D&D 5E CoS: light on magic treasure? (spoilers)

[GlassJaw]

I plan to run CoS for my group after LMoP. I've read through most of it as well as multiple guides and threads. I've definitely heard that it can be quite difficult and a meatgrinder and I'm wondering if part of that is due to the limited number of magic items given by the module.

I know traditionally Ravenloft is a low-magic setting (the 2ed Ravenloft boxed set specifically addresses this, and 2ed modules have little to no treasure at all in them). That said, this isn't specified in CoS as being the case.

And given how difficult (and memorable) some of the opponents are, I'm surprised at the lack of magic items. For example, the Old Bonegrinder has the potential to be brutal and there is essentially no treasure at all (125gp worth, that's it).

Now I haven't played or ran CoS yet so any insight would be helpful. Just seems that scattering a few more items here and there, especially consumables, would help at least mitigate the "spikes" in difficulty in certain places.

 

[pukunui]

CoS has heaps of magic items. Many are potions and scrolls, but magic weapons and other such things abound. [EDIT: There are 50+ magic items in this adventure. I don't think you need to add any more.]

It's cold, hard cash that CoS is light on, as my players have discovered. Most non-magical wealth is tied up in art objects rather than coins.

 

[Rils]

Any perceived lack of magical items just means they have to find ways of resolving situations besides "kill the bad guy".

But, yes, there are magical weapons and potions and whatnot. Like Pukunui said, cash is hard to come by. I solved this by running the economy on a barter system. I don't tell my players "this ring is worth 75 gp" - I tell them "this silver ring with an uncut golden topaz mounted on it is worth whatever someone is willing to trade for it." Some people would give a lot for it - others couldn't care less. It's not how we've done things in the past, but it makes it a lot more meaningful to track the loot they find!

 

[GlassJaw]

But, yes, there are magical weapons and potions and whatnot. Like Pukunui said, cash is hard to come by. I solved this by running the economy on a barter system. I don't tell my players "this ring is worth 75 gp" - I tell them "this silver ring with an uncut golden topaz mounted on it is worth whatever someone is willing to trade for it." Some people would give a lot for it - others couldn't care less. It's not how we've done things in the past, but it makes it a lot more meaningful to track the loot they find!

I like the barter concept a lot - really makes sense for the setting. There isn't much new cash or items coming in so people become more self-reliant and not as interested in hoarding wealth. People become interested in items or good either out of survival, nostalgia/personal interest or exchange of services/protection.

Perhaps what I've noticed as I read through the book is while there are magic items, there certainly doesn't seem to be many basic "+1" items (or if any at all).

 

[Guest 6801328]

Also note that in many locations the text says "random item from table D" or whatever. So if you're scanning the text looking for "+1 Long Sword" you're not going to see many of those.

 

[thethain]

The magic items of Barovia are hoarded by Strahd. There are like a dozen magic items in his castle. The rarity of them is part of the challenge. The werewolves for example are trivial with magic items but unstoppable without silver weapons.

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[Savage Wombat]

I also felt that the greater concentrations of magic items aren't (apart from the castle) where the PCs are going to automatically go. They're in spots off the main plot line - Baba L's, the Amber Temple. So the party needs levels before getting swag.

And yes, there's a problem with coin. Of course, there's also a problem with stores to spend coin at.

 

[thethain]

I also felt that the greater concentrations of magic items aren't (apart from the castle) where the PCs are going to automatically go. They're in spots off the main plot line - Baba L's, the Amber Temple. So the party needs levels before getting swag.

And yes, there's a problem with coin. Of course, there's also a problem with stores to spend coin at.

Right. Going by the book there's nothing over I think 50 gp value readily available for purchase. I would think the players could negotiate with the Vistani to make a trip for them, but that's going to be a harsh markup.

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[DEFCON 1]

It's the conundrum of Curse of Strahd... the "reward" you get for running the adventure path is "escape"-- not money.

If you have players who are more interesting in "killing monsters / taking their stuff", then CoS might not be the best adventure to run. I believe it's very much more of a roleplaying adventure, where the rewards are not monetary, they are "experiences" the group survives. So if the players buy in to the idea that they cannot escape this land, this land really sucks to stay or live in, and if they want to go home they have to find a way to deal with all these various deadly threats through ingenuity more than brute force... then I think CoS works in spades. But it's definitely different than a lot of other prototypical D&D-esque adventures.

And truth be told, I've found it also to be very different on the DM's side of the screen as well. Intentionally making things difficult, not allowing players to call mulligans on actions, not handing out magic like it was from a fountain, changing the resting rules to make it more difficult, not worrying about CR ratings on encounters, and in general just making a whole heap of crap up and throwing them at the players to spook them with little to no justification for why it is happening. It's been an interesting change of pace for me, and I think has made me a better DM because I've had to expand my methodologies and not fall back on my standard operating procedures on running a game.

 

[Fleetwood C. DeVille]

I solved this by running the economy on a barter system.

This.

Jobs needing done is the top coin of the Ravenloft economy. "Want X? How about you go over there and get me some Y."