Excerpt: You and Your Magic Items

[Plane Sailing]

Magic weapons add d6 per plus _on crits_, and that's it.

Don't forget this line

Enhancement: Attack rolls and damage rolls

Magic weapons also add their plus to hit and damage (and it seems pretty likely that arcane and divine implements will do likewise. If the pregen DDXP wizard has a +2 wand he will probably get and extra +2 hit with his magic missiles and they will do 2d4+6 instead of 2d6+4)

Cheers

 

[Ten]

I am forced to think that you, Aria, are seeing things in a bit of a limited fashion. All of the suggestions you have brought forth so far seem to be very good ones by you, but I am not sure if you are taking into consideration what other people may feel. When doing so, you need to realize that, you know, every opinion you don't have is probably represented by someone. I have played in numerous campaigns where there were no houserules whatsoever. The DM was new, or otherwise had no reason to create his own house rules. They went with what the core books said. House ruling is NOT universal, and to have the base assumption it is is folly.

In general, I feel it wise to err in the side of the new, inexperienced DMs as opposed to the long-time DMs. People that have DMed for a long time know and live by rule 0. They understand that they can change whatever they wish at anytime, regardless of what the books say. But newer DMs NEED rules, not rule suggestions. By offering a default, newer DMs are given a handle on how things work and older ones are not restricted. By offering suggestions, older DMs "don't appear to be the bad guys" and newer DMs are left out in the cold.

 

[Aenghus]

IMO the more house-ruled a particular campaign is the more important it is to be up-front about the house-rules. I try to be methodical and generally try to keep to the rules as written as that way its easier to get and keep players.

If I had a heavily house-ruled game I would write out the changes on a sheet, and when recruiting players would given them the sheet so they knew what the campaign entailed and didn't have misconceptions when they actually sat down to play.

It's much better to find out that someone won't like the game quickly, rather than fit a square peg in a round hole.

As for the 4e rules, in general they look good to me. There will be a lot less magic items found in the average 4e campaign everyway - monsters won't need a load of magical crap to challenge the party that will only be sold as loot. The magic items that are found will be more significant (they should be picked anyway, but their greater rarity will make them stand out more).

As for the buying and selling of items, this is one of the most heavily house-ruled areas and I see this continuing. There are a lot of strong opinions on the topic. See above

Re the identifying question, I prefer the easy option. I have seen it being made ridiculously difficult to ID magic items, something that is very off-putting to new players.

Remember, unlike previous editions, all the power sources can be at least a little magical.

 

[nightspaladin]

First, I've got to say that I love the new system for magic items, but there is something that seems like it is missing from the flexiblity of 3.x and that is the ability to make a weapon with multiple properties. How do we combine them for the purposes of level?

For Example, using the examples in the article, can you make a +2 Flaming Phasing Long Bow? and if you can, what level is it?

 

[Ecaiki]

Or how about just describing the blade as covered in a flametouched sheen that glitter red in the failing light of day. The crossgard and hilt could have a fire motif and that would provide a perceptive player all the clues they need or give someone skilled in arcane knowledge a path by which they can discern the true nature of the item and what its command word may be.

If thinking of fire is all that's required. I wouldn't make them roll, but if it's a specific command word or perhaps fire in a different language... that requires study.

My post was made in 100% humour only, I apologize if it wasn't obvious.

As for the article itself, I love it! Will make it really easy to work it into multiple levels of magic use depending on the campaign world.

 

[vagabundo]

As a DM, of course, I would always try to sound doubtful when I told the players, though. "You're pretty sure the sword is a +2 Flametongue. You think." Just in case the item was cursed. Same way I handled trap checks. "Are there any traps on the door?" <die roll> "None that you've found." Always makes them pause.

Hehe, yeah I always do that too. Although sometimes, if they have gotten badly burned recently, they turn ultra paranoid and it drags the game to a halt.

Still fun times! (for me )

First, I've got to say that I love the new system for magic items, but there is something that seems like it is missing from the flexiblity of 3.x and that is the ability to make a weapon with multiple properties. How do we combine them for the purposes of level?

For Example, using the examples in the article, can you make a +2 Flaming Phasing Long Bow? and if you can, what level is it?

I believe we are getting the DMG excerpt in a week or two, this was the PHB one.

Rules for custom magic items would be in the DMG, I'd assume creating weapons with multiple properties is discussed and level guidelines included. I'd assume.

 

[Wormwood]

How hard is it to make a weapon that burns with magical flame as you're wielding it sound COOL? Not very hard, but somehow they've managed to make it a joke.

Maybe it's a regional thing, but I can't find anything remotely funny about the phrase, "you can will this weapon to burst into flame."

 

[Wormwood]

It isn't what's in the rulebook that makes the DM look like a mean DM, it's the DM always saying no to this, that or whatever.

Amen.

 

[AllisterH]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but I can't find anything remotely funny about the phrase, "you can will this weapon to burst into flame."

That makes two of us...The statement isn't awe-inspiring or anything but I'm not seeing the joke.

re: Item identification
*Shrug*

I personally only used identify for artifacts/relics and cursed items. I mean, EVEN a 10th level fighter by now SHOULD know how magic items work....

 

[Cirex]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but I can't find anything remotely funny about the phrase, "you can will this weapon to burst into flame."

I actually think of the Witch-King of Angmar challenging Gandalf at Minas Tirith.

That's serious business and no joke at all!