Anybody else getting sick of the pervasive-magic crutch in the game?

[Aeric]

What I don't like is the all-pervasive magic item in D&D. It's become so easy to get ahold scrolls, potions, and low-level weapons and armor, they've become merely tools instead of items of awe and wonder.

I don't mind the spellcasting, but I do mind the magic item becoming just another piece of equipment.

 

[Cedric]

Depends on the game. If you want a different level of magic, control it to the extent that there is the appropriate level of magic for your game...tada.

 

[FireLance]

What I don't like is the all-pervasive magic item in D&D. It's become so easy to get ahold scrolls, potions, and low-level weapons and armor, they've become merely tools instead of items of awe and wonder.

I don't mind the spellcasting, but I do mind the magic item becoming just another piece of equipment.

Frankly, I don't see why low-level scrolls, potions, weapons and armor should inspire awe and wonder. If my wizard buddy regularly fires off magic missiles at our enemies, should I feel amazed that he can produce the same effect from a scroll? If my cleric companion has healed my wounds time and again, should I be in awe of a potion that can do the same? If the only difference between a +1 longsword and my masterwork longsword is that it gets through DR/magic and deals an extra point of damage, how much wonder am I supposed to feel, especially since my spellcasting friends can get me the same benefits with a simple spell?

I think the dissonance comes when DMs want even a potion of cure light wounds to be treated as a rare and wondrous artefact, but a 1st-level cleric to be treated as "nothing special" to prevent the PC from having disproportionate influence over the NPCs in the campaign. Either magic and spellcasters are common, and low-level magic is treated as a tool, or magic and spellcasters are rare, and even low-level magic items and spellcasters are treated with respect and awe. Even the somewhat contrived (at least to me) scenario in which spellcasters are common, but magic items are rare begs the question of why any spellcaster that actually had the ability create magic items would bother to create something that just heals 1d8+1 points of damage.

Asking me to get excited about something simply because it's got a "magic item" tag is like asking me to get excited about something simply because it's got a designer label. A +1 longsword doesn't impress me. A +1 holy longsword will interest me. A +5 holy, axiomatic, evil outsider bane cold iron longsword will certainly get my attention.

 

[Narsil]

Well, speaking as a purebred male (though British, not American, before anyone brings up that particular chestnut)... I'm rather surprised that people would want to tone down magic. It's just really the same long-term effect as using normal weapons...

But with explosions. I do it for the explosions!

 

[Zogmo]

So here's a few options:

IRON HEROES
http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mpress_IL

"Iron Heroes is a variant player's handbook in the tradition of Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed. This exciting new game of heroic combat action is for skilled heroes who have no need for magic swords or arcane trinkets. Armed with their cunning, talent and unmatched bravery, they wade sword-first into a savage world of high adventure."

MIDNIGHT
http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/midnight.html

Midnight is basically a low magic world you can check out.

Just remember DM or GM your the Master. Keep magic where you want it to be.
There are no rules. Only guidelines.

 

[gamecat]

In real life, I have items like my <i>stapler</i> and my <i>computer</i>.

In my fantasy role-play life, I have items like my <i>+1 Frost Rapier</i> and my <i>Ring of Wizardry II</i>.

I enjoy having things that perforate opponents and help with the storage of magic spells, as opposed to things that perforate paper and store information about condominium associations.

 

[papastebu]

NoWay

One time, at... not band camp? Really, though, I would have to go with the "there can never be too much magic" answer, because, as someone responded, the players have access to what I want them to have access to when I DM, and I pretty much have to take what's offered in someone else's game.
I like it when people start using magic creatively, even when I have to say, "You just screwed up my storyline!" sotto voce.
I killed off an owlbear that my DM had been following us with by use of the flying spell, an 18 strength, and the featherfall spell in combination. Threw the thing over the horizon. I think Charles allowed it because I was trying to be creative with the resources I was given, even if it made short work of the owlbear.
As long as players are keeping things in game and in character, and the DM doesn't forget what's going on, it seems like the amount of magic in anyone's game shouldn't ever get out of hand.

 

[Li Shenron]

If you mean the "amount of possibly existing spells or magic items in the setting", I stopped buying D&D books before magic became too much, so no problem in our campaigns. Actually, I'm always short of divination spells, but no books coming out seem to provide much about it (not even Spell Compendium).

But if you mean "amount of actual spells or magic items used by PCs" I do that especially after level 10th there is too much magic and characters are too much dependent on it.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

I, for one, can't stand how much magic stuff you need to stay even mediocre in D&D. Either you need all the stuff, or you need to cast the spells that go into the stuff.

At the high end, it just degenerates into spell-buffed christmas-tree-glowing dragons flying by and nuking the party, then hover and nuke anyone that can fly up and melee with them. If you couldn't afford the items that let you fly all the time, you're screwed; if you spent the money to fly, the dragon (or whatever) can do even more damage to you since you skimped on your defensive magic items.

It should be what you know, not what you own, like Iron Heroes. But I can't get my group to play that.

 

[Turanil]

I don't mind the spellcasting, but I do mind the magic item becoming just another piece of equipment.

Agreed 100%.