skelso
First Post
Randomly determined magic items are more fun, in my opinion, than pre-assigned loot. It lets the PCs get creative with their treasure. However, for many players random loot = funny shaped gold coins. They just sell it immediately to either buy, make or requisition the item they want with the cash. That really isn't that much fun. An idea occurred to me that might help with this that seems so simple that I'm sure someone's suggested it (or published it) already. If so, please let me know.
This is really only useful for magic weapons and armor. I can't think of a way to set something up like this for wondrous items, rings, rods, etc.
Basically, all magic weapons and armor would be much more modular. You start with a masterwork item, and then enchant it to a +1. That part is exactly the same as before. However, all further enchantment of the item revolves around the addition of some kind of module or modules that could be removed and stuck to different items, maybe a little bit like Materia from Final Fantasy 7.
Each magic weapon or armor essentially has 9 slots for up to 9 enchantment "Crystals." Slots 2 through 10. They are numbered this way because the "first" slot is taken by the enchantment. Each enchantment "Crystal" is designed to reside in one specific slot and cannot reside in any others. Furthermore, you cannot put a Crystal in a slot if there is a lower slot empty. Regardless of what each Crystal contains, whether it's just an enchantment "plus" or a special quality like Flaming, the value of the Crystal is based on which slot it's designed to go into, using the following table.
+2 - 6000
+3 - 10000
+4 - 14000
+5 - 18000
+6 - 22000
+7 - 26000
+8 - 30000
+9 - 34000
+10 - 38000
For example, suppose the adventuring party liberates a +2 Flaming Longsword from an evil drow. The DM decides that the Flaming crystal resides in the +2 slot and the extra Plus is in the +3 slot. The party has no one who prefers to use a longsword, they remove the Crystals (a 2-Flaming and 3-Plus) and sells the +1 Longsword. Then, maybe the Barbarian adds them both to his +1 Greataxe, or maybe the Cleric adds the Flaming Crystal to his +1 Mace and the Rogue adds the 3-Plus to his +2 Rapier.
If the item has a special quality that takes up more than one slot, like the Flaming Burst quality, the DM must determine specifically which two (or more) slots the Crystal is meant to occupy and then add those two slot values together to determine Market value. If, in the earlier example, the sword had been a +2 Flaming Burst Longsword (2,3-Flaming Burst and 4-Plus) and the party decided to sell the Flaming Burst Crystal, but no one else in the party had a magic weapon with slots 2 and 3 filled, then they would have to just hang on to the 4-Plus until they could get some Crystals to fill a weapon to 3 slots.
Armor would work similarly, except special qualities that do not use a '+' to determine price are simply worth the listed price (e.g. Acid Resistance - 18,000gp) and don't occupy a slot. The values of each slot are listed below:
+2 - 3000
+3 - 5000
+4 - 7000
+5 - 9000
+6 - 11000
+7 - 13000
+8 - 15000
+9 - 17000
+10 - 19000
Optional rule: All masterwork weapons and armor have 10 slots and any masterwork items can be made magic by adding a 1st slot enchantment to the item.
Optional rule: Don't worry about tying enchantments to specific slots, just simply make them all worth 6000 for weapons and 3000 for armor (more if they occupy more than 1 slot.) Let them stack them however they like (but don't let them have Plusses greater than 5 or total enchantment greater than 10). This will lower the effective value of dropped weapons and armor a bit, but will dramatically increase the power level of their equipment. Be careful.
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any comments or constructive criticism.
This is really only useful for magic weapons and armor. I can't think of a way to set something up like this for wondrous items, rings, rods, etc.
Basically, all magic weapons and armor would be much more modular. You start with a masterwork item, and then enchant it to a +1. That part is exactly the same as before. However, all further enchantment of the item revolves around the addition of some kind of module or modules that could be removed and stuck to different items, maybe a little bit like Materia from Final Fantasy 7.
Each magic weapon or armor essentially has 9 slots for up to 9 enchantment "Crystals." Slots 2 through 10. They are numbered this way because the "first" slot is taken by the enchantment. Each enchantment "Crystal" is designed to reside in one specific slot and cannot reside in any others. Furthermore, you cannot put a Crystal in a slot if there is a lower slot empty. Regardless of what each Crystal contains, whether it's just an enchantment "plus" or a special quality like Flaming, the value of the Crystal is based on which slot it's designed to go into, using the following table.
+2 - 6000
+3 - 10000
+4 - 14000
+5 - 18000
+6 - 22000
+7 - 26000
+8 - 30000
+9 - 34000
+10 - 38000
For example, suppose the adventuring party liberates a +2 Flaming Longsword from an evil drow. The DM decides that the Flaming crystal resides in the +2 slot and the extra Plus is in the +3 slot. The party has no one who prefers to use a longsword, they remove the Crystals (a 2-Flaming and 3-Plus) and sells the +1 Longsword. Then, maybe the Barbarian adds them both to his +1 Greataxe, or maybe the Cleric adds the Flaming Crystal to his +1 Mace and the Rogue adds the 3-Plus to his +2 Rapier.
If the item has a special quality that takes up more than one slot, like the Flaming Burst quality, the DM must determine specifically which two (or more) slots the Crystal is meant to occupy and then add those two slot values together to determine Market value. If, in the earlier example, the sword had been a +2 Flaming Burst Longsword (2,3-Flaming Burst and 4-Plus) and the party decided to sell the Flaming Burst Crystal, but no one else in the party had a magic weapon with slots 2 and 3 filled, then they would have to just hang on to the 4-Plus until they could get some Crystals to fill a weapon to 3 slots.
Armor would work similarly, except special qualities that do not use a '+' to determine price are simply worth the listed price (e.g. Acid Resistance - 18,000gp) and don't occupy a slot. The values of each slot are listed below:
+2 - 3000
+3 - 5000
+4 - 7000
+5 - 9000
+6 - 11000
+7 - 13000
+8 - 15000
+9 - 17000
+10 - 19000
Optional rule: All masterwork weapons and armor have 10 slots and any masterwork items can be made magic by adding a 1st slot enchantment to the item.
Optional rule: Don't worry about tying enchantments to specific slots, just simply make them all worth 6000 for weapons and 3000 for armor (more if they occupy more than 1 slot.) Let them stack them however they like (but don't let them have Plusses greater than 5 or total enchantment greater than 10). This will lower the effective value of dropped weapons and armor a bit, but will dramatically increase the power level of their equipment. Be careful.
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any comments or constructive criticism.
