Greed is good!

[ashockney]

So, one of the things my players miss from the older editions of Dungeons and Dragons, is the good old-fashioned greed that came with levelling. Getting that one awesome piece of equipment that was better than anything anyone had ever had.

The challenge in 3rd Edition with that is even if you give a Two-handed Keen Vorpal Great Scimitar of Mighty Cleaving to your fighter, even the wizard has a keen dagger of returning! Not such a big deal.

Thoughts? Anyone else have a similiar experience? Anyone care to share their own solutions?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

So your character's item becomes his defining point? Boo!

 

[Turanil]

So, one of the things my players miss from the older editions of Dungeons and Dragons, is the good old-fashioned greed that came with levelling. Getting that one awesome piece of equipment that was better than anything anyone had ever had.

The challenge in 3rd Edition with that is even if you give a Two-handed Keen Vorpal Great Scimitar of Mighty Cleaving to your fighter, even the wizard has a keen dagger of returning! Not such a big deal.

Thoughts? Anyone else have a similiar experience? Anyone care to share their own solutions?

I am not sure to understand your problem. Do you feel obliged to give the party's wizard a dagger of returning because the fighter got a super vorpal sword? Why so? I would also like to remind you that in the AD&D 1st edition, the wizard could get a Staff of the Magi or similar stuff unavailable to fighters...

I suggest you precise your question. Currently, the only thing I have to say, is that my next campaign to become soon, magical items will be scarce, even if I plan high level PCs on the long run. The only very few item I will give will be homebrew and weird and powerful. Being a fighter or wizard won't be the point with these item that I will nonetheless tailor to the PCs.

 

[EricNoah]

Maybe he's saying that because of the mix-and-match magic item system, it is no longer as "typical" for a fighter-type to have a fighter-type magic item.

 

[dreaded_beast]

So your character's item becomes his defining point? Boo!

Well, in some respects, I think it does under 3.0/3.5.

When determining the "balance" of character in regards to encounter level and CR, the character is assumed to have the appropriate amount of "treasure" for that particular level. If the character didn't have the appropriate equipment, it is assumed that the encounter would be more difficult.

 

[ashockney]

Well, in some respects, I think it does under 3.0/3.5.

When determining the "balance" of character in regards to encounter level and CR, the character is assumed to have the appropriate amount of "treasure" for that particular level. If the character didn't have the appropriate equipment, it is assumed that the encounter would be more difficult.

This one is the correct answer!

Although all are right in their different respects. I think it's kind of a couple points:

1) Everyone has access to much more powerful magic because you need it to fight and overcome the beasties.
2) How rare/unique/powerful is one GREAT item, if everyone else has something that's very, very tough.

I'll elaborate on the second point. Recently, I was looking over a magic item list for a 1st edition character: Plate mail +2, Potion of something, Ring of Spell Storing, and the Sword of the Behir. The Sword of the Behir was a +2 up to +4 sword, that would grow (upon command of the user, ala the Thudercats sword), and the plusses went up when it grew, but it used actions, and could only last so long per day in any state. The Sword could blast lightning bolts upon command (up to 15 dice per day as I recall), and had a couple other cool qualities. That player LOVED that sword. He will still talk about it today. How would it stack up to any other weapon in the party today? What mid to high level fighter isn't already wielding a +4 sword?

 

[Turanil]

1) Everyone has access to much more powerful magic because you need it to fight and overcome the beasties.
2) How rare/unique/powerful is one GREAT item, if everyone else has something that's very, very tough.

I must say it again: you are not obliged to give magic items to your PCs. And you can have them fight less powerful creatures if need be. I really don't see where is the problem: you have the choice don't you? At least, the rulebook is not ruling me...

 

[Crothian]

One of the downsides to d20 is this: it cheapens magic items. Characters are assumed to have so much magic, they do get more defined by the magic then their class or race.