Have to agree with Deathquaker.
Ye Olden Magikal Shoppe is a myth, or only exists in bad campaigns.
The closest I ever came was the magical armoury of a very paranoid and high-magic government. They had stuff stockpiled from centuries of producing stuff for emergencies. And even they didn't have every possible item, just a huge number of common magical items, and usually at least one example of each type of item.
A few of the rarer items were locked up even tighter. :)
A good example from my own game of a 'Ye Olden Magikal Shoppe' was the Centaurs. In my world, the Centaurs were nomadic, and claimed a huge swath of grasslands. Being nomadic, they didn't have any cities. They also didn't allow strangers in their lands.
But they also needed trade.
So their solution was to set up 6 'Trade Posts' on the edges of their territory. Centaur merchants would travel from one to the other, crisscrossing the territory, picking up things from the nomadic clans, and selling them things they bought in the trade post. Other races would show up at the trade posts (giant tent cities) and buy from each other or the centaurs, with the centaur's getting a cut.
You could find all sorts of things at the trade posts, but it involved hunting through 200 or more little shops.
no, no, a thousand times no!!!
(but i might find a way to allow the pcs to purchase healing potions if they don't have a healer of their own).
Yes.
In most settings (Forgotten Realms, Golarion, etc.) I let players buy any magic item in the books with little hassle. They may have to travel to the nearest large city or have something delivered from there, but I consider everything in the book to be commonly available. (Well, not artifacts, but they don't have prices anyway.)
Custom magic items are fairly easy to get as well. Basically, you just have to find a wizard capable of making the item, and he'll take the commission. So, while you can't just pick them up in the market, there's only a delay of a few days or weeks based on the time required to make the item.
Why? I have three reasons, all of different kinds:
- In Game - Magic items are very expensive, and therefore difficult to sell, but highly profitable. I consider it to be a buyers market.
- Player Preference - Players like magic items, and they hate dividing up randomly placed loot. Tracking every gold piece worth of magic items among the party, rolling for first pick, etc. They all tend to cause more inter-player strife than they're worth.
- Metagame - Random magic item placement creates a moment of fun when the items are discovered, but is quite unfair to certain character types. It's entirely possible to have a character with no significant magic items at level 10, or to have one character wielding 90% of the magic at level 6.
Have to agree with Deathquaker.
Ye Olden Magikal Shoppe is a myth, or only exists in bad campaigns.
Bad campaigns are presumably those that use the rules as written.
Bad campaigns are presumably those that use the rules as written.Have to agree with Deathquaker.
Ye Olden Magikal Shoppe is a myth, or only exists in bad campaigns.
Well, I think we can draw a distinction between:
"There's essentially some way for PCs to buy whatever they want and can afford"
and
"There's Walmart, except it rolls back prices on its many aisles full of swords +2 instead of toilet paper"
The former is what RAW suggests (to me) and the latter is a straw man conjured up by people who don't like the former.
2k or less.There is a retired sorceress who runs a shop, but only has simple items.DEFINE "SIMPLE"!!!!
Any given magic store in my game will have:
- Basic minor items that are in high demand (Wand/Scroll/potion of <Insert extremely useful spell here>)- Anything up to the GP/caster level limit of the town, on commission.
The vaults of Abadar will have ANYTHING below 50k. If it is not in a specific vault, they will teleport it from one that does, even if it is Abadar's PERSONAL vault (yes, the god of money and trade thinks this huge transactions are important). Above that, there is a % chance that they do not have it, but can offer to track it down for an additional fee.
Yes. I usually fall into the category of allowing most magic items to be purchased with a little effort and wait time for the better or more specific ones. In my current campaign, the party has ties to a large and constantly expanding trade guild which is generally able to procure most anything given time and the occasional favor ;)
This being said I do like the idea of item drops being significant and so usually try to include a couple items here and there that are pretty much tailor made for someone in the party. The only problem with doing this all the time is that I like to give my enemies items that are the most beneficial to them and not necessarily designed for the people who will kill them. I find this hurts realism far more than a robust magic economy.
no, no, a thousand times no!!!
