Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Radijs 06-16-06, 01:04 PM	Magic items. Last tuesday I was DM-ing for a party and they had just earned themselves some money, and when they hit the city one player wanted to buy a magic item, a custom magic item which allowed him to use enlarge person twice each day on himself only. He told me the price which was somewhere around 2000 GP, I don't recall exactly. The player had probably calculated its value using the tables in the back of the DmG and I doubt he would make a mistake in the calculations or lie about the results. But the table was busy and I didn't have time to think about it except for the thought: "they rarely have more then one combat encounter each day." So the game progressed and later on some combat ensued and the player asked if the item was okay or not. I made a snap decision and said no. The player was a bit miffed because he could have spent the 2000 GP on something else instead then. I told him tough luck but thats what you get for asking for custom items during a game session. Which pretty much quieted him down. I think he understood. What would be a fair prices for a ring that allows the wearer (regardless of class) to cast enlarge person on himself 2/day at minimum caster level. Combat Two weeks ago I enjoyed a wonderful roleplaying session and I think it was because of the combat involved. I'll give you a quick rundown of what happened: Three weeks ago the party had been given instructions to disrupt supply lines inside enemy territory. There was a caravan of supplies heading to the border for a big push, there was a warehouse full of supplies that would probably burn very nicely and optionally there was a camp full of soldiers that could be dealt with. So the players had been airlifted into enemy territory and left there near the road where the caravan would come through. They had set up an ambush but one of the scouts horses had fled with a crossbow bolt still sticking out of its arse. So then two weeks ago we continued the adventure and the players decide go leave and set up another ambush a few miles later. But the enemy wasn't foolish They had sent three carts ahead. 2 empty and one with a juvenile red dragon which they had enslaved. The fight breaks out, its a close call but in the end they kill the red dragon. After that we had a wonderful time. They started to improvise about this and that, I introduced 2 new characters to replace the dead ones. Everyone was really roleplaying thinking in-character etc. That adventure ends happily. So next week the new adventure begins and the atmosphere is radically diffrent throughout the entire session. The two front line fighters are basically just going looking for trouble especially wanting to get involved in fights in the more seedy part of town and generally stirring up noise dust and trouble. And I'm thinking now, its mostly a gut feeling that it might be a good idea to start my sessions with combat encounters (or at least try to schedule them near the beginning of the eveneing) so those two can blow off steam and hopefully increasing the amount of roleplay in my game. Sweet sweet XP Thats something almost every player loves getting your XP. And there are a few player in my group who REALLY REALLY love it. At the end of every combat encounter they shout: XP XP! Wanting me to award it right there and then. I don't do that mainly because I still need to calculate it. So usually I don't even have it at the end of the session and I calculate it somewhere during the week. This however leads to wasted time when I assign last week's experience at the beginning of the session. Due to crafting, failed attendances and the more then occasional death there's usually always someone who has to level when I award XP. I think this is a waste of game time because now everyone has to wait and twiddle their thumbs while one person calculates his new saves, attacks and selects new spells and feats. So I'm going to assign last weeks XP only at the end of the session. Allowing people to level in their own time. Please discuss.
Pegasos989 06-16-06, 01:45 PM	Enlarge person twice a day really would cost (1*1*1800)/(5/2) = 1800/2,5 =900gp, If I am not having a brainfart. But I don't really think that table shows how much it SHOULD be. If you only have 2 encounters a day, it is as useful as item that has ALWAYS hold person on you. This would cost 1*1*2000*1.5 = 3000. I understand people who say it should be lower (only 1st level spell!) or higher (more reach, etc.). But think of this: The potion of same spell costs 50gp! Using 2 per day would be 100gp. It would be 30 days (or 60 encounters) before the prie would be full, and in 60 encounters they are propably so much higher level that 50gp before each battle doesn't matter. I might keep it in 3k. About combat, yeah. Ask your group! If they think that they like to start with combat, you should do it. :) About XP, I think you should award it at the end of each session. Everyone would level up before the next one and no time wasted. calclulating it doesn't really take that much time. :=)