Entitlement and "standard equipment"

[Dandu]

Well, here's the thing: what if his paladin build revolves around Spirited Charge, Rhino's Rush, and a lance?

 

[Michael Silverbane]

Hmmm. I don't know. Perhaps I'm an old school fossil, but I'd simply say to the player that wants to start up an 8th level paladin character the following:

Why not just, "Blah blah [previous adventures] blah blah"...? Which still allows the player the freedom to choose whatever equipment he likes...

There you go. No walmart necessary.

 

[SHARK]

Why not just, "Blah blah [previous adventures] blah blah"...? Which still allows the player the freedom to choose whatever equipment he likes...

Greetings!

True, you could do that--then again, however, as a DM, I tend to like to control access to certain magic items, so I am not too keen on letting players just pick whatever they want.

Admittedly, however, even with the stated official budget for level 8 characters, there isn't a whole lot of items that are too powerful, or problematic, really. So your idea works just as well my friend.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[HoboGod]

It's to be expected that your players are greedy, unreasonable, and demanding. They want it all and they'll cry like children if they think it will work. I can't count the number of times one of my players has asked for free gold for doing basically nothing. "I rolled a 26 on my Perform (Dance) skill in the tavern, can I panhandle enough gold to upgrade my longbow to masterwork?" Not unless you already have 299 gold and 64 copper.

 

[Dandu]

Well, it depends on whose pan you handle, I suppose.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Do you have that problem in your games, that players/PCs seem to think they should be able to have anything in budget, whenever they have the money?

Nope. My house rule is that you can buy anything listed in the Player's Handbook, as long as it's within the town's GP limit. To buy other things (including magic items), you have to find a seller, which takes one or more successful Gather Information checks. There are no magic Wal-Marts in my campaign world.

Another house rule is that new characters above 1st level get 10% of their "wealth by level" (according to the Dungeon Master's Guide) as cash, which they are free to spend on anything listed in the Player's Handbook (or to personally craft items). The other 90% of their starting wealth comes in the form of gear selected by the DM; they are encouraged to make their desires known, but there is no guarantee they will receive any given item. Thus, my players have no expectation that they will have any particular magic item(s), which very much suits the style of play I prefer.

 

[Oryan77]

Just because a player knows about a magic item because he read it in a D&D book does not mean that the PCs/NPCs will know of the item.

If the player uses the excuse, "But I'm an adventurer and it would be basic gear for me to have. So it would be well known", then ask him, "Then why doesn't every single NPC have that item if it is so basic? Wouldn't they want a Healing Belt if it is that easy to come by?"

This type of entitlement is one reason I don't have magic item shops in our campaign. Players like that make magic items seem like nothing more than expensive mundane items.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

SHARK'S approach is the one I tend to favor in those cases, especially when it comes to obscure but very good splatbook items like the Healing Belt. A character should get level appropriate gear that fits with the character concept and the setting if you're starting them after 1st. But what you've got is a player issue rather than a character issue.

Just remember when it comes to the basic bonus items that a certain amount of bonus from magic items was expected when they built the statistics and if you don't want to allow those items you need to boost the characters directly to make up for it or higher level combat starts getting mechanically unbalanced. I personally just toss those bonuses right onto the characters and get rid of the vanilla +x items.

 

[SHARK]

SHARK'S approach is the one I tend to favor in those cases, especially when it comes to obscure but very good splatbook items like the Healing Belt. A character should get level appropriate gear that fits with the character concept and the setting if you're starting them after 1st. But what you've got is a player issue rather than a character issue.

Just remember when it comes to the basic bonus items that a certain amount of bonus from magic items was expected when they built the statistics and if you don't want to allow those items you need to boost the characters directly to make up for it or higher level combat starts getting mechanically unbalanced. I personally just toss those bonuses right onto the characters and get rid of the vanilla +x items.

Greetings!

Cool cool, my friend. I love the name, by the way--Heavenshallburn...awesome sauce! Reminds me of one of my favourite songs..."Heaven's on Fire"--by KISS.

Anyways, yeah, I admit it. As a DM, I'm an old school controlling bastard. I just don't believe in "magic shops" and I don't like the idea of players flipping through books, and hand waving them going "shopping" and grabbing up whatever the limit of gold pieces is in magic goodies. Back in the day, *all* magic items that came to the players came from the DM. Indeed, I do allow the magic item creation feats, though I carefully supervise what they can make, either through outright access or not of available materials--or through costs. I encourage them to make items, but I'm always in careful control they don't break rules, violate the spirit, or do whatever all in their maniacal quest to be ultimate badasses--and being oblivious all the while to potentially trashing the campaign world, which the milieu has been carefully balanced and has a particular flavour that is maintained at all times.

I'm actually fairly liberal when it comes to providing access to magic items through adventure or rewards from such heroic accomplishments--I'm not a devote' of "low-magic", "low-powered" campaigns, though as I mentioned, I'm ever watchful for spells, magic items, classes, etc, that can really frigg up the campaign milieu.

On a atmosphere note, I also prefer active role playing, research, inquiry, and interacting and so on to re-equip, pick up unusual but desired equipment, and so on--but in no case am I a fan of "Ok, here's the book. Search through and make your list of all the gear you get, and mark it down." I suppose that's certainly efficient, but I do try and maintain a certain atmosphere in the campaign, and an important metagame part of that process is instilling in the players certain expectations. It's all good though.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I want to make sure I understand the OP correctly.

So, a new level 8 character wants the Healing Belt of a previous player's character, and the previous player is willing to give it to him.

The issue is one of players receiving freebees. Got it.

A starting level 8 character should have 27,000gp according the the DM guide, no doubt your DM can adjust to taste, but a healing belt costs 750gp. That's what, less than 3% of all his wealth? I as a DM would point out to the player that this is pennies to him, that there aren't any freebees, and just pay for the belt.

I do agree, a Healing belt should be a standard issue item, especially for lower level characters. It's pretty useful.

I allow my players to select nearly any magic item available from DMG, MIC and so on, as long as we're in a village, town, city, metropolis likely to carry said item and as long as I know what they have at all times. NO secret purchases hidden from the DM. They know that I have free license to use any item against them, and it is common for them to be attacked by assassins in their sleep with more creative gear than they have.