Adventurer's Vault?

[Spinachcat]

The identity-confused Magic Compendium I first changed its name to Tome of Treasures. Now, according to Amazon, it is now called Adventurer's Vault: A Guide to Weapons, Equipment, and Treasure for Your Character. Thanks to Marco for the scoop. We'll keep you posted on any future name changes!

I thought Magic Compendium I was placeholder name, but I liked Tome of Treasures. The new title is cumbersome - Adventurer's Vault: A Guide to Weapons, Equipment and Treasure is okay, but the "for your Character" is tedious.

Once of D&D flaws for so long has been player knowledge of magic items. It turns wondrous artifacts into nothing more than items on a Walmart shelf. This not a 4e or 3e problem, it goes way way back to OD&D. Earthdawn took great steps toward putting the magic back in the item and the Diablo D&D books* gave us the fabulous 1,000,000+ magic item random charts which added much fun to my games.

I don't blame WotC for trying to get players to buy more books. Its a good marketing idea, but drains the fun out of the in-game discovery of something neat and new. My hope is that there is some advice for the DM to help him create his own items within the scope of their math.


So, what's your thoughts on the AV: aGtWEaT4yC?


*BTW, if you did not get the Diablo D&D books, hunt them on eBay. It's a blast to discover the Vermillion Helm of the Ocelot or the Amazon's Glaive of Biting. The players really enjoyed having completely unique items with surprising effects.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Ehh, I view it like this, it is the players own initiative to look at it. If they want to look at the high-level magic items and such then that is their own choose for getting rid of the wondrous feel of the magic items.

I like this book since it seems to me like it sounds like there will be a fair number of mundane items, that aren't magical that I as a player would like to look through for my initial character.

 

[hong]

What do I want with a vault full of adventurers?

 

[MaelStorm]

I do agree with you that the "For Your Character" is a little bit tedious.

But to get to the crux of the matter, as I understand it, it was a designer's decision in 4E to handle magic items as being now more in the field of the player than the DM.

First off, they decided to entirely remove magic items from the DMG to include it in the equipment chapter of the Player's Handbook, as well as monster's stat block for summoning and other powers which will now be included into the power's description of the class chapter of the Player's Handbook. One of the main reason, I think, was to remove the need from the players to look for magic items in the DMG and for monster's stat in the Monster Manual.

Secundo, because of the christmas tree effect they decided to demote considerably magic items in 4E. There's no magic items that gives bonus to abilities anymore, and in a The Tome podcast interview (with Andy Collins I think or with another game designer) it's been mentioned that they do not want magic item's to overshadow the PCs anymore. The DM can now choose to completely scrap magic items off the game and just add modifiers for their PCs if they want. Now, that's a drastic change from previous editions of D&D.

And tertio, with the addition of implement and rituals to craft their own magic items, player's now have to create their own magic items and/or can decide to modify/augment their implements, I see this as another reason why magic items are more in the player's field now. Plus there's also the fact that you can't buy or sell magic items in shop anymore. Now, don't get me wrong, you can still find magic items from adventuring, but it will be less common I guess.

Now, I know it's a little bit premature as I don't have all the juicy details about all of this, but all these points have been mentioned a few times before in different blogs, playtest reviews, design and development and other articles in the WotC website, podcasts and video interviews from game designers, etc.

Lastly, I can understand that a lot of people will not be happy about all of these changes or decisions. Personally I'm favorable to these changes, but you have the right to think otherwise.

Cheers.

 

[Graf]

you can't buy or sell items anymore?

 

[Spinachcat]

And tertio, with the addition of implement and rituals to craft their own magic items, player's now have to create their own magic items and/or can decide to modify/augment their implements, I see this as another reason why magic items are more in the player's field now. Plus there's also the fact that you can't buy or sell magic items in shop anymore.

Interesting. I had not heard about the crafting / modifiying by PCs. That does change the focus a bit if the players will be more involved in their own magic item development. It would make this book invaluable to players then. But how do Fighters craft new items? Does each class have to craft their own OR is it the spellcaster's job?

Does anyone have a link to info?

The buy / sell magic item thing has got to be a DM by DM decision. I can't imagine WotC drawing that line in the sand. Ye Olde Magic Shoppe is a D&D tradition that varied from DM to DM since the OD&D days.

 

[MaelStorm]

Interesting. I had not heard about the crafting / modifiying by PCs. That does change the focus a bit if the players will be more involved in their own magic item development. It would make this book invaluable to players then. But how do Fighters craft new items? Does each class have to craft their own OR is it the spellcaster's job?

Does anyone have a link to info?

The buy / sell magic item thing has got to be a DM by DM decision. I can't imagine WotC drawing that line in the sand. Ye Olde Magic Shoppe is a D&D tradition that varied from DM to DM since the OD&D days.

Specific info about my third point will be very hard to find as I sense WotC really want to keep info on rituals under cover as much as possible. It's mostly from little bits here and there about implements and rituals coupled with infos on magic items that I came to realize how this might end up to be in the game. But I may be wrong.

The only thing that I'm 100% sure from the DDXP sheet is that rituals can be done by wizards and clerics. Now is it an option available to everyone or is it imposed? I don't know. Some speculate that ritual is a class feature for both wizard and cleric and that others could buy a feat to be able to cast rituals. Some say other classes can decide to improve the force by participating in a ritual.

EDIT: Also 100% confirmed as that there will be rituals to craft magic items. I think it could be logical that players could use rituals to augment their implements and make their implements magical.