(but i might find a way to allow the pcs to purchase healing potions if they don't have a healer of their own).
I'm just curious but does this mean you have strong restrictions over the sale of basic things like potions of cure light wounds and simple scrolls?
Would you be able to give some more detail on the availability of magic in your campaign? Simply asking to further my understanding of different playstyles and nothing more.
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2k or less.There is a retired sorceress who runs a shop, but only has simple items.DEFINE "SIMPLE"!!!!Any given magic store in my game will have:
- Basic minor items that are in high demand (Wand/Scroll/potion of <Insert extremely useful spell here>)
- Anything up to the GP/caster level limit of the town, on commission.The vaults of Abadar will have ANYTHING below 50k. If it is not in a specific vault, they will teleport it from one that does, even if it is Abadar's PERSONAL vault (yes, the god of money and trade thinks this huge transactions are important). Above that, there is a % chance that they do not have it, but can offer to track it down for an additional fee.
Cauldron does not have a Vault of Abadar. Actually, it doesn't have Abadar either. :P
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I actually wrote a program to generate magical items for sale in cities, based on size/value. It's all from the Magic Item Compendium tables.
Then, I print out 'Visit 1', 'Visit 2', 'Visit 3' lists of pregenerated lists. If I think it's a city they'll visit often, I just print out a list before each game.
Then, when they reach a city and start looking around, and let it be kown they're looking for stuff, people crawl out of the woodwork offering things, shopkeepers pull out he special stuff, and they go shopping.
If they want a specific item and can't find it, they have to commission it at a large enough city, or make it themselves.
This sounds like a really neat program.. Any chance I could get my hands on this? =)
Powerful, it's definition will largely depend on the nature of campaign and world. In other words, it will depend largely on the DM. I think hogarth made an excellent choice in leaving it vague, and that your choice of words and tone in your reply is both unreasonable and offensively phrased.You made the damn statement. Are you just arbitrarily throwing around words?Define "powerful."Why? I'm not your GM.He made a statement about a personal opinion. He obviously had a definition of "powerful" in mind when making said statement. The relevant question is, what is "powerful?" Is there a caster level cutoff?
There are tons of excellent painters in the world on par with and better than Picasso that live in total obscurity. So obviously, if we are going to be realistic, you should be able to pick up really "powerful" magic items from any bum within a bike-ride of a hippy commune.
No doubt he does have an idea of what constitutes powerful in his campaign, but he rightly asserts that "powerful" is a measure to be determined by each DM individually with respect to their campaign at that moment in the campaign.
The trouble is you're trying to set absolute standards for a relative quantity. To jump for a moment from magic items in the hands of PCs to monsters in the hands of DMs, I have no doubt that a stock Erinyes in my hands would be far less powerful than one in yours. My point is that player (including the DM) skill, play style, and a host of other factors affect the definition of powerful for any item.
Or maybe you just have a problem with Picasso, even a metaphorical Picasso. Your last paragraph is a strawman quite unworthy of your usual logic.
2k or less.There is a retired sorceress who runs a shop, but only has simple items.DEFINE "SIMPLE"!!!!Any given magic store in my game will have:
- Basic minor items that are in high demand (Wand/Scroll/potion of <Insert extremely useful spell here>)
- Anything up to the GP/caster level limit of the town, on commission.The vaults of Abadar will have ANYTHING below 50k. If it is not in a specific vault, they will teleport it from one that does, even if it is Abadar's PERSONAL vault (yes, the god of money and trade thinks this huge transactions are important). Above that, there is a % chance that they do not have it, but can offer to track it down for an additional fee.
I think you have been confusing "setting" with "system" as Cardigan pointed out earlier. I do not use the Golarian setting. I use the Pathfinder system. I don't have vaults full of magic items for sale. I have my own way of allowing players to purchase items and I even allow them to find something outside the cost limitations of the settlement they may be in.
Bad campaigns are presumably those that use the rules as written.Have to agree with Deathquaker.
