Low magic campaign - equivalent stat boosts

[Robert Hawkshaw]

I'm planning on running a low magic hardboiled detective campaign in the future, and don't want a lot of gear - at the same time I don't want to tinker with the CR.

Is there a handy chart out there with roughly what level of magic boosts to stats, damage etc.. a character is expected to have? I thought there was going to be one in the GMG but if there was I must have missed it.

[Kolokotroni]

there is no handy chart. But there are lots of house rule choices. There was a massive discussion on the subject here

[underling]

Hmmm, I'm not sure whether a specific chart exists, but this advice may prove useful. I have seen it suggested in numerous places that players should generally not have a specific item worth more than 1/2 their appropriate wealth per level. Thus, you could use the .5 max wealth to represent a limit for the top item a player has, and .25 max wealth as an important secondary item.

Thus, with a suggested character wealth of 62000 at 10th level, a character should have no one item worth more than 31000 (say a +3 weapon or +5 armor), or several around 10k each. You could plan bonuses based off of those comparisons.

I hope this idea helps.

[Maezer]

I think the Vow of Poverty was WotC best attempt at what a character without magic might have at a given level.

For stat boosters it gave out:

7th: +2
11th: +4, +2
15th: +6, +4, +2
19th: +8, +6, +4, +2

For weapon enchantments
4th: +1 (magic)
10th: +2 (good)
14th +3
17th: +4
20th: +5

Your mileage probably will very. Regardless, I suggest you write it down and tell your players.

[Robert Hawkshaw]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm going to have to sift that other thread carefully, a lot of it seems to be a running argument :)

[anthony Valente]

What level are you going to? It shouldn't be an issue until about level 10.

[Kolokotroni]

Robert Hawkshaw wrote:

Thanks for the advice!

I'm going to have to sift that other thread carefully, a lot of it seems to be a running argument :)

my personal favorite from that thread is the heroic distinctions. Its customizable and it works pretty well to cover 5 of the big six magic items. My personal opinion is if you cover magic armor/shields, magic weapons, stat enhancement, save boosting, and natural armor/deflection bonuses to ac there is no need to worry about the power side if magic items, and instead you can focus on what works for you campaign.

[voska66]

I found working with APL worked good for me for high magic game. At level 5, 10 and 15 I added 1 to the APL of the group. I think it might work for low magic games in reverse. So instead of adding subtract 1 at 5th, 10th and 15th. So a group of 4 10th level characters would be APL 8 as base for encounter design.

I think for low magic games it would work but you still will have issues with some monster being too tough. Just have to be careful in what you set up.

[Mok]

I put together a pdf sheet on magic item progression awhile ago, it might be helpful in seeing what ought to appear when.

Ah... it should be noted, that was for 3.5, there might be just a slight adjustment here and there with Pathfinder.

[ItoSaithWebb]

For a low magic or no magic campaign then I would suggest looking at the stat booster for the Vow of Poverty from the Book of Exalted Deeds. Just cut out the part of not owning anything.

[Silver Eye]

In my campaigm world I made this: Heroic Attribute Bonus