Adventurer's Vault - What do you think?

[Allister]

After the Tome of Magic, I consider Encyclopedia Magica to be the most core-essential product for AD&D (2e, although both Tome of Magic and it can fit in 1e).

However, I think EM only works for pre-3E D&D. Once players could reliably create magic items (anyone remember what the wand of fire {which in 3E became the staff of fire in 3e} took to create?) I dont think one could use EM in a D&D game...

Way too unbalancing...

 

[TheWinslow]

How did Encyclopedia Magica get in the thread! And never heard of the sword of sharpness...shocking to my grognard ears. You at least knew what a vorpal blade was, right? Snicker-Snack!

Of course I know about Vorpal swords! Just because I live in Virginia doesn't mean I'm a philistine.

I just got the Encyclopedia out of storage, and it remains an all time favorite, in its multi-volume pleather cover glory. It is an incredible font of ideas and archive of D&D lore. Try the quirks!

I totally agree. One of the best parts is the charming inefficiency of their categorization method. For example, there are separate entries for Blade, Sword, and Weapon. It's like you never know what you'll find!

And was twice as long for the same price, that would have been really good.

Alas, I too was somewhat miffed by the book's smallness. However, the content level is comparable to MIC, so it's not all bad. Then again, I doubt I'll ever need another treasure book again after Enyclopedia Magica.

 

[Asmor]

As someone who is still deciding whether or not to get AV, can someone opine on whether AV is a good buy even after stripping out all the +x items? I have the house rule that PCs automatically get +1 to attacks, damage and defenses at levels 3, 8, 13, ..., specifically to put "the magic" in magical items, and I wanted to know if AV is still a good buy.

Thanks.

Not counting weapons, implements, armor or neck items, there are 856 magic items in AV (although that number's counting some items multiple times if they appear at multiple levels-- I'd estimate the unique number at somewhere around 500, give or take).

 

[Derren]

When you want lots of useless items, some ok items and a few overpowered items then you should get the book.

 

[Obryn]

When you want lots of useless items, some ok items and a few overpowered items then you should get the book.

I am completely shocked that you have a less than glowing opinion about anything 4e.

-O

 

[Derren]

I am completely shocked that you have a less than glowing opinion about anything 4e.

-O

Be honest, do you really think all items (sans the overpowered ones) in the book are equally useful?

I predict that most players will never voluntarily buy/make/use about 50%-60% of the items in the book, especially as they are all priced the same for the level.

 

[mattdm]

I predict that most players will never voluntarily buy/make/use about 50%-60% of the items in the book, especially as they are all priced the same for the level.

So, 40-50% used seems like a pretty good ratio. If I found 40% of any given supplement useful in my game I'd be very pleased.

But as a side comment: you can look at it as "all items of the same level are priced the same", which feels a bit weird. Or you can look at it like this: just as the total number of XP in an encounter tells you the level of that encounter, the price of an item determines what its level is.

Also remember that the normal sale price of any individual item varies between the base price and the price of an item one level up. (That is, 10%-40% more than the given number.)

 

[Nymrohd]

I would be completely shocked if I opened any D&D product and everything was equally useful. Most likely it would mean everything sucked.

 

[Obryn]

Be honest, do you really think all items (sans the overpowered ones) in the book are equally useful?

I predict that most players will never voluntarily buy/make/use about 50%-60% of the items in the book, especially as they are all priced the same for the level.

Holy cow - that's a heck of a standard. I haven't used 80%+ of magic items in any edition of the game - other than when I was in middle school.

It's a wider variety, and that's it.

-O

 

[Cincinnatus]

I like Adventurer's Vault, but I have to add my voice to the many that have lamented the relative lack of mundane weapons and equipment. The cynic in me would say that this was deliberate in order to sell another book (perhaps Arms & Equipment Guide 4E?)