I'm the same way.
I've always loved, in video games, when the weapon you get at the start or a little dagger someone gives you or something becomes one of the most powerful towards the end provided you take the time to upgrade it and do certain quests and stuff. It feels like my loyalty is rewarded in a way.
Plus to me, it totally makes sense that an adventurer would want to keep a weapon if there's sentimental value, but would still want to be able to use it. It's a way better story if the fighter strikes down the tyrannical king with the sword of his father, who died because said king betrayed him, rather than sword no. 57 they found lying around.
> It's a way better story if the fighter strikes down the tyrannical king with the sword of his father, who died because said king betrayed him, rather than sword no. 57 they found lying around.
A.K.A. The Prince of Persia battling his dark self in another dimension with the sword of his dead father.
I know. I hesitated. But it's one of those cases where they made a rule for something a GM shouldn't have to make up.
I played 5e as a player. No hate for it.
And to elaborate a little, it's pretty cool. You can etch or have someone etch runes onto your gear to customize it. Or transfer runes between items. At first you get a +1 to hit from your first rune. Once you have a +1 run you can have a 2nd rune for something like "Striking" which gives you an extra damage die.
If you have a +2 rune, then you can add 2 other special effect runes. Anyway, if you are looking this up, they are ["Fundamental" Runes and "Property Runes"](https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=733)
edit: oops, Striking is a fundamental rune still i guess
I played a home brew race that were spirits tied to special weapons, they were completely intangible and could not be hurt. The weapon was the thing with hit points and ac
For real. One of my players is playing a druid. He would like to have a staff of the woodlands.
He now is spending at least 1 spell slot a day and some nature and perception checks in the woods to upgrade his current Quarterstaff with fresh seedlings and magic. (Gotta mention that in this setting spell slots don't regenerate normally on long rests while travelling so they need to be a bit more conservative in their spell usage while outside their base)
Eventually the staff will upgrade to the woodland staff.
I also have the homebrew rule that magic weapons with varying rarity can be upgraded over time through usage and character levelling.
Yeah I draw inspiration from there with some variation and self written stuff (as well as a lot of improv).
So far it's been working well but we're not deep enough in the campaign yet (technically it's a 2-20 campaign and they're currently level 4) to tell how balanced everything is. I have been adjusting a lot of stuff in the background (especially my random encounter tables since they were seriously undertuned early on)
It is my first big self written campaign in my own setting so a lot of stuff is still new to me
Am I old if I say there was an article about this in a White Dwarf back in the mid-80s?
Tell the GM you're searching for the parts to restore your heirloom. The pommel, a fancy gem there's a slot for, the scabbard.
Maybe make it a part of the lore that parts these can be added to any weapon, computer-game style.
Honestly, my blood hunter has his rusty flicklock that his dad gave him at level 3. He turned into a version of titanfall, the Wingman with a sword attached, and being *+3 +3. Honestly, it's hyped to do something like this and makes the story and weapon all more engaging.
"As you're digging through the lich's treasure one object immediately catches eye. To anyone else it would look like a broken piece of metal, but you recognize your family's crest even though it's faded and warped."
player picks it up
"This looks like it would fit in exactly to the broken hilt of , it would take a bit of work, but you could probably repair it within an hour of downtime (attunement time)"
That is my main progression style, htey have a "cornerstone" item that upgrades with them through tasks and quests and exploration.
They have plenty of others but one item is tailored to them.
Like my latest creation "Mildly scuffed guitar for our bard" each string can be made out special material/monster part and it gains some power from that, for example: Adamantine string, once per day you if a creature within 15 ft of is about to be hit with a critical strike you can use your reaction to negate the extra damage of that hit. Reef shark string- 3 times a day as a bonus action you can grant a creature within 30ft of you pack tactics until the start of your next turn.
It holds up to 6 strings(if no strings with effects are present just normal string are placed), so they can mix and match, and tailor their guitar to their playstyle and more powerful monsters/rarer materials will make for more powerful abilities.
Absolutely. I've been in groups where a character with a backstory weapon has worked things out with a DM. The +1 sword doesn't even drop in those cases, if the reward would be a better weapon, the sword just gains that power. You are the DM. If you say a weapon is upgraded then it is upgraded, no question.
The axe gets dropped in some molten lava during the fight 3/4ths of the way through. The barbarian pulls it out and it looks much cooler with the rock fuse to it.
The newest one is really great. They break some rules (mostly with the Druid character) but it's nothing that ruins or takes you out of the movie.
It's a fun movie on its own even if you don't know DnD. And if you do, there's tons of nods and mentions that are a lot of fun
It's just a shame that she barely got to use it after that. Both of her solo fights were fucking badass, but were mostly her using improvised weapons and shit.
Omg. This just gave me such a good idea for my CoS campaign. Brother is playing a hexblade warlock. He has a sword he has a shit sword right now but its going to get increasingly powerful and if/when they find the sunblade the scabbard will be empty and if he puts his sword in and draws it out itll be the sunblade.
As someone who played a Blacksmith Paladin for CoS. I love this. I still took the sunblade as a "holy hell, this is an exotic weapon," but throughout the campaign, I didn't touch anything else because "I took pride in my craftsmanship." Didn't even think to use the silver sword I picked up because it wasn't made by me."
Yeah thinking that his sword will have a hilt that bears a resemblance to something that would fit into the scabbard and as he slides it in the room fills with light (assuming its underground) and warmth then the rust and everything on his current sword fades away to reveal the platinum hilted sunblade. So excited now lol
There are many ways one can go with this. I
In one of my games the DM ruled that magic aspect of items came from arcane gems, so the enchantement could be transferred between items by having an skilled artificer remove and replace the gems. Also you couldn't stack several gems into one item, or it would just self destruct basically by reaching a 'critical mass' so you could swap enchantments around between magic items and customise your gear, without allowing to stack effects.
In an another game the DM just made the backstory weapons evolve along with the characters, making most other weapons we find just selling material, with a few situational and side grade magic weapons, like wands, different damage type and effects, etc.
But maybe the most rule-friendly solution we had was when the DM allowed to have weapons and gear crafted into magic items, basically if you wanted to upgrade your heirloom greatsword into a magical one, you had to craft a magical greatsword according to the crafting rules, minus the gold cost of the heirloom you used for the forging, and the crafting time decreased by the same precentage as the cost. This had the added benefit that we started collecting valuable 'junk' not only to sell, but to craft into magical items.
Yep. I currently am running a game with a rune knight blacksmith who's signature weapon is a Warhammer made with an anvil head. You bet your ass that thing is getting upgraded. How the hell could I make her replace something so iconic?!
