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<blockquote data-quote="Lord Zardoz" data-source="post: 3394421" data-attributes="member: 704">My own solution to the Big Six problem is as follows.1)&nbsp; I try to base encounters more on what I know of my players then what the CR guidelines dictate.&nbsp; Generally, I try not to make the lack of specific types of items a Death Penalty offense.2)&nbsp; I tend to let my players purchase appropriate magic items within reason.&nbsp; Past a certain point, it will take more then showing up somewhere with a bunch of cash to get certain items.3)&nbsp; I will usually avoid throwing around +X weapons or Armour, instead throwing around +y Items with secondary abilities (Such as bane or burst weapons).&nbsp; This gives you the same tuning options you have with respect to Clerics vs Undead.4)&nbsp; While I wont strip magic items, I will not hesitate to bust out with Sunder, or to have a Villain disarm then have a lackey steal a weapon in combat and then run off.&nbsp; Player gear is not entirely sacred.Still, I will admit that I have not yet had any campaigns get to a point where item saturation starts to become a problem.Anyway, I consider this problem to be not much of a surprise.&nbsp; 3rd edition did a great job of making the stats tie into the game better.&nbsp; But given that the game is heavily combat driven, it should be of no surprise that items that have the most impact on combat are the most effective?The only way I can see to break up the big 6 is to introduce items that compete against them slot wise but provide wildly different (but still useful abilities).&nbsp; Items that do the following either dont exist or are hard to find:- Provide Damage Reduction- Provide Spell Resistance- Provide Fast Healing- Provide a bonus feat or a +X bonus if you have that feat already when equiped- Provide extra attacks (ie:&nbsp; A sword that gives a free attack vs some Monster subtype)- Cast spells on opponent on some hits (ie:&nbsp; Daze, Slow, Charm Person, Heat Metal, Reduce Person)Another way to cure this is to give some of the big 6 tradeoff properties.&nbsp; A cloak that lets someone drop Bab into Saves is a no brainer for Wizards, but for a Front liner?&nbsp; Gain Str at the cost of Dex or Int?&nbsp; That is a harder choice.END COMMUNICATION</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lord Zardoz, post: 3394421, member: 704"] My own solution to the Big Six problem is as follows. 1) I try to base encounters more on what I know of my players then what the CR guidelines dictate. Generally, I try not to make the lack of specific types of items a Death Penalty offense. 2) I tend to let my players purchase appropriate magic items within reason. Past a certain point, it will take more then showing up somewhere with a bunch of cash to get certain items. 3) I will usually avoid throwing around +X weapons or Armour, instead throwing around +y Items with secondary abilities (Such as bane or burst weapons). This gives you the same tuning options you have with respect to Clerics vs Undead. 4) While I wont strip magic items, I will not hesitate to bust out with Sunder, or to have a Villain disarm then have a lackey steal a weapon in combat and then run off. Player gear is not entirely sacred. Still, I will admit that I have not yet had any campaigns get to a point where item saturation starts to become a problem. Anyway, I consider this problem to be not much of a surprise. 3rd edition did a great job of making the stats tie into the game better. But given that the game is heavily combat driven, it should be of no surprise that items that have the most impact on combat are the most effective? The only way I can see to break up the big 6 is to introduce items that compete against them slot wise but provide wildly different (but still useful abilities). Items that do the following either dont exist or are hard to find: - Provide Damage Reduction - Provide Spell Resistance - Provide Fast Healing - Provide a bonus feat or a +X bonus if you have that feat already when equiped - Provide extra attacks (ie: A sword that gives a free attack vs some Monster subtype) - Cast spells on opponent on some hits (ie: Daze, Slow, Charm Person, Heat Metal, Reduce Person) Another way to cure this is to give some of the big 6 tradeoff properties. A cloak that lets someone drop Bab into Saves is a no brainer for Wizards, but for a Front liner? Gain Str at the cost of Dex or Int? That is a harder choice. END COMMUNICATION [/QUOTE]

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