Greater Magic Weapon and Bane Weapon Property

[maggot]

Take a +1 giant-bane longsword, cast GMW on it at 16th level giving the weapon a +4 enhancement bonus. Attack a giant. Bane increases the "normal" enhancement bonus by +2. So is the sword bonus +4 or +6. +4 assumes the +1 is the normal enhancement bonus, +6 assumes the +4 is the new "normal" enhancement bonus. I don't really like either answer.

Follow up if you think it is +6, can it then pierce DR 20/epic?

 

[Ferret]

Don't you mean +3 or +6? 1+2 would be +3 wouldn't it? I'd say it was the later any way the spell should upgrade the normal enchantment bonus, however I would say it would in effect be a +6 to hit and damage rather then a +6 enchantment bonus meaning it wouldn't effect epic creatures. Thats what I'd do, and it's a borderline choice for me anyway.

 

[MichaelH]

I would say +6, but non-epic.

 

[welby]

I concur with MichaelH

 

[Bastoche]

I have a related question:

If I have a +1 vorpal sword of speed, making it a +10 can I cast greater magic weapon on it to obtain (assuming proper level) a +5 vorpal sword of speed? The spell description doesn't mention that posibility...

 

[Epametheus]

I have a related question:

If I have a +1 vorpal sword of speed, making it a +10 can I cast greater magic weapon on it to obtain (assuming proper level) a +5 vorpal sword of speed? The spell description doesn't mention that posibility...

Yes, you can do that.

That's part of why you need a 20th level caster to get a +5 out of Greater Magic Weapon now.

 

[Scion]

For the original question, the spell makes the new enhancement of the weapon be +4 so bane would make it +6 and I would allow the +6 to penetrate Epic DR. After all, it just makes sense

 

[nhl_1997]

I must preface this with "I have never been a DM, so feel free to ignore."

What would the longsword's enhancement bonus be when striking a giant without Greater Magic Weapon? +3

What enhancement bonus does GMW at level 16 give? +4

These bonuses do not stack, so I would say that the sword has a +4 enhancement bonus in this situation.

Just my opinion

 

[Scion]

What is the enhancement of the weapon with greater magic weapon cast on it at level 16? +4

What is +4 +2? +6

I dont see this as any different than having the weapon enchanted up to +4 to begin with. Same thing.

::shrugs::

 

[nhl_1997]

I just don't think that the bane ability should stack with Greater Magic Weapon. Of course, I'm not saying I'm right, and I can certainly see the logic reasoning why it should:

GMW (via Magic Weapon):
"Gives a +1 / four caster levels enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls." Note: technically, this does not say it grants the enhancement bonus to the weapon, but it's not too much of a jump to assume it does.

Bane:
"... its effective enhancement bonus is +2 better than its normal enhancement bonus (so a +1 longsword is a +3 longsword against its foe)." Note: "its" in this sentence does specifically refer to the weapon (but the technicalities are not my argument).

In my opinion in this situation, the longsword has a +3 enhancement versus giants. Since the GMW spell grants a +4 bonus, it supercedes the bane bonus.


In conjunction with the secondary question concerning epic damage reduction, I think it's a bit cheap to bypass epic DR with an ordinary magic weapon plus an ordinary (high caster level but non-epic) 3rd/4th level spell.

Just my opinion, please don't bite me too hard (although I'm willing to take a few hits seeing as I'm the only person thus far to see it this way )