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<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 3395592" data-attributes="member: 22779">On the whole &quot;Let's go to the ball&quot; thing.I don't have the link, but, a recent poll here on EnWorld placed most campaigns at about 70% combat.&nbsp; If combat outnumbers non-combat by more than 2:1, then you can bet that the players are going to spend their money in at least that ratio.&nbsp; Considering your PC doesn't die at the ball (usually), it's not hard to figure out why the players want utility items over &quot;cool&quot; stuff.jasin has the right of it IMO.&nbsp; Given the choice, people are going to maximize their spending.&nbsp; That's perfectly natural.&nbsp; If your choice is a better weapon or a thing that makes you fall slower, it's not a big jump to think that people are going to take the better weapon.Earlier in the thread someone mentioned that the proliferation of utility items is perfectly mirrored in feats and in spells.&nbsp; Again, that makes sense.&nbsp; Sure, that skill bonus feat might be useful in the 30% of non-combat, but, again, twice as much time is spent in combat, so power attack becomes much, much more attractive.For any given thing in the game, be it a feat, spell, or magic item, to be equal, it has to be as useful as other things of the same value.&nbsp; How many clerics memorize water breathing unless they absolutely know they need it today?&nbsp; How many clerics memorize Searing Light?&nbsp; IME, every cleric will take Searing Light before Water Breathing.&nbsp; If we want people to take Water Breathing, we should one of two things&nbsp; - make it easier to cast (ie. lower level) or make it more powerful (such as also granting a swim speed, perhaps freedom of movement while underwater).Magic items are no different.&nbsp; If we want people to take a Ring of Chameleon Power (12 700 gp), we have to make it at least as useful as +1 Flaming Lumpy Metal Thing plus Gauntlets of Ogre Power.&nbsp; Add in a minor displacement ability perhaps, or a Hide In Plain Sight ability.&nbsp; Something like that.Otherwise, players are going to take the bonus that best helps them.&nbsp; +2 to hit and damage as well as the extra benefits of a +2 strength is pretty hard to ignore.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 3395592, member: 22779"] On the whole "Let's go to the ball" thing. I don't have the link, but, a recent poll here on EnWorld placed most campaigns at about 70% combat. If combat outnumbers non-combat by more than 2:1, then you can bet that the players are going to spend their money in at least that ratio. Considering your PC doesn't die at the ball (usually), it's not hard to figure out why the players want utility items over "cool" stuff. jasin has the right of it IMO. Given the choice, people are going to maximize their spending. That's perfectly natural. If your choice is a better weapon or a thing that makes you fall slower, it's not a big jump to think that people are going to take the better weapon. Earlier in the thread someone mentioned that the proliferation of utility items is perfectly mirrored in feats and in spells. Again, that makes sense. Sure, that skill bonus feat might be useful in the 30% of non-combat, but, again, twice as much time is spent in combat, so power attack becomes much, much more attractive. For any given thing in the game, be it a feat, spell, or magic item, to be equal, it has to be as useful as other things of the same value. How many clerics memorize water breathing unless they absolutely know they need it today? How many clerics memorize Searing Light? IME, every cleric will take Searing Light before Water Breathing. If we want people to take Water Breathing, we should one of two things - make it easier to cast (ie. lower level) or make it more powerful (such as also granting a swim speed, perhaps freedom of movement while underwater). Magic items are no different. If we want people to take a Ring of Chameleon Power (12 700 gp), we have to make it at least as useful as +1 Flaming Lumpy Metal Thing plus Gauntlets of Ogre Power. Add in a minor displacement ability perhaps, or a Hide In Plain Sight ability. Something like that. Otherwise, players are going to take the bonus that best helps them. +2 to hit and damage as well as the extra benefits of a +2 strength is pretty hard to ignore. [/QUOTE]

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