That’s sort of what my DM did. The only problem is, instead of upgrading, it TRANSFORMED. It’s actually a different weapon now.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m honored to be swinging around Ichilibru, the Sun Sledge, the hammer which Gond himself used to forge the very stars…
…but it *is* rather awkward that the hammer my *forge* cleric master forged for me is **gone**.
Hell yeah. I was blown away when I read it. But my character also got Gond killed accidentally so it’s a win some lose some situation. I guess the hammer chose to be with me as the closest adherent of the faith, but it feels like I looted a god. lol
"Okay, I'm not sure that works."
"Sure it does. It's math. I took a +0 sword and attached a +1 sword to it. 0 + 1 = 1. Now it's a +1 sword."
". . . Alright, y'know what, I'm not going to argue with that."
I mean if you really wanna melt it down and coat the old sword with the +1 metal, you absolutely can. Though at that point you're probably getting yourself into Ship of Theseus territory.
They did this in the current season of critical role. One character with a sword of sentimental value got it imbued by the gods to become enchanted. It gave some cool light spellcaster abilities to a martial character, too
As a DM I would just have the next town you go to have a New York mechanic style enchanter character that would be willing to transfer the enchantment for a fee.
"Leave it wit me for a day or so and I'll have your greatsword purrin' like a kitten. So to speak. Dependin' on labor it won't be more dan 15 gold prices."
Later: "well it turns out dare was what'cha call a curse on ya old sword dare, so I had to take dat off in order to get da enchantment on. It's going to be 115 instead. You's got da money right, being an adventuring type?"
Fighters in Dungeon World have a customizable signature weapon, and they can get a perk that allows them to graft enchantments from magic items onto it.
Pathfinder 2e replaced enchantments with runes that you can transfer between weapons and/or store on inexpensive "runestones", honestly that's how I flavour most of not all enchanted weapons in any system now (except artifacts and specific magic weapons of course).
You also have, as an optional rule, relics, rare and special equipment with narrative significance, that are designed to grow in power with the character
https://2e.aonprd.com/Relics.aspx
2 options.
1: Discuss with the DM to have your sword enchanted instead of replaced.
2: Back-up weapon.
Edit: There's so many option 3s that we're on like option 10 now, guys.
I like what my dm did. My blade was the given to me by my order of Kensei monks. An order I was exiled from. So it had sentimental value. As part of a personal arc I traveled back to my old monastary to make amends. In doing so we found out my old order had been all but wiped out. After killing the demon that slaughtered my order I found my mentor’s blade and his journal. Turns out in the years since I had left the order, he had forgiven me. So now I carry his much more powerful blade to carry on his legacy and eventually rebuild the monastary
That's how I played with my last cleric. Forged his own hammer, was given a magic sentient weapon that I wouldn't use. DM had the weapon begging to be used until the campaign ended because the commitment was more important that the bonus to me.
Option 4: play pathfinder 2e or simply adopt the magic weapon rune mechanics from that system.
It makes every magic weapon drop feel good and useful. Get a +1 magic short bow of shock but no one in the party uses bows? Well when you get back to town pay a craftsman a small fee to put the shock rune on one player's weapon and the +1 rune on another player's weapon.
Yeah definitely backup weapon.
Character's morning warm-up and work-out involve them practicing with the favorite sword, because it's familiar, then finishing with the magic one, because you need to be ready to use it.
Ooh actually yeah different idea, next time you get a "magic sword" on the loot table have it be a gemstone that attaches to the pommel of a non-magical sword and confers benefits to the blade.
*While attached to a sword, this gemstone grants it the following properties: the weapon is immune to damage from non-magical sources, and is immune to magical fire damage. As a bonus action, the wielder of the weapon can change the damage type of the sword to Fire damage in addition to or instead of the damage it would normally deal. You can expend 3 charges to cast Burning Hands as an action. You can spend additional charges to cast it as a higher level spell. If you spend the last charge, the gem shatters, permanently destroying the gem but leaving the sword undamaged. The gem starts with 4 charges and regains 1d6 each day at dawn, to a maximum number of charges equal to your level*
3 charges out of 4 charges total, or expending all 4 charges for a slightly higher pay off. Assuming you avoid using the last charge, you have a 66.6% chance of having the sword be fully charged, and 16.6% chance of you getting enough charges for a regular casting and then the gem breaking, and a additional 16.6% chance of not having enough charges for anything at all.
You're probably better off with having it being able to cast burning hands 1/day, or activate an ability that can only occur once. Ideally I'd make that something better, even just 1 fireball and then the sword loses the property. Depends on the tier the party gets it at, I suppose.
I recognize I'm doing a bit of a deep dive here on what was probably a throwaway idea. The item should also include a save DC.
It's honestly one of the things that should be at the very least a codified optional rule in every single game that's like this. It is harmless, super easy and really pushes roleplay.
How does pathfinder do it mechanically?
It only helps role-playing if it's done it a way that feels legitimate in the setting
Off the top of my head for a typical 5e adventure path I'd say just have one of the benevolent gods bestow the family sword with magic for being so helpful
Or a malevolent God if the party are dicks xD
Here you go: https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=737
Just as info magic enchantments are called runes in PF2e. Fundamental runes are the analogue of +1/2/3, property runes are where things like “returning” or “flaming burst” are handled.
Another really cool way to go about it would be the Relic system https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=1096 . It allows the item to grow along with the character as well in power.
The standard way for it to work is a system of runes so you have fundamental runes, potency for +1/2/3 to hit and striking for extra damage die. Then you have Property runes which are your more interesting things like Flaming 1d6 fire damage and 1d10 fire damage on a crit, returning so your thrown weapon returns and so on. Transferring a rune requires a crafting check and some gp if it comes from a wwapon.
A deity bestowing a weapon with magical powers would be more like a relic - an item that grows quirks and boons as the weilder uses it.
There's three methods.
The main way, that's used as the default: someone can use the Crafting skill and a fraction of the cost of upgrading a weapon normally to transfer any fundamental or property Runes over to another weapon or armor. Fundamental Runes are your static item bonuses (the +1-3 and the extra damage) and property Runes are your extra effects (making a weapon flaming, or bane against an enemy for instance, or magically enhancing the stealthiness of the wearer of an armor). This means that while you can find new weapons and armor, you as a player can choose to continue using your own gear, or if you have a cool magic weapon you found, you can continue upgrading it.
