Importance of Magic Items

[Yellow Sign]

I was just wondering. How important are Magic Items to your enjoyment of your D&D character? I don't mean how powerful they make your character or combat effectiveness. I want to know how import they are to you in having fun in the game. Personally, I have always seen the finding and using of "Powerful" magic items to be a very important part of my characters. "Sting" the magical sword from the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings was always a important part of my enjoyment of those books. Heck as a kid, I carved my own "Sting" from some peices of wood. I know that some only see the magic sword as a bunch of bonuses. I want to know what your take on the magic item is?

 

[John Smallberries]

As important as class and racial abilities.

In a word: essential

 

[Ciaran]

Oddly, I find that the more items my character has, the less any one of them interests me; and the fewer items I have, the more value each of them has for me.

My 6th level mage has all of three magical items: a bag of tricks, a unique magical ring named Lacan's Demise [a ring of sustenance that gives +4 to Con], and an unidentified potion. I value each of them... even the potion, which would hold no interest for me in a game with standard quantities of magical loot.

Some of the PCs in our game didn't gain any magical items at all until the game had gone on for about eight months (about 15 game sessions). If magic items were essential to their enjoyment of the game, I'm sure they would have quit long before then.

- Eric

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

When they're as common as 3e assumes, they mean about as much as my belt buckle. Without them, I'd get caught with my pants down alot, but I never really think about them.

When they're rare, and tend to be unique and named, they can make the entire campaign much, MUCH better.

 

[Gothmog]

To me, the character concept is much more important than items. Items are simply tools for the character to use, while the character's personality is much more fundamental to the character's identity. A character is much more than his abilities, spells, and items- without a personality to back them up, the numbers mean nothing. I have always felt that items, while nice, can be replaced. Sure, some items are cool, and might be integrated into the character's concept, but when the item(s) becomes the focus of the character and the game, something is wrong.

 

[MerricB]

It's the unique items that tend to mean more, whether found or created.

If a wizard creates his own Staff of Power, it's going to mean something to him!

There's a greater background of 'common' magic items in 3E that you don't think about... but if you add some unusual ones, then the PCs will pay attention!

Cheers!

 

[LostSoul]

When they're as common as 3e assumes, they mean about as much as my belt buckle. Without them, I'd get caught with my pants down alot, but I never really think about them.

Damn, that's cool.

 

[Skade]

Magic items have never had much importance to me, or my characters, unless they became part of the character, or the story. A Heward's Handy Haversack was just a utility item, that meant little to me. My wizards first staff, created in game, was essential to the character. I like signature items in my games, things that the PC is built around, and become part of their legend.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'd say that most common magical items are key for staying alive, but not as much for character concept.

My character values every potion, wand, or deeleybob he comes accross, for it's usefulness.

On the flip side, you have rare or special magic items (though, truly, nearly any magic item can be made to seem rare through description). These things can eventually be the focus of the character. Though, in the end, it doesn't matter how rare or unusual the item is -- it is up to the character to keep it and have it become part of his mental image, or sell it to the local noble, and spend the GP on something that *does* enhance his mental image.

 

[Alchemist]

...a unique magical ring named Lacan's Demise [a ring of sustenance that gives +4 to Con]...

So your ring of sustenance (keeping you alive) is named for somebody else's death? I'd be paranoid my DM was setting me up for a fall. Do you see a little man curled up in the gemstone?