Ye Olden Magikal Shoppe is a myth, or only exists in bad campaigns.
Well, I think we can draw a distinction between:
"There's essentially some way for PCs to buy whatever they want and can afford"
and
"There's Walmart, except it rolls back prices on its many aisles full of swords +2 instead of toilet paper"
The former is what RAW suggests (to me) and the latter is a straw man conjured up by people who don't like the former.
You're wasting you're time. Cartigan isn't interested in a discussion, he's only interested in stirring up trouble. Note how he took 2 lines out of 30, all of which supported his own views, and then twisted those two lines to make it seem as if the poster were advocating for a game with no magic items at all? Also note the antogonistic snark in his posts the last few pages, and read the full messages he quotes one or two lines from.
The issue with roleplaying and the whole "they should be earned" is that you really can't. Your standard farmer who grabbed his father's sword is going to throw that sword away as soon as he gets a better one. It doesn't matter if he buys it or finds it in a tomb. Either way, it's gone. And it's that way with ALL items, so you can't really look down your nose for it - that awesome champion greatsword you looted from the sinister orc cult? That's being tossed away as soon as something better is found.
In the end, either items mean a lot and you start houseruling, or they don't, and you either go with buying or finding it, but neither one is "roleplaying superior" to the other.
Incidentally, I do, but that's because my games tend to have a major city as a focus point along the way, and the idea of a market not existing is bizarro. At the same time, I recognize that there is a problem with the entire magic item system and how gold is spent in the bigger picture, and would like to get back to making some vague houserules about it.
Edit: The problem with the Picasso example is that there's one Picasso. Meanwhile literally any wizard - or any blacksmith with the right feats - can churn out magic items because they want to make some dough.
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At the same time, I recognize that there is a problem with the entire magic item system and how gold is spent in the bigger picture, and would like to get back to making some vague houserules about it.
I'm a big fan of just getting rid of the +1 in front of magic sword and having the bonus depend on your level. Then you don't need to get rid of it as you level.
I don't see Kthulhu's point. Even at looked at through the "Super Role-player!" lens. Why should the magic items be the important part of a character? Why isn't it the characters themselves?
Who said it's the important part? It's an important part as much as Anduril is a part of Aragorn, Excalibur is part of Arthur, the Atlantean sword is a part of Conan (in the movie), and a whole host of guys in fantasy and myth with particular items they got somewhere other than the Magic Mart on 15th and Vine.
That said, I think there's room for some stuff bought as equipment from the locals. But they are not (nor should they be) anywhere near as interesting as the stuff found, won, or given as gifts/rewards for specific accomplishments or storylines.
At the same time, I recognize that there is a problem with the entire magic item system and how gold is spent in the bigger picture, and would like to get back to making some vague houserules about it.I'm a big fan of just getting rid of the +1 in front of magic sword and having the bonus depend on your level. Then you don't need to get rid of it as you level.
An interesting idea I would assume for things like keen, speed, etc you would still use the +bonus to determine cost? But in the hands of a 4th level it would be a +1 keen for a 15th level it might be a +4 or +5 keen.
I actually wrote a program to generate magical items for sale in cities, based on size/value. It's all from the Magic Item Compendium tables.
Then, I print out 'Visit 1', 'Visit 2', 'Visit 3' lists of pregenerated lists. If I think it's a city they'll visit often, I just print out a list before each game.
Then, when they reach a city and start looking around, and let it be kown they're looking for stuff, people crawl out of the woodwork offering things, shopkeepers pull out he special stuff, and they go shopping.
If they want a specific item and can't find it, they have to commission it at a large enough city, or make it themselves.
Cool any chance of sharing that program?
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An interesting idea I would assume for things like keen, speed, etc you would still use the +bonus to determine cost? But in the hands of a 4th level it would be a +1 keen for a 15th level it might be a +4 or +5 keen.
Pretty much exactly that. And the reason artifacts are so powerful is the fact that they act like they're being wielded by a 15th level character even when they're being wielded by a 1st level character.
