Enchantment Cost

[Kalzazz]

Any idea on a fair enchantment cost to combine two weapons and let the weapon change shape between the two? (For instance, a weapon that can either be a pistol or a rifle)

[vierasmarius]

What comes to mind would be a variant of Hideaway or Hide Object. One weapon is held in the hand, while the other occupies a pocket dimension. When the command word is spoken, they switch places. This might require a Ready action unless further enchanted with Quick Draw or something similar. As for enchantment cost... Hide Object costs 100 per pound of weapon weight. 100 energy times the combined weight of the weapons sounds fair.

[Ts_]

Positive effects:
+ Reduces weight
+ Combine knife with gun to bring a gun to a knife fight ...

Negative effects:
- Can use only one of them at a time.

That's really what I would do, combine a small dull knife with whatever big weapon you want ... mostly for hiding the big weapon, but making them smaller and lighter isn't useless either.

For a fair (well, established) price, look at the "Hideaway" enchantment in M61. It's meant to create magic bags etc, but it's effect is basically: Put things where they do not fit & make them lighter (optionally). It costs 100 energy per pound of the hidden object, assuming the weight should not add to encumbrance. 50 otherwise.

If we allow Hideaway to give holding capacity to the smaller weapon (with the smaller weapon vanishing in exchange for the larger), then it pretty much has the desired effect.

However, a tiny (on the outside) magic bag that holds the bigger weapon would cost exactly the same and be even better since you have access to both weapons, if desired, and have an all-purpose magic bag ... Thus, it might seem fairer to price the enchantment with a little discount for the annoyances. Maybe -30%?

Then you could say 35 per pound of the smaller weapon plus 70 per extra pound of the larger weapon. Takes a ready maneuver to change, as if it was drawn from somewhere. Must be activated in some easy physical way, that could be discovered by a very thorough examination (the handle turns, the blade folds ...)

It still would be dirt cheap to bring a small gun to a knife fight ... But that's what magic is for, I guess.

Just a word of warning: Magic isn't balanced ...

Regards
Ts

PS: Dang, DF12'ed.

[Godogma]

The actual situation has come up because of a weapon with the Named qualifier, and while we are mulling hideaway the idea is a weapon that can transform into other weapons - namely because its a cool idea and another is to cut down on weight from carrying multiple weapons.

A hideaway "shunt" for lack of a better word to contain the weapon that isn't being held in hand is a thought but its not particularly elegant as far as solutions goes.

There is a perk that allows you to cut encumbrance from guns to nothing, but carrying a ton of different weapons isn't all that elegant either.

The named weapon has earned lots of free "energy" to use for an enchantment so this idea popped into my head as an option.

EDIT: Though your way does work I suppose, and is more elegant than the thoughts we had on how to Hideaway it, my brain can't process your math right now because I'm very sleep deprived however.

[fictionfan]

You could take it farther and make the magic swiss army knife.

[Godogma]

Originally Posted by fictionfan

You could take it farther and make the magic swiss army knife.

Thats actually sorta the idea I had in mind.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by fictionfan

You could take it farther and make the magic swiss army knife.

The Helvetian Pike from DF 8, page 41, costs $16000 and turns into a large variety of weapons. It's also Shatterproof and Fine quality, but this looks like a similar concept.

The Bow Harp adds a Bow to a harp, so there's sort of a combination weapon. Ish.

[Godogma]

Originally Posted by Bruno

The Helvetian Pike from DF 8, page 41, costs $16000 and turns into a large variety of weapons. It's also Shatterproof and Fine quality, but this looks like a similar concept.

The Bow Harp adds a Bow to a harp, so there's sort of a combination weapon. Ish.

You have any idea how to try and make an enchantment/energy cost for something similar to the Helvetian Pike?

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by Godogma

The named weapon has earned lots of free "energy" to use for an enchantment so this idea popped into my head as an option.

if the weapon has free"energy" then write up alternate forms for it as weapons. whats the difference between the two weapons? size, range, rof, bulk, acc, rcoil, and damage. so make an alternate form using what ever innate attack best suits the weapon, so that it changes shape and has a different attack etc.

[munin]

Originally Posted by Godogma

... the idea is a weapon that can transform into other weapons...

A gem enchanted with Transform Object (p. M120, 1,000 energy) can be installed on a weapon's hilt/shaft, allowing a wielder with both Magery and appropriate Armoury skills to transform the weapon.