Magic Items with E6

[Sir Robilar]

I had an idea for an upcoming Pathfinder E6 game. Potions and scrolls function as normal. Instead of giving out any other magic items in the usual way, consider this:

There are no regular magic items in the world. Sometimes, when the player characters solve a heroic adventure, they are granted a magic item as a reward from one of the great powers in the worlds - dragons, titans, angels, gods. These items are of masterwork quality and magical but have no magic abilities besides a basic magic aura.

Whenever the character who possesses such an item gains an E6-feat (the ones you get through leveling past level 6) he/she can choose to improve the item instead of gaining a feat. Examples for improvements could be:

- the item gains a +1 enhancement bonus.
- the item gains a Special Ability of Base Price Modifier +1 (the Flaming weapon quality, for example). Requirements: +1 enhancement bonus.
- the item´s enhancement bonus changes to +2.
- the item gains a Special Ability of Base Price Modifier +2 (Flaming Burst, for example). Requirements: +2 enhancement bonus.
(...)


What do you think?

 

[Niccodaemus]

I rather like this idea, as it allow you to create "heritage" items. That is, items you would not idly discard. One of the mechanics I've always hated is the idea of a fighter selling a +2 sword because he just found something better. And next adventure, he'll sell that one when he finds another better one, etc...

Totally cheapens magic, IMO.

 

[Gilladian]

Yes, but if there are NO permanent magic items, I think you lose a lot of the "charm" of low-level, non-combat functional magic. You need a way for the innkeeper's talking fish trophy to exist, and the wizard's self-warming coffee mug, and the love-charms, magic hair ribbons, etc... of common people.

So don't totally throw out magic permanency.

 

[WHW4]

Yes, but if there are NO permanent magic items, I think you lose a lot of the "charm" of low-level, non-combat functional magic. You need a way for the innkeeper's talking fish trophy to exist, and the wizard's self-warming coffee mug, and the love-charms, magic hair ribbons, etc... of common people.

So don't totally throw out magic permanency.

This right here. The quirky, oddball magic items are what first captured my imagination with D&D. Why not go in that direction with weapons? Instead of a +2 broadsword, just give the guy a +1 Awesome bonus then some weird magical effect (produces a tub's worth of butter on command 1/day) that they could either love, hate, or find some use for (impromptu Grease?)

PS : They don't all have to be goofy, as the above.

 

[Bullgrit]

Whenever the character who possesses such an item gains an E6-feat (the ones you get through leveling past level 6) he/she can choose to improve the item instead of gaining a feat. Examples for improvements could be:

I don't see what this fixes? This kind of thing basically just changes the upgrading of magic items from costing treasure to costing feats.

The PCs go on an adventure, gain xp and gp. Normally they can then gain a feat with the xp and probably acquire or upgrade a magic item with the gp. With this rule change, the can gain a feat with the xp *or* acquire/upgrade a magic item with the xp. The gp goes to some other purpose.

One of the mechanics I've always hated is the idea of a fighter selling a +2 sword because he just found something better. And next adventure, he'll sell that one when he finds another better one, etc...

With the rules for improving a magic item, this isn't necessary. If a fighter has a +2 sword, and he finds something better -- this is completely the DM's fault. As DM, don't put something better in the adventure for the fighter to get. Let him get treasure to spend on improving his +2 sword.

It's silly for a DM to put a better magic item in the adventure and then complain when the PC takes up the better magic item and discards the lesser one.


I played and DMed an E6 campaign, and I totally love the E6 concept. My cleric upgraded his masterwork warhammer to +1, then later to +2, then later with lightning. All with no rules changes. Same item, kept throughout his career.

Bullgrit

 

[jedavis]

I don't see what this fixes? This kind of thing basically just changes the upgrading of magic items from costing treasure to costing feats.

The PCs go on an adventure, gain xp and gp. Normally they can then gain a feat with the xp and probably acquire or upgrade a magic item with the gp. With this rule change, the can gain a feat with the xp *or* acquire/upgrade a magic item with the xp. The gp goes to some other purpose.

Yep! And those "some other purposes" can be significantly more interesting than "whoo, spent umpty thousand gold for +1 to hit and damage." Castles, ships, libraries, laboratories, founding a temple, raising an army, leaving your mark on the campaign world... that gold which normally goes toward magic items could be doing much cooler things in the manner typical of high-level play in Ye Olden Days when magic items were Not For Sale.

 

[Sir Robilar]

Yep! And those "some other purposes" can be significantly more interesting than "whoo, spent umpty thousand gold for +1 to hit and damage." Castles, ships, libraries, laboratories, founding a temple, raising an army, leaving your mark on the campaign world... that gold which normally goes toward magic items could be doing much cooler things in the manner typical of high-level play in Ye Olden Days when magic items were Not For Sale.

Exactly. It solves the implausibility of magic item shops and frees the PCs money so they can invest it in other things - which is usually a horrible decision in the regular system. Also, if the system would be well thought-out, it would balance PC power nicely. One character could decide to go for feats, improving his sword-arm and technique, another could opt for a magic swords that keeps on improving.

However I may be very biased with this since I don´t like the toolbox approach and money dependency of item creation when using the normal system.