Cool any chance of sharing that program?I actually wrote a program to generate magical items for sale in cities, based on size/value. It's all from the Magic Item Compendium tables.
Then, I print out 'Visit 1', 'Visit 2', 'Visit 3' lists of pregenerated lists. If I think it's a city they'll visit often, I just print out a list before each game.
Then, when they reach a city and start looking around, and let it be kown they're looking for stuff, people crawl out of the woodwork offering things, shopkeepers pull out he special stuff, and they go shopping.
If they want a specific item and can't find it, they have to commission it at a large enough city, or make it themselves.
Unfortunately, it's a SQL program, run in an instance of SQL Server.
*sigh* Which got wiped when my work laptop died about 3 months ago. I didn't even realize it until you asked the question. :(
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In the end, either items mean a lot and you start houseruling, or they don't, and you either go with buying or finding it, but neither one is "roleplaying superior" to the other.
I agree, I just like my way for the added RP possibilities, and getting the players more involved in the milieu. I don't mind some stuff being off camera, but anything over +2, weapon-wise, probably has a name and a story. Heck, my straight +1 stuff is mostly "super-masterwork" (weapons and armor) rather than magic anyway.
no, no, a thousand times no!!!
(but i might find a way to allow the pcs to purchase healing potions if they don't have a healer of their own).
I'm just curious but does this mean you have strong restrictions over the sale of basic things like potions of cure light wounds and simple scrolls?
Would you be able to give some more detail on the availability of magic in your campaign? Simply asking to further my understanding of different playstyles and nothing more.
certainly. :-)
i've long felt that a "magic items r us" shop is silly and takes the "magic" out of magic items. once magic items are available for purchase, they lose their charm, imo.
however, if healing is lacking in the party, maybe there is an npc cleric available who would be willing to brew some healing potions for the group, for the right price, of course.
Edit: The problem with the Picasso example is that there's one Picasso. Meanwhile literally any wizard - or any blacksmith with the right feats - can churn out magic items because they want to make some dough.
There are also any number of artists willing to churn our paintings (or even copies of masterpieces) because they want some dough. It's just that not all of them are operating on Picasso's level.
That suggests to me that the relatively inexpensive end of the magical item spectrum could be fairly flush with people able and willing to make them for some dough. But the really significant items (with level requirements for the feats, more prerequisites, higher caster levels, longer creation times, and harder DCs to craft) are only going to be created by exceptional craftsmen and wizards... much like a so-called masterpiece painting.
Cool any chance of sharing that program?I actually wrote a program to generate magical items for sale in cities, based on size/value. It's all from the Magic Item Compendium tables.
Then, I print out 'Visit 1', 'Visit 2', 'Visit 3' lists of pregenerated lists. If I think it's a city they'll visit often, I just print out a list before each game.
Then, when they reach a city and start looking around, and let it be kown they're looking for stuff, people crawl out of the woodwork offering things, shopkeepers pull out he special stuff, and they go shopping.
If they want a specific item and can't find it, they have to commission it at a large enough city, or make it themselves.
Unfortunately, it's a SQL program, run in an instance of SQL Server.
*sigh* Which got wiped when my work laptop died about 3 months ago. I didn't even realize it until you asked the question. :(
No worries, thanks for checking
I don't see Kthulhu's point. Even at looked at through the "Super Role-player!" lens. Why should the magic items be the important part of a character? Why isn't it the characters themselves?Who said it's the important part? It's an important part as much as Anduril is a part of Aragorn, Excalibur is part of Arthur, the Atlantean sword is a part of Conan (in the movie), and a whole host of guys in fantasy and myth with particular items they got somewhere other than the Magic Mart on 15th and Vine.
That said, I think there's room for some stuff bought as equipment from the locals. But they are not (nor should they be) anywhere near as interesting as the stuff found, won, or given as gifts/rewards for specific accomplishments or storylines.
1) Lord of the Rings is really the false comparator people use to justify low-magic settings.
