How do you Distribute Magic Items?

[Ferghis]

Tallifer has it right. Parcels, selection or rolling of items, and so on is unnecessary work for a DM. You could make it even simpler by just giving out components, and letting them make their own items: this gives the DM veto power over most items, and also does away with an oddity of paragon and epic level economics. That kind of money can single-handedly solve hunger, or have other dramatic effects on the setting. By giving mostly components instead of money, PCs are more limited in how they can affect the setting.

Plot items are obviously excluded from this system.

 

[Tallifer]

You could make it even simpler by just giving out components, and letting them make their own items: this gives the DM veto power over most items, and also does away with an oddity of paragon and epic level economics. That kind of money can single-handedly solve hunger, or have other dramatic effects on the setting. By giving mostly components instead of money, PCs are more limited in how they can affect the setting.

I agree about not giving money. I hate the gold economics of the Fourth Edition, and so I like to use just an abstract "gold-piece-worth" of treasure which the players translate into magical loot through storytelling.

However, I have little desire to limit or frustrate my players, so I would not limit them to only what common items they can craft at their level. But to each table its own style.

 

[Ferghis]

However, I have little desire to limit or frustrate my players, so I would not limit them to only what common items they can craft at their level. But to each table its own style.

I think most DMs would agree with you. I just mention the veto power so that a DM can veto specific items that can turn certain adventures into too much of a cakewalk (teleport-preventing items against a teleporting monster, or flight items for overland adventures, and so on).

 

[Balesir]

I agree about not giving money. I hate the gold economics of the Fourth Edition, and so I like to use just an abstract "gold-piece-worth" of treasure which the players translate into magical loot through storytelling.

One "4e variant" I really want to try sometime separates gold and items somewhat as follows:

- Residuum exists as the "stuff of magic items"; it is rare and essentially impossible to create (maybe underdark mines produce it in small quantities, or something). It is also more or less indestructible.

- Making a magic item requires its full "value" in residuum, plus ritual components with a value of 10% of the item "value" (I put "value" in quotes, here, since the residuum can no longer be either made nor bought for gold).

- Disenchantment always gives an item's full "value" in residuum - not 20% or 50% or whatever; the residuum is "indestructible".

- Rituals and consumables do not require residuum at all - just ritual components in the normal way. An exception might be "consumables" that have some permanent effect, like the "Illumian Syllables" that were in Dragon a while back. Basically, permanent effects require residuum.

This modified system would put a strict limit on magic items, but put the form of the items firmly in the players' court. Ritualists would be available in the game world who can make items - but they would require to be provided with the residuum to do so (and would charge 20% to 40% of the item's value to make it).

Artifacts, naturally, fall outside this system entirely, being impossible to buy, sell, make or disenchant using this mechanism.

 

[Storminator]

Badly.

This is one part of DMing that I'm really sucking at. I give inherent bonuses, and free magic items all the time to compensate.

I let the players pick 3 free items, Level -1, Level, and Level +1. Those 3 can be replaced at each level without even checking with me. That keeps me off of the item treadmill and lets each PC get what they want. Then I give everyone inherent bonuses, in case they don't want to spend one of their 3 freebies on weapon/implement/neck/armor. THEN I give inherent bonus attacks without an item +1d6 per plus on crits.

Then I give out a few items or boons that cannot be swapped. A Helm of Seven Deaths, the Eye of Vecna, a couple of boons - fire resistance for killing a fire elemental, intimidate bonuses for killing the hobgoblin king.

Then I give out far too little gold. Since they don't need to buy a lot of gear I don't mind shorting them some, but they don't have enough gold to do much interesting either.

Still needs work.

PS

 

[Ryujin]

The treasure parcel system isn't all that bad. For the one 'left out' player I just give an opportunity to purchase an appropriate item, with the money that is also received in the parcel system, though I will also occasionally go beyond stated treasure guidelines too.

I tried the wish list thing, at first, but found that I was frequently better at giving the players what they wanted than they were at deciding for themselves. When it comes to the first or second level of a new 'plus', I'll frequently just say, "An item at level X", then let them choose for themselves. Such level items are fairly generic.

In "Death's Reach", when faced with a couple of players who both could use new armour, I had each character see the 'Dawn War Armour' as something appropriate to their class, stating that the ancient and powerful magic of the item was simply beyond their mortal understanding. Worked pretty well and derailed hack and slash, for actual role play, for a good while

 

[babinro]

In the most Out of Character fashion possible.

