Excerpt: Economies [merged]

[Lurker37]

And, here's an important part: That NPC who is carrying around that Level 6 item... can he use that? I mean, if that NPC can't use that item, then I question why that guy has it in the first place.

One possibility? Making a hobby out of trying to work out how to activate it, and not daring to put it down in case some other NPC grabs it.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Well, NPCs work differently than PCs. So, they might not. I seem to recall seeing that before the monsters excerpt came out.

I was kidding about the castles.

As far as NPCs working differently than PCs: Not differently enough to make an NPC using a magic item to be difficult.

I've done it several times already.

Fitz

 

[Sojorn]

This all comes as a pleasant surprise. I really hated the idea of rolling for wealth, just like I hated rolling for monster Hitpoints. I stopped that way back in 1st edition and I've never regretted it. There's something lazy and about rolling up treasure. It's like saying that there is no real backstory to the monsters, which destroys the illusion roleplaying tries to create.


Thank goodness for the new direction.

Well, the basic concept was good. Have a chart of what the "standard" reward for a particular level is.

The problem was they made it random, which nulls the standard part. This choose and fill in the blank method of generating a level worth of treasure is very nice.

 

[Colmarr]

Just read the excerpt.

Lots of interesting stuff in there:

1. No random treasure that is below party level. Not sure that I like that idea. "Nothing below level -2" is good. "Nothing below level" strikes me as not so good. Oh well, maybe I'm stuck in 3eville. At least it'll ALWAYS be exciting to find a magic item now.

2a. The major quest rewards table allows for parties of up to 6 characters. That's promising of a good level of flexibility but makes me wonder why the treasure reward table doesn't say the same thing. And come to think of it, why do the treasure rules only award FOUR magic items, if the default party is 5 members? What’s the logic behind someone missing out?

2b. Are there level 1 magic items? I seem to recall from D&DXP that there are, but the treasure rules say level+1 to level+4.

3. Are the "treasure parcels" set in stone or are they only examples? It's odd that gp always come in round numbers. Must be wrapped in those things from the bank

4. Are there potions other than healing potions (they're the only ones in the treasure charts)?

5. "Magic item shops" are, by default, still around. I think I'm a bit disappointed by that. But at least WotC clearly set out a recommended way of changing that if you want to.

6. Disenchanting magic items produces "residuum". WAY too WoW for my tastes. WoW may not have been the first or best to use the idea, but it can't be denied that it smacks heavily of WoW.

7. There's a random markup on buying magic items. Ooh. I think I like that idea. If a merchant wants a 40% markup, the player has to decide between buying from that merchant at inflated prices or waiting until a later time to buy the same item at hopefully cheaper prices.

With each of these excepts, it's becoming harder and harder for me to resist ordering the DMG. Oh well, I will be strong!

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Why are minions worth more XP than standard monsters? My guess is that the columns are switched...

once again an oversight... oh i really hope they paid more attention in the actual books, but my hopes are fading...

edit: also the quest reward table is redundant... Why not just say every player gets XP for a standard monster of its Level...

the rest of the article however is nice

 

[Ultimatecalibur]

Yeah, I am very impressed with how novice friendly this is (and commented as such in another board I frequent).

One thing learned from figuring out the cost chart... you probably get +1 improvements to magic weapons/armor/etc on increments of 5... ie, +1 at 1-5, +2 at 6-10, +3 at 11-15, etc. Of course, your magic items are higher than your level usually so it's possible you end up with items over level 30, but if not that puts a +6 sword/armor as your cap in epic levels.

Which seems low based on the rest of the math (like for monsters), so there's probably something I'm missing. 1/2 Level + 1/5 Item doesn't come close enough to the +1 / Level we're seeing on scaling things... though I suppose you might also get at least +1/8 ability score increase, and that just leaves 7/40 to get through feats, paths, and power bonuses.

Hmmhmm. I guess that's dealable.

I think the magical equipment bonus will be something like 2-4: +1, 5-8: +2, 9-12: +3... 25-28: +7, 29-30: +8. One of the clue they gave out way back in August was +8 wand.

 

[AZRogue]

So, do characters get a stat boost every even level? I may have missed something before, is why I'm asking. I get that possibility from here:

Characters gain new attack powers at odd-numbered levels, and they gain new feats, ability score increases, and global adjustments to all their attacks and defenses at even-numbered levels. Both are exciting, but they feel different.

Of course, they could just mean you get the boost at the standard intervals which are even numbered. I'm just checking in case someone knows of a change.

 

[Lurker59]

Based on the rewards in KotS a basic +1 magic item seems to be a Level 1 (360 gold) item. Any additional descriptors, like dwarven on armor, increase that level. For example +1 Dwarven plate armor is described as level 2. A basic +2 dagger is a Level 6 (1800 gold) item.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Well, that economy section is:
- easy to adjudicate.
- easy to change if i want to.
- spells out that "you change it if you don´t like it".

Yup. I like it. Especially the second two.

I'm glad the "official" sale price of items is so low and markups are random. Sure, that's what I've always been doing, and I can simply dictate whatever to PCs, but having it in the books is less hassle.

 

[A'koss]

So, do characters get a stat boost every even level? I may have missed something before, is why I'm asking.

I recall someone worked it out from a previous article and the increases were at 4th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 28th level.