Magical items

[Revinor]

If the magic items ability is based off from the level of the character using it (which I believe it is), it takes away the need to have magic shops, etc. That magic +1 sword you found at 3rd level (Because swords go up by 1 every 3 character levels I believe) will do you fine at 18th level (being a +6 in your hands at that level!!).

And what if I would like to fight with voulge-guisarme? I'll probably find 50 magic sword, axes, daggers and bows and maybe even 4 exotic polearms, but not thing I'm using.

In 3e fighters were free to chose the weapon they wanted, because of possibility of reasonably easy enchantment. If you want to depend on random treasure, everybody should just choose most common weapons. Unless, somehow, magic voulge-guisarme will happen to be in treasure of the dragon, even if nobody even knew 1 week before that such weapon even exists (you probably cannot be more obvious with 'presents' from DM then giving exactly the same exotic polearm as player is using).

Next point - are you 100% sure that every magic item with bonuses advances with players? Isn't it limited to only very specific weapons/items with a lot of history? If all items do it, then around 6-7 level players will lose interest in finding better treasure - they will have all they need (maybe except rings/wondrous items). Items from 11 level warlock

Implement: +3 rod of dark reward
Armor: +3 leather armor
Neck: +2 cloak of survival

at least suggest that bonuses are not increasing with the same speed. I doubt that do increase at all in common case, except some kind of super-legacy-legend weapons.

I'm afraid 4th edition is back to explanation that you find magic items in cabbage, just like children, instead of going into more involved process. Who puts them in cabbage ? Doesn't matter, as long as game is fun, does it?

 

[lvl20dm]

It also seems like they've made an effort to balance the game in such a way there are only a few magic items that a given character is expected to possess. This should help mitigate the "arms race" with magic items (particularly stat buffers, which appear to be largely removed) that so often turned high-level play into an accounting game (for the player and the DM). By balancing the items off of level and not cost, we won't have to worry quite as much about the exact value of treasure recovered in every adventure.

 

[lvl20dm]

It sounds like we have an enchantment process with rituals, so preferring a certain weapon, even an exotic one, shouldn't be prohibitive. The real question is what one does with the random magic weapons and armor a party finds that nobody wants to use. It doesn't sound like you'll have anybody to sell to (except other adventurers?). Perhaps a ritual exists that allows one to drain magical essence for enchantments elsewhere (like the Artificer in 3e).

 

[PeelSeel2]

And what if I would like to fight with voulge-guisarme? I'll probably find 50 magic sword, axes, daggers and bows and maybe even 4 exotic polearms, but not thing I'm using.

Sounds like your DM(s) need to cater to their players a little more!

I'm afraid 4th edition is back to explanation that you find magic items in cabbage, just like children, instead of going into more involved process. Who puts them in cabbage ? Doesn't matter, as long as game is fun, does it?

The Cabbage was so late 80's/ Early 90's. I prefer the earlier, and healthier, Lettuce.

 

[Fobok]

Personally, I really disliked the XP cost of crafting magic items, but I liked the rest of the system. I hope the new system is just as flexible.

I usually run high-magic settings like Forgotten Realms. I am actually interested in trying out Eberron in 4e, too. (I avoided it in 3e because I couldn't put the setting together in my head, the mix of Vancian magic and magic being so common it's like technology just didn't work for me. In 4e it sounds like I'll be able to wrap my head around it.)

It sounds like we have an enchantment process with rituals, so preferring a certain weapon, even an exotic one, shouldn't be prohibitive. The real question is what one does with the random magic weapons and armor a party finds that nobody wants to use. It doesn't sound like you'll have anybody to sell to (except other adventurers?). Perhaps a ritual exists that allows one to drain magical essence for enchantments elsewhere (like the Artificer in 3e).

Now this sounds like a really cool idea. If this isn't an option, I might house-rule it in.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Personally, I really disliked the XP cost of crafting magic items, but I liked the rest of the system. I hope the new system is just as flexible.

