Do *Players* like to buy magic items?

[James Heard]

My players (and myself when I get to play), are firmly within the paying for it camp. They pay for NPCs to provide the feats to create the items that they'll provide the spells for, for the NPCs to cast the spells for the items they're creating, commission entire items when they're feeling rich and full of themselves (or hastened by need), they go to extraordinary lengths to kiss the behinds of the nice folks who provide magic items, travel across the country simply to find such persons, they're total "we buy magic items" whores really. But this has been going on for most of a decade, so I don't see much of a problem in it. The big change I've seen since 3E has been characters making magical items for themselves, at almost every level. Sometimes the main reason to dip into a spellcasting class has been to gain Craft Wondrous and a spell list for using scrolls and wands.

 

[eris404]

The question of whether or not DMs allow PCs to purchase magic items comes up fairly often on this forum. But to my recollection, I don't think anyone has asked if the Players like having the option to buy magic items.

The DMs in our group do allow us to buy small items, usually healing potions, from local "wise" men or women (or sometimes churches) so that if none of us choose to play a character that can magically heal others, the party doesn't suffer. This might seem like a minor point, but sometimes I feel like I need to play the "designated healer" because no one else wants to do it. If there is an outside source of healing, however, I feel more comfortable playing the character I want to play, rather than the one I think I have to play.

As both a player and a DM, I don't really like the idea of magic shops (the "magical Walmart"), but I like the idea of a group of NPCs who can create magic items on commission, a local "witch" who makes cures for diseases, curses and wounds, or some kind of bazaar that might have unusual items for sale. It doesn't make sense to me that there would be a store with 10 +1 longswords just laying around, but that maybe a travelling merchant bought a +1 longsword with strange runes in an unknown tongue from a thief who was desperate to get rid of it.

I guess this stems from my general dislike of "generic" items, too. If someone is going to bother to create a magical longsword, even if it only has a +1 bonus according to the rules, I still would hope that the sword would have some history and importance to it, something that would distinguish it from another magical sword or even a masterwork sword. This is something our DMs are good at thankfully.

Also, I don't like the idea of gaining a magic item without having to work for it. That is, that my character had to save up for it, work hard to get it or put a little blood, sweat and tears into making it. I don't mind investing experience points, time and/or gold into getting an item I want. Sometimes being able to just plunk down the gold and get the stuff isn't satisfying enough, unless the character had to work really, really hard to get the coin (or find the merchant or go on a quest for the wizard who is making the item or whatever).

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I rarely let players buy anything more than minor protection items (Ring +1), low level potions, and low level scrolls, along with some alchemical items.

The question was whether or not the PLAYERS enjoy buying magic items... not whether or not you let them.

As for me I enjoy buying magic items a great deal. Most players I've played with in the past feel the same way. As I've said in previous threads there is no magic item that a player can have that a good DM can't adjust to in his campaign. I run my game for the entertainment of my players. If they enjoy buying items and they have fun then I've done my job. The only magic items I even worry about are the misc magic items. Weapons and Armor are just bonuses and penalties to rolls in the mechanics of everything. I can counteract each by throwing in more difficult monsters or adding templates or PC levels to lower end ones. Rings, Wands, Staves, and Rods typically only grant spell abilities that any Wizard of the appropriate level could cast so no big deal there. Misc Magic items are the only ones that have odd effects that can really mess with the game in a big way.

Here is an example for you on how little magic weapons really matter. Take a 1st level Fighter and give him a +5 Flaming Burst Lawful Long Sword and send him out to fight a Troll. Guess what happens to the Fighter... the same thing that would happen to any 1st level Fighter taking on a Troll. He'd come out of the other end of the Troll in a few hours as Troll dung.

In the case of a powerful magic weapon being for sale in a large city do any of the rest of you use the auction method for determining a final price? Any item like that I'd imagine that an auction would be the preferred method for a seller to get top dollar for the item.

 

[Beretta]

When I am a player, I enjoy it, for the same reason I like having the proper equipment for a job in real life. There's something that feels good about having the right tool for the job in your hand, versus having to make do with what you have.

I wouldn't mind commissioning more, but my DM's usually don't put a lot into magic item buying - 9 times out of 10, if you have the money, and the city is large enough, the item is yours.

Absolutely - same situation here.

There are much more exciting things to do than waste 5 other peoples time while one person tries desperately to get that item they want commissioned. In a city that is large enough, there is bound to be somebody with the item in question in a magic-rich game (such as FR). So why go into all the agonising details of procurement?

We would rather be adventurers than hagglers.