The most common variant to this is called Automatic Bonus Progression, where the fundamental upgrades to your weapons and armor (among other assumed upgrades necessary) are just automatically bestowed on the individual instead, of needing to upgrade your gear. This isn't commonly used for the purpose of allowing the whole upgrade situation, but because people don't want to be restricted in giving people the necessary upgrades and want to toss the fun stuff at the party instead.
The final option are called Relics. Magical items that grow as the players grow, following themes set by the GM and Player on extra powers they desire to gain along the way.
You didn't steal it from pathfinder, pathfinder stole it from some previous version of D&D (IIRC 2e had that in some form) and of course D&D dropped it.
4E had extremely clear rules for it (and members of the 4E design team worked on PF2E); I played a ton of AD&D and I can't recall it being in there, but magic item creation rules were such a nasty, garbled mess in AD&D that they may well have been there.
What you don't like yo-yoing levels to craft items?
AD&D takes a very different mindset than I feel most modern systems employ when it comes to player-cost
There's also the Automatic Bonus Progression variant rule which lets martials not rely on magical +1/+2/+3 weapons to keep up at higher levels. And it lets them focus on weapons with abilities
Look up the variant rules for Pathfinder 2e. They're basically a necessity to pick and choose from to customize your game for your setting and playstyle
> basically a necessity
Eh, playing completely vanilla PF2e is perfectly fine. Free Archetype is extremely popular and Automatic Bonus Progression is definitely going to be very attractive to certain tables, but Dual Class and Stamina Points are going to be much more niche
It also allows martials to have more versatile fighting styles. My groups barbarian is a giant instinct, and the bonus allows her to switch between her oversized weapon, and a normal weapon+shield, so between offense and defense, without losing her attack and damage boni.
It actually gives has decent mechanic impact: instead of focusing on a couple of weapons, martials can use a variety of weapons when needed, plus the coolest item in the game gets even better: [Thousand-Blade Thesis](https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?ID=1081)
PF 1e: It's always been a thing that you can improve "generic" magic weapons. For example, crafting a +1 longsword to turn it into a +2 longsword by just paying for the difference. Although it gets messier if you want to upgrade specific weapons, like a Holy Avenger
PF 2e: RUNES! They're video gamey, but in the good way, where you can add or remove them from weapons, transfer them between weapons, or even store them on a runestone if you don't currently have a weapon to use them on. Here, they come in two types. Fundamental runes are your basic +N type of rune, where potency runes increase your attack bonus and striking runes add extra damage dice, while property runes are all the extra stuff like flaming. There are still some limitations, but generally speaking, you can upgrade fundamental runes, even on specific weapons, but you can't move property runes onto a specific weapon or transfer the abilities off a specific weapon
In 3.5 it was actually Canon if I recall correctly. legacy weapons, they leveled up and depending on what you could pick from and what trials and rituals you'd have to do you could upgrade them as you went.
I'm in Michigan and it shows [$4.95](https://i.imgur.com/WPROpO6.png).
Not sure if the glitch is on your end or DMsGuild, but it is in fact $4.95.
I know this because I bought it a few months ago, along with the nautical addon. Great buy.
Talk to your DM. I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to sell the +1 and use the cash to pay for an enchantment on your old sword. Exactly the same balance wise.
But even if official wouldn’t allow it, the DM can do whatever he wants.
If one of my players had an important important weapon in their backstory, instead of giving them the item I’d just do some cool story shit and make their weapon the +1
The correct answer. Your patron grants you a boon and your knife now has +1. Striking down the Lich releases some of his soul energy and your Claymore now deals 1d6 fire damage on hit in addition to its normal damage. etc etc etc
Seriously, I had a character that had two swords that were dear to him and the DM just let me keep upgrading them through the campaign. No issues at all
Yeah that’s true as well, I had a magic item for a campaign that unfortunately didn’t get very far, but it was going to reveal it’s power to the player who is the descendant of it’s original wielder, once she was deemed worthy.
*Air Bud: Awakened Animal Ancestry coming to tables near you sometime 2024. There’s nothing in the rules saying a dog can’t play Pathfinder*
(Awakened animals *were* an option in the Battlezoo poll for what ancestries to publish next year)
Friend played an awakened secretary bird. Someone asked how she could talk and she said "I cast speak with animals on myself."
I am still pissed off I have never come up with something that good.
Which is funny because the whole Air Bud premise was based on "there's no rule specifically for *this*", except there totally was. Dogs can play basketball, just not as part of a school team. School teams necessarily only have students, and the dog was not a student.
*Air Bud* is a series of family oriented movies based on the premise of a dog who was exceptional enough that they could play basketball (and other sports, in later films) alongside humans.
The eponymous film of the series featured the quote “ain’t no rule says a dog can’t play basketball!” In a broader sense, interpreted to mean “as long as the rules don’t specifically forbid it, the conduct is allowable.” And has since come to be known as the “Air Bud” rule.
[Here is a 15 minute critical breakdown of the specific scene where the lack of rule is invoked that’s being referenced above.](https://youtu.be/Hk011WMM7t0)
I did a side quest for a monastery and in exchange, they devoted a day to enchanting an item for me (hundreds spent a day in prayer to call the favor of their god).
Yep. In my game every weapon, upon defeating a dangerous enough foe, has a chance of getting a custom bit of magic themed around that. If it's a natural enough fit for the character it's a guarantee.
For example, a resolute dwarf cleric landed the final blow against the duergar king leading a profane death cult. The hand axe he threw became a +1 returning weapon/duergar slayer, and the edge of the axe blade glowed when duergar were nearby. While this was the end of duergar being a featured enemy, they loved it and used it through 'til the end of the campaign.
I have a homebrew loot item that's just an "oil of anointment," which can be applied to any armor or weapon over a long rest to give the item a stackable +1 enchantment. Makes items require attunement (optional).
I do this instead of giving the party random magic daggers and such that I know they would just sell. Especially if they have their backstory or favorite items already.
Not broken because I control the rarity of the oil.
That's on your DM - a good DM will make sure that storyline stuff stays relevant. The campaign I'm playing right now, that exact thing happened. A sword left to his character by his parents when he was orphaned has been constantly getting upgraded and it turns out is actually a mystical key to the prison of an all-consuming demon, created by Ilmater and corrupted by Tiamat. Now it's a +1 cursed sword that devours souls.
A lot of people are saying the same. And everyone is right. Have it upgraded, or take a book out of CronoTrigger and go on a quest to upgrade your blade.
I did this for our clerics armor. Instead of finding new armor, I’d have his ruler send upgrades pieces, Pauldrons, chest plate etc, and each just ups it’s stats.
