Well, there seems to be a bit of confusion concerning certain objects
that are in the game as it pertains to magical enchantments. So to
hopefully clear up some of the questions, here's the basics.
Any object you find in the game may be enchanted. These enchantments
may take many different forms, however there is a single constant that
remains true for all of them. If a weapon is enchanted, its WC is
increased above the norm. If armour is enchanted, its AC is increased
above the norm. The greater the enchantment, the greater the bonus to
WC/AC. Very simple and direct.
Question: How do I find out if an item I have is enchanted?
Answer: Find someone who knows how to detect enchantments.
Now, in addition to the normal AC/WC bonus, an enchantment may also
cause an item to have a lower encumbrance value. This can be easily
discerned by checking the encumbrance values of two similar objects.
For example, if you have two broadswords that are of comparable size,
material and length, except one is enchanted and the other is not.
The unenchanted broadsword may have an encumbrance value of 500, while
an enchanted broadsword may have an encumbrance value of 440.
This lesser value is a reflection of the enchanted nature of the item.
Please note that not all enchanted objects have lower encumbrance.
Another possible effect of enchantments are objects which will
may give you a sight bonus, some may convey special magical properties
to the wearer/wielder (water breathing for example). Some objects may
have miscellaneous magical properties as well, such as a wand that casts
a firebolt or a sword that does extra damage (fire/cold/electricity) when
it strikes something. Usually, if this is the case, a clue to the magical
effect is provided in some fashion.
The aforementioned clue may appear in the object's lore or wizlore. Also,
when you wear or wield an item that gives a bonus, you may receive the
clue as a worn/wielded message.
Please note that bonuses may be positive OR negative.
Question: How do I find out the lore or wizlore of an item I have?
Answer: Find someone who can detect lores and wizlores.
Now, if you are expecting to find a lore/wizlore/clue/etc that says
something like: The broadsword is +2 WC and +5 strength stat bonus,
you'll be disappointed. As is our policy, specific numbers will not
be given. Read the description of the weapon, read the lore, read the
wizlore, and pay attention to any messages you receive when trying
to use the item. Put all that together and you should have a pretty
decent idea of what these items do and how powerful they are.
If all else fails, and you're still not sure if broadsword 1 is
better than broadsword 2, ask other players for their opinions. Or,
if you have the inclination, try one out for a week or so and compare
them yourself.