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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 4015273" data-attributes="member: 710">I think the important term is "Opportunity Cost".If it takes a swift (minor) action to activate per encounter ability X, and a swift action to activate item Y, this means you will still have to decide which you use. If the encounter is no longer than the number of "innate" powers you can activate as an immediate action, magic items just give more flexibility. (Assuming the powers you have are not automatically less powerful than the magic item power)Flexibility is still useful, no doubt about that. But game balance within an encounter is less strongly affected by that then by giving you an outright better option.This doesn't work for all items. If there are boots of flying that work constantly, the only oppertunity cost you have is not wearing boots of speed or boots of teleportation, and there is no "innate" ability covering the same "slot". I think that might be why such items are put at very high levels (carpet of flying was level 17?).Group dynamics can help in balancing the power of these items.A Fighter capable of flying primarily reduces his disadvantage against a flying opponent. (But he might have been able to do the same with a Bow?). He doesn't gain a significant benefit against earth-boud monsters, because he will still want to smack them with his melee weapon, meaning he stays in reach anyway. Out of combat, the utility of flying is pretty strong, off course.If, say the Ranger character can fly, he can protect himself pretty well against melee and earth-bound enemies and is still useful with a bow. But the Fighter is still down there, and has to do his "Defender" job. He will probably be less defending and more "binding", because the enemy creature might attempt to flee if faced with an opponent it can't get too. Or the monster is just content ripping apart the Defender, which it probably would have done even if the Ranger was on ground (since the Fighter would have tried to defend the Ranger and ensure that the monster goes after him). If all characters can fly (and use it, in a dungeon, flight doesn't give the same benefits as in the open wild), the monster will have to run for cover. Or the party just ignores it.</blockquote>

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