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Magic Threshold?
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 4756466" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>4E NPC design allows you to not worry about having to gear out your NPCs - their attack and defense numbers doesn't rely on items.</p><p></p><p>But this means you can't just add +3 when you do give your Orc Chieftain a +3 Axe. To make the Orc not rely on items, it has already got a bonus to its stat consistent with average items for its level. Let's say this bonus is +2. </p><p></p><p>Thus, if you added the +3 for the Axe, you would really end up with a bonus of +5 (because of the underlying built-in +2 bonus), which is too much - it would make magic items too valuable for NPCs (essentially doubling the enhancement bonus).</p><p></p><p>You only want to add the part of the +3 that's not already added in.</p><p></p><p>Which, of course, is 3-2=1. So when you give the Orc the +3 Axe, you add +1 to attacks and damage.</p><p></p><p>Note that this number, 2, is the threshold number. I hope you now see why the DMG instructs you to deduct the threshhold number for the monster's level from any gear you hand out to NPCs. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>PS. If you were to give the same +3 axe to a low-level town villager, that NPC is constructed with no magic bonus at all. Hence, the threshold number is 0. Hence, the axe would grant all of its +3 to attacks and damage for this NPC.</p><p></p><p>And finally, player characters. Like that villager, a PC (of any level) is built with no assumption of a magic item threshold. This is why when the party kills the Orcs, they get to add the full +3 to their own attack and damage stats!</p><p></p><p>Not as difficult as it might seem, I trust?! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 4756466, member: 12731"] 4E NPC design allows you to not worry about having to gear out your NPCs - their attack and defense numbers doesn't rely on items. But this means you can't just add +3 when you do give your Orc Chieftain a +3 Axe. To make the Orc not rely on items, it has already got a bonus to its stat consistent with average items for its level. Let's say this bonus is +2. Thus, if you added the +3 for the Axe, you would really end up with a bonus of +5 (because of the underlying built-in +2 bonus), which is too much - it would make magic items too valuable for NPCs (essentially doubling the enhancement bonus). You only want to add the part of the +3 that's not already added in. Which, of course, is 3-2=1. So when you give the Orc the +3 Axe, you add +1 to attacks and damage. Note that this number, 2, is the threshold number. I hope you now see why the DMG instructs you to deduct the threshhold number for the monster's level from any gear you hand out to NPCs. :) PS. If you were to give the same +3 axe to a low-level town villager, that NPC is constructed with no magic bonus at all. Hence, the threshold number is 0. Hence, the axe would grant all of its +3 to attacks and damage for this NPC. And finally, player characters. Like that villager, a PC (of any level) is built with no assumption of a magic item threshold. This is why when the party kills the Orcs, they get to add the full +3 to their own attack and damage stats! Not as difficult as it might seem, I trust?! :) [/QUOTE]
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