3.5e Item Templates

Item Templates
A suit of armor, shield, or weapon might be special because of where it was forged, or the skill of the crafter who made it. Under the right conditions, the item can absorb some of the properties which reflect its construction. Though not magical, they are far more than a normal weapon.

Each template applies a minor special effect to a weapon, shield, or suit of armor. Typically these benefits take the form of bonuses granted to the user in certain situations. In addition, each template has a special affinity for one or more special abilities that can be applied (such as keen or glamered), as well as for specific items (such as the flame tongue or demon armor). This affinity manifests as a 10% discount on gold piece cost of the raw materials required to add the template to the designated item, or to craft a specific magic item from the templated weapon, shield, or armor. This adjustment does not effect XP costs, nor any extra cost that figure into the items price (including costly material components in construction). It does not affect the market price of the item.

Crafting an item templated armor, shield, or weapon requires a DC 25 Craft check as if you were crafting a masterwork item, and the crafter must have at least 10 ranks in the required craft skill. Sometimes other requirements, such as race, feat, skill rank, or location requirements are needed. Item templates can be added after an item has been made. Item templates were originally found in the Dungeon Master's Guide II.