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D1-3 Descent/Kuo-Toa/Drow
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<blockquote data-quote="Garnfellow" data-source="post: 2141273" data-attributes="member: 1223"><p>That's interesting, though I'm not sure I can really get behind all of the methodologies used in that conversion, particularly with regard to one-to-one multiclass level conversion -- and hand-waving in all that special drow equipment.</p><p></p><p>AD&D didn’t have anything like the standardized gear per level that 3e has. So in the original modules, the drow have lots and lots of extremely nice equipment, including weapons, armor, cloaks, boots, etc. These items usually had enhancement bonuses -- even though they were non-magical -- and often had other special super-duper properties, to boot. I think that the sun-rot feature was tacked on to try and balance all these items in the AD&D game.</p><p></p><p>In translating this equipment to 3e, you have a few different choices. The easiest method is to just forget about wealth per level tables and port everything over as it was written, balance be danged.</p><p></p><p>But 3e <strong>does</strong> have standardized wealth by level tables. Why ignore them?</p><p></p><p>Personally, I was leaning toward treating all drow equipment as non-magical magical items, in the same vein as psionic items: that is, drow items are just magic by another name. The differences between magical and drow items are largely superficial and do not affect the underlying game mechanics. Sure, these drow items do not radiate magic to <em>detect magic</em> spells and are not created using normal magical item creation feats. They are powered by weird underground radiation, but you still must need special feats to craft these items, just like with magic or psionic items. And in my mind, the sun-rot property is as much a hindrance as a benefit, so I think that property balances out.</p><p></p><p>So at the end of the day, these drow items should probably be just like regular magical items in terms of pricing, since they're exactly like magical items in terms of game effect: a short sword with a +2 enhancement bonus should still cost about 8,310 gp whether it’s powered by good old arcane might (tm) or drow gamma rays. </p><p></p><p>I would propose handling drow cloaks and boots the same way: just like <em>elven cloaks and boots</em> in terms of pricing and game mechanics, only powered by radiation rather than magic. One consequence: the price tag on the cloaks and boots means they are no longer standard issue to each and every drow. (Note that treating drow cloaks like this also nerfs them considerably from 1st edition AD&D, since the drow cloaks originally gave spectacular Hide in Shadow bonuses AND fire resistance. Ah, well -- normal elves got hosed in the new edition, too.)</p><p></p><p>Drow chain is a little trickier. I was initially going to convert these items as regular chain shirts with the appropriate enhancement bonuses. But one <em>could</em> treat them like <em>elven chain</em>. But elven chain is awful pricey compared with with straight-up magic chain.</p><p></p><p>Can elven chain be given magical enhancement bonuses?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Garnfellow, post: 2141273, member: 1223"] That's interesting, though I'm not sure I can really get behind all of the methodologies used in that conversion, particularly with regard to one-to-one multiclass level conversion -- and hand-waving in all that special drow equipment. AD&D didn’t have anything like the standardized gear per level that 3e has. So in the original modules, the drow have lots and lots of extremely nice equipment, including weapons, armor, cloaks, boots, etc. These items usually had enhancement bonuses -- even though they were non-magical -- and often had other special super-duper properties, to boot. I think that the sun-rot feature was tacked on to try and balance all these items in the AD&D game. In translating this equipment to 3e, you have a few different choices. The easiest method is to just forget about wealth per level tables and port everything over as it was written, balance be danged. But 3e [b]does[/b] have standardized wealth by level tables. Why ignore them? Personally, I was leaning toward treating all drow equipment as non-magical magical items, in the same vein as psionic items: that is, drow items are just magic by another name. The differences between magical and drow items are largely superficial and do not affect the underlying game mechanics. Sure, these drow items do not radiate magic to [i]detect magic[/i] spells and are not created using normal magical item creation feats. They are powered by weird underground radiation, but you still must need special feats to craft these items, just like with magic or psionic items. And in my mind, the sun-rot property is as much a hindrance as a benefit, so I think that property balances out. So at the end of the day, these drow items should probably be just like regular magical items in terms of pricing, since they're exactly like magical items in terms of game effect: a short sword with a +2 enhancement bonus should still cost about 8,310 gp whether it’s powered by good old arcane might (tm) or drow gamma rays. I would propose handling drow cloaks and boots the same way: just like [i]elven cloaks and boots[/i] in terms of pricing and game mechanics, only powered by radiation rather than magic. One consequence: the price tag on the cloaks and boots means they are no longer standard issue to each and every drow. (Note that treating drow cloaks like this also nerfs them considerably from 1st edition AD&D, since the drow cloaks originally gave spectacular Hide in Shadow bonuses AND fire resistance. Ah, well -- normal elves got hosed in the new edition, too.) Drow chain is a little trickier. I was initially going to convert these items as regular chain shirts with the appropriate enhancement bonuses. But one [i]could[/i] treat them like [i]elven chain[/i]. But elven chain is awful pricey compared with with straight-up magic chain. Can elven chain be given magical enhancement bonuses? [/QUOTE]
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