An ensemble-based alternative to parcels for treasure

Asmor

First Post
Inspired largely by the Secrets of Xen'drik RPGA campaign, this is a system to simplify doling out of treasure, targeted specifically at situations where you may not have the same players from week to week and so PCs might have different amounts of experience.

Every character has between 1 and 3 magic items (only level 1 characters have fewer than 3 magic items). These items must be of a specified level or lower, depending on how much experience you have. See the attached table for a schedule of which item levels are available. In general, you start off each level with items whose levels are -2, -1 and +1 in relation to your own. When you've gained 1/3 the necessary experience to achieve the next level, you increase your -2 item to -1. When you get 2/3 experience to next level, you increase one of your -1 items to +0. Finally when you reach the next level, you increase your highest level item by 1 level.

You only have 3 magic item slots. You may take a magic item of a lower level than you're allowed, but you get no compensation for doing so. Further, you may only choose to take unlocked magic items.

The following magic items begin unlocked for everyone: Magic weapons, magic armor, magic holy symbols, magic implements, amulets of protection.

All other magic items are locked, and must be unlocked by getting the item as a reward. For example, the Eladrin Wizard Felaniel gets an Orb of Indisputable Grabity during an adventure. From then on, Felaniel may use an Orb of Indisputable Gravity of any level up to the highest she's allowed. Magic items you receive during an adventure are represented as cards, which the DM will give you. Each card may only be given to a single person, and only the bearer of a card may take the associated item. Cards may be traded between or given to other players between adventures, subject to the DM's discretion.

The reasoning behind this is that one of the most important parts of the D&D experience is finding and collecting cool loot. The downside to being able to use any magic items is that you lose that aspect of the game. This is an attempt to bring it back, and it also ties in well with the 4th edition idea of magic items existing at multiple power levels.

In addition to their magic items, every character is given a standard adventuring kit and whatever other non-magical adventuring gear the character wants. At the DM's discretion, depending on the level of the adventure and the makeup of the party, potions might be included as well.

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My biggest concern with this are the minor magical items. Boots, gloves, etc. Most of them are only available at a single level, making them less desirable than the major magical items since they're less useful in the long run. Not sure what to do about that... My gut feeling is to throw in enough magic items such that one or two players could get an "upgradable" item and everyone else could get 2-3 minor magic items. What do you think?
 

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