Giving character magic items

[Hadraniel]

Around 10th level what kind of magic items should PCs start having? On our last few adventures we have been getting our butts kicked, the DM has been fudging dice to keep from a TPK and we had one TPK in that time. We think it might be from lack of magic weapons and armour.

Figthing things with Damage Reduction -/3 when we only have +2 weapons and when they can hit armour class 35 or so when the highest AC in our group is 24 it is making it really annoying. Anyhow what are the thoughts.

 

[Sodalis]

well, by lvl 10, the avg char should have like a +2 or +3.

For monsters with DR, use magic on it. Where are you casters? I think a lvl 11 cleric has harm... very powerful.

Sorc and wiz have fireball, L-Bolt, and such... phantasmal killer- those will maek short work of those monsters. and if they are just monsters- they will ratehr low saves...

Use a lil more tatctic in your battles- if you think that you can kill everything straight up, then you have a lot of gamin to do. The fastest way is not always the easiest......

Otherwise- a cleric has magic weapon and such can boost the magic bonus on any weapon- including arrows... which will pas DR

g'luk

 

[hong]

Well, if you're 10th level, the clerics and wizards in your party should be able to cast greater magic weapon to create +3 weapons as necessary. There are also rules in the DMG for suggested starting equipment by character level; 10th level people should get about 49000 gp worth of gear. That's enough to afford a few toys. It's up to your DM whether he uses this, though. Many GMs just start new people off with regular, mundane gear.

 

[Someguy]

What esle does your party have? To you have clerics that could cast greater magic weapon? These are all just off the top of my head BTW...

 

[Hadraniel]

We do not have a lot of spell power. The only spell power we really have is a 7/3 cleric wizard.

 

[Squire James]

First of all, PC's with multiple spellcasting classes are VERY weak unless your DM is a generous soul who allows your levels to stack with regard to spell effects (in this case, your cleric's Greater Magic Weapon is strong enough for +3). A level 10 cleric is a better wizard than a level 7/3 cleric/wizard!

I don't recall any CR 10 or less monsters with X/+3 DR... maybe it's a simple matter of the opponents being too powerful. The only one I know that is anywhere close is the Iron Golem (CR 13), and any DM who uses them on PC's who lack magical equipment is being rather cruel in my opinion.

 

[Demogorge]

Our cruel DM ran us through an adventure with astral constructs I am in the same gaming group with Hadraniel btw.

 

[Rashak Mani]

What magic items do you have for us to have a notion ?

At this level a +2 Breast plate and a +2 large shield shouldnt be to hard to buy... thats (without Dex) +11 AC... with 16 Dex = AC24 plus a natural armor amulet = 25 Ring Protection = 26. Magic circle vs Evil will give you that neat AC boost as a group too. Cloaks too give save bonus too....

 

[hong]

I don't recall any CR 10 or less monsters with X/+3 DR... maybe it's a simple matter of the opponents being too powerful. The only one I know that is anywhere close is the Iron Golem (CR 13), and any DM who uses them on PC's who lack magical equipment is being rather cruel in my opinion.

Fiendish dire bear. 12HD base, which gives it DR 10/+3 from the fiendish template. Total CR 9, and quite easily encountered if you fight a spellcaster with Summon Monster VI.

 

[mmadsen]

Figthing things with Damage Reduction -/3 when we only have +2 weapons and when they can hit armour class 35 or so when the highest AC in our group is 24 it is making it really annoying.

What kind of DM puts you up against an opponent that's obviously immune to all your attacks? Unless that encounter was meant to be a puzzle (find the magic weapon, find a way around the monster, realize you can push it off a cliff, whatever), it was an example of some really bad DMing.

As an aside, I'm no fan of DR X/+N. I'd much rather have monsters vulnerable versus something than vulnerable versus really magical weapons. Not just magical weapons, or even very magical weapons, only really magical weapons.