2) Excalibur was an epic weapon of legend (or maybe an Artifact), not some +2 Keen Longsword. Also, it basically dominated Arthur whenever it came up.3) I don't know enough about the Conan series nor do I remember crap about any special sword in the movie.
And those were all LOW magic settings - more or less Conan. Christ, Arthur was 5th century "real world".
Pathfinder is not low magic. Are you going to throw away a +2 Longsword the moment you find a +3 Longsword? Hell yes. It's a better weapon of the same kind. Unless you are playing a game that isn't progressing or the weapons progress with you, a higher + item is exceedingly better than one you have had since your dad was a kid or something. Put that sucker back up on the wall instead of futilely cutting at a DR/magic monster with it.
I wish they would bring back the concept of the Artificer's crafting pool. The ability to transfer magical effects is something I would love to see. That way, you can find a Small-sized Gnomish Hoopladinker +2 Shock, which obviously no-one uses (after all, who plays a gnome AND takes exotic weapon proficiency to be able to stir gravy as a swift action?), and transfer the +2 Shock into a masterwork greatsword.
Voila, magic shop eliminated. Life can go on. The last metroid is in captivity, and the galaxy is at peace.
Unfortunately, it's a SQL program, run in an instance of SQL Server.
*sigh* Which got wiped when my work laptop died about 3 months ago. I didn't even realize it until you asked the question. :(
Sorry to hear that I would have liked to check that out.
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In a standard high-fantasy style campaign setting (such as Golarion), then it's an unequivocal yes, using the standards set forth in the core rule book.
Since it seems common to justify further in the thread, I do it for one simple reason - equipment in a D&D style game is often a core component of character vision/concept, and aside from feats and skills is the third pillar of a machanically fleshed out character.
If my player's ideal vision of a character is boots of speed, or the ability to wield a sword of ice in one hand and a sword of fire in the other, or a mage who carries a staff that shoots lightning ... then who am I to get in the way of that vision? (assuming it's level appropriate).
An interesting idea I would assume for things like keen, speed, etc you would still use the +bonus to determine cost? But in the hands of a 4th level it would be a +1 keen for a 15th level it might be a +4 or +5 keen.Pretty much exactly that. And the reason artifacts are so powerful is the fact that they act like they're being wielded by a 15th level character even when they're being wielded by a 1st level character.
Follow-up question: in this set up do you still use Pathfinder's +X overcomes DR/material, damage type(s).
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we don't get time/circumstances rarely allow for crafting, let alone magical item creation.Keep in mind that by Pathfinder RAW, if a spellcaster has enough down time in a day to regain spells, they have enough time to get a chunk of magic item crafting done.
I see why they did that, but it really does kind of force the "I'll just keep my players too busy to make magic items" school of GMing to suck it up or houserule it.
Aye, I hear you -
- we make things tough by requiring the crafter to have the appropriate tools - at the least, for arms and amour and metalic items this involves things like Forges/coal/fire and getting a forge up to an operational level of heat requires a fair bit of time and fuel.
Also, magical items require special ingredients beyond the mundane, i.e for a wand of cure light you require bone from a saint.
So aye, house rules (or bloody minded 'common sense' enforced with extreme prejudice etc)
There is a point where the casters that 'get ahead' can skip many of the campaign world constraints but that's their reward for putting the effort in and such measures typically require a heavy investiture of resources within the campaign world which in turn generates numerous ways for the campaign world to disrupt such measures (the goblin's working your iron mine get attacked by dwarfs - cue adventure.)
I've noticed repeatedly comments in various threads by players and the game developers that buying magical items is common place.
Now, Pathfinder Society ASIDE (please), how many GMs out there really have players buying magical items like most of us buy appliances at the local store?
A simple Yes/No is good, but comments and advice are appreciated :)
Thanks!
Ken
Not really. I place magic items the players have stated they actually want to use in the game itself. I really hate playing Malls & Shoppers when I should be playing D&D.
That said little stuff like healing potions, scrolls/rituals etc. are available to be bought in most any town with a wizard's guild and/or a major temple.
