Magic Items.
Some love them, some hate them, some are impartial, and some have already left this thread... probably.
What I would like to know is the feasibility of having a side-bar with optional rules concerning the change a low Magic Item world could bring, namely changes to CR or possibly reinforcing of characters.
Perhaps even containing notes on letting characters of any class develop a signature item to even things up a tad, though I realize this may step on the toes of the Kensai too much.
I like buying my house when I make my first 10k instead of buying a... newer piece of bling-bling, so I would appreciate options that, while allowing for wizards and clerics with full spell power, step away from characters who wear what amounts to a small city's treasury on their person.
I don't feel edgy wearing a fortune. After all, in this world, only high-level heroes get to be that rich. And you don't screw with them :P
I wouldn't mind a reduction of magic items, either. And if you ask me, Paizo might be on the same train of thought: Classes get boosts, races get boosts - maybe they toughen up characters so they can get by with fewer magical gadgets.
Anyway, I think it wouldn't need that much. Add personal power (like more feats, better ability generation, stronger races), change DR a bit, and do something about the characters' saves, and magic items aren't that important any more.
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I wouldn't mind a reduction of magic items, either. And if you ask me, Paizo might be on the same train of thought: Classes get boosts, races get boosts - maybe they toughen up characters so they can get by with fewer magical gadgets.
Anyway, I think it wouldn't need that much. Add personal power (like more feats, better ability generation, stronger races), change DR a bit, and do something about the characters' saves, and magic items aren't that important any more.
Ditto.
There have been many comments here that classes and/or races are getting too "powered-up", but extra racial features helps differentiate the races, extra feat slots and class features give players more options for building out their character concepts and helps make the core classes interesting enough to follow all the way to the top, extra HP reduces the need to camp every fifteen minutes, and all of the above reduces the characters' dependence on magic items to fill the gaps.
While it's possible to overshoot the goal and give characters too much inherent power, I am not a fan of the Christmas Tree effect and would love to see a shift away from needing so much magic just to be viable adventurers.
I always believed magic items should be rare and special. They are objects you search for or kill horrible creatures for. Not trinkets lying on the ground in a cavern complex run by an evil cleric. Come on he never noticed that + 2 longsword of evil cleric smiting sitting in his foyer. Less magic more traits = more fun imo. If you only find one magic sword in three levels of adventure then it is more valuable to you.
I would like to see an expansion of special material equipment and special weapon equipment. Such as a serrated sword causeing more damage or a elven forged long sword that has a greater bonus to hit. These bonuses can even exceede +1 unlike most master work. It gives flavor to weapons not just stats. Also they are not magic just honest to goodness creations made by Master craftsmen. Low levels 1-5 should be filled with these objects not cheap magical ones that will be tossed aside as soon as the next best thing comes around. Then you could take your favorite weapon you have been using and have it enchanted once you gain enough resources to do it. Thus items can be unique.
Just my opinion.
PS
What is the last fantasy book that you have read that the party just jogged down to the corner magic shop with 20 +1 swords to sell after whipping out a band. Much less even carry more then 3 weapons around at any time.
Thug: Give me all your money!
Hero: I don't have any money! I spent it all an this cool armor that can stop a charging dragon and this ultra cool +8 flaming sword of Whup Ass. If you like, I can give you the sword. *Raised eyebrow*
Thug: Um no, that Ok. I'll just be running along. *sheaths his rusty dagger.*
Hero: *Shrugs and goes on about their business.*
I personally think the average street thief trying to rob a heavily armed adventurer is kind of like when you see people on the news throwing rock at a tank. It's an act of desperation that will get you killed.
Shop keeper: That will be 300,000 gold pieces.
Hero: *Counting out the cash from their Bag of Holding*
Shop keeper: You keep that kind of cash on you?
Hero: People rob banks. ;)
Rich Commoners buys their own home. Rich merchants buy their own store or expand their store. Rich Land owners ... buy more land.
