Gold piece limits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Gold piece limits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dravda
04-26-08, 08:28 PM I'm currently running a campaign in which the PCs are stuck in a small valley for quite a while (probably 3 or 4 levels). The only population center is the village, which has a gp limit of 200.

So my question is this: what do I do about keeping the PCs up to power level? Since the store can't buy any magic items they loot off of enemies, and they can't buy new items, weapons, or armor, what do I do? Just give them the enemies' loot and let them survive?

They have taken steps to protect themselves in case of this type of scenario, however. Their wizard has taken several item creation feats, including Arms and Armor and Wondrous Item. Should I let him buy the components required for magic weapon/armor creation?

Thanks for answering these questions.

-Count Dravda
Dravda
04-26-08, 08:28 PM Whoops, double post.

-Count Dravda
tos_shai_hulud
04-27-08, 12:37 AM This really is not a rules question, and likely belongs one forum up, but I will answer anyway.

The rules are rather unclear as to where the basic materials used for magic item crafting come from. Personally, I like the idea of disenchanting. By disenchanting a magic item, the wizard gains access to the magical components that were used in its construction (For instance, a +1 weapon has 2000gp worth of magical enchantment, so disenchanting might generate 1000gp worth of magical supplies). For a good rule of thumb, perhaps the wizard needs the relevant item creation feat to be able to disenchant an item, so if he has Scribe Scroll, he can disenchant the scroll. If he has Craft Magic Arms and Armor, he can disenchant weapons and armor. But if he doesn't have Forge Ring, he cannot disenchant the Ring of Protection +1 that no one needs anymore.

Alternatively, perhaps gathering the magical crafting supplies for the wizard requires questing of its own. Perhaps disenchanting is not available, so the party must find the magical components required to enchant (that would be available at any wizard's guild, but not in a small village). Or, if disenchanting is available, perhaps it requires special gems to hold the magic until it can be put into a new item. The mechanics for this are left deliberately vague likely so that the DM can craft it to their campaign world.
sblaxman
04-27-08, 01:29 AM You have many options

1) If you want them to be able to shop
a) Let them get to a bigger city
b) Meet a traveling merchant w/ some loot

2) If you want to keep them where they are town wise
a) let them find the items they need

I don't run magic shops in my game, so 2a is how I run it (as do a lot of the older DMs). Figure out what items would be good for the party, so that everyone gets something useful, and mix them into the loot. They don't always need to buy their stuff, they can find it as well. The raid a tomb, and the fighter finds a nice magic sword. The lizardman chieftan has an enchanted cape for the cleric. The necromancer has an enchanted headband the wizard can use, etc.
Merestil Haye
04-27-08, 08:11 AM 3rd Ed (and 3.5) are written with the assumption that there is a free trade in goods and services, and sooner or later there will be someone with what the PCs want.

Is that gp limit the maximum value of an item the characters can expect to buy in the village, or the amount of resources the village can get if it pools everything?

According to p137, the answer is the former. The village can find 4,000-9,000gp in cash; depending on its exact population, which you don't give.

The obvious answer is that even this community doesn't exist in isolation. Merchants come through from time to time, and they can take the items the PCs have sold the village in return for goods (and more coin) for the villagers.

There's nothing to stop an enterprising villager who's in a good position to talk to the merchants from getting stuff ordered specially for the PCs, even if it exceeds the normal gp limit.

My advice on the magic supplies front is to let them buy the stuff they need to create the items that they want. After all, they're spending feats to be able to do this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dravda 04-26-08, 08:28 PM	I'm currently running a campaign in which the PCs are stuck in a small valley for quite a while (probably 3 or 4 levels). The only population center is the village, which has a gp limit of 200. So my question is this: what do I do about keeping the PCs up to power level? Since the store can't buy any magic items they loot off of enemies, and they can't buy new items, weapons, or armor, what do I do? Just give them the enemies' loot and let them survive? They have taken steps to protect themselves in case of this type of scenario, however. Their wizard has taken several item creation feats, including Arms and Armor and Wondrous Item. Should I let him buy the components required for magic weapon/armor creation? Thanks for answering these questions. -Count Dravda
Dravda 04-26-08, 08:28 PM	Whoops, double post. -Count Dravda
tos_shai_hulud 04-27-08, 12:37 AM	This really is not a rules question, and likely belongs one forum up, but I will answer anyway. The rules are rather unclear as to where the basic materials used for magic item crafting come from. Personally, I like the idea of disenchanting. By disenchanting a magic item, the wizard gains access to the magical components that were used in its construction (For instance, a +1 weapon has 2000gp worth of magical enchantment, so disenchanting might generate 1000gp worth of magical supplies). For a good rule of thumb, perhaps the wizard needs the relevant item creation feat to be able to disenchant an item, so if he has Scribe Scroll, he can disenchant the scroll. If he has Craft Magic Arms and Armor, he can disenchant weapons and armor. But if he doesn't have Forge Ring, he cannot disenchant the Ring of Protection +1 that no one needs anymore. Alternatively, perhaps gathering the magical crafting supplies for the wizard requires questing of its own. Perhaps disenchanting is not available, so the party must find the magical components required to enchant (that would be available at any wizard's guild, but not in a small village). Or, if disenchanting is available, perhaps it requires special gems to hold the magic until it can be put into a new item. The mechanics for this are left deliberately vague likely so that the DM can craft it to their campaign world.
sblaxman 04-27-08, 01:29 AM	You have many options 1) If you want them to be able to shop a) Let them get to a bigger city b) Meet a traveling merchant w/ some loot 2) If you want to keep them where they are town wise a) let them find the items they need I don't run magic shops in my game, so 2a is how I run it (as do a lot of the older DMs). Figure out what items would be good for the party, so that everyone gets something useful, and mix them into the loot. They don't always need to buy their stuff, they can find it as well. The raid a tomb, and the fighter finds a nice magic sword. The lizardman chieftan has an enchanted cape for the cleric. The necromancer has an enchanted headband the wizard can use, etc.
Merestil Haye 04-27-08, 08:11 AM	3rd Ed (and 3.5) are written with the assumption that there is a free trade in goods and services, and sooner or later there will be someone with what the PCs want. Is that gp limit the maximum value of an item the characters can expect to buy in the village, or the amount of resources the village can get if it pools everything? According to p137, the answer is the former. The village can find 4,000-9,000gp in cash; depending on its exact population, which you don't give. The obvious answer is that even this community doesn't exist in isolation. Merchants come through from time to time, and they can take the items the PCs have sold the village in return for goods (and more coin) for the villagers. There's nothing to stop an enterprising villager who's in a good position to talk to the merchants from getting stuff ordered specially for the PCs, even if it exceeds the normal gp limit. My advice on the magic supplies front is to let them buy the stuff they need to create the items that they want. After all, they're spending feats to be able to do this.