I'm curious as to how other DM's handle introducing new material into their campaigns; new equipment, spells, etc.
I give my players free access to all items and spells from the Players' Handbook, but I limit their access to the non-core rulebooks.
In an attempt to add flavor to my campaign I have gone through all of the non-core rulebooks and made certain equipment and spells available only to members of certain races or organizations. Some equipment and spells are also only available in certain regions of the world I use.
I also limit the number of spells that can be added to the divine spellcasters' lists. I give my players the base list from the PH and allow clerics and druids to pick three spells per spell level from the non-core books to add to their spell lists. This selection is permanent. I allow rangers and paladins to add two spells per spell level to their spell lists, and again the selection is permanent.
And again I also deem that certain spells, both arcane and divine, are available only to members of certain races or organizations. I also limit equipment and spells on a regional basis. I find this makes my players excited to explore the world that they are in, for they never know what unique items may be available in other areas.
I've found this works well in keeping under control the ever-expanding options for characters. It's also nice to be able to challenge my players with a bad guy who has spells they've never encountered before.
Most of the new stuff I tend to add is in the way of new rules, equipment and spells. The main user of spells, the sorcerer, has graciously allowed me to randomly select her spells that she gains (mwah-hah-hah...actually, it was her idea, as she felt that was more fitting for a sorcerous character). My players are generally quite happy with their characters, and when I ran across something that may intrigue them, I often present it to them either in- or out-of-game (such as the Speaker of the City prestige class from Cityworks for the druid).
I do like what you've done, though - it's something I would consider doing, should I ever get off me arse and continue my homebrew setting.
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In the past, I have been rather lenient as far as what I would or would not allow.
In the current game, I am allowing the players to choose feats from most sources.
I am only allowing spells from the appropriate Complete book for that class (Complete Arcane for Sorcerers and Wizards, etc.). They can incorporate spells that they find from any other source (scrolls, potions, wands, etc.) but that gives me a little more control in what they get or have access to.
One of the players is an Artificer and I am allowing him to create items from the DMG. I am allowing him to modify items that have a simple "value" associated with them. (Making a Headband of Wisdom +2, or adding Charisma +2 to a Cloak of Resistance +2, etc.) On a case by case basis, I might allow him to create items from the Magic of Eberron or Eberron Campaign setting.
Prestige classes need to be approved by me ahead of time and I want a story reason for the prestige class. For the most part though, I will allow most prestige classes from most sources. Most of my players tend to stick to the core classes though.
I like what you have done and I like your ideas. The problem that I see is that it would require far more bookwork and tracking than I have the patience and time for.
I would love the random selection of spells for a sorcerer -- I would like to see a campaign where most of the group are sorcerers (or favored souls or something similar) where all the spells are randomly chosen. I think that would be fun...
(off topic i know)
moff, I like your allowance of "adjusting" magic items... In my campaign if a character has the right item creation feat and goes to to the effort of using the dmg to balance it I allow them to create magic items from their imagination. It allows for interesting variations from the simple cloack of charisma/resistance to even wackier variations.
of course they all have to pass by me 1st
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(off topic i know)
moff, I like your allowance of "adjusting" magic items... In my campaign if a character has the right item creation feat and goes to to the effort of using the dmg to balance it I allow them to create magic items from their imagination. It allows for interesting variations from the simple cloack of charisma/resistance to even wackier variations.
of course they all have to pass by me 1st
The "of course they all have to pass by me 1st" is very key. I agree with the DMG that you shouldn't allow "Goggles of Giant Strength +6". The way I figure it, if they really want that, the additional cost would make an Ioun stone of Strength +6 a better alternative.
What I am finding out is that the artificer of the group really doesn't have much of a life in the game. He goes on adventures and then afterwards, he locks himself in his lab and makes magic items until the next adventure with most of the rest of the group waiting outside the door saying "are you done yet?".
As far as variations go, I feel that there are a LOT of magic items in all the official D&D sources. I still like the response from the group -- "Ooo. I wonder what that will do."
To give you some idea of the sheer number of magic items that there are (if you haven't done so yet), you should check out the magic item generator I did --> here.
Thanks for the responses. The random spell generation idea is quite intriguing.
As far as time goes, it didn't take too much time to organize the spells in this manner. I would just read through the spell descriptions and basically just deem that some of the nature spell were only available to elves, stone spells to dwarves, etc. Then I would just make a note of that by the spell description.
The equipment part of it took a lot longer though. I poured through all my books and dragon magazines to compile a "master list" of all the equipment and then went through it, organizing it by what equipment would be available to what classes or in which stores, and which equipment would be available only to certain races. For example, in my world only dwarves have mastered the art of working with adamantine, so normally only dwarven characters who have ties to a dwarven community would be allowed access to materials made of adamantine.
Thanks again for the input!