Since I DM as well, I do it the same way. The players prefer it as well. I think being laden with gold but being unable to spend it on what you want isn't much fun. And that's what the game is about - having fun.

 

[SkidAce]

As a player, I know what my character needs and wants a hell of a lot better than my DM does.

"Allowing" me to buy items simply enables me to customize my character's abilities.

All this from a DM who used to subscribe to the 'you'll take what I give you and like it' school.

Doesn't your DM ever ask what direction your character's abilities are heading?

 

[SkidAce]

When I play...it doesn't matter cause I just roll with the adventure and the way the current world works.

When I DM...well in the current campaign the players are the only adventuring group they know of...so there is no "magical surplus" to be found.

A long time ago there was another good guy adventuring group but they retired and vanished.

And the bad guys keep their loot.

 

[Uller]

I'd rather name my notable magic items myself than have the DM feed me named items with history. I'm the one who's making history!

This is exactly what I'm talking about when I say "D&D is the players' story...I'm just here to help them tell it."

Yes, it's cool if the DM awards the PCs Kelg'thu - The legendary sword of Narestu that was used to slay the Archfiend Belebledrix (a +4 Holy Keen Flaming Burst Demon Bane longsword or whatever). But let's face it...your typical player doesn't care that much about it...he cares what _HIS_ character is going to do with it...and if he feels it really doesn't fit his character, what's the problem with him wanting to sell it (for half price or something) and buying the weapon he wants?

As a player, I certainly like to be able to buy magic items. I don't think there needs to be a Magic Mart or whatever...just suitable opportunities for us to occasionally buy/sell/trade/commision (or make) items during down time between adventures. That's what I do as a DM...unfortunately the other DM in our group doesn't. I don't argue with him about it though...that'd be wrong.

 

[hong]

"Roleplaying is fantasy shopping for guys" -- Robin Laws

In many games, the "shopping" reference is a metaphor. D&D is rather unique in that it can also be literal, especially if you're playing a class that doesn't have lots of inbuilt superpowers.

So yes, it's not surprising that many people get a kick out of flipping through the rulebooks, picking out the powerups that they want for their PCs. Sometimes this will involve actual shopping/trading.

 

[Qualir]

The question of whether or not DMs allow PCs to purchase magic items comes up fairly often on this forum. But to my recollection, I don't think anyone has asked if the Players like having the option to buy magic items.

When playing a PC, I like being able to purchase magic items that match/fit my character better than things the group may find in a dungeon. That's actually why, when I DM, I allow the PCs to buy magic item -- usually through brokers who can set up a deal -- swap, commission, or straight buy.

What about you?

Quasqueton

As a player i have to say NO. There are two reasons for this.

1. I tend to play spellcasters, so the rest of the party always seems to be pestering me to create an item for them. They are always willing to pay, the creation cost but not the market value. I have no idea why they always believe that I am more than willing to spend my hard earned XP on an item that makes them more powerful (new item)when that same XP is better spent
making me more powerful (new spell level). I figure, if I won't do it, why would someone else do it.

2. Slaying that dragon and discovering a Holy Avenger for my paladin (what I play when not playing mages) is much more meaningful to me than buying it from Bob the Magic Item Builder.

This is also the rational I use for denying mage shops in games I DM.

Of course, I don't mind minor items (potions and ever burning torches) being on the market, but that's much different than free for all mage shops.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

I'm firmly in the camp of players who like minor magical stuff to be available for purchase, and more powerful items to be available via commission. Generally our GM keeps supplies of minor stuff fairly limited (only a handful of cure light wounds potions are available for sale each week, or whatever), but it's not a chore to track down someone who can sell you one. Getting something pricier built for you generally means creating some good will with the manufacturer in order to negotiate a fair price, and that's just ideal for plot hooks and for populating the city with people you actually want to talk to.

Plus, it gives PCs somewhere to spend all that money they're hoarding, and a reason to still be interested in earning more cash.

Hell, in our Scarred Lands game, my halfling wizard with Create Wondrous Item cranked out a few sets of gauntlets of ogre power for the local militia as a way of raising the cash to pay for more spells and the raw materials for a pearl of power for himself. It was very lucrative, and got the party some solid NPC contacts in that quarter that proved useful later on.

So it's cool with me. Making money becomes interesting even for characters who aren't interested in living in utter luxury, finding people to make custom items for you helps flesh out the gameworld and gives your character more to do, and, well, it beats the living crap out of watching treasure haul after treasure haul go by without ever seeing anything your character can get any real use out of.

--
and how else are monks and exotic weapon users ever going to get magic weapons?
ryan