Complex underpowered magic items in Magic Item Compendium

[pawsplay]

Garters of Gearsmashing
Tights of Escaping
Pants of Heavy Exertion
Demon Trousers
Skirt of Truth Telling
Essential Little Black Dress
Legwarmers of Gainful Exercise

 

[Henry]

...but they just let the opportunity slip away...

Yeah, I think they meant to skirt the issue, probably because they felt that a "legs" slot would be too kakhi to include in a game, but I say it shows their work slacks because of it. Fortunately it hasn't kilt the book - it's still quite good.

 

[Hjorimir]

Mercy, Henry! Mercy!

 

[VirgilCaine]

We're not talking about a democracy here... rulers who rule by personal might do deck themselves out like Xmas trees for their own protection and to cow the unworthy masses. Having said that though, he's actually a first level bard who's travelling with the party, so I have to place limits on what he can do. His backstory is that he's (a) genuinely interested in gathering lore and (b) trying to prove himself. The only signs of his wealth are better than average armour (because he's afraid of getting hurt) and a very nice (non-magical) mandolin.

Not a democracy, no, but after a few decades of waste and graft people start to get really pissed off.

There's three kinds of medieval English kings--those who wasted loads of money and lost wars, those who spent loads of money and won wars and those who saved loads of money and stayed home. The latter two types are generally regarded as good kings.

Of course, one ruler purchasing things like expensive magic armor is ridiculous--he'll have it stolen back from an enemy who got it when he sacked the capital three kings ago--the armor (or whatever) originally being made hundreds or even thousands of years ago, being added on to and improved over time.

Coats of arms or symbols or whatnot could be easily changed using magic.

The MIC is the sure road to White Knight syndrome.

'You see,' he went on after a pause, 'it's as well to be provided for EVERYTHING. That's the reason the horse has all those anklets round his feet.'

'But what are they for?' Alice asked in a tone of great curiosity.

'To guard against the bites of sharks,' the Knight replied. 'It's an invention of my own.'

 

[jcfiala]

Hey, thanks for pointing out that dagger, that's perfect for someone in my campaign. I'll have to make sure it falls into their hands.

^_^

Personally, I thought the MIC had a lot of cool abilitlies in it, and I really liked the three-charges items, where generally the effect of using all three charges up at once was only as good as using the 1-charge ability twice... you can get a lot out of it all at once, but it's more effective to take your time...

Of course, when you're glued to a mimic, you don't have a lot of time, do you?

 

[Henry]

'To guard against the bites of sharks,' the Knight replied. 'It's an invention of my own.'

My recent buying spree out of the Magic Item Compendium for a cleric I'm playing had me chuckling because I made him about as bad. My portable hole, in addition for chests with goods for dungeoneering, tools, tackle, and Kits, also includes two barrels full of Morning stars and Shortspears, in case for any reason we even have to arm a small insurrection. That, a couple of blesses and prayers, and maybe that spell from Spell compendium that turns a bunch of weapons into Brilliant Energy weapons, and I think we'd be good to go. I was even tempted to throw in a Decanter of Endless water and a basin, to include "the kitchen sink." It's a vast temptation when you acquire a portable hole...

But if anything, Magic Item Compendium has brought back for me, in the tradition of the 2nd edition Magic Item Compendiums, "fun" magic items, besides ones which just bulk up the plusses.

 

[Eytan Bernstein]

I think thats among the greatest oversights in that book. In the "Using magic items" Chapter it is stated that especially the x/day items would require the User to wear them for a certain time to function, till know I only know of the chronocharms to use that rule.

Well, I do not think my players would do that, if they would, I would establish an "must be worn for 8h or more to function" rule or something like that.

Indeed, it would have been nice to have included a caveat like that. I've houseruled it so that you don't need to wear it for any length of time, but you can only use one of any given worn item per day. So, you can put on your item and use it lickity-split, but you can't then go and put on another one when the first one runs out. I know it doesn't have the same fluidity, but it also doesn't prevent quick thinking players from whipping out their charm of countersong in times of need. Otherwise, some items with relatively limited functions become useless. It defeats the purpose of utlility items if you have to wear them for 8 hours to gain any benefit.