Magical items

[Leatherhead]

As a DM, I would rather have magic item shops in my games.

For one thing, it makes more sense than having just the right item for every player in a treasure horde. After the third halfling sized magic full plate, elven chain mail, orcish doubleaxe, and large sized magic robe, it gets just a little hard to suspend your disbelief.

Magic item shops also conveniently take care of all those outdated magic items the PC's have around, without having to destroy them or rely on the old "thief's come and take your stuff in the night" handwaving. Because we all know how aggravating it is to have your hard earned stuff taken away from you.

Having "powerful" characters anchored to a location helps the places survivability quite a bit. How exactly town filled with common dwarves out in the wilds survive against all the nasty monsters anyway? Well they have Thunderhammer, the journeyman runesmith, helping them set up wards and outfitting the guards on contract.

But of course, people will disagree with me.

 

[Spatula]

Hi, i just looked over the magical item rules in the old ADnD 2nd edition book and i really hope, 4e crafting roles will be similar.

Doubtful.

I don´t want to say it should be handled that exact way,

You chose those quotes.

Players going into the shop and trading their precious items was annoying to say the least.

The items couldn't have been very precious (to the PCs) if they are selling them.

Everyone expecting to see "You cannoy buy or sell magic items" in the 4e rulebook is going to be sorely disappointed, I am thinking. Ultimately it is a campaign issue and not a rules issue.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don´t think
a) magical items should not be crafted
b) magical items of all sorts should be purchasable

I think crafting and buying a magical item should lead to adventures. Maybe i should have quoted some more parts

Transforming money and xp into magical items via a feat sounded neat, but its boring and annoying.

Here again the most important quote (like said in the opening post):

"This is part of the fun of the ADnD game. Making a magical item is more than just a mechanical process. It should also be an opportunity for excitement and role-playing"

If you need a voulge-guisam, you need a to find a master smith, and he should send you on a quest to bring him the needed materials... Its not that it couldn´t be handled that way in 3.x, but there the mechanical process was highlited instead of the materials.

And maybe i would let Adventurers buy standard +1 or +2 weapons and potions, but anything else won´t be available.

You also should consider: Magic shops must be run by high level solo monsters (or epic NPCs) or else it won´t be a magic shop for long... or otherwise the question arises: go to the dragon lair, or just kill the magic shop owner and take his stuff)

 

[Spatula]

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.

You had to be 9th level just to make potions or scrolls, of any level, in 2e. 1e was similar in that regard, IIRC, although I no longer have a 1e DMG to check the exact level minimums.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Hmmh... ok, you are right...
but this was not the focus of my thread. this was just a response to another post. As i said, its not the level requirement, its the flavour of the mechanics. 3.x had only mechanics with no flavour in the PHB feat section, which suggested that magic is somehow mundane... ADnD had it specifically in the DMG...

I know in 4e it is in the PHB, even more than in 3.x, but with rituals, creating magical items could still feel magical... and thats all i ask for...

 

[Spatula]

You also should consider: Magic shops must be run by high level solo monsters (or epic NPCs) or else it won´t be a magic shop for long... or otherwise the question arises: go to the dragon lair, or just kill the magic shop owner and take his stuff)

One wonders why all our banks and jewelry stores are not overseen exclusively by special forces-types.

I know in 4e it is in the PHB, even more than in 3.x, but with rituals, creating magical items could still feel magical... and thats all i ask for...

Hopefully, but it's a tricky thing. The existance of mechanics makes the process somewhat mechanical, by definition.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

One wonders why all our banks and jewelry stores are not overseen exclusively by special forces-types.

We have police and alarm systems, and, more important not so easily available in a points of light setting. And also it is not so easy to hide in the woods these days...

and as i said, there could be cities where magic stores exist, but such a city will be a "magical" experience by itself...

 

[Spatula]

We have police and alarm systems, and, more important not so easily available in a points of light setting. And also it is not so easy to hide in the woods these days...

The woods aren't going to protect you from magical detection, unless they are some interestingly magical woods. And I'm not sure why "points of light" means there are suddenly no magical alarms or bounty hunters in D&D. In the history of human society, anyone sitting on a highly valuable resource has had the means and the incentive to guard it well.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The woods aren't going to protect you from magical detection, unless they are some interestingly magical woods. And I'm not sure why "points of light" means there are suddenly no magical alarms or bounty hunters in D&D. In the history of human society, anyone sitting on a highly valuable resource has had the means and the incentive to guard it well.

You have magical items so powerfull, that you can beat any bounty hunter. And as a trader i would be very cautious if someone buys rings of nondetection...

I still think magic shops as such should not exist as a regular basis. There may be some tavelling traders and some people who can create itm for you an some places where certain items exist, but not in every little town, too far away from the rulers castle.

Magic items that are cheaper than a suit of platemail should be purchasable where you can get platemail (also not in any border town), and they should also be cretable by low level characters. (no more potions at LVL 9)

 

[FadedC]

Yeah I never really liked the idea of an actual magic store (except in rare cases) but certainly some magic items should probably be for sale by certain channels. Despite what the old school books might say, I see players interested in selling their outdated or less useful magical items all the time.

In my game I usually assumed that various wealthy and powerful individuals (possibly including other adventurers) had magic items they did not need any more, or they just needed the gold. You couldn't just go to a store and buy them, but with the right contacts (or high gather information check)and maybe a trip to a merchants guild who could hook you up, you might be able to find a buyer or seller. Of course you'd be unlikely to find exactly what you want.