I tell my players to pick a magical item of their choosing (level+2 or lower) and have them prepared for the session. Upon reaching the designated point where treasure is earned, they get whatever they wanted.

Before my players were familiar with 4E, I simply handed out equipment as best I could as the DM. Over time though, players want to make specific builds and I see no reason to stand in their way when it comes to gear. As DM, I have the ability to adjust encounter difficulty as needed.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

The first magic item for the group was discovered last night, and found a way that both worked for the group, and was a little throw back to the old random magic item tables of previous edition. I made a little table for myself to help choose which type, level, and item they found.

First the rolled a d8 to determine which slot (weapon, armor, arms, boots, head etc.) they found, then rolled a d4 for which level (they're level 6 so their options were levels 7-10). They found a level 10 set of magic boots. Then a third member rolled (was a d6 i think) to determine which item they found. The ended up with Boots of Mighty Charging.

Next time around, they'll roll be not be able to get the 10th level slot. I may not give out boots again, but will keep it open because one player still doesn't have any magic boots. I've also decided to try and give each character an item per level. This may get a little hard, because two of them (our fighter/cleric hybrid and paladin) have similar interests, but now I can choose not to give a melee-based item for a while, letting the wizard or ranger get the next one.

I've also decided that once per item, if the entire group decides they don't like what they've rolled, they can reroll the final roll (determining which item they got) and get a different item of the same level and slot. They must keep the second item.

Magic items in 4th edition range everywhere from exciting to disappointing. My goal with this method is to make it easy to give out treasure, keep it exciting for the players, and keep some of the wonder and mystery about these items as they surface in the world.

Trit

 

[Goonalan]

Well.

The PCs have a wish list- I tell them only to put on the list stuff they absolutely want, and only one item per level- for approx. PC level +5- so a level 1 PC has six items, one each of level 1-6. I get them to update this a set times, basically they get to update the list every 3 levels, or so.

The PC who gets me his or her list first, or updates first, gets first magic item- and so on... second, second etc. Each item is worked in to the story, even if only minor story type stuff, I only give out items PC level +3 Max generally.

I distribute two Magic Items per level (all PCs level at the same time).

Common Magic Items are available of course, but they take time to craft and residuum is rare, so other than Potions of Healing, and minor stuff etc. there's generally not a lot available at low level.

The guys can pick up a +1 weapon main weapon/implement or whatever but they forfeit their next magic item from their lists- if the games hard going then I let it be known that they can get magic armour, or other stuff.

In game (new campaign) the PCs are level 2, so-

Morok, Dwarf Battlerager, recovered the Magical Craghammer of his Clan, having bested a Mercenary Dwarf leader to rest the item from his cold dead hands.

Ayumu, Elf Psion, defeated a Goblin Wizard, second in command of the Black Tongue Goblins to claim a Magical Orb which had been whispering to him (although he was not aware of this) for the last session or two- drawing Ayumu closer, the Orb will have a backstory too- when Ayumu finds it out.

Destructorr, Warforged Fighter, if tonights game goes to plan, will be gifted the ability to transmute his right hand in to a magical aftershock battleaxe- basically the fingers join together and then fan out in some mad transformer style. He will be gifted this by a Lich... Yeah, I like to mess with the guys, the PCs will also receive some new info which will certainly leave Destructorr's player wondering who his character really is.

I figure magic items, even the lowly +1 Sword, should have a bit of depth, they should get a name- even if it's only the name of the guy they slew to get it- the PCs often name their items- Goblinslayer, is just a +1 sword that was there for two natural 20's etc. and thus the legend of the sword is born.

That is all.

Cheers PDR

 

[Torgaard]

I use the Asmor.com Quartermaster to generate Treasure Parcels, mostly just for the coin, gems, etc.



For the Parcels that have magic items: I semi-randomize or I pick them myself. It'll almost never be something nobody can use. I typically look for items that more than one player in the party could use.



Note that I often try to give my magic items some flavor. It's never enough that it's a Hammer +2. It needs to have a short little bit of background info. It may just be the previous owners initials etched into the pommel, or it may be a little writeup tied in with a Lore check where it turns out a player has heard of this hammer (it belonged to Borgan the Bastard, a mercenary known for his vicious temper, not seen in these parts for a year or two). Stuff like that. I feel like it helps players identify with their items. Makes them feel like they're unique.


I'll also often rename magic items. I guess one that comes to mind recently, is that I took a Belt of Fitness and named it "Galanon's Belt", as they found it on the dessicated body of a dead elven ranger (who'd apparently embossed his name, in elvish, on the inside of the belt).