Enchanting Weapons to high values (Enchantment Limits) =================================== by Peter Snelling (snelling@bnr.ca), and Boudewijn Wayers (kroisos@win.tue.nl). > Can you enchant a weapon safely when it is already at +5? Or is +4 > the limit? When a weapon is at +5 it may be safely enchanted. Beyond +5, there is a 2/3 chance that it will vapourise. If you have a +5 weapon, and enchant it: - If you read an uncursed scroll of enchant weapon it will go to +6. - If you read a blessed scroll of enchant weapon, it will go to +6 or +7 (random). So the safest you can possibly enchant a weapon to is +7. If you only get it to +6, but have another blessed scroll of enchant weapon, you can safely try to get it to +7 by first "E"ngraving one (ONLY ONE!!!) letter on the ground with your weapon. Engraving with an edged weapon will remove one enchantment for each letter engraved -- once it's back at +5, read the blessed enchant weapon scroll again (instead of engraving, you could read a cursed scroll of enchant weapon). If it's still only at +6, repeat. Notes: - Engraving to dull a weapon only works with edged weapons, so it won't work with Mjollnir. It also won't work with Magicbane, since athames don't dull (but you shouldn't enchant Magicbane). - Reading a scroll of enchant weapon while confused to rustproof your weapon can safely be done regardless of enchantment. - When artifacts or elven weapons are enchanted past +5, they vibrate warningly. This doesn't damage the weapon: it is only to warn you about further enchantments (so if you haven't identified your weapon, you can safely enchant it until you get this warning). - Magicbane is not like other weapons. It doesn't like being enchanted: its magical properties will become less frequent if it is enchanted. Things like probing, purging, or cancelling are most frequent if Magicbane is only +0, so you might want to reconsider enchanting Magicbane. Blessing or rustproofing it doesn't harm its special abilities. Enchanting it does not hamper its ability to absorb curses thrown at you. Also note that if you are willing to take chances past +5, when you're at +6 or more, an uncursed scroll works as well as a blessed scroll. Also, past +8, there is an ever increasing chance that nothing will happen if the weapon doesn't explode. > Can you enchant armour safely when it is already at +5? Or is +4 > the limit? Actually, even when the armour is at +4, it's already risky. When a piece of armour is at +3, it can safely be enchanted. Beyond that, there is a 1/2 chance that it will vapourise. If you have a +3 piece of armour and enchant it: - If you read an uncursed scroll of enchant armour it will go to +4. - If you read a blessed scroll of enchant armout it will go to +4 or +5 (random). So the safest you can possibly enchant a piece of armour to is +5. If you only get it to +4, but have another blessed scroll of enchant armour, you can safely try to get it to +5 by first reading a CURSED scroll of enchant armour, which will remove one "plus", bringing the piece of armour back to +3. Once it's back at +3, read the blessed scroll of enchant armour scroll again. If it's still only at +4, repeat. Notes: - Reading a scroll of enchant armour while confused to rustproof your armour can safely be done regardless of enchantment. - The only exception to the above rules is the elven mithril coat, which can be enchanted two plusses more than all other armour. - When you enchant any elven armour to +3 or higher, or your elven mithril coat is enchanted to +5 or higher, it vibrates warningly. This doesn't damage the elven armour: it is only to warn you about further enchantments (so if you haven't identified your elven armour, you can safely enchant it until you get this warning). - Any other armour than elven armour has a small chance of giving the above warning as well (only one-in-seven, so don't count on it...).