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Are gloves of Enlarge Weapon (Complete Scoundrel p97) for my half-giant possible and legal by RAW?

With powerful build I already have a large weapon, and I'm looking to get huge sized weapon damage. I want to stay away from sizing or other similar weapon enhancements because the penalties aren't worth it to me, as I'd have to waste a feat or get strongarm bracers on top.

I must also mention my DM said I'd have to find a blacksmith who actually can make huge sized weapons, which can be very limiting... with this item basically all weapons I wield would always be one size larger, which could arguably be game-breaking although I'd say my damage is more based on power attack anyway...but extra dice are always welcome.

doppelgreener
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Smitty
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1 Answers1

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A use-activated or continuous version of enlarge weapon on an item would cost, according to the guidelines, 48,000 gp. The largest possible gain for going from a large weapon to a huge weapon is for a bastard sword or similar, which goes from 2d8 to 3d8, a gain of +1d8, or on average +4½. For the overwhelming majority of weapons, it is a gain of a +1d6, or on average +3½.

You can gain far more than 3-5 damage for 48k gp. Even simply adding corrosive flaming frost shocking to a +1 weapon (costing the same 48k gp) would add +4d6, for an average of +14. Roughly four times the damage, and just throwing energy properties on a weapon isn't exactly optimal.

So no, I do not think your proposed gloves of enlarge weapon are a good solution here at all. Size increases are very slow to increase damage, and are rarely the best way to do so.

KRyan
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  • thanks for your reply, but i was under the impression it would be much cheaper (2 spell level x 4 caster level x 2000 continuous for 16k, even less with command word/uses a day) allowing me to then add enhancements to increase the damage even more – Smitty Aug 20 '14 at 02:11
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    @Smitty See the footnote: spells with durations measured in rounds have their cost multiplied by 4. Command word or other options are bad because you would have to waste combat actions activating it. – KRyan Aug 20 '14 at 02:28
  • The enlarge isn't quite as bad as you say. The flaming etc will do good damage against something with no defenses, but against something with damage reduction, elemental resistances/immunitites/actually get healed instead, you'll do a lot more damage with the bigger weapon.

    Also, weapon size damage gets increased by crits, which is important to keep in mind.

    And while it is cheaper for a +1 flaming than the gloves, it becomes more expensive to continue to upgrade the weapon.

    Of course, the downside of using up your glove slot is very significant.

     – Scott Aug 21 '14 at 00:49
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    @Scott A larger weapon deals one type of damage, which means it can be shut down. Having four different energy types, plus your physical type, means almost nothing is going to be resisting everything. Moreover, adding a +1-equivalent property doesn't cost 48k gp until you adding the 10th property; pre-Epic, the gloves will never be the cheaper option. Crits happen far too infrequently invest heavily in, or even much consider. – KRyan Aug 21 '14 at 01:30