Excerpt: You and Your Magic Items

[zoroaster100]

I like the previewed items. The most interesting bit of info for me though, was that there may be a limit on how many times a character can activate magic item powers in a day, regardless of how many items the character lugs around.

 

[Rechan]

I'm not a real big fan of this. If you want to use cool items that aren't really powerful the fact that your limited to how much you use kind of sucks. If I'm a level 20 rogue who wants to swing rooftop to rooftop with a rod of ropes, I should be able to do it regardless of my use of a flaming dagger. This seems like a fun-buster, though its difficult to say how bad of one with how vague the subject was left.

I would assume that you can use the amount of powers from magical items that you can physically wear.

However, if you have, let's say, 20 items in a bag of holding, you can't use them all. Otherwise you're just hording abilities. "Whoops! I used my gauntlets of ogre power daily. I'll just take these off, and put on my Gauntlets of Punching. Used that daily. Time to put on my gloves of phasing hands. Now it's time for the gauntlets of kitten petting."
"Hey, pass over those gauntlets of ogre power - I can use that daily!"
"Here, here's the gauntlets of punching, you can use these after that one too.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I would assume that you can use the amount of powers from magical items that you can physically wear.

However, if you have, let's say, 20 items in a bag of holding, you can't use them all. Otherwise you're just hording abilities. "Whoops! I used my gauntlets of ogre power daily. I'll just take these off, and put on my Gauntlets of Punching. Used that daily. Time to put on my gloves of phasing hands."

I agree. The RPGA experienced this as the "Oops, I used my Healer's Belt" routine. Powerful, but silly.

Thaumaturge.

 

[bert1000]

Anyone else notice that the daily weapon abilities were minor and free actions? Looks like you can stack them with some juicy powers...

 

[Stalker0]

n addition, each character can only activate a few different magic item powers in a given day, so the guy who brings a loaded pack full of flashy items doesn’t get as much bang for his buck.

That's interesting. It looks like there may be some innate limit to how magic item powers are activated.

For example, once you spend a daily power from your "weapon" slot, even if you equip a new magic item you won't be able to get the extra benefit. This may actually make TWF a lot more attractive, if it lets you use two weapon powers.

 

[keterys]

I don't think there are any plain +1 weapons. I think all magical items have abilities of some kind.

Also, am I the only one who really isn't seeing how awesome a 14th level item is that just grants cover nullification? At level 14, I expect the Pcs to be able to teleport behind the cover and squish the guy. Is cover really expected to be significant at that level?

There are still plain +1 weapons, actually. They add +1d6 extra damage per plus, and that's it.

So, based on what we've seen, some examples for each 'tier' of cost.

Level 1: +1 magic weapon (+2 at 6, +3 at 11, etc)
Level 2: +1 vicious weapon
Level 3: +1 frost weapon
Level 4: +1 lightning weapon
Level 5: +1 flaming weapon

And we know stats for all but lightning.

 

[Aria Silverhands]

I dunno, the fact that it bursts into flame every time they swing it should be a pretty decent clue.

Why would it burst into flame without the proper mental command to do so? It requires a free action to activate, which to me, says that the pc must consciously decide to activate the weapon. Thus it requires something to do so. Maybe it's a mental or spoken command word, "FLAME ON!" or a hidden ring to twist or something. It should be the same thing for all characters though. You shouldn't make the flaming sword a physical activation just because the fighter uses it whereas the wizard would use arcana to discover the mental command word.

 

[Rechan]

There are still plain +1 weapons, actually. They add +1d6 extra damage per plus, and that's it

An extra 1d6... when? Per attack? On a crit?

Level 2: +1 vicious weapon

What do these do, again?

 

[Sir_Darien]

I would assume that you can use the amount of powers from magical items that you can physically wear.

However, if you have, let's say, 20 items in a bag of holding, you can't use them all. Otherwise you're just hording abilities. "Whoops! I used my gauntlets of ogre power daily. I'll just take these off, and put on my Gauntlets of Punching. Used that daily. Time to put on my gloves of phasing hands. Now it's time for the gauntlets of kitten petting."
"Hey, pass over those gauntlets of ogre power - I can use that daily!"
"Here, here's the gauntlets of punching, you can use these after that one too.

If thats all it limits, I'll be a happy camper. I just don't want to see cool utility items go the way of the dodo because someone doesn't want to give up any potential beatdown power. As log as you can use fun, versatile items without loosing your ability to kick butt, I'll be ok with the system.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Your DM might ask for an Arcana check to determine their properties, or you might even need to go on a special quest to find a ritual to identify or to unlock the powers of a unique item.

The article says you can play other ways too.

Thaumaturge.