Or even once per day? What if these items did not grant an "always on" ability? I think it's worth discussing. What would be the ramifications? Would it be a good step away from the Big-6?
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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I think this would be a poor idea. It would get away from the big 6, but it would simply make them items that aren't very good. I'd rather have a wand of bull's strength in the party instead of a 1 or 3 times per day belt of it.
Also, even if you used that, 3 what per day? Rounds? Die rolls? What action type activates them? If not immediate actions, then they couldn't help on saves, and if only a round at a time, it wouldn't help on many skill checks that take longer.
And then every time you adventure, you'd have to calculate the effect of these temporary buffs on your character (which is why they had 1h/lev durations in 3.0, but sadly were changed to 1m/lev for 3.5). Because doing math while adventuring is fun. :p
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And then every time you adventure, you'd have to calculate the effect of these temporary buffs on your character (which is why they had 1h/lev durations in 3.0, but sadly were changed to 1m/lev for 3.5). Because doing math while adventuring is fun. :p
I never understood the reasoning behind this. 1h/CL was obviously intended to cover the party for an entire day. The bonuses granted were nice, but not huge. They had often gone away by nightfall, which was when an extra DEX bonus would have been a nice alternative to being shredded because you didn't sleep in your full-plate. Most of all, they were fragile bonuses. You were one dispel or anti-magic from being woefully underpowered for a combat you had got into. I can remember many instances of having to flee, or being unable to flee and getting pounded, because a buffed party had been stripped of their protection - it was FUN!
1h/CL also made extend spell very useful.
Edit: Oh, and about the math thing? I hate too much number-crunching at the table, and I'm a numerical-computing geek!
I prefer to have fewer things that players need to activate before battle rather than more. At some point, it gets to be like a Voltron (tm) transformation sequence is required before any fighting even begins.
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And then every time you adventure, you'd have to calculate the effect of these temporary buffs on your character (which is why they had 1h/lev durations in 3.0, but sadly were changed to 1m/lev for 3.5). Because doing math while adventuring is fun. :p
one of thereason we still use 3.0 magic :P
but yes... if the OP wants his players to just have partial boosters "potons" and "scolls" work better and are cheaper
Beyond the added math stuff and 15MAD, it weakens characters, quite a bit (unless you rest after each fight of course - that can be countered by the GM, but I'd rather have the rules encourage going on instead of forcing the GM to discourage resting).
Either they stay as they are, or they go altogether (or become weak gimmicks) - but at that point, the system has to compensate for it. And I doubt that you can do this without a major overhaul, at least not for the official rules, which need to be nice and clean.
Hey, could someone help me out. I've seen the references to the Big 6 on the boards, but never a single comprehensive list. Would one of you mind providing one? Or tell me where to find one?
Hey, could someone help me out. I've seen the references to the Big 6 on the boards, but never a single comprehensive list. Would one of you mind providing one? Or tell me where to find one?
Stat booster(s)
Ring of deflectionCloak of resistance
Magic weapon
Magic armor
?Amulet of natural armor?
Hey, could someone help me out. I've seen the references to the Big 6 on the boards, but never a single comprehensive list. Would one of you mind providing one? Or tell me where to find one?Stat booster(s)
Ring of deflection
Cloak of resistance
Magic weapon
Magic armor
?Amulet of natural armor?
LoL, yeah, I'm not sure about the 6th one either - your guess seems as good as mine.
Basically, the "Big Six" are all the magic items that add a constant bonus to an ability score, AC, Saves, attacks, damage, etc.
All the stuff that makes your character's numbers (on your character sheet) permanently bigger - at least permanently when using these items, and all you have to do is wear or hold the items.
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I think that the PFRPG versions are already an improvement - they only require 2 slots for stat boosters, but make it very expensive to boost all 6 stats. It would be nice though, if they clarified how many 'common' magical effects can be stacked onto an item, or if effects can be put on different slots than they are listed. While the Magic Item Compendium allows some swapping and stacking, it doesn't answer the question satisfactorily either.
Cloak of Charisma
Belt of Giant Strength
Gloves of Dex
Amulet of Health
Headband of Intellect
Periapt of WisdomI think these are what he refers to as the big six.
No, I was right the first time. Here's Andy Collins's article:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20070302a"Instead, the majority of a character’s item slots are spent on what I call the “Big Six”:
Magic weapon
Magic armor & shield
Ring of protection
Cloak of resistance
Amulet of natural armor
Ability-score boosters"
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No, I was right the first time. Here's Andy Collins's article:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20070302a"Instead, the majority of a character’s item slots are spent on what I call the “Big Six”:
Magic weapon
Magic armor & shield
Ring of protection
Cloak of resistance
Amulet of natural armor
Ability-score boosters"
I meant the poster, not Andy Collins. But anywho, those do seem like the six most important items in most of the games I've seen though not always in that order. :p