Can anyone help clear up the prices of magic arms and armor? I am looking at some magic special abilities and they have entries that say things like Price +1 bonus, for example, the magic weapon special ability flaming.

I know that before such an item can have a magic armor or weapon special ability, the item must first have a +1 enhancement bonus. A +1 enhancement bonus is, on its own, 2,000 gp. Does the magic weapon special ability flaming add a different +1 to that 2,000 gp price for a total price of 4,000 gp? Or is the total +2 enhancement bonus combined so that the weapon's price is 8,000g? (This doesn't include the separate prices for the item and its masterwork component, of course.)

  • \$\begingroup\$ I feel like I've answered this question, more or less, before... Voting to close as a duplicate. \$\endgroup\$ – KRyan Feb 5 '13 at 1:45
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    \$\begingroup\$ @KRyan I think the answer is about the same but the question's point of difficulty is different enough to fall under loving the non-exact duplicate. \$\endgroup\$ – SevenSidedDie Feb 5 '13 at 5:11

When special abilities modify the enhancement bonus, you use the total enhancement bonus to determine cost. This applies to weapons, armor and shields.


Your example of a +1 Flaming weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus and thus costs 8000g + base item and masterworking.

Some qualities from outside of the SRD have direct cost modifiers like +300gp. These just add on to the price instead of changing the enhancement bonus.

  • \$\begingroup\$ I believe there is a caveat of an additional cost for multiple unrelated enchants. For instance a Keen Flaming shortsword? \$\endgroup\$ – Ben-Jamin Feb 5 '13 at 0:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ You'll have to give a citation for that. Sounds like a houserule to me. \$\endgroup\$ – Simon Gill Feb 5 '13 at 0:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Ben-Jamin There is no such additional cost when stacking weapon or armor enhancements. You may be thinking of the cost-addition rules for creating combined wondrous items, from the Magic Item Compendium. \$\endgroup\$ – Ernir Feb 5 '13 at 0:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Ben-Jamin You might also be thinking of the extra 2,000 gp that has to be paid when enchanting a cold iron weapon, which by RAW was paid every single time you added another enchantment. I think every GM I've ever met houseruled that it only had to be paid the first time, though. \$\endgroup\$ – GMJoe Feb 5 '13 at 4:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think @Ernir hit what I was talking about..my last DM must have combined it into weapos with a houserule which explains why I could never find the reference \$\endgroup\$ – Ben-Jamin Feb 5 '13 at 14:57

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