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Message: <blockquote data-quote="NCSUCodeMonkey" data-source="post: 2925534" data-attributes="member: 2047">It can be done and it can be a lot of fun. My weekly campaign is based of the premise of putting the spotlight on the characters and what they can do, not on whatever magical nuclear weapon they happen to find in a dragon horde. It's a fun style of play, but it's not for everyone. In my game, I only make minor adjustements to monsters (decreasing DR is the most common change). You'd be amazed at how resourceful the PCs can be, low magic (items) or no. My group regularly takes down foes that they don't have any business facing and they do it by being smart. Their last four sessions have included combats at 4+ their CR against spellcasters, giants, horrors beyond mention, etc. There's nothing quite like coming back from the edge of defeat and besting a more powerful foe.Here's a quick summary of things I've seen in my weekly game, YMMV:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Power Gaps between PC classes -- Whoa ho is this a big one. You thought spellcasters were more powerful than fighters before, wait until the fighters are without magical arms and armor!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The PCs want things -- Plain and simple, one of the biggest parts of an RPG for a lot of players is collecting bigger/better/badder equipment. If you've got a player that always takes Craft feats or the Craft skill, you'll need a way to stretch out mundane equipment so he/she can enjoy that element.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Player deaths happen more often. In my game, because it's low magic item and low wealth, it's difficult to bring those dead back to life.</li> </ul>Here's a partial list of the things I've done to balance these out:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I use the Masterwork system from the Black Company campaign setting, but I'm sure there are other supplemental rules out there. Masterwork items don't really get much better, they just gain the ability to have multiple bonuses.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As previously suggested on the thread, I bump the PCs every once in a while (every 6 levels at current) with a supernatural-esque ability that complements their character's style and personality. It's like getting a magical item, but the character is the item. Mechanically speaking, there's not much difference, but psychologically the difference is substantial.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I use a fate point system similar to Warhammer. Every character gets a "get out of death free" card that they can use once and only once. Losing it hurts in the first place (usually permanent ability score or movement damage) and once lost, a huge change comes over the player/character. They're suddenly a lot more careful <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" />.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Encourage your spellcasters to support your fighters. I do this both in a meta-sense and in a tactical sense, by suddenly striking the spellcasters from the rear with enemies that they cannot easily dispatch. When the fighters come crashing through to save the day the cleric doesn't think twice about healing them up.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Action Points work great. Again, I use the system found in the Black Company setting, but any system should do the trick. Just make sure that it gives plenty of support to the fighters; Black Company does this by giving more action points to the fighter class than any other class.</li> </ul>I can e-mail my list of house rules if you think it'll help. They're pretty specific to my Black Company/D&D hybrid, but they might provide you some direction.NCSUCodeMonkey</blockquote>

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