"I don't like my Christmas present" -- do you enjoy getting treasure?

[Noumenon]

My DM was pretty put out when two magic items he created got forgotten in the backpack and then actually lost off our character sheets. (One was a gem of sending, the other was basically a DM-powered magic 8-ball.) When I thought about why I wasn't excited about this treasure, I realized: I've never been happy or excited about any treasure I've received in D&D, ever.

People blame 3.5 for letting you pick your item out of the book and buy it in the magic shop so there's no mystery, but this doesn't explain why my group also isn't excited by custom magic items. My shock net and horn of "gain a favored enemy" were neat to design, but didn't wow my players.

I think what's going on is the same reason Christmas presents are mostly a waste of money. It's just so much more satisfying to shop for yourself than to have someone else guess what you think is cool. Magic items are a fun part of D&D for me -- but only to browse through and buy from the DMG. When the DM gives me usable magic items, I'm actually kind of disappointed because I won't be getting gold to buy stuff I really want.

Anyone else feel this way? Or have tips to make getting treasure exciting? I'm thinking the best way to do it is to make the treasure plot-related, like the goblin king's crown, so it will be special for that reason.

 

[OnlineDM]

Wow... my perspective is totally different. I actually enjoy getting treasure that isn't immediately, obviously the perfectly-suited item for my character. I like finding creative uses for things; that's half the fun!

The one time I had a DM ask for wish lists, I really didn't enjoy it. "Ah, we found a treasure cache with these magic boots. Whose list was this from?" Sigh.

So no, I don't feel the same way at all.

 

[Yora]

There are lots of people who don't let the PCs shop for magic items. For this reason among other things.

 

[Noumenon]

[MENTION=6670763]Yora[/MENTION]But my thesis is that people won't enjoy your Christmas presents even if they can't go to the store themselves. Because you don't know what they like and shopping for yourself is more fun than getting presents.

[MENTION=90804]OnlineDM[/MENTION]Wish lists break my sense of immersion too. I think I'd prefer just getting gold and only gold.

Edit: note that it is not just me that feels this way. My DM put an oathbow in a treasure hoard for 4th level characters, and we could hardly get anybody to take it, much less fight over it.

 

[Troll Lord]

My DM was pretty put out when two magic items he created got forgotten in the backpack and then actually lost off our character sheets. (One was a gem of sending, the other was basically a DM-powered magic 8-ball.) When I thought about why I wasn't excited about this treasure, I realized: I've never been happy or excited about any treasure I've received in D&D, ever.

People blame 3.5 for letting you pick your item out of the book and buy it in the magic shop so there's no mystery, but this doesn't explain why my group also isn't excited by custom magic items. My shock net and horn of "gain a favored enemy" were neat to design, but didn't wow my players.

I think what's going on is the same reason Christmas presents are mostly a waste of money. It's just so much more satisfying to shop for yourself than to have someone else guess what you think is cool. Magic items are a fun part of D&D for me -- but only to browse through and buy from the DMG. When the DM gives me usable magic items, I'm actually kind of disappointed because I won't be getting gold to buy stuff I really want.

Anyone else feel this way? Or have tips to make getting treasure exciting? I'm thinking the best way to do it is to make the treasure plot-related, like the goblin king's crown, so it will be special for that reason.

I've actually started something new in our weekly game. Usually I'm crazy stingy with treasure, magic in particular, and rather it be suited to the player and his direction. But after talking to the group I decided to make magic more plentiful; they find lesser magic items far more frequently, but they get lost, used up, or destroyed faster. I've allowed them to buy more items too, which I don't normally do.

The verdict is out on whether I like this approach or not. Its made the games far more unpredictable because they have all these odd and end items and the subsequent abilities which is kind of cool. But some of the players are hording the items which is annoying (so i have force the break or loss of the item). It has made level progression (which can be slow in my game) speed up.

Steve

 

[Zelda Themelin]

I like mostly story related items. Or items that fit my character's style. Or in some cases I am interested about bonuses they grant to me, if game is very combat focused. Then I like calculted my every coin. If game is more plot-drawn marking all crap on my character sheet feels like wasted time.

I also like to hang unto "legendary items", some great-great-dad weapon or other background item, thta reveals new more powerful abilities, but not level balanced ways, but when it fits the timing best. And some leveling with me items worked as well to be interesting.

I was also exited when I managed with friend caster craft something unusual to give one npc-kid for protection.

I like giving real-world chrismas presents. But I am one of thoe person who is very careful to give person what he/she could want. Maybe

I work little similary when I play, I sometimes don't care for treasure except in sense of "gearing" and not even that. I often thought that playing forsaker in 3.x would have fitted my style fine.

I use to like magic items more, like times of 1st edition/somewhat to 2nd edition AD&D, I also liked Talislanta items, ever since they have progressed to works as spell status. Magic shops are not problem, the problem is that items were simplified, streamlined and mythos was elminated from artifacts.