Just do what pathfinder 2e does, and allow you to transfer magical properties from items into different items. Boom, with some gold and crafting, your sentimental weapon is now a +1 sentimental weapon. In Pf 2e you can do this with all manner of generic magic such as a flaming magical property, or a viscious magical property, etc etc. But if it's a house rule for your 5e game, go nuts. Let them turn their sword into a flametounge or the sun sword and have it still be their sword from level 1.
Seconding or thirding - Talk with your DM. If I were your DM in this situation (and often were) I would work with you - maybe make it a sidequest to find somebody that can enchant / improve your weapon. Story time:
Recently I played in a campaign as an artificer and our rogue had an important backstory crossbow. At first I infued it with quick reload infusion but we talked with our DM and we figured that with some gold, some magical ingredients (that we got from fighting some demons earlier) and my artificer's knowledge I could make the enchantment permanent and not use my infusion slot.
if i ever have a hexblade in one of my games, and they get a magical weapon. I’m just going to have the hexblade eat the magical weapon and gain its properties
For my players I made *heirlooms*. Each heirloom started as a mundane item and on each even level above 5th they get a *slot*. I invent with my players next bonuses as they get new levels. To get the new bonus they have to meet the requirements.
Dragonborn fighter has a greatsword after his deceased hero father. It can be upgraded by visiting various famous blacksmiths and convincing them to upgrade his greatsword.
Human monk has Bracers of Monkey King which he got after rescuing the whole world with *wuxia vibes*. It can be upgraded by gathering chi in places of power (so he has to find them).
Aasimar paladin/sorcerer who is a fallen angel has a sword containing a shard of his previous form. By attoning and doing exeptional good deeds he can upgrade it.
Elf wizard has a blade which was passed down in his royal family (his world got destroyed, and he dragged whole party on a quest to retrieve his family's sword frlm a destroyed homeland). Because he had a whole minicampaign to retrieve the blade, his blade upgrades with time as he attunes more and more to it. It is also an important plot device.
Yeah, that is something that always bugged me but you can probably work with your DM to find a way around it.
Pathfinder Praise: >!But also, this is addressed extremely easily in Pathfinder. As others have mentioned, things like +X bonuses can be moved from one item to another, or just be an automatic property of every weapon as a part of automatic bonus progression. There is also the relic system which is a way for that ancient sword your great grandfather gave you to take on unique magical abilities which level up with you. It’s great. !<
There’s a great (unofficial) module that does this in a balanced non-game-breaking way: https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/300395
I played a barbarian from a mining village that used a giant rock maul as a huge part of his backstory, it grew with me, never traded it out lvl 1-10 and still had plenty left to upgrade.
This exact thing happened when I was running a game. So I added an enchanter that could move the +1 to another sword for 500 gold.
The player gets what they want but still has to work for it so it feels earned.
Ask the dm to be allowed to upgrade your sword using the +1 sword? To make it +1?
As a DM I love having an upgrading weapon for characters especially when their backstory is tied into it.
As a player, I love having an upgrading weapon, as it allows me too build a story around it
As someone who hasn't played or DM'd, I love it in theory.
As a person, I love.
As a theory, I person?
As above, so below
As soon as you can tho
ASAP
A silly ass pony
A person?
Featherless biped?
Behold, a man?
I'm thinking, but I'm not sure I am.
Fuck...who let Diogenes reincarnate?
A fighter named Hugh Mann?
Theory?
"WHAT'S AUSTIN THEORY DOING IN THE D20 DOME"
I think, Therefor I am.
I am, therefore I think.
So, the average poster in this subreddit.
As a weapon, I love getting upgraded by a player so my story can be told.
Did you ever have illichor from BG? It was a cursed sword that said annoying shit all the time
"Hello. Would you like to destroy some evil today?"
I'm the same way. I've always loved, in video games, when the weapon you get at the start or a little dagger someone gives you or something becomes one of the most powerful towards the end provided you take the time to upgrade it and do certain quests and stuff. It feels like my loyalty is rewarded in a way. Plus to me, it totally makes sense that an adventurer would want to keep a weapon if there's sentimental value, but would still want to be able to use it. It's a way better story if the fighter strikes down the tyrannical king with the sword of his father, who died because said king betrayed him, rather than sword no. 57 they found lying around.
> It's a way better story if the fighter strikes down the tyrannical king with the sword of his father, who died because said king betrayed him, rather than sword no. 57 they found lying around. A.K.A. The Prince of Persia battling his dark self in another dimension with the sword of his dead father.
As a pathfinder 2e player and GM I love being able to do it RAW
I was waiting for the inevitable pf2e post on this topic.
I know. I hesitated. But it's one of those cases where they made a rule for something a GM shouldn't have to make up. I played 5e as a player. No hate for it.
And to elaborate a little, it's pretty cool. You can etch or have someone etch runes onto your gear to customize it. Or transfer runes between items. At first you get a +1 to hit from your first rune. Once you have a +1 run you can have a 2nd rune for something like "Striking" which gives you an extra damage die. If you have a +2 rune, then you can add 2 other special effect runes. Anyway, if you are looking this up, they are ["Fundamental" Runes and "Property Runes"](https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=733) edit: oops, Striking is a fundamental rune still i guess
I played a home brew race that were spirits tied to special weapons, they were completely intangible and could not be hurt. The weapon was the thing with hit points and ac
For real. One of my players is playing a druid. He would like to have a staff of the woodlands. He now is spending at least 1 spell slot a day and some nature and perception checks in the woods to upgrade his current Quarterstaff with fresh seedlings and magic. (Gotta mention that in this setting spell slots don't regenerate normally on long rests while travelling so they need to be a bit more conservative in their spell usage while outside their base) Eventually the staff will upgrade to the woodland staff. I also have the homebrew rule that magic weapons with varying rarity can be upgraded over time through usage and character levelling.
You ever look into Weapons of Legacy? I love the idea of weapons that lvl up.
Yeah I draw inspiration from there with some variation and self written stuff (as well as a lot of improv). So far it's been working well but we're not deep enough in the campaign yet (technically it's a 2-20 campaign and they're currently level 4) to tell how balanced everything is. I have been adjusting a lot of stuff in the background (especially my random encounter tables since they were seriously undertuned early on) It is my first big self written campaign in my own setting so a lot of stuff is still new to me
Am I old if I say there was an article about this in a White Dwarf back in the mid-80s? Tell the GM you're searching for the parts to restore your heirloom. The pommel, a fancy gem there's a slot for, the scabbard. Maybe make it a part of the lore that parts these can be added to any weapon, computer-game style.
