Limited magic item, unlimited wealth

[Aloïsius]

There is a thread about the need for a more realistic economic system, one where all character don't have the same wealth per level. Because with wealth per level, you will never play a merchant prince heir or a beggar monk.
Character wealth should be background/RP, not mechanic.


But in order to reach such a goal, you need to disconnect wealth and magic power. One quick solution is to make magic item unsaleable... But it's an incomplete solution.


This is why I tried to replace the link between level and wealth with a link between level and your ability to use magic item (In D&D 4, using the One Ring, Frodo would have crushed Sauron. IMC, that won't work...)



So, after doing some calculations, I think that something like that may work :

1) Fluff : Magic is a mysterious, dangerous and powerful force : you can have too much magic for your own good...

2) New mechanics :
Each character has two more scores :
- Magic potential (MP) = level + 3
- Magic maximum capacity (MMC) = level x 3

(note : this is for relatively low magic level... You can replace one or two "3" with "4" if you want more magic item for your PC)


3) Magic potential
You can use a magic item whose level is up to your magical potential. Item with higher level behaves like lower level ones of you don't have the required magical potential.
IE : a +5 sword behaves like a +2 sword if you are level 3 (because a magic sword +2 is a 6th level item and your MP is 6). If the item don't have lower level equivalent, then you can't use it, or (DM will) you can't control it (IE : the magic carpet takes you where it wants, not where you wants or it does not fly at all, DM's will)

4) Magic maximum capacity :
So, what about the rich merchant heir, who want to start gaming with a ton of low level magic items ? Simple : if the total levels of all your magic item exceed your magical maximum capacity, then you lose one healing surge per day per exceeding point of magical capacity. When you have no surge left, you start losing hit points, 4 per day per exceeding point of magical capacity. You can't regain those hit point until you have less magic stuff on you than your MMC for a full day.

IE : a level 2 young fighter prince has just spent daddy's treasure on magic items. His MMC is 2x3 = 6. He now has a magic sword +1 (level1), a magic delver armor +1 (level3), a pair of bracers of mighty striking(level 2). He feels nice, but he senses that magic starts to overwhelm him. If he use more money to buy cat step boots (level 3), he will lose 3 healing surge per day. If he tries to wear a ring of invisibility, he will start coughing blood and lighting while the powerful magic is killing him...

5) Optional safeguard :
A character knows immediately if an item or combination of items is too powerful for him to keep safely. Don't kill PC in their sleep because they grabbed a powerful magic item.


So, I'm looking for advice and criticism. Do you think it works ? Am I forgetting something ?

 

[Raven Swords]

I used a system very similar to this in a live rpg I created a few years ago.

One difference I think you should cover is how to determine when an item counts against your MMC.

Potions in my system did not and neither did any item you happened to find. Before you could use an item fully you had to bond with it. If you did not bond it did not count and only gave a minor suggestive power for your use.

This is useful as it allows you to have treasure hoards with out them counting against your limit. If I remember rightly the only way to use an item that had been bonded to another was if they broke the bond or if they died.

I still think this is a good way to go. Artefacts should not count against your MMC either.

 

[Aloïsius]

I used a system very similar to this in a live rpg I created a few years ago.

One difference I think you should cover is how to determine when an item counts against your MMC.

Potions in my system did not and neither did any item you happened to find.

That's an excellent idea... However, I like the image of the young neophyte touching something in the Archmage laboratory, and withdrawing his hand immediately because it hurts...

Before you could use an item fully you had to bond with it. If you did not bond it did not count and only gave a minor suggestive power for your use.
This is useful as it allows you to have treasure hoards with out them counting against your limit. If I remember rightly the only way to use an item that had been bonded to another was if they broke the bond or if they died.

I still think this is a good way to go. Artefacts should not count against your MMC either.

And I like the bonding (or attuning, or what you want) idea to... I guess different item category may have different rules, depending of the way you use them (active for weapons, passive for armor etc...)

 

[Raven Swords]

I would suggest then that bonding an item lets you use it safely and you can only bond items equal or lower than your MP and up to your MMC.

If you are not bonded you can handle items up to your MP (gaining few or no benefits) but face the normal difficulties when handling an item more powerful than this Death , pain and or possession.

I would exclude any one use item from counting against the MMC, but still count it against the MP. Breaking things down into more catagories than this will probably become too complex?

 

[Aloïsius]

I would suggest then that bonding an item lets you use it safely and you can only bond items equal or lower than your MP and up to your MMC.

If you are not bonded you can handle items up to your MP (gaining few or no benefits) but face the normal difficulties when handling an item more powerful than this Death , pain and or possession.

I would exclude any one use item from counting against the MMC, but still count it against the MP. Breaking things down into more catagories than this will probably become too complex?

Consider yours suggestions totally stolen. Thank you a lot for those insightful comments.

 

[WhatGravitas]

If you are not bonded you can handle items up to your MP (gaining few or no benefits) but face the normal difficulties when handling an item more powerful than this Death , pain and or possession.

What about this: Whenever you use an item you're not bonded to, you have to spend a healing surge and make a saving throw: If you fail, you regain one healing surge less during the next extended rest.

With the extra save, you discourage them from just burning up all surges to gain more uses out of magic items.

Cheers, LT.