At the same time, I recognize that there is a problem with the entire magic item system and how gold is spent in the bigger picture, and would like to get back to making some vague houserules about it.I'm a big fan of just getting rid of the +1 in front of magic sword and having the bonus depend on your level. Then you don't need to get rid of it as you level.
I've been toying with this idea for a while. Have you play-tested at all?
Dragonsong wrote:
Follow-up question: in this set up do you still use Pathfinder's +X overcomes DR/material, damage type(s).
No, I think not, but the DR/material would be condensed down considerably. Probably adamantine, iron, and silver covering everything.
In terms of material related DR, I'm conflicted. I like the simplicity of magic trumps all DR, but sometimes the flavor really appeals.
1) Lord of the Rings is really the false comparator people use to justify low-magic settings.I don't see Kthulhu's point. Even at looked at through the "Super Role-player!" lens. Why should the magic items be the important part of a character? Why isn't it the characters themselves?Who said it's the important part? It's an important part as much as Anduril is a part of Aragorn, Excalibur is part of Arthur, the Atlantean sword is a part of Conan (in the movie), and a whole host of guys in fantasy and myth with particular items they got somewhere other than the Magic Mart on 15th and Vine.
That said, I think there's room for some stuff bought as equipment from the locals. But they are not (nor should they be) anywhere near as interesting as the stuff found, won, or given as gifts/rewards for specific accomplishments or storylines.
Even worse, no one remembers there are three ages of LotRs. Not one.
There were massive amount of magic items inthe first age and the second. It was only the third age that magic items were less common.
Yes, with caveats.
If I'm going for a magic is scarce feel then most of the big six items are replaced by intrinsic bonuses. That way actual magic items feel really special.
That's pretty much what I've done in my own low-magic world: as the players level, they have access to bonuses they can "buy" and enhance their equipment. I've also given added bonuses for stuff they've made themselves and have fashioned items conferring some sort of magical abilities from trophies they've collected.
At the same time, as a GM I have to be sure the baddies they face don't have things the players themselves can't have (not including Macguffin artifacts and plot-drivers). Since much of the 3.x chassis requires equipment to make the PCs able to survive, even in a low-magic world you have to account for the numbers ramp somehow.
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1. A passage in the Magic Item Compendium. It argues that if the PCs receive magical items they can't use, AND they cannot sell them and purchase other items they CAN use, they have in effect, received nothing. Consequently, the +1 falcata should become a +1 Dwarven axe, if that's what the party needs.
This is the exact short discussion I had with my DM after receiving 16 +1 Ogrehooks. That presents a LARGE amount of non-usable items that is completely worthless if not liquidatable in order to buy stuff we need and can use.
I do..to a point. I am always of two minds of it, bc of my old school roots, where magic items had no real creation rules. I have had issues with players that are like "what do you mean I can't buy item X? The book says it should be available in a city this size" Or going shopping for their new character from the item lists, simply bc they can afford whats on there. Damn rules lawyers
I do..to a point. I am always of two minds of it, bc of my old school roots, where magic items had no real creation rules.
Yet all magic items had a gp-value attached to them. I'm not sure about OD&D (74) but every edition I have after that lists gp value for magic items.
I have had issues with players that are like "what do you mean I can't buy item X? The book says it should be available in a city this size" Or going shopping for their new character from the item lists, simply bc they can afford whats on there. Damn rules lawyers
If you aren't going to be following the rules as written let the players know ahead of time. Is this really that bizarre a concept?
edit - I know this is the PF forum and mentioning certain games is verbotten - but a certain edition of D&D did come up with a way to render unwanted magic items into a valuable commodity through a simple ritual. Those talking about getting 16 +1 Ogre Hooks would be jumping for joy at the wealth they had just found - that could be used to make new items (or enhance existing items) that party could actually use.
I know this is bringing unhelpful RL into things but... I can see that one +1 Ogre Hook might be worth something to someone but surely the other 15 would be next to worthless?
