Forked Thread: What are must-have Have Heroic Tier magic items?

[SSquirrel]

Forked from: Response to recent article by James Wyatt on DMG

I posted the below in another thread and wondered what the heroic tier must-have magic items are, if there are any.

I will say that one the "must-have magic item" list I'm quickly beginning to put Cloak of Survival right up there. Add Enhancement bonus to Endurance checks and Resist Fire/Cold:5 is nice. Throw in some Black Iron Armor for Resist Fire/Necrotic:5, Amulet of Health for Resist Poison:5 and this is all on a Tiefling for another 5 Fire Resistance. You would yawn at Fireball The armor and cloak are both L9 and the necklace is L8 so this should be quite doable by level 9 or 10.[/QUOTE]

 

[bjorn2bwild]

Just out of curiosity, what suggests that the tiefling's fire resistance would stack with the cloak's fire resistance?

 

[keterys]

Personally, I think it's far too easy to gain resistance to damage types from 4e magic items - especially considering the damage range in 4e. A level 3 neck makes you almost immune to poison attacks until Paragon tier... in addition to providing +1 to your defenses.

 

[Terwox]

Just out of curiosity, what suggests that the tiefling's fire resistance would stack with the cloak's fire resistance?

It doesn't stack.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

It doesn't stack.

I didn't think it did, but the OP was suggesting that it did. I was just seeking clarification for why the OP though that.

 

[bluto68]

The must have magic items are purely based on the class you have and the goals of your character.

Example: Exalted armor is an amazing armor for a Cleric or Warlord (Paladin too?), however if your Warlord has to stand toe-to-toe in the front line and actually do and take damage often he may want dwarven armor to get a healing surge as a free action.

I think Magic Item design in 4e is excellent and balanced and therefore the better question would be what are the best items for each character class... Even then the debate would likely run for pages.

 

[Ganders]

For a warlock, you need a rod of reaving in one hand and a rod of corruption in the other. Together they can wipe out a whole gaggle of minions with a minor action, without even rolling to hit!

Curse the nearest one -- which causes 1 damage, which kills it, triggering your pact boon. Use that to spread your curse to all the others nearby (including the ones who are hidden from your view), which causes each of THEM to take 1 damage... which would presumably trigger your pact boon AGAIN.

Bracers of the Perfect Shot can add damage to Eldritch Blast or Magic Missile... that seems pretty powerful.

Burglar's Gloves are interesting simply because they cannot ever drop in a 'treasure packet' -- the only way to get them is to make them yourself.

Gloves of Piercing are a perfect item to keep inside your Bag of Holding for any class -- you never know when you might need them for one particular encounter. And when you *do* need them, it'll be well worth a turn to pull them out.

 

[Nifft]

Rod of Corruption -- Violates one of the fundamental limitations on a Warlock's Curse.

Flaming Weapon -- for the Tiefling.

Berserker Weapon -- Rage in a can.

Eladrin Armor -- for the Warlock or Cleric.

Delver's Armor -- the ability to add the bonus after you roll is solid gold.

Symbol of Power -- like a free Paragon feat which you're normally not allowed to take.

Orb of Reversed Polarities -- "You said you resist fire? NOT TODAY YOU DON'T!"

Staff of the War Mage -- bigger badda boom.

Bracers of the Perfect Shot -- Surprisingly good with Magic Missile and Eldritch Blast.

Bracers of Mighty Striking -- Good for the Hexhammer, good if you've got a Tactical Warlord in your party.

Wavestrider Boots -- Campaign-dependent, but awesome in the right setting.

Gloves of Piercing -- Depending on your DM, this item may be useless or brilliant.

Amulet of Health -- Ignore almost all ongoing poison damage effects.

Cloak of Survival -- Ignore most ongoing fire damage and reduce fire & cold attacks. This one is just "wow".

Those are my picks. Cheers, -- N

 

[SSquirrel]

I didn't think it did, but the OP was suggesting that it did. I was just seeking clarification for why the OP though that.

It wasn't a typed bonus (feat, power, whatever) so I figured it would stack. Page 276 in the PHB makes no mention about if resistances stack or not and there is no resistance entry in the DMG.

 

[keterys]

It's not a bonus at all. No stacking possible.