How are others handling RHC Item Requisitions?

[von_recklinghausen]

All,

I'm running the Zeitgeist AP in Pathfinder (we're just starting the second adventure), and although the game is going great, I'm not thrilled about how the stipend/item requisition has been playing out. I don't have a great list of items for players to shop from when considering requisitions, so I feel like it has been under-utilized.

I also tend to like to avoid a world of lots of indistinguishable magic items, so while I'm fine with letting my players get consumable magics (potions, scrolls, etc.), I'm hesitant to have them stocking up on all the permanent magic items they can afford at their local RHC superstore.

As I'm thinking this through, I was wondering how other GMs are handling this. Have you developed a particular pricelist of items that you let players buy off of? (and if so, do you have a list you'd be willing to share?) How are you finding the requisition dynamics? Have others linked prestige requests into the requisition process (perhaps by limiting your players' ability to requisition more powerful items based on a prestige check)?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Samuel Cole]

I'm running 4E instead of Pathfinder, so I don't know how useful my response will be, but I feel similarly about generic magic items - I want magic items to have emotional importance and to have a place in the narrative. "Dr Von Recklinghausen gave me this sword to pay for smuggling him out of Risur" is way more interesting to me than "Sweet, I can afford a short sword +2 now."

So, I'm doing the following:

• Using the Inherent Bonuses option for character advancement. I have no idea if there's a Pathfinder equivalent.
• Giving the PCs only 25% of the suggested gold.
• Allowing them to purchase pretty much whatever they want with that gold, knowing that they'll mostly be buying utility items (e.g. Acrobat Boots) instead of power-up items.
• A few of my players are not particularly interested in pouring through sourcebooks looking for cool items (or most other fiddly details of character advancement), so for those characters, I pick items and find ways to introduce them into the plot.

Hope that helps!

 

[von_recklinghausen]

Thanks, Sam -- that does help. It sounds like it tracks what I'm planning, too. I've also been tracking Purple Duck Games' legendary items series -- exactly the type of story-rich items I'm looking for. Thought you might find them useful as well.

 

[Orryn Emrys]

I had actually had a similar concern (also running it in Pathfinder). I'm not particularly fond of the proliferation of generic magic items, and I was worried about just opening the proverbial book and letting them choose. What I've discovered, however, is that even though the process of electing to use their stipend to purchase a +1 longsword seems very blasé, the cost of permanent magic items keeps them from going crazy. As it happens, many of our PCs like to reserve cash for other things, invest in potions and such more freely, and even invest in urban renewal projects in Flint. (Who saw that coming?)

Of course, it helps that we're only fourth level and about half way through Adventure Three.

 

[skotothalamos]

Bullets. Tons and tons of magic bullets.

I'm doing something similar to Samuel Cole: 4e, Inherent Bonuses, reduced stipend.

It's a godsend for 4e; I don't have to manage wish lists and dropping items into adventures (which always felt weird, because in our last campaign I had a spreadsheet of who had what "tier" of item in each slot, and then I would pick things I thought they would like and use, but then they'd give the treasure to the "wrong" character, and then someone would get left behind. I much prefer just letting them pick out their own magic item combos)

 

[imars]

I merely let my players shop in the PF Core rule book magic items lists. We are just finishing book two and the players have bought +1 weapons or armor. Nothing game breaking.

 

[mefet]

I leave them buy wahetever they want from the books, and the ítem is bring to them from the armories from Slate.
They are going to need the ítems, and, in case you haven't noticed, they have to return any "loot" they find in their adventures, requisition is the way for them to have the magic ítems they are supposed to have at each level.