Forked from Xmas Tree: Are Item Slots Necessary? [Any Edition]

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I don't think it's unbalancing, I think it's a mistake because it turns the "Big 6" into the "Big 12" (or so, I haven't really counted). But that's just my personal preference. I find +this and +that items really boring. And when slots were effectively removed from the equation in later 3.5 books my players went right for the always on +stat items instead of things I considered more interesting. Since it was only a preference of mine I didn't impose my style on my players. And I see the problems or more restrictive slots in regards to certain classes. I think there was an attempt towards balance, but as others have said it wasn't that effective.

I am thinking of blowing slots away actually. My next 4E campaign will probably use inherent bonuses and artifacts only. That way everyone will have their expected bonuses and magic items will truly be rare, interesting, unique and powerful.

 

[Sadrik]

Some "slots" are natural, how many weapons per hand, armor, clock etc. It gets tricky in things like, can you wear a vest over robes or a headband under a helm. With a slot system they generally would be "no" answers.

Below is a magic slot system that I developed when the 4e announcement on 11th level to be able to use a ring and the "neck" slot. It is more natural in allowing any combination of Miscellaneous items and it move the more subjective slots into that grouping. It then caps the overall number of those items. I can envision making the tier allow more of these items or less (3/4/5) and possibly adding a feat that would allow you to have more of them as well (+1).

Equipment and Magic Item Slots
Implement (2)
Weapons, shields, holy symbols, wands, rods, staffs, orbs
Head (1)
Helms, hats, crowns
Body (1)
Armors, robes, suits, clothes
Back (1)
Cloaks, mantles, wings, capes, vests, tabards
Hands (1)
Gloves, gauntlets
Feet (1)
Boots, sandals, slippers, shoes
Miscellaneous (4)
Jewelry (necklace, amulet, periapt, circlet, gem, stone, pearl, etc), bracers, armbands, goggles, eyes, masks, rings, belts, girdles, headbands
Wondrous (any)
Potion etc.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

possibly adding a feat that would allow you to have more of them as well (+1).

I only have one question. Would the Jack of All Trades feat allow you an extra head slot?

 

[Deset Gled]

I strongly believe that some system is needed to define how many items a person can use at one time. A warrior wearing 10 shirts, 5 layers or armor, 25 rings and 3 pairs of goggles just doens't work, and common sense about the number of acceptable layers is probably less common than you'd expect.

The slot system may have it's quirks, but it generally works pretty well. Most importantly, it is very simple. I think it provides a great baseline, and is very easy to modify if a GM wants to (via custom items, leniency with slots, etc)

 

[arscott]

Item slots are less about the effectiveness of balance, and more about the tolerability of balance.

Their function is to present a simple in-game mechanism for what would otherwise be arbitrary balance. Balance could probably be achieved more effectively with rules like "Only two magic items can make you harder to hit, and only one magic item can improve your spellcasting ability, etc."

Instead, we get "you can only wear one hat, and only one pair of gloves, etc." Not as effective at balance, but much easier to swallow.

Compare this to clerical weapons--saying "your order forbids you from using edged weapons" or "You lack the training to use these more complicated weapons" is much better than "Your melee attacks deal less damage than the fighter or the ranger, but more than the wizard"

 

[malraux]

Well, you could say that any overlapping slots forced a roll on the items miscibility table.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I strongly believe that some system is needed to define how many items a person can use at one time. A warrior wearing 10 shirts, 5 layers or armor, 25 rings and 3 pairs of goggles just doens't work, and common sense about the number of acceptable layers is probably less common than you'd expect.

Magic shirts? Plate armour over his plate armour?


I'm not sure that common sense (at that level) isn't perfectly sensible enough and easy to find!

I would imagine some teenagers might have fun doing that (thinking back to teenagers I once knew), and if they have fun with it, why not? But for the majority of teenagers and up, I'd have thought that a common sense approach would be straightforward to sort out.

Of course, it was much less of an issue in 1e with pretty much no custom crafting of magic items; the party only found what the DM made available in the adventure.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Well, you could say that any overlapping slots forced a roll on the items miscibility table.

I really miss the miscibility table.

 

[diaglo]

I hate to say it, but IIRC item slots came forth in CRPGs first (because the computer has to have defined places where you put stuff).

The first time I remember seeing item slots in a game was in 3e (it was part of the '3e is too videogamey' vibe at the time, but please don't drag this thread off in that direction, thanks).

In older editions it basically relied upon a few rules (the magic of rings meant that you could only wear one ring on a hand, maximum two rings) and that you couldn't wear two of the same thing at once to get the benefits (e.g. you can't wear two cloaks).

I have to say that in 20 years of playing under that system it never caused any problems in the groups I played with.

My preference is not to use a 'slot' system because it makes it seem as though the PC has 'slots that should be filled'. I much prefer to leave it pretty organic, ensure stuff doesn't stack, and just have a restriction on rings.

(in 3e you had sad situations with the slot system that sorcerers, bards and paladins had to choose between buffing their Charisma with a cloak or buffing their saves with a cloak, but couldn't have both buffed - unlike other classes who could have their primary attribute and saves both buffed since the things didn't share a slot!)

Cheers

even the little booklets of OD&D had a limit on magic items. mostly by class.

the SSI computer games had slots.
and so does Legend of Zelda.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

When I said 'D&Dism' I didn't mean 'thing that originated in D&D,' I simply meant 'thing that has been accepted into the D&D tradition.'

By all means though, continue discussing the history of body/item slots.