Campaign Magic Level and Canned Magic [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign Magic Level and Canned Magic [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Illion the Red
08-25-05, 11:01 AM I am running a campaign with lots of low to minimal-level magic items available for the players. Examples include Oils that provide one-shot abilities for weapons and Ink that is magically readable by anyone who can read regardless of the language it is written in. I don't really plan to open up the floodgates on magic items anytime soon, if ever (especially since the PCs are still pretty low level ~3rd). The only "normal" magic items that are commonly available are potions - they are quite plentiful and readily available.

With that background in place, would you consider this a "Low-Magic, High-Magic, or somewhere in-between campaign?

A further question: I was planning on opening things up a bit by making items generally priced below 2,000 GP available for sale. Do you think this would open things up too much? Too little? Should there be a "party-level" test as to when more powerful items be available for purchase or commission?
Kaligrad
08-25-05, 11:44 AM Sounds a bit like Ebberon. Minor magic is pretty common there, too.

Basically, there are two things that you should ask yourself to see if you're running a high magic campaign.

1: are magic items cheaper and more accessable?
2: how do peasants react to magic?

In a low magic campaign, they're liable to react to magic by crying "witch!" In medium magic, they will be impressed by magical displays, having seen very little of them in their lifetimes. In high magic campaigns, they will react casually, having seen the same thing yesterday.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe
08-25-05, 11:49 AM I am running a campaign with lots of low to minimal-level magic items available for the players. Examples include Oils that provide one-shot abilities for weapons and Ink that is magically readable by anyone who can read regardless of the language it is written in. I don't really plan to open up the floodgates on magic items anytime soon, if ever (especially since the PCs are still pretty low level ~3rd). The only "normal" magic items that are commonly available are potions - they are quite plentiful and readily available.

Okay, sounds good so far...but don't nerf your players...they won't like it.

With that background in place, would you consider this a "Low-Magic, High-Magic, or somewhere in-between campaign?

I would say it is "somewhere in-between with low-magic tendancies..."

A further question: I was planning on opening things up a bit by making items generally priced below 2,000 GP available for sale. Do you think this would open things up too much? Too little? Should there be a "party-level" test as to when more powerful items be available for purchase or commission?

:eek: I would start by knocking no more than 500gp off prices....if it still seems they cost too much, introduce a traveling saleman in a cart who "needs to get rid of this stuff quick..." and have him over them "once in a lifetime deals" on magic stuff (1000-1500 gp off market value), but have it so they can never find him again. (example: a black dragon swoops out of the sky and takes him, and the cart off into the distance.)
Back on point, you will make way too much magic available, IMHO, if you constantly reduce the market value of magic, making it less precious and "magical". :cool:
Illion the Red
08-25-05, 11:51 AM 1: are magic items cheaper and more accessable?
2: how do peasants react to magic?

In a low magic campaign, they're liable to react to magic by crying "witch!" In medium magic, they will be impressed by magical displays, having seen very little of them in their lifetimes. In high magic campaigns, they will react casually, having seen the same thing yesterday.

1. Minor magic accessable but not really cheaper.

2. Peasants don't...

Oh, !@~#$%!@#% I really didn't want a high-magic world...maybe there's still time to correct...
Illion the Red
08-25-05, 11:53 AM :eek: I would start by knocking no more than 500gp off prices....if it still seems they cost too much, introduce a traveling saleman in a cart who "needs to get rid of this stuff quick..." and have him over them "once in a lifetime deals" on magic stuff (1000-1500 gp off market value), but have it so they can never find him again. (example: a black dragon swoops out of the sky and takes him, and the cart off into the distance.)
Back on point, you will make way too much magic available, IMHO, if you constantly reduce the market value of magic, making it less precious and "magical". :cool:

I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't lowering prices on items, I was using the 2,000 GP Market Price as an availabilty level. The items would be priced as normal.
DrMorganes
08-25-05, 01:37 PM I think you can have a "high magic" campaign where magic of consequence is relatively scarce. From what I know of Eberron, this is certainly the case. Lots of minor magic all over the place, created by lots of relatively minor wizards, but the truly powerful stuff is as rare as hens' teeth. Greyhawk had similar limitations back in the day. 7th to 9th level spells were very, very rare and jelously guarded by those possessing them.

Your campaign sounds much the same. Lots of stuff that's relatively minor or single-use, but the truly impressive magic - which would still cause your average commoner's jaw to drop - is still quite rare. Call it "high magic, with a salary cap" ;)
Pyritefoolsgold
08-25-05, 02:58 PM 1001 Minor Magic Items (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=480519)
A little thread I started on the subject a while back.
Illion the Red
08-25-05, 03:06 PM 1001 Minor Magic Items (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=480519)
A little thread I started on the subject a while back.

