Is it my imagination, or does Paizo pretty much refuse to give anyone a weapon or armor with a higher basic bonus than +1 plus other abilities (if you're lucky)? What's up with that?
What are you referring to? The only situation I can imagine in which this makes any sense is perhaps you mean pre-determined treasure in their adventure paths?
Is it my imagination, or does Paizo pretty much refuse to give anyone a weapon or armor with a higher basic bonus than +1 plus other abilities (if you're lucky)? What's up with that?
I am guessing you are talking about in the Adventure Paths, or Modules?
If so, I'd hazard the guess that it is for wealth balance issues. I am betting they are keeping an eye on what wealth the party should have.
Either that, or they take the general view of "other abilities are cooler," or that GMs are more likely to allow basic bonus upgrades...
But I am just guessing.
What are you referring to? The only situation I can imagine in which this makes any sense is perhaps you mean pre-determined treasure in their adventure paths?
The adventures of the adventure paths, for starters. And it's also pretty much the case in the new NPC guide.
Well, the reason I would be against it is that costs go up so much when those bonuses increase and it could end up taking up most of the treasure pile to put a +3 weapon in the AP in any mid level encounter. I always let my players sell things fairly reliably and give time to shop/craft so they can make their own items.
Lets say they had an encounter that should have 9,000 GP (CR 12 encounter on medium advancement track), this would afford the encounter a +2 weapon and some change. Let's say Paizo made this a +1 Flaming Greatsword for the encounter. If no one in the party can use the item then it is less useless to them and can be sold, but at a reduction in the price. This means that this one big pile of loot for the encounter only rewards some party members and maybe none at all.
I think it is completely balanced, you can't rely on finding everything when you are an adventurer. Sometimes they must be bought or crafted. For every story where the hero finds a magic sword and saves the world with it I would bet there is another where the hero forges his own blade or orders it made by the finest craftsmen.
That said, my group always plays a very high fantasy game (roll stats, 4d6 reroll 1's drop lowest) and usually ends up getting higher treasure levels (and conversely higher CR encounters than standard.)
I hope that made sense, up too late and getting tired.
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Well, the reason I would be against it is that costs go up so much when those bonuses increase and it could end up taking up most of the treasure pile to put a +3 weapon in the AP in any mid level encounter.
My players just found a +1 dragon bane longsword in one of the APs. That's a market equivalent +2 and I'm pretty sure that something similar -- with an energy attack -- is also in the same chapter of the AP. At this point, my party of 5 is 11th level.
I guess you'd need to be more specific if you've found a particular situation where the treasure level is less than you think it should be. Of course, it's probably already been discussed in one of the AP forum groups...