D&D 5E DMG excerpt: random magic item tables

[Leatherhead]

If one is rolling for random items, it makes sure Consumable magic items still are given out. It also established that consumables are supposed to be a common treasure. For too long players have viewed consumables items as vendor trash to be sold off. Now that's thankfully not an option, it's important to make sure players get enough so they realize they're supposed to USE them.

It makes more sense to make a few consumable tables and them append a roll from one of them on every treasure horde if you are planning on that kind of adventure, than it does to mix permanent and consumables in the same list.

I never really liked consumable magic items. I understand there is precedence for such things and can play well into the "magic is fading" angle of some campaigns. However I always felt it strange that people would sacrifice so much (be it xp or rare reagents) on things that are one-shot items. I suspect that people who run worlds without magic shops or lower magic worlds don't care for them either, on account of them commoditizing magic.

 

[MerricB]

The tables seemed to be organised by power of the items - the more powerful the item, the higher the table it is on.

This will likely tie into the treasure tables, which are likely to have entries like "Magic Items: 1-14: no item. 15-18: 1d2 items table A. 19-20: 1 item table B.

Cheers!

 

[pming]

Hiya.

I like that it seems they got away from the awful "liquid spell" style potions. In my campaigns I almost always had Potions being things that didn't actual require actual magical casting skills (most of the potions, anyway). Alchemists could create a 'magical' potion using regular ol' alchemy practices (e.g., no spell casting required). With 5e having a Potion of Healing available in the PHB equipment list, this only reinforces that. In fact, I've already ruled in my 5e games that a regular Potion of Healing is NOT magical...it will not detect as magic...but is common enough that most people will recognize various "distillations" of said potion.

I'm also with some of the posters above...I'd rather have the standard, tried and true magic items covered before we start delving into all the "new and unique" things. Those should come via all other sources of 5e (adventure books mostly, but compilation book, supplemental books, etc. too).

My only concern is how they are going to handle the "Headband of Intellect". They had better not just slap a "+1 to +3 to INT"...just say NO to stat increasing! I can see it being something like "While wearing a Headband of Intellect, the wearer has Advantage to all skill checks with regards to pure mnemonics (e.g., the PC would get Advantage to gauge the worth of a gem, but he wouldn't get Advantage to cut a gemstone into a jewel). Wizards may also, once per day, make a DC 10 + Spell Level Intelligence check (with Advantage) to not loose a spell slot of the spell they just cast". Something like that...makes you "smarter" without simply giving out stat points. In fact, there should be virtually no magic items that just "add a bonus to a stat/ability". I want "you're better at..." rather than "you increase in..."...if that makes any sense.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Antz7766]

Headband of Intellect
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
Your Intelligence score is 19 while you wear this
headband. It has no effect on you if your Intelligence is
already 19 or higher.

Headband of Intellect is already in the basic rules

Edit: I meant the DM D&D Basic Rules
http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/DMBasicRulesv.0.3.pdf

 

[Scorpio616]

It makes more sense to make a few consumable tables and them append a roll from one of them on every treasure horde if you are planning on that kind of adventure, than it does to mix permanent and consumables in the same list.

Why does it makes more sense? The DMG tables are not about a DM "planning on that kind of adventure", the tables are about the default assumptions of the game. A roll on a magic item table doesn't mean the players are entitled to find a permanent uncursed item. A roll that ends up being a potion isn't screwing the players and an excellent way to ingrain that is to make the potions prominent on the tables.

 

[Leatherhead]

Why does it makes more sense? The DMG tables are not about a DM "planning on that kind of adventure", the tables are about the default assumptions of the game. A roll on a magic item table doesn't mean the players are entitled to find a permanent uncursed item. A roll that ends up being a potion isn't screwing the players and an excellent way to ingrain that is to make the potions prominent on the tables.

I am quite sure the DMG is literally all about having the DM plan an adventure.

But more to the point: It is because you want the players to acquire enough consumables to use consistently. If you aren't handing them out like candy it isn't going to happen. Every potion that is rolled into a backpack is counting against your preferred style of play.

 

[Plaguescarred]

Love the random magic tables and accompagnying artwork !

 

[Sword of Spirit]

It does seem odd how the few permanent items are placed. Maybe when we see the other tables it will end up working out mathemagically.

But I would much rather have a folding boat, decanter of endless water, or portable hole than any potion or scroll, I don't care how high of a level.

 

[SilverfireSage]

Looks pretty good to me. Seems like these might be split up into a "rarity by table" sort of thing, with the increasing strength of potions and the like. I actually find it nice that they have all of the really nice permanent items up in the 90+ section, which hearkens back to how it was in AD&D as well. And I also like the better split by rarity. Too often in 3.5 you would roll for some major magic item in a beholder's lair and come up with a potion of remove paralysis and a scroll of speak with plants. Yay?
Couple things I noticed:
Ammunition has a bonus. I'm still not sure if a magic bow imparts its magic onto the ammunition that it fires, but it seems that with ammunition having its own bonus this is likely not the case. Makes taking the Tarrasque down with a magic carpet and a bow a lot more difficult doesn't it?
Different potion names. Potion of diminution, superior healing, and supreme healing are all new to me, and although its easy to guess what the first does, I'm wondering how the latter two will scale.
Also, Arrow of Slaying easier to roll for than Sovereign Glue? I suppose it would be easier to glue a dragon's mouth shut than to try and slay it with an arrow....

 

[the Jester]

It makes more sense to make a few consumable tables and them append a roll from one of them on every treasure horde if you are planning on that kind of adventure, than it does to mix permanent and consumables in the same list.

I disagree, actually. If you're having random magic items, they should be truly random. IMHO, YMMV, etc.

I never really liked consumable magic items. I understand there is precedence for such things and can play well into the "magic is fading" angle of some campaigns. However I always felt it strange that people would sacrifice so much (be it xp or rare reagents) on things that are one-shot items.

I think that the item creation feats in 3e showed that, if the cost is low enough, pcs will build it.

I suspect that people who run worlds without magic shops or lower magic worlds don't care for them either, on account of them commoditizing magic.

Uh... well, speaking as a guy who doesn't have a magic market in my campaign, and who loves a low-magic setting, I like them fine, and I didn't really see how they commoditize magic. But then I saw that you said this a few posts later:

But more to the point: It is because you want the players to acquire enough consumables to use consistently. If you aren't handing them out like candy it isn't going to happen. Every potion that is rolled into a backpack is counting against your preferred style of play.

Not sure if you're addressing Scorpio616 specifically or making a general point, but if it's the latter, I again have to disagree. In my 5e game so far, with several pcs having reached as high as 3rd level, they've found about 4 potions, and been given I think 4 more potions of healing by an employer. So that's barely more than 1 potion per pc. I don't want them to use consumables consistently, I want them to have the option to use their consumables when they decide it's worth giving up that item.