3.x system is not flexible at all...

Craft a magic ring? you have to be Level 12, even for a ring of protection +1! Don´t know where they all came from.

A ritual without a feat as prerequisite sounds much more appealing. Better have a short adventure to get your rare components and the right spells available.

 

[Revinor]

3.x system is not flexible at all...

Craft a magic ring? you have to be Level 12, even for a ring of protection +1! Don´t know where they all came from.

D&D 4th edition is so MUCH more flexible as far as rings are concerned, because you require 11 lvl to wear it...

You should choose different example than rings - 4th ed limitation is a lot more 'artificial' than 3e one.

 

[Rabbitbait]

It sounds like we have an enchantment process with rituals, so preferring a certain weapon, even an exotic one, shouldn't be prohibitive. The real question is what one does with the random magic weapons and armor a party finds that nobody wants to use. It doesn't sound like you'll have anybody to sell to (except other adventurers?). Perhaps a ritual exists that allows one to drain magical essence for enchantments elsewhere (like the Artificer in 3e).

I think you'll have no problem selling them. Magic items will be rare enough that you'll have a long line of willing buyers. PCs buying them will be a different story because adventurers are now a rare breed, so in most campaigns it think it is likely that 99% of magic items available in the market will be those that were found by the PCs.

In other words, the reason the PCs won't be able to buy the magic items they want is because the only ones available are the ones they found and sold earlier in their careers.

 

[Lord Sessadore]

I think you'll have no problem selling them. Magic items will be rare enough that you'll have a long line of willing buyers. PCs buying them will be a different story because adventurers are now a rare breed, so in most campaigns it think it is likely that 99% of magic items available in the market will be those that were found by the PCs.

In other words, the reason the PCs won't be able to buy the magic items they want is because the only ones available are the ones they found and sold earlier in their careers.

Hah, that gives me an idea. Suppose the PCs sold some item that was rather powerful, but they didn't have any use for it. Now imagine their distress when some recurring (or new) villain turns out to be the buyer! Nothing like the insult of equipping your enemies!

Anyway, as for the magic item system in general, I doubt that many magic items will scale naturally with level. If I'm not mistaken, the +x by level y thing is the assumption of the underlying math of the system, not a natural progression inherent in the magic of the items. That said, it doesn't necessarily mean that the PCs have to constantly sell their old items and buy new - a system like the samurai's daisho in OA, or the Kensai PrC's weapon would please me greatly. Especially with the flavor suggested by lvl20dm where other items are drained of their magical essence to grant power to the upgraded item. Having this as a ritual would also be cool, though if it was I would rather it didn't have prohibitively rare special components or whatever. In other words, make it reasonably easy for the PCs to upgrade their weapons and all that as they gain power.

 

[Revinor]

I think you'll have no problem selling them. Magic items will be rare enough that you'll have a long line of willing buyers.

Then you make an auction. Increase the price for as long as there is not longer a long line.

In other words, the reason the PCs won't be able to buy the magic items they want is because the only ones available are the ones they found and sold earlier in their careers.

And who makes magic items? They have to enter the world somehow. And if somebody makes then, then he probably sells them. For a good price.

Unless art of making magic items is long lost and you can find only artifacts from old times. In such case, amount of magic items in world will decrease with time (as some will get destroyed). It will also mean that there will be major hunt after adventurer parties (you can probably find like 50 good magic items on 10lvl party as opposed to 1-2 in 15lvl dragon treasure). And after somebody will kill adventurers and rob 50 magic items, he will probably have to pay 100 soldiers he has hired for this job, so many of those items will get back to market (and names of buyers will be carefully noted, so they can be robbed few months later).

I think it is always a question of price. If somebody will give you kingdom for your sword +1, you will gladly sell your sword, even if you don't have anything else. If somebody will propose to exchange it for banana, you will refuse. Somewhere between kingdom and banana is the price of sword +1 for which you can buy it in any bigger .