Shoulder Tappin' PC's!

[elwynbdas]

Need for e-tool to calculate magic items available in shop

Well, that's something I consider reasonable and it is also something I am doing, as well. I don't have magic shops that always have everything in stock. But if the gp limit of the place is sufficient, they'll create magic items on order or send for them from some nearby place. It'll take at least a couple of days to get the desired item.

Often there isn't sufficient time to wait around, so it's pretty effective in limiting shopping.

How about one of the e-wizards here creating a spreadsheet or java tool that takes the magic items tables from the PHB, and allows for parameters like: level of party, general rarity of items (as desired by DM), distance of shop from major centers, purchase price increase/decrease etc., and then the app showing a selection of items available in the store. This would help me a lot.

Basically, this app would simulate the free market of magic item trade. The idea of free trade is also behind the PHB's disclosure of all items and their prices to the players (unlike previous editions, where this info was supposed to be hidden from players.)

 

[DracoSuave]

How about one of the e-wizards here creating a spreadsheet or java tool that takes the magic items tables from the PHB, and allows for parameters like: level of party, general rarity of items (as desired by DM), distance of shop from major centers, purchase price increase/decrease etc., and then the app showing a selection of items available in the store. This would help me a lot.

Basically, this app would simulate the free market of magic item trade. The idea of free trade is also behind the PHB's disclosure of all items and their prices to the players (unlike previous editions, where this info was supposed to be hidden from players.)

Well for most magic items, restrictions are already inherent in the magic item rules themselves, daily uses, etc. So you're not worried too much about restricting them. If a party member wants a specific item, have a nice little skill challenge to find one available amongst the various contacts (walk-in magic item shops aren't really realistic in a points of light campaign, you'd probably garner it through word of mouth) and with higher level items you need to go to more exotic markets. The main city base would suffice for heroic level items, but higher level items might require going to the Astral Sea's trade cities.

The only items that warrant restriction are those that give you healing surges as minor actions (potions) and those are easy to restrict. If people wonder why there isn't a lot of them available, just mention the fact that consumable magic items get consumed.

 

[Noumenon]

How about one of the e-wizards here creating a spreadsheet or java tool that takes the magic items tables from the PHB, and allows for parameters like: level of party, general rarity of items (as desired by DM), distance of shop from major centers, purchase price increase/decrease etc., and then the app showing a selection of items available in the store. This would help me a lot.

A Magic Store Generator would be an awesome thing for someone to make. As a newbie to D&D, the only magic items I ever bought were the ones my DM told me existed, like bracers of armor. It woulda been much cooler to go into a store and see something and go "Ooh, i'm saving up for that." LIke a computer RPG would do.