So, what's the christmas tree effect again? Is it that characters all buy the same six items. Or is it that every character has so many items that they're like a yuppie christmas tree?
If MIC was an effort to fix the former problem, then it only partially succeeded. It provides a variety of equipment that is worth the price cost (and the a few items (belt of battle for instance) that are so utterly and dramatically undercosted to singlehandedly wreck games and demonstrate that the designers did not even learn the lessons of the 3.0 to 3.5 conversion particularly well). On the other hand, if the MIC was an effort to fix the problem that characters have so many magic items that they light up like a christmas tree under detect magic, then it is an utter and abject failure because it accomplished the exact opposite of what it intended.
Pre MIC, a wizard probably wanted a headband of intellect, cloak/vest of resistance, and maybe an amulet of health, pearl of power, and/or blessed book. Most of those are single items that are regularly upgraded so for at least half his career, the wizard is likely to have less than ten items.
post MIC, the wizard is going to want arcanists gloves, an anklet of translocation, a healing belt, a headband of intellect, a cloak/vest of resistance, an amulet of health, pearls of power, maybe a blessed book, a twilight mithral chain shirt and a twilight mithral buckler with a couple armor augment crystals for each of them, and as many belts of battle as his DM lets him craft, find, buy, or steal.
Similarly, pre-MIC, the dwarf who has a magic spiked chain, magic heavy flail, magic armor, magic vest of resistance, belt of giant strength, animated shield, and boots of speed already, is probably going to save up his money and pay a wizard to make one of those items better.
Post-MIC, the dwarf melee character will want an augment crystal for each weapon (if nothing else, the one that lets you draw that weapon as a free action), an augment crystal for his armor, an augment crystal for his shield, and a couple extras for odd situations, some extra magic weapons that give a nifty option usable a few times per day (meteoric knife for instance), a dragon mask so he can see invisible, a bear helm or helm of glorious recovery, and as many pairs of counterstrike bracers as he can fit in his hand haversack (because this dwarf has a good AC and likes getting extra attacks).
The long and the short of is that by including numerous cost-effective low-priced items for every slot, the MIC ensured that characters would buy
more (and more specialized) magic items rather than fewer. By making most of them limited by charges but not limited by an attunement period (as the minis handbook items were), they also ensured that many characters would do their utmost to obtain multiples of the
really cost effective items so that the 3/day tricks could become 3/combat tricks. (After each combat, you trade out boots, belts, bracers, or whatever else you have)
The "big six" and the "Christmas tree" effect are actually opposite problems. The MIC took the game towards the christmas tree effect not away from it. (And if the designers tell you that wasn't their intent, I want to know how they managed not to realize it was an inevitable consequence of their design philosophy).
AllisterH said:
Er, no.
The Xmas tree effect was well known YEARS before MIC. MIC was actually an attempt to fix this by making non-stat boosters more attractive. Its one of the reason why it is so popular among fans IMO.