So I am playing a Paladin and with help from the DM a suitable god was chosen for the setting. Swords of all kinds are of particular importance to the god, so I was told any type of sword would double as my holy symbol, great!
With this in mind and after reading this question: Are there generic enchanted implements in D&D 5e?
If I find a longsword +1, would I also get the +1 bonus to spellcasting using it as my holy symbol?
Is that at all broken?
Best Answer
As @KhadaKuraki mentions, +X foci don’t really exist, but it seems sensible that a paladin, especially one worshiping a god who is centered on swords, might have their sword function as the holy symbol equivalent of a wand of the war mage.
Personally, I would do that – but it’d be a +X weapon and a +Y holy symbol, not necessarily the same value for each. So when you first got it, it would be a +1 weapon, and count as a holy symbol but with no extra frills. Then, “instead” of an uncommon item I might have otherwise given you, I’d have the sword become a +1 holy symbol as well, so at that point it’s +1 for both. I’d then probably alternate between improving the weapon aspects and the holy symbol aspects of the sword.
This is useful because it means I don’t have to worry about “doubling up” on the rewards you get. If both increased together, I might hesitate to give you an increase, where I would if it was just the weapon improving. It also allows me to give different bonuses to the holy symbol, rather than the one offered by wand of the war mage, without basically making it a combination wand of the war mage and whatever other bonuses I put on it.