How much stuff do PCs have?

[drowdude]

It has been my experience thusfar that PCs end up accumulating a good deal more wealth than the charts in the DMG suggest.

But I've always viewed that as just being the money you allot as starting gold when a campaign begins at an advanced level, rather than being a limit on how much you should have if you roleplay up to that point.

 

[Crothian]

It has been my experience thusfar that PCs end up accumulating a good deal more wealth than the charts in the DMG suggest.

But I've always viewed that as just being the money you alot when starting a campaign at an advanced level, rather than being a limit on how much you should have if you roleplay up to that point.

Actually, that's exactly what those charts are. They are meant to show you how much a starting character should have at that level. Nothing more.

 

[drowdude]

Actually, that's exactly what those charts are. They are meant to show you how much a starting character should have at that level. Nothing more.

Yeah I know, but many people I have chated with take those charts to be limits rather than guidelines.

 

[ForceUser@Home]

Interesting. Yeah, I use them as "target wealth" in my campaign. Maybe I can relax the yokes a little, eh?

 

[Crothian]

Yeah I know, but many people I have chated with take those charts to be limits rather than guidelines.

Well, then they are right even though they are wrong. THey are right becasue it's there game and they can do with it what they will (thus anything they do in their game is right). However, on the boards where we need to have a solid rules foundation that we all use to make suggestions (for arguement sake we shall those the core rules) they would be wrong.

 

[the Jester]

On the subject of the 7th level fighter without a magic weapon fighting gargoyles (or whatever) with DR: back in 2e one of my favorite encounters that I ever ran was a group of gargoyles against a party about 3rd level with only one +1 weapon among them.

The party used tactics to win without the "required" weapons. It was a tough fight, but no pcs died (not that I mind killing pcs, btw) and they felt exhilirated afterward at overcoming "impossible" odds. It was a very tense fight, though.

Now, I agree that 3e is balanced with appropriate items in mind, but in my experience, pcs are more than willing to sell off items if they can buy up something better. Better items aren't always available for sale, of course, but it comes up enough to keep the wealth levels adjusted (since you can rarely sell an item for its full value).

I tend to use the random treasure charts almost exclusively; this leads to lots of minor items and few medium or major items. But as I said, those minor items get sold off or used up (most tend to be potions, wands, and scrolls anyhow).

I think a party's quantity of magic items will fluctuate broadly. After all, a hunter of the dead who can sell off almost everything to get a +3 mace of disruption prolly will, assuming their net worth isn't significantly higher than the mace's.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[Zirnike]

I've always thought that the magic level generally shown in modules, etc. was appropriate to low. Especially in the new system... My mage is 7th level (5 mage, 2 cleric) and has made a half dozen magic items and another half dozen scrolls or so. I don't expect that ratio to DROP, by any means. When we have a day of downtime, I often use it making a magic item for myself or for the party. Depending on my cash reserves, it's either minor or medium at this point (wand of forcewave, moon mote, disk of silent portal, etc), but my next feat is going to be Craft arms and armor. The XP cost is enough I'm careful about what I make, but not enough to make items that the rest of the party can use.

Of course, ever since I played an Earthdawn wizard, I've always found that the most effective way for a mage to deal damage is make everyone else more effective. (example: Don't mess with the 9th level, hasted, bull strengthed half-orc monk. Second example: Forcewave, does a bull rush. Think attacks of opportunity as the victim goes flying through attacked zones). But still, for the most part, mages would make items not only for themselves, but for their retainers, fighter friends, etc. 'High' magic is only reasonable...

 

[Cullain]

candidus_cogitens, it seems like what you want to is have the characters improve on the magic items they already own, not obtain new ones.

Conceptually, this makes much more sense to me than just finding more powerful items. But from it's not what D&D does especially well, from a rules perspective.(Earthdawn is oh so much better than this)

Still, it can be done in D&D. rather than hand out that many magic items, hand out more money, to be used to further enchant the magic items they already posess. It could work.

Cullain

 

[Garmorn]

The characters in my group then to have only 3 or 4 items, but they are the best that we can make or buy. We have found that for us, upgrading a few items give a better return for our money then having lots of smaller stuff.

 

[trentonjoe]

On the subject of the 7th level fighter without a magic weapon fighting gargoyles (or whatever) with DR: back in 2e one of my favorite encounters that I ever ran was a group of gargoyles against a party about 3rd level with only one +1 weapon among them.

I just through a gargoyle at 1st level guys it was great. The gargoyle assumed it couldn't be hurt bt such peeons so it toyed with them. It did all sorts of stuff: called them names, used fly by attack, spit on them one round, grappled jsut for the hell of it.

Then the barbarian criticalled with his great axe. THe gargoyle had a whole new attitude. It answered questions followed the PC's around made itself a nuisance.

We had a great time!


Little off topic but I love good stories!