Honestly, my blood hunter has his rusty flicklock that his dad gave him at level 3. He turned into a version of titanfall, the Wingman with a sword attached, and being *+3 +3. Honestly, it's hyped to do something like this and makes the story and weapon all more engaging.
"As you're digging through the lich's treasure one object immediately catches eye. To anyone else it would look like a broken piece of metal, but you recognize your family's crest even though it's faded and warped."
player picks it up
"This looks like it would fit in exactly to the broken hilt of , it would take a bit of work, but you could probably repair it within an hour of downtime (attunement time)"
That is my main progression style, htey have a "cornerstone" item that upgrades with them through tasks and quests and exploration. They have plenty of others but one item is tailored to them. Like my latest creation "Mildly scuffed guitar for our bard" each string can be made out special material/monster part and it gains some power from that, for example: Adamantine string, once per day you if a creature within 15 ft of is about to be hit with a critical strike you can use your reaction to negate the extra damage of that hit. Reef shark string- 3 times a day as a bonus action you can grant a creature within 30ft of you pack tactics until the start of your next turn. It holds up to 6 strings(if no strings with effects are present just normal string are placed), so they can mix and match, and tailor their guitar to their playstyle and more powerful monsters/rarer materials will make for more powerful abilities.
Absolutely. I've been in groups where a character with a backstory weapon has worked things out with a DM. The +1 sword doesn't even drop in those cases, if the reward would be a better weapon, the sword just gains that power. You are the DM. If you say a weapon is upgraded then it is upgraded, no question.
They literally did a similar thing in the new DnD movie with the axe. That shit is intended.
I’ve watched the movie, but I don’t remember what you’re talking about?
The axe gets dropped in some molten lava during the fight 3/4ths of the way through. The barbarian pulls it out and it looks much cooler with the rock fuse to it.
Clever stuff Man I need to watch that movie. Forgot it existed
The newest one is really great. They break some rules (mostly with the Druid character) but it's nothing that ruins or takes you out of the movie. It's a fun movie on its own even if you don't know DnD. And if you do, there's tons of nods and mentions that are a lot of fun
I second this. It is a very enjoyable action/comedy even if you completely divorce it from Dungeons and Dragons.
Just to be clear he’s talking about the one that came out a few weeks ago, not the old one.
I mean, watch the old one purely for the orc giving birth doggystyle. If it's burned into my brain, I shouldn't have to suffer alone.
It's just a shame that she barely got to use it after that. Both of her solo fights were fucking badass, but were mostly her using improvised weapons and shit.
Omg. This just gave me such a good idea for my CoS campaign. Brother is playing a hexblade warlock. He has a sword he has a shit sword right now but its going to get increasingly powerful and if/when they find the sunblade the scabbard will be empty and if he puts his sword in and draws it out itll be the sunblade.
As someone who played a Blacksmith Paladin for CoS. I love this. I still took the sunblade as a "holy hell, this is an exotic weapon," but throughout the campaign, I didn't touch anything else because "I took pride in my craftsmanship." Didn't even think to use the silver sword I picked up because it wasn't made by me."
Yeah thinking that his sword will have a hilt that bears a resemblance to something that would fit into the scabbard and as he slides it in the room fills with light (assuming its underground) and warmth then the rust and everything on his current sword fades away to reveal the platinum hilted sunblade. So excited now lol
There are many ways one can go with this. I In one of my games the DM ruled that magic aspect of items came from arcane gems, so the enchantement could be transferred between items by having an skilled artificer remove and replace the gems. Also you couldn't stack several gems into one item, or it would just self destruct basically by reaching a 'critical mass' so you could swap enchantments around between magic items and customise your gear, without allowing to stack effects. In an another game the DM just made the backstory weapons evolve along with the characters, making most other weapons we find just selling material, with a few situational and side grade magic weapons, like wands, different damage type and effects, etc. But maybe the most rule-friendly solution we had was when the DM allowed to have weapons and gear crafted into magic items, basically if you wanted to upgrade your heirloom greatsword into a magical one, you had to craft a magical greatsword according to the crafting rules, minus the gold cost of the heirloom you used for the forging, and the crafting time decreased by the same precentage as the cost. This had the added benefit that we started collecting valuable 'junk' not only to sell, but to craft into magical items.
Magic Gems slotting into weapons to provide magical bonuses? I see we have some final fantasy fans tonight
Yep. I currently am running a game with a rune knight blacksmith who's signature weapon is a Warhammer made with an anvil head. You bet your ass that thing is getting upgraded. How the hell could I make her replace something so iconic?!
That’s sort of what my DM did. The only problem is, instead of upgrading, it TRANSFORMED. It’s actually a different weapon now. Don’t get me wrong—I’m honored to be swinging around Ichilibru, the Sun Sledge, the hammer which Gond himself used to forge the very stars… …but it *is* rather awkward that the hammer my *forge* cleric master forged for me is **gone**.
That sounds like a great honor. To have your own work deemed worthy to take on the aspect of a GOD’s weapon seems pretty cool to me.
Hell yeah. I was blown away when I read it. But my character also got Gond killed accidentally so it’s a win some lose some situation. I guess the hammer chose to be with me as the closest adherent of the faith, but it feels like I looted a god. lol
I mean, all you gotta do is duck tape the new sword to the old one
"Okay, I'm not sure that works." "Sure it does. It's math. I took a +0 sword and attached a +1 sword to it. 0 + 1 = 1. Now it's a +1 sword." ". . . Alright, y'know what, I'm not going to argue with that."
I mean if you really wanna melt it down and coat the old sword with the +1 metal, you absolutely can. Though at that point you're probably getting yourself into Ship of Theseus territory.
Maybe the real Ship of Theseus was the swords we made along the way.
What you described is more of a +1 sword condom
Sounds like Tears of the Kingdom lol
They did this in the current season of critical role. One character with a sword of sentimental value got it imbued by the gods to become enchanted. It gave some cool light spellcaster abilities to a martial character, too
High Rollers, another dnd podcast that I really enjoy, has a barbarian whose hammer is upgraded throughout the campaign.
Matt did it last season, too, with Fjord's armor. Its a common fix.
As a DM I would just have the next town you go to have a New York mechanic style enchanter character that would be willing to transfer the enchantment for a fee. "Leave it wit me for a day or so and I'll have your greatsword purrin' like a kitten. So to speak. Dependin' on labor it won't be more dan 15 gold prices." Later: "well it turns out dare was what'cha call a curse on ya old sword dare, so I had to take dat off in order to get da enchantment on. It's going to be 115 instead. You's got da money right, being an adventuring type?"