And when custom-items won't wow players, it is probably since they don't fit the character or are simply too lame. People like power. When item can do something awesome that character's can't. And when that ability becomes useful. And single use scrolls can be "wow" when used at right time, but they are easilty forgotten into gear list.

When you custom make items, if you want to wow your players you have to know them. Do your research, like I do with RL christmas presents.

Intelligent items are funny if you bother to roleplay them. Cursed intelligent items with useful abilites are good, becaue if players hate it they have to do something to get rid of it. Maybe quest that item's counterpart or something. Think Stormbringer/Mournblade synergy. Those are from Elric books by Michel Moorcock, but just an example.

If you play 3.5 get rid of +stat/dmg items as they would be magical. Go for rare materials that give those bonuses. Make it more like technology/crafter skill thing. And leave magic for actually magical things.

Very idea of combining multiple +1 and +2 items to give you remarable AC is really rather lame. I would rather give some legendary +10 thing and not let crap enchant the crap.
Rules let that happen and it cheapens the feeling.

So I become this unhittable monster with enough minor buffs. Yay me.

Generally if gm creates custom items same way most of 3rd party published did, following rules set at basic set, you end up with similar boring thing. Or item has really legendary story and then it's really crappy according to rules, or story is something not so impressive and item is way-too-good. So when "fluff" doesn't tell how it is.

It's bit like real world presents. If person guesses right what you like, and you didn't even know about that thing, it's awesome. If it's something you kinda intended to buy anyhow, it nice but, bit "so what". If it's something you coudn't offer to buy it's "wow" and "isn't this bit too much moment": And if you got something you are going to give away/toss into garbage bin/throw at bottom of your closet and forget about it, you might pretend some "thanks moment" and feel really lukewarm about it.

Finding treasure items rather than hard cash, is bit like that in D&D imo.

Same for stories in games, sometimes they strike my fancy and somethings they are "yawn":

 

[ExploderWizard]

I like treasure.

I hate shopping for magic items when it becomes just gear.

I avoid games that require outfitting with the right magic gear to avoid being pulled in to the pit of suck.

I want to spend my time gaming not shopping. We have several folks that don't own much game material so any shopping/choosing equipment ends up happening at the session.

 

[Noumenon]

But after talking to the group I decided to make magic more plentiful; they find lesser magic items far more frequently, but they get lost, used up, or destroyed faster.

I actually like that idea, unusual as it seems. You get a holy avenger, but only for the next three encounters. Go! Or you get a javelin of lightning, use it or lose it. It's kind of like the Super Mario school of treasure rewards, no one's ever blase about getting an invincibility star.

How are you making the items impermanent and nonhoardable? Is it just a feature of the world that things break fast? Is all their treasure coming from a fairy who's watching them and giving them little boons?

 

[Noumenon]

Or items that fit my character's style.

These are Christmas presents that make you say "Ooh, it's perfect for me!" I get the boots of levitation or ring of protection +4 instead, that's like getting a toaster oven.

I also like to hang unto "legendary items", some great-great-dad weapon or other background item, that reveals new more powerful abilities, but not level balanced ways, but when it fits the timing best.

That sounds cool. You still have the problem with the initial item not exciting the player and possibly getting sold.

I was also exited when I managed with friend caster craft something unusual to give one npc-kid for protection.

So maybe the DM should give out ingredients that are required for the PC to craft what they really want?

Very idea of combining multiple +1 and +2 items to give you remarable AC is really rather lame. I would rather give some legendary +10 thing and not let crap enchant the crap.

"This doesn't stack with anything." I like that! Maybe treasure that breaks the rules is the way to go.

It's bit like real world presents. If person guesses right what you like, and you didn't even know about that thing, it's awesome. If it's something you kinda intended to buy anyhow, it nice but, bit "so what". If it's something you coudn't offer to buy it's "wow" and "isn't this bit too much moment": And if you got something you are going to give away/toss into garbage bin/throw at bottom of your closet and forget about it, you might pretend some "thanks moment" and feel really lukewarm about it.

Yup, you know exactly how I feel. So should it be easier to pick those "guess right what you like" presents when you have a simple fictional character to please and presents have no cost? Or is it harder just because you have to give so many more presents? I think the Christmas present model implies only one in twenty or so magic items can be really exciting.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I like it when a DM takes time to research things that would be cool for my character and the others in the party. I don't mind having to "shop" for my items, as long as they can be found. I don't mind wish-lists as a player or a DM.

I also really enjoyed the treasure tables in 2E. I always got really excited to roll the 100-sider or percentile dice and see what kind of cool things I could find in a dragon's horde. Guess I'm different from a lot of players, but that's the kind of stuff I like. Basically I just love finding treasure in general, whether it fits my character or not. It's part of the game.