Down with magic items!

[A'koss]

Our campaign is trying the "reduced magic" route but you need something to compensate for the power loss. Right now we're toying with Sculpt-Self (from Dragon Mag.) style enhancements (and keeping them within the boundaries of a Norse theme) instead of the usual accrual of magic. Norse myths are full of mortals and troll-born who have special abilities - turn into a fish, damage resistance, swift running, great strength, etc. We're also taking a page of D20 Modern and trying class-based AC bonuses.

In our Post-Ragnarok campaign none of the PC races can create permanent magic items, however temporary magical enchantments are possible. The permanent magic items that do exist are remnants of the Einherjar, the Valkyries and even the Gods themselves. Only the ancient and hidden races races can still make permanent magic items - the Dwarves, the Alfar and a few others but they are closer to Gods than mortals. Many items are singular, highly coveted and most are virtually impervious to harm - "The" Ring of Shooting Stars, "The" Amulet of the Planes, etc.


Cheers,

A'koss!

 

[Umbran]

He made three attacks in the entire game, once with a Walther ppk, one use of a flamethrower, and then the hand granade.

Yeah, and how are these all that different from throwing around some hefty magic missiles and fireballs from wands?

Remember the old theme - any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishible from magic. With a simple twitch of the character's finger, death flies across the room? Sounds like magic to me

 

[Merlion]

I love 2001 but I could SO shoot Arthur C. Clarke for coming up with that saying.

 

[Dark Eternal]

I love 2001 but I could SO shoot Arthur C. Clarke for coming up with that saying.

Silly. You don't shoot Arthur for saying it; you shoot the people who quote it.

On topic:

So how would you all suggest someone compete with the magic-item-loaded syndrome if you want to play a character who doesn't use them?

For example: in our new campaign, we have a player whose char is a half-orc barbarian (laugh if you want - no one else in our group has ever played one! Seemed too obvious for us, I guess) who is suspicious and antithetic to magic in general. He already destroyed the first magic item that our party has come across, because he was convinced it was dangerous.

So at later levels, how is this guy going to compete if his character - for excellent rp reasons - refuses to wield magic items?

I'd kind of like to make my Renshai character concept valid, as well.

Suggestions? Anyone? Please?

Edit: Truncated sig.

 

[Merlion]

OooOOO your right about that DE. thanks for pointing that out.

That has got to be my least favorite quote in history.

 

[Jeph]

DE, if the one of the basic assumptions of the campaign is that the characters are loaded with magic items, the only way to compete and not die horribly is probably the Forsaker. Either that, or convince your GM to make a few house rules, or completely alter the tone of the campaign. Option numeral uno would probably be muuuuch easier.

 

[thullgrim]

As a barb he might be willing to go with a spirit based item rather than a 'magic' item, especially if said item was made/endorssed by the tribes shaman.

For the whole Renshai thing, I think something akin to the 1e Kensai might work, as might an adaptation of the monk, in that the Renshai swordsman might be able to hit creatures with DR at certain levels. Like a Ki power or something. Barring that I think the Renshai concept might also work the self-imbuement of items that was presented in one of the dragon magazines, a version of which can also be found in OA.

Just my thoughts on the issue...
thullgrim

 

[Oni]

For all you modern tech = magic people consider this.

The more exotic an item the more a character is defined by that item. What is more exotic that magic? Though you might have a modern character using a weapon that in medieval fantasy would require magic to duplicate it's effects, it is mundane so it's relative importance is diminished allowing the character to shine through above and beyound his equipment.

That is my humble opinion anyway.

 

[TogaMario]

I was there!

Just goes to show that you don't need magical items to do massive destruction! Just sharp minds ... a frag. grenade ... a flame thrower ... and a car ... and I would've loved to have one good masterwork weapon in the Level 20 Combat Arena situation I played later that afternoon. Being ethereal makes it difficult to attack without a +1 weapon Luckily I was a Wiz and could summon backup. Thanks Vrock BTW, never pit two people with mad "hide, invis, ethereal" skills against each other! That tourney took way too long.

 

[RangerWickett]

If you'd like, I could email you some of the Open Gaming Content from Four-Color to Fantasy, to help you decide if it'd work for your half-Orc character. Explain it however you want, but basically you'd gain Hero Points instead of having magic items, and the powers from the Hero Points would balance you out with the rest of the group. Maybe the spirits bless you because you rely on their will instead of on magic, or maybe you just have learned to fight extra well because you can't rely on sorcery as a crutch.