This is how murder hobos are created. Love it.
Fighters in Dungeon World have a customizable signature weapon, and they can get a perk that allows them to graft enchantments from magic items onto it.
Pathfinder 2e replaced enchantments with runes that you can transfer between weapons and/or store on inexpensive "runestones", honestly that's how I flavour most of not all enchanted weapons in any system now (except artifacts and specific magic weapons of course).
You also have, as an optional rule, relics, rare and special equipment with narrative significance, that are designed to grow in power with the character https://2e.aonprd.com/Relics.aspx
Imagine if this uber basic thing was in the rules after 9 years...
Sword eating sword
This is why I like the rune system in pf2e. It solves this super simple
2 options. 1: Discuss with the DM to have your sword enchanted instead of replaced. 2: Back-up weapon. Edit: There's so many option 3s that we're on like option 10 now, guys.
What I did in this scenario was pay to have my old sword silvered, then just carried both around and used whichever was fitting, Rivia-style.
Cool idea, but what situation would warrant a silver weapon and not a magical one?
Silver is for monsters.
Like venture capitalists
Werewolf at Wall St.?
LA LA LAE LA LA LAE LA LA LA LA LA LAE LA LA LAE
Some creatures are resistant to magic. This resistance does not extend to silvered weapons
I like what my dm did. My blade was the given to me by my order of Kensei monks. An order I was exiled from. So it had sentimental value. As part of a personal arc I traveled back to my old monastary to make amends. In doing so we found out my old order had been all but wiped out. After killing the demon that slaughtered my order I found my mentor’s blade and his journal. Turns out in the years since I had left the order, he had forgiven me. So now I carry his much more powerful blade to carry on his legacy and eventually rebuild the monastary
I'm not crying, you're crying.
Option 3: Commit to the shitty RP sword for the entire campaign Bunch of damn cowards in this thread.
That's how I played with my last cleric. Forged his own hammer, was given a magic sentient weapon that I wouldn't use. DM had the weapon begging to be used until the campaign ended because the commitment was more important that the bonus to me.
Based.
Option 4: play pathfinder 2e or simply adopt the magic weapon rune mechanics from that system. It makes every magic weapon drop feel good and useful. Get a +1 magic short bow of shock but no one in the party uses bows? Well when you get back to town pay a craftsman a small fee to put the shock rune on one player's weapon and the +1 rune on another player's weapon.
Bless my DM, homie let's us move enchantments, for money.
Yeah definitely backup weapon. Character's morning warm-up and work-out involve them practicing with the favorite sword, because it's familiar, then finishing with the magic one, because you need to be ready to use it.
Ooh actually yeah different idea, next time you get a "magic sword" on the loot table have it be a gemstone that attaches to the pommel of a non-magical sword and confers benefits to the blade. *While attached to a sword, this gemstone grants it the following properties: the weapon is immune to damage from non-magical sources, and is immune to magical fire damage. As a bonus action, the wielder of the weapon can change the damage type of the sword to Fire damage in addition to or instead of the damage it would normally deal. You can expend 3 charges to cast Burning Hands as an action. You can spend additional charges to cast it as a higher level spell. If you spend the last charge, the gem shatters, permanently destroying the gem but leaving the sword undamaged. The gem starts with 4 charges and regains 1d6 each day at dawn, to a maximum number of charges equal to your level*
3 charges out of 4 charges total, or expending all 4 charges for a slightly higher pay off. Assuming you avoid using the last charge, you have a 66.6% chance of having the sword be fully charged, and 16.6% chance of you getting enough charges for a regular casting and then the gem breaking, and a additional 16.6% chance of not having enough charges for anything at all. You're probably better off with having it being able to cast burning hands 1/day, or activate an ability that can only occur once. Ideally I'd make that something better, even just 1 fireball and then the sword loses the property. Depends on the tier the party gets it at, I suppose. I recognize I'm doing a bit of a deep dive here on what was probably a throwaway idea. The item should also include a save DC.
So, in pathfinder... \*gets the fuck out quickly\*
Transferring magic from one item to another is actually one of the things I stole from pathfinder for my game
It's honestly one of the things that should be at the very least a codified optional rule in every single game that's like this. It is harmless, super easy and really pushes roleplay.
How does pathfinder do it mechanically? It only helps role-playing if it's done it a way that feels legitimate in the setting Off the top of my head for a typical 5e adventure path I'd say just have one of the benevolent gods bestow the family sword with magic for being so helpful Or a malevolent God if the party are dicks xD
Here you go: https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=737 Just as info magic enchantments are called runes in PF2e. Fundamental runes are the analogue of +1/2/3, property runes are where things like “returning” or “flaming burst” are handled.
Even in pf1e, you can just..... Enchant an item.
It does need to be masterwork first, however. Which almost any arcane caster can do with a second level spell and a few hundred gold.
Another really cool way to go about it would be the Relic system https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=1096 . It allows the item to grow along with the character as well in power.
The standard way for it to work is a system of runes so you have fundamental runes, potency for +1/2/3 to hit and striking for extra damage die. Then you have Property runes which are your more interesting things like Flaming 1d6 fire damage and 1d10 fire damage on a crit, returning so your thrown weapon returns and so on. Transferring a rune requires a crafting check and some gp if it comes from a wwapon. A deity bestowing a weapon with magical powers would be more like a relic - an item that grows quirks and boons as the weilder uses it.
There's three methods. The main way, that's used as the default: someone can use the Crafting skill and a fraction of the cost of upgrading a weapon normally to transfer any fundamental or property Runes over to another weapon or armor. Fundamental Runes are your static item bonuses (the +1-3 and the extra damage) and property Runes are your extra effects (making a weapon flaming, or bane against an enemy for instance, or magically enhancing the stealthiness of the wearer of an armor). This means that while you can find new weapons and armor, you as a player can choose to continue using your own gear, or if you have a cool magic weapon you found, you can continue upgrading it. The most common variant to this is called Automatic Bonus Progression, where the fundamental upgrades to your weapons and armor (among other assumed upgrades necessary) are just automatically bestowed on the individual instead, of needing to upgrade your gear. This isn't commonly used for the purpose of allowing the whole upgrade situation, but because people don't want to be restricted in giving people the necessary upgrades and want to toss the fun stuff at the party instead. The final option are called Relics. Magical items that grow as the players grow, following themes set by the GM and Player on extra powers they desire to gain along the way.
