I thought we already had a thread on this, but I can't find it.

I found the following blog post that was pretty good, save I felt, as one person commented, the writer mistook the term Masterwork for Masterpiece.

https://lootthebody.wordpress....s-in-5th-edition-dd/

I don't know that I even considered masterwork armor before seriously when I had thought about things originally.  The idea of re-rolling when the opponent gets max damage on a die was really interesting, and something was I don't believe I had even considered.

As I thought about it, even though it really on average should only amount to reducing damage by 1, it seems potentially a little powerful.  Some thoughts however include, simply reducing max damage by one, or maybe even reducing minimum damage by one.  [perhaps even allowing it to be reduced to 0]  Other options might be to limit an ability to only affecting a type of damage [piercing, bludgeoning, slashing, etc]  Given how 5th edition gives more value to AC and armor, restricting this ability more than perhaps how weapons are might make some sense.

One of my concerns, if we presume that traditionally, magical items start out as masterwork items, I don't want to greatly inflate the abilities of +1 items by having an additional effects.

Actually, perhaps I should suggest that I'm not against allowing masterwork, at the level that would behave like a full +1 to Armor or Weapon is probably fine but the bonuses wouldn't specifically stack.  Technically, also full non-magical +1 items, I believe will cost more than magical +1 items, as the skill to create them will be less common than the average wizard whom can enchant a basic +1 item based off a common masterwork.

Weapon Masterwork options
 common:
  +1 damage to minimum damage, or max damage
 uncommon:
  re-roll minimum damage
 rare:
  full non-magical +1 [probably a masterpiece]
  [vicious] may re-roll one damage die on a critical hit (and potentially sneak attack)
 unknown rarity:
  [unusual]Add an additional type of damage done with weapon
  [big]
   If light of finesse, +1 damage (loses light and/or finesse property)
   If none of light/versatile/heavy, +2 damage (becomes heavy)
   If versatile (not light), +1 one-handed damage; +2 two-handed damage (doesn't become heavy)
   If heavy +2 (gains two handed, loses versatile if present but starts at versatile damage)
   All that might be too complicated
Armor Masterwork options
 common:
  +1 AC vs 1 type of attack (piercing, bludgeoning, slashing)
 uncommon:
  -1 damage to one of (minimum/maximum) damage of one type of attack (p, s, b)
 rare:
  full non-magical +1
  re-roll of max damage of one type of attack (p, s, b).
  convert minimum damage of one type of attack  (p, s, b) to a miss.
 unknown rarity:
  make light armor not be disadvantaged at stealth
  increase max dex bonus by 1 of medium armor

Masterwork items are allowed their own save even if not carried by someone.  (they may use their own save, or the individual carrying them, whichever is better)
Masterwork items should be granted at least one more HP, normally at least +10%.
Some other general choices might be simply:
 tougher: granting more HP/toughness
 lighter: reducing weight


A common masterwork above doesn't mean it is a common item, I'm just trying to get a quick categorization together.  It may make sense to re-categorize them later to indicate the more common categorization.

Retrospective:  although having a plus to AC but only against certain types of attacks would complicate some aspects of combat.  If a GM is used to letting players know their target number, then you either review the presence of something special, or have to fudge the number up or down a bit and adjust if they hit.  [players thinking they missed, when they hit, or thinking they hit when they didn't]  The same could be true if you publish HP, although I think that would be easier to fudge, as forms of resistance and such affect damage taken.  Just things to consider.

What about having the bonus until.. it takes some shock or damage.  not destroying its quality but damaging until laces replaced, link buckle tightened etc,?

Would that be similar to the benefit of sharpening a weapon, it imparting a +1 to damage against its first hit?

Getting a + to AC, except only against the first hit would be rather limiting, as it would only change the effect if they happened to only narrowly hit.

That would be sort of like saying that you only get a +1 hp damage vs the first attack, so if you miss, you miss out on the bonus.  Not necessarily unbelievable, or unjustifiable, but definitely reducing the impact drastically.  But then perhaps in a way... expense for even slight, or tiny benefit is not unrealistic for 'status' symbols.

But trying to think through thoughts.  I don't mind the idea of having some highly useful benefits however.

I hate to say it, but in a sense, I am more and more beginning to consider that part of masterwork my include benefits that are hardly from an adventuring standpoint worth great note, but may yet up the 'cost/value' of the item, because of the 'quality' being a measurable status symbol, not because of its notably exceptional performance boost.

Potential masterwork or magical ability.

Min-exploding dice damage:
  Limitations: target must be not be immune to critical hits.  Wielder must be proficient in the weapon.

This effect does not affect actual critical hits or their damage.

This effect only applies to attacks that have Exceeded the AC required to hit (not meeting the AC, or hits only occurring due to getting a natural 20)

When rolling damage, if getting a one on the die, reroll and add the result once per die (limit this to one die, or once per die)
If damage exceeds the normal Max damage, the attack is considered upgraded to be a critical if other effects other than dice damage are involved.  However, you do not re-roll damage, as the damage you have already rolled is considered the rolled weapon's damage.



This creates weapons which tend to get extra critical hits, but which are lower damage criticals, but might trigger certain other abilities that may depend on critical hits.  Weapons with smaller damage dice would tend to benefit more from an ability such as that.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:03, Thu 29 Dec 2016.

Okay; would a Master work set of armor instead of protecting you better, allowed or didn't interfer with skill use orspeed, or maybe acted as if it weighed less.

You might be able to get special designs that not only don't give a minus but might give a bonus to some skill or actions.  picture studded leater that due to the design of the studs on gauntlets, knees, elbows, and boot covers. get a plus instead of a minus on climbing.  Maybe another armour won't sink due to float padding or even a plus on swimming speed.  All things that are mechanical advantages.

It may be that the reason only a masterwork item can be enchanted is not that it does something.  but that their are certain restrictions on making magic items that raise the price to masterwork.

I do wonder if Masterpiece, and Master work should be to different critters.
a Masterpiece being a Masterwork created to allow the Maker a Skill Performence roll to make the item a recognisable work of art. [Item worthy of Noblity]