually. A part of me just like the idea of an item of great quality, rare materials, or exquisite design that performs better than the bargain bin version - and yet, is not enchanted.
I feel like there's room in the story ecology niche for such items, right? Maybe it's made from a rare material that resists enchantment? Maybe it is for bringing into a magic dead zone?Maybe it's made for a group or culture that abhors magic, and instead have mastered techniques to make superior arms and armour?
I dunno. I guess I'm just a teensy bit disappointed with the current take on masterwork items :)
The thing everyone is forgetting or just leaving out is you have to expend a spell slot every day to make it yourself. Meaning you have to be a spellcaster. If you aren’t a spellcaster it will be far easier to have one cast magic weapon once than it is to get a spellcaster to hang out with you each day for two weeks to expend the appropriate level spell slot.
To make a +1 weapon you don’t need to cast Magic Weapon at all. The DMG just requires you to be a spell caster of a certain level depending on the rarity of the magic item. You only need to be able cast the spell if the magic item has spells with it. Like a Wand of Magic Missile.
Xanathar’s requires proficiency in the tool needed for the item or Arcana and a formula with a possible required component from a creature.
You are correct. I was misremembering this, “If a spell will be produced by the item being created, the creator must expend one spell slot of the spell’s level for each day of the creation process.” It doesn’t apply since it’s not a spell being reproduced. This still leaves masterwork weapons as an easier means for non spellcasters to make +1 weapon. Also both the DMG and Xanathar’s mention the DM might require special materials and/or formulas. The Bastion version doesn’t have those requirements. You send your hirelings to do all the work. Now getting the spell cast on the weapon after completion is another issue.
Also another important thought just occurred to me. Since we are getting Bastions before seeing 5eR Downtime activity rules we might see different rules for crafting magical weapons. Something a little more codified than maybe require a formula, maybe it should be crafted in lava.
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The thing everyone is forgetting or just leaving out is you have to expend a spell slot every day to make it yourself. Meaning you have to be a spellcaster. If you aren’t a spellcaster it will be far easier to have one cast magic weapon once than it is to get a spellcaster to hang out with you each day for two weeks to expend the appropriate level spell slot.
To make a +1 weapon you don’t need to cast Magic Weapon at all. The DMG just requires you to be a spell caster of a certain level depending on the rarity of the magic item. You only need to be able cast the spell if the magic item has spells with it. Like a Wand of Magic Missile.
Xanathar’s requires proficiency in the tool needed for the item or Arcana and a formula with a possible required component from a creature.
You are correct. I was misremembering this, “If a spell will be produced by the item being created, the creator must expend one spell slot of the spell’s level for each day of the creation process.” It doesn’t apply since it’s not a spell being reproduced. This still leaves masterwork weapons as an easier means for non spellcasters to make +1 weapon. Also both the DMG and Xanathar’s mention the DM might require special materials and/or formulas. The Bastion version doesn’t have those requirements. You send your hirelings to do all the work. Now getting the spell cast on the weapon after completion is another issue.
Also another important thought just occurred to me. Since we are getting Bastions before seeing 5eR Downtime activity rules we might see different rules for crafting magical weapons. Something a little more codified than maybe require a formula, maybe it should be crafted in lava.