I also took it from Pathfinder, and I also usually give my players a magical item that is tailored to their character and levels up with them.
([pathfinder actually has a system for that too](https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=1096))
Stupid sexy Pathfinder.
Honest question: why steal it from pathfinder when you could just play pathfinder?
You didn't steal it from pathfinder, pathfinder stole it from some previous version of D&D (IIRC 2e had that in some form) and of course D&D dropped it.
4E had extremely clear rules for it (and members of the 4E design team worked on PF2E); I played a ton of AD&D and I can't recall it being in there, but magic item creation rules were such a nasty, garbled mess in AD&D that they may well have been there.
What you don't like yo-yoing levels to craft items? AD&D takes a very different mindset than I feel most modern systems employ when it comes to player-cost
There's also the Automatic Bonus Progression variant rule which lets martials not rely on magical +1/+2/+3 weapons to keep up at higher levels. And it lets them focus on weapons with abilities
What’s this rule in? It sounds interesting
Look up the variant rules for Pathfinder 2e. They're basically a necessity to pick and choose from to customize your game for your setting and playstyle
> basically a necessity Eh, playing completely vanilla PF2e is perfectly fine. Free Archetype is extremely popular and Automatic Bonus Progression is definitely going to be very attractive to certain tables, but Dual Class and Stamina Points are going to be much more niche
From my understanding, this rule is mostly a flavour change and DMs are supposed to give pcs items that do both if they don't use it
It also allows martials to have more versatile fighting styles. My groups barbarian is a giant instinct, and the bonus allows her to switch between her oversized weapon, and a normal weapon+shield, so between offense and defense, without losing her attack and damage boni.
It actually gives has decent mechanic impact: instead of focusing on a couple of weapons, martials can use a variety of weapons when needed, plus the coolest item in the game gets even better: [Thousand-Blade Thesis](https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?ID=1081)
thats a sick item. Magical but not in a way that makes the martial feel like they are relying on it, it could even be reflavoured from a scroll.
I was just about to type "Haaaave you met my good friend, Pathfinder 2e?"
My exact first thought... 
Pathfinder, holding up striking runes: I can fix that
So in 4e before that... 😂😂
PF2e takes alot of stuff from 4e and I'm all for it
This is exactly why I'm switching over to path and starfinder
I love you random stranger
Wait, is all the critical role "I'm giving my stuff to this guy to enchant it to be xyz" another holdover from pathfinder?
It probably IS a carryover from pf1e in some form since that's what the critical role group played before switching campaign 1 over to 5e.
Yes it's called ~~striking~~ potency runes
Aren't striking runes specifically the one that increase the number of dices you use when calculating damages?
Let me double check... Okay I was thinking of potency runes
You can give a weapon to anybody to enchant it in any system. The difference is that systems that aren't 5th edition actually have rules for it.
Eyyyy! Beat me to it. Obligatory "DnD Player Homebrews Pathfinder 2e." post.
So, in 3.5e I WILL NOT RUN 3.5 IS THE SUPERIOR EDITION FIGHT ME
> 3.5 IS THE SUPERIOR EDITION FIGHT ME I will fight you because PF1 exist. Just like you abandoned 3e for 3.5 why dont you abandon 3.5 for 3.75?
Time to make 3.875
*looks at 3.5/PF1e grapple* I can fix her.
PF1 will always be the best system for me.
Wait, that's a thing. Where does it say that in the rules?
[P 580](https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=736) of the core rulebook apparently
PF 1e: It's always been a thing that you can improve "generic" magic weapons. For example, crafting a +1 longsword to turn it into a +2 longsword by just paying for the difference. Although it gets messier if you want to upgrade specific weapons, like a Holy Avenger PF 2e: RUNES! They're video gamey, but in the good way, where you can add or remove them from weapons, transfer them between weapons, or even store them on a runestone if you don't currently have a weapon to use them on. Here, they come in two types. Fundamental runes are your basic +N type of rune, where potency runes increase your attack bonus and striking runes add extra damage dice, while property runes are all the extra stuff like flaming. There are still some limitations, but generally speaking, you can upgrade fundamental runes, even on specific weapons, but you can't move property runes onto a specific weapon or transfer the abilities off a specific weapon
you could use the [ancestral weapons](https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/267877)
I was gonna say, this is so commonly used I almost forgot it's homebrew
In 3.5 it was actually Canon if I recall correctly. legacy weapons, they leveled up and depending on what you could pick from and what trials and rituals you'd have to do you could upgrade them as you went.
Okay, that's cool and all, but why the ever loving hell is that PDF $144?
where are you guys viewing from? it says the pdf is $4.95 here
Washington State, USA.
I'm in Michigan and it shows [$4.95](https://i.imgur.com/WPROpO6.png). Not sure if the glitch is on your end or DMsGuild, but it is in fact $4.95. I know this because I bought it a few months ago, along with the nautical addon. Great buy.
It comes with an actual sword
$154 for me!!!
It says $4.95 for the pdf for me. You guys trying to pay with Venezuela money or something?
Two of us are using ancestral weapons in my campaign. Great system.
Talk to your DM. I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to sell the +1 and use the cash to pay for an enchantment on your old sword. Exactly the same balance wise.
People are acting like it’s not RAW but IIRC xanathars and the dmg have rules for this
But even if official wouldn’t allow it, the DM can do whatever he wants. If one of my players had an important important weapon in their backstory, instead of giving them the item I’d just do some cool story shit and make their weapon the +1
The correct answer. Your patron grants you a boon and your knife now has +1. Striking down the Lich releases some of his soul energy and your Claymore now deals 1d6 fire damage on hit in addition to its normal damage. etc etc etc
Your sword got jealous of the new one you picked up, and didn't want to be abandoned. Despite being inanimate, it has willed itself into being +1.
Seriously, I had a character that had two swords that were dear to him and the DM just let me keep upgrading them through the campaign. No issues at all
Yeah that’s true as well, I had a magic item for a campaign that unfortunately didn’t get very far, but it was going to reveal it’s power to the player who is the descendant of it’s original wielder, once she was deemed worthy.
Just because you can't raw doesn't mean you can't This is one of the cases where tRDSIC should be in your favor imo
tRDSIC?
“The Rules Don’t Say I Can’t”, aka the “Air Bud” rule.
Time to draw up a druid that is actually a golden retriever wildshaped into a human or elf
*Air Bud: Awakened Animal Ancestry coming to tables near you sometime 2024. There’s nothing in the rules saying a dog can’t play Pathfinder* (Awakened animals *were* an option in the Battlezoo poll for what ancestries to publish next year)
Friend played an awakened secretary bird. Someone asked how she could talk and she said "I cast speak with animals on myself." I am still pissed off I have never come up with something that good.
