Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ChelseaNH Sep 03, 2015 14:12:44	The group is currently 3rd level -- pregen characters plus a half-elven monk.  They're currently in Thundertree and the only thing left after that is the mine itself.   The problem is that they're talkers, not fighters, so they haven't acquired many magic items.  They negotiated with the nothic, so no +1 sword.  They negotiated with the necromancer out at the well, so no ring of protection.  The mage does have the staff of defense, and I gave the noble fighter adamantine armor as a kind of heirloom when then passed through Neverwinter on the way to Thundertree.   If they decide to take on the dragon, I can place some items in the dragon's hoard, but I don't think they're willing to risk a party wipe at this point and I'm not going to force it on them.  There's a chance they'll go back through Neverwinter on the way back to Phandalin; maybe something comes on the market.   I'm wondering if this is going to leave them underpowered for the mine.  They don't have many options for fighting the wraith, for example.  I decided the nothic has gone to the mine (Gundren stayed at Tresendar Manor after they rescued him, so the nothic could gather his secret).  I was planning to team him up with the wraith, but maybe they find him (and his treasure, or at least the sword part) in another part of the mine.   Any other opportunities?  Anything they should really have on them in order to get through the mine?
#2 iserith Sep 03, 2015 14:29:05	I wouldn't worry about them being underpowered, but feel free to reassign the missed treasure to other locations, as rewards for completing quests, or as an incentive to engage with the exploration pillar.
#3 Rya.Reisender Sep 04, 2015 10:00:17	Yeah, you don't really need magic items in 5E to survive, so I also wouldn't worry too much about it.   Level 4 is recommended for the mine, though. Did you make sure to reward XP also for avoided combat?
#4 DM_Craig Sep 04, 2015 11:14:11	5E has set it up so that it's really entirely up to you how often you dish out magic items to your party. If you really feel that they might be underpowered (or overpowered) for a specific encounter, you can always modify the encounter itself to make it easier or harder. I wouldn't worry too much about that at this point though.
#5 ChelseaNH Sep 04, 2015 15:03:39	Rya.Reisender wrote: