Starting PC Magic Items Question

[bachrockr]

I've been wondering what guidelines other DM's use when giving PCs magic items for characters starting at high levels. I 've had characters get created at level 10 and with the GP allocation, folks can get insane ability score improvement items such as Gauntlets of Ogre Power (fighter), Cloak of Charisma (sor), Gloves of Dexterity (rogue)...

Since I usually run prefab adventures where enemies don't have these things, I'm concerned about balance, in fact the PCs are rarely failing saves or getting hit in combat. I may be handing these out the the enemies if it gets worse, just wondering what opinions were out there.

 

[hong]

If the prefab adventures are written by a competent author, and assuming they aren't straight conversions of 1E/2E material, the NPCs in them should also have items that are appropriate to their level. Thus there's no reason why they shouldn't also have gauntlets of ogre power, cloaks of charisma, etc.

Note that NPCs use a different chart for determining equipment value by level, one which generally gives (much) less gear than for PCs. Their chart is on p.58 of the DMG. This is okay, because NPCs will generally be around only for one or two fights, whereas PCs have to survive for multiple sessions. Since the story or campaign doesn't depend on the survival of individual NPCs, their item requirements aren't as great. (This also helps reduce magic item inflation, which is the problem where the PCs end up with tons of loot taken off their dead enemies.)

 

[shilsen]

When creating PCs at a higher level, I allow them to spend no more than 50% of the assigned wealth on a single item, which usually takes care of the problem.

 

[chip079]

to combat the super item problem our dm assings a no more than 25% on one item rule...unless there is a good reason as to why your character should have the item....which means you must have a backstory...

 

[Feaelin]

For a "tournament" game we had a couple of years back, we limited the types of items that could be purchased as well as putting a "reasonable cap" on what could be spent on a single item.

Depending on the level, this can be fairly broad like:

No "Major" magic items.

Or more specific like:

No ability bonuses greater than +4, no weapons or armor with bonuses greater than +3, etc.

 

[MadWand]

I am a player in bachrockr's campaign.

Yes, it is true PCs get more magic itemsthan NPCs. If NPCs got more magic items, then the PCs would loot these from their bodies, and the ratio would be maintained. So far, what I've seen of magic items in the party seems to be about standard for 10th-11th level.

As for worrying about the fact we make our saves, and avoid getting hit in combat, I'm glad that's the case. We nearly had the dreaded Total Party Kill last session... enemies had no trouble hitting us, and I recall several saves that were missed, most notably of course one save vs. a mind flayers mind blast that romoved the sorcerer from combat for an agonizing 12 rounds, or about 4 hours of game time. The fact that the party is missed by attacks more often than not, and makes more than 50% if it's saves, is appropriate, considering that enemies are making many more attacks per round on each of us (on average) than we are on them. Our poor rogue lived through about 20 separate attacks before even getting an action - fortunately he survived, barely. If every NPC is as tough and resourceful as one of the PCs, we would never survive.