Magic item rarity revision forthcoming?

[DevoutlyApathetic]

So...where are the rare items written up?

I just checked my copy of Heroes of the Fallen Lands and I didn't see any in there. Are they all in the, otherwise irrelevant, DM's kit thing?

 

[666Sinner666]

It is important to note that while characters can no longer craft uncommon and rare items from naught they can still upgrade uncommon and rare items they already poses to the next level for the difference in gold. So you could conceiveably cherry pick your items that span a majority of the levels and upgrade them as you go. That is assuming you can convince your DM to just hand out gold in lieu of magic items.

Personally while I love my min/max powergaming I also enjoy the thrill of not knowing whats coming next. So unless the DM forces me to create a wishlist I simply ask that he keep in mind what kind of kit my character uses when deciding what magic items to dole out.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Part of the problem is that so many of the magic items that exist are just... bad. The top 10 magic items are so popular because everything else is not only boring, it's also awful. The rarity change on it's own fixes nothing.

Mind you, the removal of limits on dailies does help quite a bit. At least you're not going to go "Man, another item with a daily? Guess I'll never activate THAT". I mean you're still probably going "Man, this daily bites", but at least you'll be able to use it occasionally.

 

[Chzbro]

Part of the problem is that so many of the magic items that exist are just... bad.

This is so true. Part of me really wishes they could scrap all the magic items and start over based on what they've learned so far (and on the rarity system).

For example, it's a crying shame that an awesome, iconic item like a flaming sword is so stinking lame. If you have a specific build to take advantage of the fire damage, you wouldn't trade a flaming weapon for anything else. Otherwise, you'd trade a +1 flaming weapon for a common, run-of-the-mill +2 weapon in a heartbeat.

It really shouldn't be that way. But sadly, it's that way for sooo many items. Maybe it's time for some fixes to magic items similar to the way MM3 fixed monsters (and by "maybe" I mean "definitely").

 

[SkidAce]

For example, it's a crying shame that an awesome, iconic item like a flaming sword is so stinking lame. If you have a specific build to take advantage of the fire damage, you wouldn't trade a flaming weapon for anything else. Otherwise, you'd trade a +1 flaming weapon for a common, run-of-the-mill +2 weapon in a heartbeat.

Hey Chzbro...could you elaborate on why this is the case for me?

 

[Mirtek]

No longer will ever fighter have IAoP etc. Things like shields might even get some spot time.

Except for every essentials melee striker who will be happily wearing his BoMS and laugh about his pre-essentials colleagues

Hey Chzbro...could you elaborate on why this is the case for me?

Because the math doesn't leave any room for doubt. You might chose the inferior option if you like the flavor more, but +1 to hit / +1 to damage beats 11/22/32 once per day. Simple as that.

There are hardly any enhancements that beat a plain +x weapon with +1 more, and most of them only beat it if you have a build centered around it.

 

[Chzbro]

Hey Chzbro...could you elaborate on why this is the case for me?

Mirtek said it well already. The designers wanted to "tone down" the power of magic items, and they succeeded...only they were a little too good at their job.

The flaming weapon (at heroic tier) does an extra 5 damage and ongoing 5 once per day. It's flavorful, but it's not mechanically interesting, nor does that bonus damage much tempt anyone to prefer a flaming weapon to even the most basic upgrade.

If a flaming weapon's ongoing fire damage were an encounter power, for example, that might be a harder choice.

But the point is, most of the magic items out there right now are either specialized or not very special.

Of course, it *has* to be like this if you're going to let new PCs choose 3 magic items at creation. The items need to be fairly white-bread or else the power curve would be ridiculous. The new item rarity changes this though. Common items need to be white-bread, but uncommon ones don't. Unfortunately, they already are.

The result is, if you have an uncommon +1 flaming sword (lv 5) and find a common +2 sword (lv 6), you'll junk the uncommon item without giving it a second thought. I imagine the designers wish this weren't the case. I know I do, but at this point the problem is pretty deeply ingrained in the system.

 

[Evilhalfling]

*delete*
*clarified below*

 

[Evilhalfling]

So...where are the rare items written up?

I just checked my copy of Heroes of the Fallen Lands and I didn't see any in there. Are they all in the, otherwise irrelevant, DM's kit thing?

there are two in the free adventure that comes with Monster Vault.
which I love btw, so I advise not reading it if you have a chance to play it.

I have a lovely word doc that lists all the common items, powers & levels
I HR'd the following to the list

Symbol of divine reach (3+)
Durable Armor (4+)
Flaming Weapon (5+)
Arcanist’s Glasses (3rd)
Hunter Flint (2nd)

I know that flaming weapons suck for the item level I think ill pull them down to an level 3 item.
It is based on the fact that my god of magic is also my god of fire, so flaming weapons for everyone!

The common items were actually pretty well selected, many of them are above average in usefulness for the level.

 

[lonebrendan]

Except for every essentials melee striker who will be happily wearing his BoMS and laugh about his pre-essentials colleagues

I don't recognize the acronym. What is BoMS?



Edit: nevermind, Bracers of Mighty Striking. I remember now.
Useable only with basic melee attacks. It's cheaper than Iron Armbands too. An easy choice for essentials characters making only those types of attacks. Pretty useless for everyone else.