Fewer magic items, stronger PCs.

[The Iron Mark]

Another thing to think about would be the Prestige Races concept given in Dragon, that was OGC from some other source if I'm correct...

 

[I'm A Banana]

Probably from Oathbound....it's a decent idea for a little bit of extra leveling....

I wish I could grab some fairly quick gp <-> power rules...I'd like to offer my PC's the ability to gain bonus abilities as they level without buying magic items, or allow them to buy magic items, or a mixture, as they choose....

Doubling basic magic items seems to be the best idea...hurmity...

 

[ichabod]

The recommended standard cost for a feat granting magic item is 10,000 gp plus 5,000 gp per prerequisite. For simplicity, assume the first feat taken by the PC is the equivalent of an item costing 10,000 gp, the next 15,000 gp and the third 20,000 gp. Doubling for items that do not take up extra space, the cost would be 90,000 gp.

Where do you get that number? I back calculated this in 3.0 and came up with 2,500 gp. I don't remember how I did that, but looking at look at the feats still seems to make 10,000 gp too expensive. The skill feats would be 2,400 gp. Weapon focus is worse than a +1 magic weapon, which is 4,000 gp (assuming no other way to get magic weapons, it being a low magic campaign). Expertise is the same as defending, which is again a +1 bonus. The metamagic rods are expensive at 11,000 to 75,500 gp for the standard rods, but they're a lot better than the feats. Taking out the +5 skill bonus means the Boots of Striding and Springing gives a psychic feat for 2,000 gp.

I'd go with the 2,500 gp figure, which gives a total of 65,000 gp for closer to 10% of wealth.

In any case, 10%-20% does not solve the problem it seems. Perhaps increase everything. Give them 2 extra skill points per level, an extra HD every four or five levels, +1 to all saves every 5 levels, +1 to all attacks every five levels, stuff like that.

 

[Xeriar]

Something a bit smoother based on ichabod's method:

Option of: +2 skill points per level or,
increase HD one step
Option of: Changing 2 bad saves to good saves, or increasing combat progression 1 step

Feat every odd level (really no big deal)
Attribute point every even level (may not be applied to the same stat twice in succession)

 

[FireLance]

Where do you get that number? I back calculated this in 3.0 and came up with 2,500 gp. I don't remember how I did that, but looking at look at the feats still seems to make 10,000 gp too expensive.

(snip)

I got it off Arms and Equipment Guide. Yes, 10,000 gp plus 5,000 gp per prerequisite does seem rather steep, considering the utility of some feats. I can only guess that the additional price is because of stackability. Weapon Focus stacks with the +1 enhancement bonus from a +1 weapon, making it effectively +2 to hit. The difference between a +2 weapon and a +1 weapon is 6,000 gp, but it increases as your weapon gets more powerful. For example, the difference between a +2 and a +3 weapon is 10,000 gp.