Thanks. Very useful stuff in there and just the kind of things I was looking for :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Illion the Red 08-25-05, 11:01 AM	I am running a campaign with lots of low to minimal-level magic items available for the players. Examples include Oils that provide one-shot abilities for weapons and Ink that is magically readable by anyone who can read regardless of the language it is written in. I don't really plan to open up the floodgates on magic items anytime soon, if ever (especially since the PCs are still pretty low level ~3rd). The only "normal" magic items that are commonly available are potions - they are quite plentiful and readily available. With that background in place, would you consider this a "Low-Magic, High-Magic, or somewhere in-between campaign? A further question: I was planning on opening things up a bit by making items generally priced below 2,000 GP available for sale. Do you think this would open things up too much? Too little? Should there be a "party-level" test as to when more powerful items be available for purchase or commission?
Kaligrad 08-25-05, 11:44 AM	Sounds a bit like Ebberon. Minor magic is pretty common there, too. Basically, there are two things that you should ask yourself to see if you're running a high magic campaign. 1: are magic items cheaper and more accessable? 2: how do peasants react to magic? In a low magic campaign, they're liable to react to magic by crying "witch!" In medium magic, they will be impressed by magical displays, having seen very little of them in their lifetimes. In high magic campaigns, they will react casually, having seen the same thing yesterday.
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 08-25-05, 11:49 AM	I am running a campaign with lots of low to minimal-level magic items available for the players. Examples include Oils that provide one-shot abilities for weapons and Ink that is magically readable by anyone who can read regardless of the language it is written in. I don't really plan to open up the floodgates on magic items anytime soon, if ever (especially since the PCs are still pretty low level ~3rd). The only "normal" magic items that are commonly available are potions - they are quite plentiful and readily available. Okay, sounds good so far...but don't nerf your players...they won't like it. With that background in place, would you consider this a "Low-Magic, High-Magic, or somewhere in-between campaign? I would say it is "somewhere in-between with low-magic tendancies..." A further question: I was planning on opening things up a bit by making items generally priced below 2,000 GP available for sale. Do you think this would open things up too much? Too little? Should there be a "party-level" test as to when more powerful items be available for purchase or commission? :eek: I would start by knocking no more than 500gp off prices....if it still seems they cost too much, introduce a traveling saleman in a cart who "needs to get rid of this stuff quick..." and have him over them "once in a lifetime deals" on magic stuff (1000-1500 gp off market value), but have it so they can never find him again. (example: a black dragon swoops out of the sky and takes him, and the cart off into the distance.) Back on point, you will make way too much magic available, IMHO, if you constantly reduce the market value of magic, making it less precious and "magical". :cool:
Illion the Red 08-25-05, 11:51 AM	1: are magic items cheaper and more accessable? 2: how do peasants react to magic? In a low magic campaign, they're liable to react to magic by crying "witch!" In medium magic, they will be impressed by magical displays, having seen very little of them in their lifetimes. In high magic campaigns, they will react casually, having seen the same thing yesterday. 1. Minor magic accessable but not really cheaper. 2. Peasants don't... Oh, !@~#$%!@#% I really didn't want a high-magic world...maybe there's still time to correct...
Illion the Red 08-25-05, 11:53 AM	:eek: I would start by knocking no more than 500gp off prices....if it still seems they cost too much, introduce a traveling saleman in a cart who "needs to get rid of this stuff quick..." and have him over them "once in a lifetime deals" on magic stuff (1000-1500 gp off market value), but have it so they can never find him again. (example: a black dragon swoops out of the sky and takes him, and the cart off into the distance.) Back on point, you will make way too much magic available, IMHO, if you constantly reduce the market value of magic, making it less precious and "magical". :cool: I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't lowering prices on items, I was using the 2,000 GP Market Price as an availabilty level. The items would be priced as normal.
DrMorganes 08-25-05, 01:37 PM	I think you can have a "high magic" campaign where magic of consequence is relatively scarce. From what I know of Eberron, this is certainly the case. Lots of minor magic all over the place, created by lots of relatively minor wizards, but the truly powerful stuff is as rare as hens' teeth. Greyhawk had similar limitations back in the day. 7th to 9th level spells were very, very rare and jelously guarded by those possessing them. Your campaign sounds much the same. Lots of stuff that's relatively minor or single-use, but the truly impressive magic - which would still cause your average commoner's jaw to drop - is still quite rare. Call it "high magic, with a salary cap" ;)
Pyritefoolsgold 08-25-05, 02:58 PM	1001 Minor Magic Items (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=480519) A little thread I started on the subject a while back.
Illion the Red 08-25-05, 03:06 PM	1001 Minor Magic Items (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=480519) A little thread I started on the subject a while back. Thanks. Very useful stuff in there and just the kind of things I was looking for :)