Advanced essentials starting characters & magic items

[MrMyth]

They didn't break the game before. Why do they now? Is it because characters can use more than one daily item? They're still limited to three non purchased items. Not exactly what I would call game breaking. Right now the "rare" items are the same gear any character could buy at their leisure by the old way.

As others have said - I think the goal is for rares to be approaching artifact levels of power, and allowing PCs to do unique things that are only really acceptable in small, DM-controlled quantities.

Now, some of the Rares seen thus far haven't been overwhelming. But letting every player have their pick of multiple rares? I'm sorry, but that is just asking for disaster to happen.

I like the idea of 'pick 3 uncommons, but you can only buy commons'. Some areas remain kinda tricky (namely, consumables), but I think that otherwise handles the current environment as well as can be expected.

 

[ArcaneSpringboard]

I'm inclined to say 3 commons only.

The reason being that if you could pick 3 uncommons you can fairly easily start picking items that combo very well with your character's powers, to the point that new PCs could get more powerful than PCs that have been playing since 1st.

 

[Ahrimon]

I haven't seen any of the new rares. I've only seen the old items labeled as rare. If the new ones are more powerful then I agree some caution and thought is in order.

I'm inclined to say 3 commons only.

The reason being that if you could pick 3 uncommons you can fairly easily start picking items that combo very well with your character's powers, to the point that new PCs could get more powerful than PCs that have been playing since 1st.

I recently made a character to join a game. All of the the other players had been playing since lvl 1 and their characters were grown organically through the levels. I came in with a custom built character at thier level. Now, my items are tailored to my character and they do work very well together, but from here on out I have to grow organically with them. Under the new system that means that I either keep the items I have and get them upgraded every 6 levels falling behind as the party finds items more powerful than I have or loose that synergy in order to advance with the party.

All of the characters you are joining should be carrying multiple uncommons. Possibly even more than the 3 items you get to start with. Theirs my not be as custom. But I think you'd have to be going out of your way to mess up party balance with only 3 uncommons. Or even 2 uncommons and a new rare.

About half of the items a character is supposed to find are uncommon. Restricting them to common items only will more than likely put them behind every other character. If the new rares are more powerful, then I'd be for leaving them out or restricting it to one. But common only is a bit to harsh IMO.

 

[MrMyth]

I'm inclined to say 3 commons only.

The reason being that if you could pick 3 uncommons you can fairly easily start picking items that combo very well with your character's powers, to the point that new PCs could get more powerful than PCs that have been playing since 1st.

True, though that is how it has always been.

But I think it is still ok, and here are two reasons why:

1) You have a well-chosen list of custom equipment designed for your character. Those who got to this level naturally didn't get to pick their items - but odds are good they have more of it, and of higher level.

A level 8 PC has items of level 9, 8 and 7, and GP worth another level 7 item. 12,800 gp worth of gear overall. A character who has gone through level 1 through 7 naturally has approximately 16,000 - 17,000 gp worth of gear, including potentially items up to level 11. Not to mention possible access to a rare item or artifact.

Now, they may also have had costs from consumables, etc, that have lowered that value. But I think they do come out just fine, even without having specifically chosen their gear.

2) Uncommon items are most powerful, these days, because the limit on daily magic item uses was removed. That means that you can abuse various daily items by stockpiling powerful but cheap ones. But that's not in play with this scenario - you only get uncommon items. You can go ahead and choose good powers, but are unlikely to end up with anything too abuseable. Now, if the DM lets you purchase uncommon items as well, there could be trouble. But with only 3 uncommons, I think the game balance will remain intact.

 

[Aspeon]

I recently made a character to join a game. All of the the other players had been playing since lvl 1 and their characters were grown organically through the levels. I came in with a custom built character at thier level. Now, my items are tailored to my character and they do work very well together, but from here on out I have to grow organically with them. Under the new system that means that I either keep the items I have and get them upgraded every 6 levels falling behind as the party finds items more powerful than I have or loose that synergy in order to advance with the party.

For several levels, yes. But in a game that'll only last 4-5 levels, where you don't have to worry about losing a +1 to your big 3 items, why would you wishlist any big 3 item unless it happened to be outside the starting level range? You have access to all the sources, so you already chose the best ones for your character.

 

[ArcaneSpringboard]

Also, if you're using inherent bonuses, you don't need to worry about your items becoming obsolete.

Even then, you can always upgrade your items as well.