I know this is bringing unhelpful RL into things but... I can see that one +1 Ogre Hook might be worth something to someone but surely the other 15 would be next to worthless?
Ok, great, then that constitutes a loss of 15-30 thousand gold pieces in lost party wealth. How do you plan to cover it?
I have to call BS on the concept that if you can't buy magic items you can't handle CR appropriate encounters. Allowing PC's to completely custom tailor their items (especially for characters created at higher levels) results in overpowered characters. Yes, you are supposed to have X gp worth of gear, but that doesn't mean you are supposed to have exactly the items you want. A quick look at the miscellaneous magic items table clearly shows that item pricing isn't equal to usefulness. Furthermore, assuming Joe Schmo, the 6 Int Fighter is going to even know about the amulet of Natural Armor, and the Sucker Bane Greatsword is laughable.
Using the guideline in the book is OK, but once the party gets access to teleport, they can jetset all over the know world, and get whatever they want in a few days.
I generally allow characters to freely buy items up to 10% of wealth by level. Most other items are special quest items, or difficult to come by.
Distributing items in treasure hoards is one of the key ways for a GM to control game balance. Putting that in the players hands not only upsets balance, but also removes one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game- anticipation of getting something cool. I find that the fun of the game isn't in the reward itself, but in the quest for the reward.
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Distributing items in treasure hoards is one of the key ways for a GM to control game balance. Putting that in the players hands not only upsets balance, but also removes one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game- anticipation of getting something cool. I find that the fun of the game isn't in the reward itself, but in the quest for the reward.
This stopped being "DM Edition" and became "Player Edition" when 3.0 was released. Old school ways do not satisfy the instant gratification generation.
edit - I know this is the PF forum and mentioning certain games is verbotten - but a certain edition of D&D did come up with a way to render unwanted magic items into a valuable commodity through a simple ritual. Those talking about getting 16 +1 Ogre Hooks would be jumping for joy at the wealth they had just found - that could be used to make new items (or enhance existing items) that party could actually use.
One of the best ideas ever, even with my general dislike of that edition I thought that was a smart and effective mechanic. Also a much smaller commodity to transport,like gems vs coins. Why would my group of goodie goodies sell a life drinker sword knowing its going to end up back in the hands of evil doers?
Now add Earthdawn's "deeds done can make an item magical" and between the two you have a great, flavorful magic item creation system.
Distributing items in treasure hoards is one of the key ways for a GM to control game balance. Putting that in the players hands not only upsets balance, but also removes one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game- anticipation of getting something cool. I find that the fun of the game isn't in the reward itself, but in the quest for the reward.
We're regularly waaaay waay below the guidelines for WBL and ya know what?
..we do 'ok'.
We get plenty of deaths, things don't always work out but ya know what?
...we deal with it!
It certainly encourages less linear problem solving and..
..dare I say it..
..running away!
FLEE! O_O
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I have to call BS on the concept that if you can't buy magic items you can't handle CR appropriate encounters. Allowing PC's to completely custom tailor their items (especially for characters created at higher levels) results in overpowered characters. Yes, you are supposed to have X gp worth of gear, but that doesn't mean you are supposed to have exactly the items you want.
Yes, this.
If characters are optimized, all the way down to the magic item level, then their APL should be adjusted, I'd think. They're no longer average...
I've noticed repeatedly comments in various threads by players and the game developers that buying magical items is common place.
Now, Pathfinder Society ASIDE (please), how many GMs out there really have players buying magical items like most of us buy appliances at the local store?
A simple Yes/No is good, but comments and advice are appreciated :)
Thanks!
Ken
Kinda.
Merchants hawking "magical" wares are a dime a dozen in my world. However, my players quickly realize that anything they can buy is likely fake or cursed.
I roll some percentile dice. A roll of 1 to 50 means the item is fake. A roll of 51 to 98 means it is cursed somehow (I pick or roll for a random cursed property). A roll of 99 means that it mostly works as advertised but with a drawback (like being stolen and sought after by its owner). If they come up 00, I let the item they are being a real, uncursed, no strings attached item.