D&D General Huge Equipment Lists: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

[Micah Sweet]

I've never seen it imposed, there are clear workarounds if it were, people never actively state that it would be a good challenge for the group.



In my experience it was not enough to dramatically affect my capabilities. If people were dramatically affected by uncomfortable sleeping situations (and stacking levels of exhaustion, the most common penalty, kill you pretty quickly) humanity would not have survived.

Regarding the spellbook issue, you can't blame the game if people don't apply the rules.

 

[Oofta]

Regarding the spellbook issue, you can't blame the game if people don't apply the rules.

I've just never seen a spellbound being destroyed in decades of play. Penalizing people in heavy armor in multiple ways has a long history.

 

[Lanefan]

It's either that or the DM forks over a Bag of Holding, as they quickly get tired of me going: "I don't trust the neighborhood here to park my mule! Let's go somewhere else..." or "The parking is insufficient at that dungeon for my horse and wagon, let's move on..."

Enterprising Goblin: "Guys, let's set up a station outside the Caves of Doom where adventurers can park their horses and mules and stuff. We charge them a few coins per day for it, paid in advance; and then when they don't come out we get to eat the animals too!"

 

[Oofta]

Enterprising Goblin: "Guys, let's set up a station outside the Caves of Doom where adventurers can park their horses and mules and stuff. We charge them a few coins per day for it, paid in advance; and then when they don't come out we get to eat the animals too!"

My dwarf always named his horse Spare Rations because he always wanted a backup.

 

[Lanefan]

I don't remember any campaign ever where a wizard's spell book was destroyed though.

Oh, I have; usually by AoE damage or by getting soaked but in one memorable case by the rest of the party after they'd been friendly-fired once too often...

I don't see people stating that those books should be casually destroyed because it's "challenging".

If it was though, the player has the option of creating copy spellbooks. It may be expensive, but then again they don't have to spend a 1.5k gold on armor.

A copy spellbook should cost a bunch too, for the book itself and the special ink required to scribe spells. Or is the use of special ink not a thing any more?

 

[Oofta]

Oh, I have; usually by AoE damage or by getting soaked but in one memorable case by the rest of the party after they'd been friendly-fired once too often...

Yeah, it's been a looong time since I used those rules. I think we always just said the book was in a backpack. Although ... a thief stealing the caster's spellbook does give me ideas.

A copy spellbook should cost a bunch too, for the book itself and the special ink required to scribe spells. Or is the use of special ink not a thing any more?

I don't remember the cost of the book itself, but copying a spell is 100 GP per level of the spell if I remember correctly.

 

[Staffan]

I've just never seen a spellbound being destroyed in decades of play. Penalizing people in heavy armor in multiple ways has a long history.

I can't recall seeing a spellbook being destroyed either. My main problem with them is that they externalize a huge portion of a wizard's power, so it can easily be taken away. It also means that any campaign or adventure that starts with the PCs losing or having lost all their stuff makes for an absolutely terrible kick to the nuts of anyone who wants to play a wizard. Anyone else would be fine with finding a weapon and some armor – perhaps not optimal, but fine. But the wizard is SOL.

 

[Oofta]

I can't recall seeing a spellbook being destroyed either. My main problem with them is that they externalize a huge portion of a wizard's power, so it can easily be taken away. It also means that any campaign or adventure that starts with the PCs losing or having lost all their stuff makes for an absolutely terrible kick to the nuts of anyone who wants to play a wizard. Anyone else would be fine with finding a weapon and some armor – perhaps not optimal, but fine. But the wizard is SOL.

I played Curse of Strahd and you're supposed to start with no equipment. The DM just let me keep it.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Apropos of nothing - if I can afford 1,500 gold pieces for full plate armor, I can usually spring for the optional “extra-comfort” enchantment package to magically make sleeping in armor possible without penalties.

 

[Lanefan]

Apropos of nothing - if I can afford 1,500 gold pieces for full plate armor, I can usually spring for the optional “extra-comfort” enchantment package to magically make sleeping in armor possible without penalties.

More seriously, that would be a good secondary option for magic armour - that it's been enchanted so as to be comfortable enough to sleep in.