New magical items

[covaithe]

I'd like DMs to be able to create unique or custom items as treasure, but, as nerdytenor mentioned, I think it needs to be looked at by a disinterested third party before being handed out. I think approval is likely to be quick and easy for low level items or things that are very close to PHB items. It's the higher level items, or more thorougly customized items, where things get interesting. Consider this warhammer in (3.5) LEW. A fun, story driven item that's deliberately quite powerful, even unbalanced, but with ways built in for the DM to nerf it at need. It was tweaked a bit based on comments before being approved. I think stuff like that is pretty cool (in moderation, of course), and would hate to make it impossible to do something like that in L4W.

 

[Graf]

Interesting link cov... I see your point.

4e has, so far, really stood on the each item has one property point. I think the AV supports this with limits on things like enchant and transfer magic rituals. (I read it somewhere...)

So, given that 4e only has items that do one, sorta simple thing (usually a daily) do we want to encourage people to "break" that rule and create powerful multifunctional items for PC use?

(I don't have an opinion yet, I'm just asking)

 

[Dunamin]

It does indeed seem like the majority of 4E magic items just have a single property or power, aside from enhancement and crit bonus for weapons. There are a number that have both, though - in the PHB that seems to be true for about 1/3 of armors, for instance. In AV there are items that both a Daily and an At-Will or Encounter power.

Items that go beyond this "2 tricks max" scheme in 4E seems more like the region of unique items. If a DM wants to include these (as an artifact, for instance) I think its generally something that PCs shouldn't keep after conclusion of the adventure.

 

[covaithe]

Hmm, I take your point that there isn't really precedent (yet?) in 4e for complex, multi-powered items. I guess we should probably hold off on stuff like that for a while.

 

[Halford]

I don't know enough to chime in on this yet, but I will look into the matter and come back to you with an informed opinion.

My basic instinct is that unique items should be few and far between and that given that rarity a thread similar to the one linked by covaithe should be produced in advance to check the power of such items.

 

[Atanatotatos]

Uhm. I think it'd be better to keep homebrewed items to "variations" of existing ones, and following more or less the core direction. Items can get really out of control, more so than feats, for example, IMO.

 

[Dunamin]

Hmm, I take your point that there isn't really precedent (yet?) in 4e for complex, multi-powered items. I guess we should probably hold off on stuff like that for a while.

Hey, just got an idea how it might work after all!

I remember reading how, if you want to play a game with little to no magic items, you could do so by just subsuming the assumed bonuses into normal character advancement. That is, if you want to play without any magic items you just give the PCs +1 to attacks, damage, and defenses at levels 1-5, +2 at levels 6-10 and so on.

So how about a similar principle to magic items with multiple functions:
If you want to include a magic item that does the equivalent of two normal seperate magic items, you just make the new item that have both properties, cost the sum of their price, and occupy both their slots? (and probably uses the lower of each item's levels and enhancement).

For instance, how about if you want to have one item that does the equivalent of level 12 Bracers of Mighty Striking and level 18 Gauntlets of Destruction. You just describe it as a pair of gauntlets that extend up your upper arms, provides both benefits, occupies both slots, costs 98000 gp and is level 12.

Another example, lets say you're an orc high priest of Gruumsh and want an item that is both your main weapon and your divine focus. Introduce, the "Might of Gruumsh", a combined Terror Battleaxe +2 and Symbol of Battle +2, which consequently is a level 9 item that costs 9200 gp.

There are issues of allowing one PC to effectively hold "more items in hand than he/she should be able to" and it doesn't look to work well with armors and shields, but perhaps something can be worked out there.

 

[EvolutionKB]

In my opinion, the items in the PHB are rather limited. It wouldn't surprise me if most characters in the games would have rather similar sets of items, which goes against the whole designers intent with 4E items in the first place. I am all for including the Vault as a source of items(variety is good in this case).

I also like to the idea of DM created items. Balanced original items are great(a simple vote like: is this item more, less, or right on par in terms of power with items of similar level and function?). l I think a vote would suffice with a required 80% required for admittance in game.

Story items are different(a magic sword that allows entry into a specific place was mentioned by Graf), this is not a big deal, as long as the item "special" power doesn't become an issue.("Oh that tower in the hills? Well me and my friends got rid of all the monsters inside, and used the treasure we found to fix it up. The only way inside is shouting 'I'm a transgender orc stripper' and putting the blade into the the weird hole in the door. Sure I'll sell it for that Vorpal Executioners Axe. Here you go.")

 

[Atanatotatos]

The Adventurer's Vault will be a great add... three months from now.
We agreed to discuss and vote for new content three-six months after its publication. If we make exceptions, people will ask for immediate approving of new classes, new races etc., and we didn't want that right?
It's going to be alright anyway, because the level advancement will be slow, so for a few months the number of magic items will be small. And after that, with all the ones in Adventurer's Vault, there will be no problem after it's approved...

 

[garyh]

The Adventurer's Vault will be a great add... three months from now.
We agreed to discuss and vote for new content three-six months after its publication. If we make exceptions, people will ask for immediate approving of new classes, new races etc., and we didn't want that right?
It's going to be alright anyway, because the level advancement will be slow, so for a few months the number of magic items will be small. And after that, with all the ones in Adventurer's Vault, there will be no problem after it's approved...

I think that's a great point, Ata. Consistency is good. We can get by with PHB treasure for three months. Like you say, this is PbP, it isn't like everyone's going to be level 10 by then.