Pathfinder 2E Why are all the magic items so boring?

[Doctor Futurity]

Interesting, how did you adjust the encounters to compensate?

I generally keep CL as close as possible (I've found the game gets unpleasant with too many CL +2 or higher encounters no matter what items you give the PCs, as the math just weighs against them) but an extra couple of CL -1 to +1 can mean more risk without the frustration players experience against higher level opponents. So if I do throw in a CL +2 or higher, I don't worry about the magic items, they rarely make a difference anyway unless they are significantly higher in level. YMMV of course.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

Generically I enjoy the game's magic items, there's a lot of niche items, but there's also a lot of powerful ones-- everything from the practically mandatory runes you put on weapons (flaming/frost/ghost touch etc) staves and wands that help you manage spells or specific powerful magic weapons.

Here's just some of the items I've seen players be pleased to get and use, or at least lust after, without bothering to list any property runes, or the obvious 'hey this gives me an extra casting of fireball' type stuff:

• Northwind's Night Verse
• Librarian's Staff
• Iron Cubes
• Demon Mask
• Phantom Rolls
• Healer's Gloves
• One Hundred Victories
• Eye Slash
• Mortal Chronicle
• Gills
• Obsidian Edge
• Firestarter Pellets
• Walking Cauldron

 

[MichaelSomething]

Blame all the DMs who ever complained about PCs breaking their campaigns with overpowered magic items.

 

[arbados]

If you've been playing for as long as I have most magic items are boring. That's why as said, I homebrew and concocts many on my own. Keeps both my players and I excited and never knowing what to expect. Core magic items are simple staple fodder to through into a treasure horde.

To spice up magic you can always add a drawback (i.e. every time used you temporarily lose 1 ability point). Makes players have to decide on whether they should use it or not. This should be a rare thing, but it is fun if used very sparingly.

Make weapons with lore and history. Who held it previously? Make it intelligent! That leads to all sorts of great role playing!

 

[Jharet]

It's a feature of the system. Pathfinder 2e was designed for people that hate Pathfinder 1e.

 

[Thomas Shey]

It's a feature of the system. Pathfinder 2e was designed for people that hate Pathfinder 1e.

That seems a pretty impressive bit of hyperbole at best, and outright misrepresentation at worst.

 

[stonehead]

It's a feature of the system. Pathfinder 2e was designed for people that hate Pathfinder 1e.

That seems a pretty impressive bit of hyperbole at best, and outright misrepresentation at worst.

If I were to sum it up in one snarky line, I'd say P2e was designed by people who hated that Pathfinder was based on DnD 3.5. As has been repeatedly pointed out to me in this thread, the P2e playtest originally didn't even have +X weapons. It all makes it seem like there was an intentional effort to downplay the "knockoff DnD" mechanics and themes in Pathfinder.

 

[payn]

That seems a pretty impressive bit of hyperbole at best, and outright misrepresentation at worst.

I know it’s too far, but as someone who loves PF1 it has a kernel of truth to it.

 

[aiouh]

I feel like the rules-as-written power levels of PF2e is very tightly controlled, so Magic Items are either boring and don't let you break the game to facilitate Pathfinder Society play and keep the game relatively balanced over varying play groups.

Also I think the character systems are so complicated, overloaded and rewarding that magic items just matter less than in different games.

However nobody is stopping you from making new magic items for your home games if you wish

 

[Doctor Futurity]

It's a feature of the system. Pathfinder 2e was designed for people that hate Pathfinder 1e.

Speaking as an active Pathfinder 2E GM and former 1E GM, I always thought 2E was best characterized as "Written by GMs to make it super easy for GMs, while putting those uppity players in their place as penance for all the years of optimizing min/maxer hell they put us through in 1E." But your summary is shorter and more to the point ;-)

(EDIT: noting that I LOVE GMing Pathfinder 2E but really dislike playing it as a player).