|
My Kingmaker group is nearing the end of RRR, and I'm wondering about magic item availability going forward. Normally I don't restrict magic item access much if there's a large city around and we aren't using ABP, since game balance depends on the players regularly upgrading their gear. However, Kingmaker makes this a bigger question by explicitly capping a city's base value at 16,000gp in the Kingdom Building rules.
Clearly, those rules say that a minor cloak of displacement (cost 24,000gp) will only be available if it's rolled randomly in magic item generation. However, what does this means for enhancing existing magic items? Can a player have his +2 longsword (cost 8,315gp) upgraded to a +3 longsword (cost 18,315gp) by a local vendor?
It seems crazy to say that someone in town can create a +3 longsword by random chance, but can't improve an existing sword in the same way. On the other hand, the starting items for the Big Six are all under 16,000gp, so if they can always be improved, the magic item availability restrictions don't seem to mean much.
None of my 6 PCs (currently lvl 6) have taken any item creation feats yet, nor do they seem to have any intention of doing so.
What have you done in your Kingmaker games? How has it worked out?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My party takes a trip to Restov when they want to access higher priced items. For me, this works well as it still allows access to a wider variety of items, but also reinforces the fact that they are very much a fledgling kingdom. They've had a few run-ins with Surtova too, so it also keeps them a bit humble so to speak.
Even then, if they want a specific item, I still roll to see if its available in Restov or if a merchant has to put in a request. There's enough down time in KM that making the PCs make a second trip to the big city isn't a huge problem.
|
|
My party takes a trip to Restov when they want to access higher priced items...
That's what my group has been doing so far, but according to VV, Restov itself has a base value of 12,800gp and follows the same model of magic item generation. It seems like the author's intent is that the PC's capital is a better place to find magic items by the end of the campaign.
Improving magic items in Restov is also a bit complicated, since the PCs would need to either stick around or leave their equipment there to be modified.
My party takes a trip to Restov when they want to access higher priced items...That's what my group has been doing so far, but according to VV, Restov itself has a base value of 12,800gp and follows the same model of magic item generation. It seems like the author's intent is that the PC's capital is a better place to find magic items by the end of the campaign.
Improving magic items in Restov is also a bit complicated, since the PCs would need to either stick around or leave their equipment there to be modified.
Yeah for me, I am ignoring the gp base value for Restov (though it hasn't been a big issue yet since we just finished VV). I do though sometimes make them wait for the items as the merchant either needs to craft it or order it from somewhere else.
You are right about having to leave the items with the merchants for upgrade purposes. Its a cost-benefit analysis for the party. That said, in our campaign, I've had a fair amount of contact between Restov and the party (as well as many of the Noble Houses), so sticking around in Restov for a period of time isn't always a problem. Of course, as they ask for bigger and bigger upgrades, that time frame will increase. It has worked well with our group since it reinforces the isolated nature while still allowing them access to the items they need/want.
Now that said, much of KM, particularly as written, will enable your party to get by with a bit lower level gear than normal because there are a lot of "5 minute adventuring days". They would still run into problems though in a few of the dungeons.