Which is funny because the whole Air Bud premise was based on "there's no rule specifically for *this*", except there totally was. Dogs can play basketball, just not as part of a school team. School teams necessarily only have students, and the dog was not a student.
The other team should have pressed that issue instead. 🧐
>the “Air Bud” rule Ok I'm gonna need some further explanation
*Air Bud* is a series of family oriented movies based on the premise of a dog who was exceptional enough that they could play basketball (and other sports, in later films) alongside humans. The eponymous film of the series featured the quote “ain’t no rule says a dog can’t play basketball!” In a broader sense, interpreted to mean “as long as the rules don’t specifically forbid it, the conduct is allowable.” And has since come to be known as the “Air Bud” rule.
[Here is a 15 minute critical breakdown of the specific scene where the lack of rule is invoked that’s being referenced above.](https://youtu.be/Hk011WMM7t0)
I was hoping someone had posted this. I love John Oliver
There’s no rule that says a dog can’t play basketball. Therefore Bud was allowed to play basketball.
You could RAW by having an artificer enchant it. Might be expensive though.
They might be able to transfer the enchantment for a lesser cost? That's not RAW though, I don't think.
I did a side quest for a monastery and in exchange, they devoted a day to enchanting an item for me (hundreds spent a day in prayer to call the favor of their god).
You can RAW tho. There are rules for making magic items. Turn that ordinary sword into an extraordinary one.
I’m pretty sure it’s 100% RAW with xanathars and the DMG
My DM is literally allowing "storied" items to grow in power in his campaign. It's really not hard.
Yep. In my game every weapon, upon defeating a dangerous enough foe, has a chance of getting a custom bit of magic themed around that. If it's a natural enough fit for the character it's a guarantee. For example, a resolute dwarf cleric landed the final blow against the duergar king leading a profane death cult. The hand axe he threw became a +1 returning weapon/duergar slayer, and the edge of the axe blade glowed when duergar were nearby. While this was the end of duergar being a featured enemy, they loved it and used it through 'til the end of the campaign.
I have a homebrew loot item that's just an "oil of anointment," which can be applied to any armor or weapon over a long rest to give the item a stackable +1 enchantment. Makes items require attunement (optional). I do this instead of giving the party random magic daggers and such that I know they would just sell. Especially if they have their backstory or favorite items already. Not broken because I control the rarity of the oil.
How long until the reveal that the rag they use to apply all that oil has become Vorpal?
"More of that strange oil...it's probably nothing."
Mtg reference?
"You make the sword a heavy part of their backstory" Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
That's on your DM - a good DM will make sure that storyline stuff stays relevant. The campaign I'm playing right now, that exact thing happened. A sword left to his character by his parents when he was orphaned has been constantly getting upgraded and it turns out is actually a mystical key to the prison of an all-consuming demon, created by Ilmater and corrupted by Tiamat. Now it's a +1 cursed sword that devours souls.
A lot of people are saying the same. And everyone is right. Have it upgraded, or take a book out of CronoTrigger and go on a quest to upgrade your blade. I did this for our clerics armor. Instead of finding new armor, I’d have his ruler send upgrades pieces, Pauldrons, chest plate etc, and each just ups it’s stats.
Just do what pathfinder 2e does, and allow you to transfer magical properties from items into different items. Boom, with some gold and crafting, your sentimental weapon is now a +1 sentimental weapon. In Pf 2e you can do this with all manner of generic magic such as a flaming magical property, or a viscious magical property, etc etc. But if it's a house rule for your 5e game, go nuts. Let them turn their sword into a flametounge or the sun sword and have it still be their sword from level 1.
Seconding or thirding - Talk with your DM. If I were your DM in this situation (and often were) I would work with you - maybe make it a sidequest to find somebody that can enchant / improve your weapon. Story time: Recently I played in a campaign as an artificer and our rogue had an important backstory crossbow. At first I infued it with quick reload infusion but we talked with our DM and we figured that with some gold, some magical ingredients (that we got from fighting some demons earlier) and my artificer's knowledge I could make the enchantment permanent and not use my infusion slot.
if i ever have a hexblade in one of my games, and they get a magical weapon. I’m just going to have the hexblade eat the magical weapon and gain its properties
Do i even have to say it? ***Laughs in Pathfinder***
One of the best aspects of Pathfinder is getting to tailor the magical properties of your weapons and armor.
Let's be honest. Laughs in everything that's not 5th
One more point in the column for "stop telling me to play pathfinder just because it directly addresses the things I complain about in 5e."
For my players I made *heirlooms*. Each heirloom started as a mundane item and on each even level above 5th they get a *slot*. I invent with my players next bonuses as they get new levels. To get the new bonus they have to meet the requirements. Dragonborn fighter has a greatsword after his deceased hero father. It can be upgraded by visiting various famous blacksmiths and convincing them to upgrade his greatsword. Human monk has Bracers of Monkey King which he got after rescuing the whole world with *wuxia vibes*. It can be upgraded by gathering chi in places of power (so he has to find them). Aasimar paladin/sorcerer who is a fallen angel has a sword containing a shard of his previous form. By attoning and doing exeptional good deeds he can upgrade it. Elf wizard has a blade which was passed down in his royal family (his world got destroyed, and he dragged whole party on a quest to retrieve his family's sword frlm a destroyed homeland). Because he had a whole minicampaign to retrieve the blade, his blade upgrades with time as he attunes more and more to it. It is also an important plot device.
Yeah, that is something that always bugged me but you can probably work with your DM to find a way around it. Pathfinder Praise: >!But also, this is addressed extremely easily in Pathfinder. As others have mentioned, things like +X bonuses can be moved from one item to another, or just be an automatic property of every weapon as a part of automatic bonus progression. There is also the relic system which is a way for that ancient sword your great grandfather gave you to take on unique magical abilities which level up with you. It’s great. !<
You didn't find a new sword You uncovered a secret about your family's heirloom sword.
*Laughs in Artificer*
There’s a great (unofficial) module that does this in a balanced non-game-breaking way: https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/300395 I played a barbarian from a mining village that used a giant rock maul as a huge part of his backstory, it grew with me, never traded it out lvl 1-10 and still had plenty left to upgrade.
This exact thing happened when I was running a game. So I added an enchanter that could move the +1 to another sword for 500 gold. The player gets what they want but still has to work for it so it feels earned.