Rich Adventurers buy things that help them to in their adventures. The sensible adventurer invests wisely in their business to help them make more money. In their case, its better words, better armor, different kinds of protection, etc. As much as people complain about the "christmas tree" effect, IMO, it makes ALOT of sense.
I think it would help tremendously if:
1)magic items had reduced prices
2)gold pieces were also reduced in availability/quantity
That way, relative prices would be the same(or tweaked) but you wouldn't have to carry around so much coin. It would also increase the shock value of finding a large stash of coins.
I think it would help tremendously if:
1)magic items had reduced prices
2)gold pieces were also reduced in availability/quantityThat way, relative prices would be the same(or tweaked) but you wouldn't have to carry around so much coin. It would also increase the shock value of finding a large stash of coins.
This I would strongly support. When pricings were originally done, they were explained as "gold rush economy" and all the weapons, etc were more expensive because they were suposedly in such high demand. The problem is, most campaing worlds don't really reflect that. As a result, all the cash values are out of whack. The inflationary action of adventurers dropping thousands of gold for mundane equipment (and it has to be like that to explain the demand arguement) should also reasonably run up prices on everything else dramatically. Most towns, after a year or two, are going to take all that coin, build the ballista of hero slaying and post a keep out sign. Personally, I think down shifting 1 step every piece of mundane equipment, and building treasure hords similarly, fixes a lot of issues. This makes even low level magic so expensive it's special again.
This wouldn't severely impact compatability, and you just read everything one step down (sp for gp, cp for sp).
This also fall into the "I can see the sense of it, but am far more concerned about changes that really impact compatability" catagory.
Shop keeper: That will be 300,000 gold pieces.Hero: *Counting out the cash from their Bag of Holding*
Shop keeper: You keep that kind of cash on you?
Hero: People rob banks. ;)
Hero: Now... you say this weapon makes me unstoppable?
Shop keeper: Yeah.Hero: Right. This is a stick up! I know you have 300 grand here, maybe more, stand and deliver.
Shop keeper: That will be 300,000 gold pieces.Hero: *Counting out the cash from their Bag of Holding*
Shop keeper: You keep that kind of cash on you?
Hero: People rob banks. ;)
Hero: Now... you say this weapon makes me unstoppable?
Shop keeper: Yeah.
Hero: Right. This is a stick up! I know you have 300 grand here, maybe more, stand and deliver.
ROTFLMAO
While it would be a departure from classic D&D, I think reduced item dependance would really set Pathfinder RPG apart from WotC. I myself use a simple Character Point option that replaces the need for "the big six", which can be found in the last chapter of my Tome of Collected House Rules and Variants. I don't think JB will make this option or any option like it a standard rule for Pathfinder, I could see it being a great sidebar optional rule.
TS
I think with the use of careful DM planning, magic items can be either minimized drastically.
I am currently thinking of some ways to reduce the need and use of magic items in my campaigns.
A few ideas I have been throwing around are:
- reducing the number of magic item slots for each character. Head, torso, arms, legs, a cloak, and 2 rings on the fingers should be enough. Then of course potions, wands, weapons, etc. are all fine as is.
- magic items are very hard to find in stores. Most stores will only sell minor items. Selling stuff is likewise hard for most high price items. This encourages characters to create items themselves or find specific people and roleplay such transactions.
And lastly, I hate how the latest splat books seem to keep increasing the efficiency and power of magical gear. In my next game, I'm planning to restrict this to items in the DMG and the Pathfinder RPG. Anything else needs to be researched first (requiring some lengthy study and expenses) and then created by the PC himself.
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Shop keeper: That will be 300,000 gold pieces.Hero: *Counting out the cash from their Bag of Holding*
Shop keeper: You keep that kind of cash on you?
Hero: People rob banks. ;)
Hero: Now... you say this weapon makes me unstoppable?
Shop keeper: Yeah.
Hero: Right. This is a stick up! I know you have 300 grand here, maybe more, stand and deliver.
Shop Keeper: Yes, while that weapon makes you unstoppable, this amulet I'm wearing makes me invulnerable. Bonus points for trying, however. Have a good day.