Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Zardnaar Sep 03, 2014 16:31:26	I may have been a little generous in my game in terms of magic items. So far the PCs have found the following items.   Scorch, a +1 spear that 1/day lets you use scorching ray. Fimbric, a +1 dagger that can find ore and cast featherfall. Refluffed a longsword from the playtest material Isle of Dread. Staff of Defense. The staff from the lost mines of Phandelver seized from a sorcererss working with the Cult of Tiamat. A generic +1 longsword.    The party that will be used tonight as I seem to have rotating PCs as I have 5 or 6 players but due to work shifts only 4 or 5 are here most nights. All level 4.   Half Elf Inspiring Bard High elf Diviner Wizard Wood Elf Ranger Human War Cleric Human pole arm master.   Elves and humans, seems like 2nd ed. Anyway most of the magiic items I have handed out are not 100% ideal for the PCs. Scorch is used by the polearm fighter so it doesn't combo with his feats, Fimbric is used by the bard who occasionally sdual wields in melee, the loigsword is used by the war cleric whoo would rather have a +1 Maul or Greatsword, and the wizard got lucky and got the staff.    Being unable to buy magic items is kind of interesting although we have been playing this way for the last 2 years anyway via AD&D and assorted clones. With Bounded accuracy they like the +1 to hit effect cvia the magic weapons, but they do not really get +1 damage since they have to use an "inferior" weapon such as a 1d10 longsword instead of a 2d6 Maul or Greatsword and a similar deal with the dagger which is being used as it is beter than a non magical short sword.    This keeps optimisation in check as well. I will giove you nice stuff and you will get more powerful via that stuff but it may not be 100% what you wanted. My worlds do not revolve around the PCs as such so I usually no not bother changing magical items in prepublished adventures. Magical longswords are going to be more common than magical rapiers for example and short swords, daggers, spears will be more common than magical pole arms or whatever. If they use an exotic weapon (in 3.5 terms) or things like Katanas in older editions of the game odds are you will not be finding magical versions that easily, I might let you track down leads on one and you can go looking for it specifically and make an adventure hook out of it.    For example I know the polearm fighter wants a magical weapon he can use. I am not going to let him buy one off the shelf a'la 3rd, Pathfinder and 4E. He may find a magical one he may not. I will likely let him get some clues where one may be found and I am trying to work in a Dragon for the PCs to face tonight.    So you can have your candy you just get whats on offer for the most part. Tonights adventure is going to feature multiple intelligen weapons that conflict with each other and the goal is to destroy them via a overly large rust monster.
#2 Illithidbix Sep 03, 2014 16:49:14	I think the biggest difference that magical weapons make is not so much the +1 to hit and damage, but being able to harm nonmagical resistant or immune monsters without being dependent the party's spellcasters to buff them. Of course they can also get silver weapons for +100gp, which work on quite a few types of monster. (upto the Pit Fiend apparently...)
#3 Zardnaar Sep 03, 2014 16:52:18	Illithidbix wrote:
#4 Lawolf Sep 03, 2014 16:54:50	I the magical item christmass land that is D&D. Even 5e.    In our 4e games we use inherent bonuses. Magical items were exceedingly rare. A player who got a magic item keep it for 10+ levels. Most PCs didn't even get a permanent magic item before 7th level.   Having magic items be so common cheapens them IMHO.