Low Magic 4E D&D

[P1NBACK]

Ok, so where are the rules for replacing +1 items with a simple level bonus in the DMG?? I could have sworn I saw a method for getting rid of +1, +2 items and just giving a flat bonus to everyone when they reached a certain level. Now, I've looked over my book like 30 times and can't find any reference to it.

Someone please help!

[Turtlejay]

We are playing low magic games. Rather than give generic bonuses, the DM just makes the encounters fit our low magic status.

Right now, at 9th level, each PC has 1 magic item. It is likely to stay that way.

Jay

[P1NBACK]

That's good info, but it'd be easier for me as a DM to just say, "hey all 5th level characters wield weapons with a +1 bonus" than for me to redo all the math of the monsters.

I know there was a table or some info somewhere on taking out magic item bonuses and instead giving a flat bonus based on level - just can't seem to find it.

[Obryn]

There are no rules, per se.

You can give everyone +1 to defenses, attacks, and damage at 3rd level and every 5 levels after that and it works pretty well, though.

-O

[P1NBACK]

So there is no table somewhere that details a good method of doing this? Must have been my imagination or maybe I'm confusing it with magic item thresholds... Weird.

Ok thanks!

[Chimerasame]

I remember seeing something on Gleemax forums but I'm not sure if that had its origins in one of the books or if that was just a homebrew thing.

I'd probably do something like this:

2nd level: +1 damage
3rd level: +1 attack
4th level: +1 AC
5th level: +1 NADs
(skip 6th)
7th: +2 damage
8th: +2 attack
9th: +2 AC
10th: +2 NADs

etc.

Also you might give an extra feat or power once or twice per tier to account for the loss of special magic item powers.


Out of curiosity, are you doing anything to restrict power source/class selection? Or refluffing existing magic classes?

[Pbartender]

Consider that a basic magic item -- a magic weapon, implement, armor or amulet -- that grants a flat bonus with no additional effects or powers increases its bonus like so:

+1, Level 1
+2, Level 6
+3, Level 11
+4, Level 16
+5, Level 21
+6, Level 26

So, the easy thing to do is to give the characters bonuses based on that progession.

In other words, it's an additional +1 bonus roughly every five levels to attacks, damage and defenses.

[P1NBACK]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

[silverwhisper]

i too am running a low-magic 4e game. i've opted however to use the magic items as is--but as a matter of flavor, am describing them as being masterwork instead of magic. it's a fairly transparent matter and requires no adjustments (other than limiting treasure so that it feels consistent with such things).

d20 SW (pre-saga) offered masterwork items of +1 to +3 effectiveness, neatly providing the conceptual groundwork for this approach.

ed

[Jhaelen]

Originally Posted by P1NBACK

Ok, so where are the rules for replacing +1 items with a simple level bonus in the DMG?? I could have sworn I saw a method for getting rid of +1, +2 items and just giving a flat bonus to everyone when they reached a certain level. Now, I've looked over my book like 30 times and can't find any reference to it.

Someone please help!

You may confuse this with the magic threshold for monsters/npcs. DMG2 has been announced to include what you're looking for.

[RangerWickett]

In my game, to make magic still a little numerically important is:

Level 6 - +1 to all attack rolls, damage rolls, and defenses
Level 11 - +2
16 - +3
21 - +4
26 - +5

And a magic item, rare though they might be, grants +1 to the appropriate stat. So basically all magic armor is +1 armor, which stacks with the level-based bonus above.

[Shin Okada]

Originally Posted by Pbartender

Consider that a basic magic item -- a magic weapon, implement, armor or amulet -- that grants a flat bonus with no additional effects or powers increases its bonus like so:

+1, Level 1
+2, Level 6
+3, Level 11
+4, Level 16
+5, Level 21
+6, Level 26

So, the easy thing to do is to give the characters bonuses based on that progession.

In other words, it's an additional +1 bonus roughly every five levels to attacks, damage and defenses.

I guess unless the DM allows non-magical masterwork armor (say, +0 Godpate Armor with total Armor bonus of +14), you should add that amount of bonus, too.

Like, say,

Heavy Armor
+1, Level 1
+3, Level 6
+5, Level 11
+7, Level 16
+10, Level 21
+12, Level 26

Light Armor
+1, Level 1
+2, Level 6
+3, Level 11
+5, Level 16
+6, Level 21
+8, Level 26

Or, more variations if you want to replicate various masterwork armors which gives NAD bonus or Damage Resistance.

[Nifft]

Originally Posted by Chimerasame

2nd level: +1 damage
3rd level: +1 attack
4th level: +1 AC
5th level: +1 FRW
(skip 6th)
7th: +2 damage
8th: +2 attack
9th: +2 AC
10th: +2 FRW

You're leaving out the extra damage magic weapons do on a crit, which is important.

So at 1st and 6th, add "Crit +1d6" and "Crit +2d6" (respectively).

Cheers, -- N

[Infiniti2000]

There is the NPC Level Bonus and Magic Threshold in the DMG pg 187 and a Monster Magic Threshold on pg 174. Are those the tables you are looking for?

[radja]

replace magic bonuses with quality bonuses. reskinning is your friend. alternatively, use different materials (+0 sword: bronze, +1 sword: iron, +2 sword: steel) etc.