"Big Six" magic item bonuses by level chart?

H

harpy

First Post

• Sep 7, 2009

• #1

Has anyone teased out a chart that shows the typical progression, by level, of the bonuses that are gained as players buy the Big Six magic items (armor, weapon, amulet of natural armor, ring of protection, vest of resistance, stat boosting items).

I'd like to play a low magic campaign but without having to modify things too much and so I'd want to give the major bonuses to the players which the system expects of them, but without actually handing out magic items.

Kind of like the Vow of Poverty chart, but based on the assumption that the normal magic items are being acquired.

 

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Herobizkit

Adventurer

• Sep 7, 2009

• #2

It sounds like you answered your own question. I would use the Vow of Poverty chart, or... better... don't give them any of these items. Tell them if they want them, they'll have to make them themselves.

For weapons and armor, I assume a +1 for every 4 levels of PC.

Heck, you can rule out armor, too, and give PCs a defense bonus as per the Defense Bonus variant in your games. I have done this for characters set in a tropical climate where armor just isn't worn due to the heat.

 

Alzrius

The EN World kitten

• Sep 8, 2009

• #3

What you're looking for can be found in Trailblazer. It begins with a series of tables showing character versus monster progression (and vice versa) in various areas at each level, such as attacks vs. AC, or special abilities vs. saves, and has a column charting the various "Big Six" bonuses as they're typically purchased.

That said, your idea for simply handing out the bonuses to players sounds akin to what's done in Complete Gear, which allows the PCs to have so much gold pieces' worth of magical abilities at each level that they can infuse into their items and make them magic.

 

StreamOfTheSky

Adventurer

• Sep 8, 2009

• #4

Doesn't it also vary a lot? I know my spellcasters typically go for a +2 item ASAP and a +4 by level 7 or 8 if at all possible, while the noncasters I play wait longer for +2 ability boosters, and accumulate more of them before much later moving up to +4 for their primary stats. Partially because the noncasters are getting expensive things like magical weapons, whislt even at level 20 a wizard of mine might not have a magic weapon.

How much is included in the big six? Does it include ALL the typical AC boosters: Armor (and shield, if applicable), natural armor, deflection, insight (that dusty rose stone is a heck of a deal after a while!), etc...?

 

Walking Dad

First Post

• Sep 10, 2009

• #5

StreamOfTheSky said:

Doesn't it also vary a lot? I know my spellcasters typically go for a +2 item ASAP and a +4 by level 7 or 8 if at all possible, while the noncasters I play wait longer for +2 ability boosters, and accumulate more of them before much later moving up to +4 for their primary stats. Partially because the noncasters are getting expensive things like magical weapons, whislt even at level 20 a wizard of mine might not have a magic weapon.

How much is included in the big six? Does it include ALL the typical AC boosters: Armor (and shield, if applicable), natural armor, deflection, insight (that dusty rose stone is a heck of a deal after a while!), etc...?

Click to expand...

The 'big 6' are: weapon, armor & shield, stat booster, resistance, deflection, and natural armor.

So no insight from your list, but more than just AC boosters. Would be interested in this as well.

My main problem with the big six are:
-they are just a hidden gp tax.
- take away slots for less 'effective' but more fun items.

 

Aus_Snow

First Post

• Sep 10, 2009

• #6

I don't know if monsieur hong is still flitting around EN World these days, but even if he was, I suspect he'd be more likely to post in the 4e forums.

Luckily though, his old D&D page remains, here. That's a direct link to his old Innate Magic rules, actually. Seemed appropriate for this thread, so there you go.

 

U

udalrich

First Post

• Sep 10, 2009

• #7

You might want to have several paths that a player can choose, since different classes will have different focuses. For example, a wizard might have

+4 int, +1 deflection, +1 resistance, +1 natural armor

while a monk might have

+1 mighty fists, +2 strength, +2 wisdom, +2 con or dex, +1 resistance, +1 natural armor

and a sword and board fighter could have

+1 weapon, +2 armor, +2 shield, +2 strength, +2 resistance, +1 deflection

All of those add to 20k (if I did the math right), but look quite different. This wizard has a big focus on the stat booster. The monk has a little bit of everything. The fighter has an emphasis on magic weapons and armor and a couple of other things.

Three (or four) separate +2 to stats are useful for a monk or paladin, but a wizard isn't going to appreciate them nearly as much.