Magic Item Compendium

[pawsplay]

It's pretty simple, really. If you want only big-six enchantments on an item, you add up the individual costs without any +50% fee for extra enchantments on the same item. You only pay the +50% extra if you want more than one funky special effect.

So:

Bracers of armor +7 with +6 Dex = 7^2*1000 + 6^2*1000 = 85000
Amulet of natural armor +5 with +4 Con = 5^2*2000 + 4^2*1000 = 66000
Ring of protection +5 with a +10 skill bonus for climbing = 5^2*2000 + 10^2*100 = 60000

*cough*

 

[Remathilis]

It's pretty simple, really. If you want only big-six enchantments on an item, you add up the individual costs without any +50% fee for extra enchantments on the same item. You only pay the +50% extra if you want more than one funky special effect.

In addition, there are some items that give similar benefits to the big-six without the costly expenses. For example, Stamina (Improved, Greater) Armor Property gives a +1/+3/+5 Resist bonus to saves at 1/2 the cost of a cloak of resistance. A great deal for those armor-wearing characters who still want a cool cloak to use.

Back to hong's post, the bonuses you can give are limited to resistance bonus to saves, AC bonus to non-armor, deflection bonus, enhancement bonus to ability score, or energy resistance. All are pretty common, and Very useful. I think I'm going to start giving more "combo" items out personally, such as cloaks of energy Resist/Resist, Rings of Deflect/Resist, or Boots of Speed/Dex.

 

[MerricB]

That's.... insane. Before, adding multiple abilities of ANY kind was "multiply the higher price by 2"; now it's "Multiply the lower by 1.5" and adding bonuses is straight "add the prices together"? No way. I told my friend about that, and he said, "I"m a powergamer DM, and *I* wouldn't allow that."

The reason for it is to stop the dominance of the Big Six over any other item. So, you can the Big 6 effect whilst still having another item. (Big 6 items are so expensive that a *1.5 modifier would just mean you'd use the Big 6 item rather than more interesting - but less effective - item).

Cheers!

 

[Nightfall]

Hey, you have Orcus - I have intelligent loincloths! Everybody needs a ... um ... er ... specialty. Yeah, that's it!

Yes I have Orcus but I also have the Scarred Lands too. There are standards man. But eh whatever.

 

[Felon]

you might want to read the articles WotC has on their website about how they put the book together. Bottom line is that many, if not most, of the magic items that have appeared before the MIC sucked ass so they dropped them completely.

I did read it, but I don't know what you think I'd get from it. Clearly, if I'm lamenting the fact they didn't include the magic weapon properties from The Complete Warrior, then I'm not just gonna turn around and say "oooh, I see; those properties I liked actually sucked--that explains it!" In fact, some were actually pretty darn good. Exit wound was a great property for a projectile weapon, for instance, and really the sort of thing that should be the exclusive province of a magic weapon property rather than a feat or class feature.

Many of the new items are actually kind of boring, as they just add a mechanical bonus or simulate a spell, with only a few actually grant any interesting new capabilities--but then again, I suspect items that incorporate ingenuity into their design would probably wind up on the "suck" list for not providing easily quantifiable numbers to plug into a character.

 

[MerricB]

Many of the new items are actually kind of boring, as they just add a mechanical bonus or simulate a spell, with only a few actually grant any interesting new capabilities--but then again, I suspect items that incorporate ingenuity into their design would probably wind up on the "suck" list for not providing easily quantifiable numbers to plug into a character.

"Simulate a spell" demonstrates the problem magic items have: if an effect can be made as a magic item, it can also be made as a spell. I think the biggest difference that magic items have is that they can do several things, rather than just the one of spells. (Magic items as the new Emotion! )

Personally, I think that being able to activate many of the magic item effects with swift actions is really nice.

Can you remind me what the Exit Wound property did?

Cheers!

 

[Greg K]

I was at the bookstore this afternoon and decided to take a look at the book. I randomly flipped through various sections and nothing that I saw resonated with me. I don't know if it was just bad luck, different tastes ( a possibility since I dislike most of WOTCs supplements) or what. I suppose that I will give the book a second chance and take another look at it on another day.

 

[MerricB]

I was at the bookstore this afternoon and decided to take a look at the book. I randomly flipped through various sections and nothing that I saw resonated with me. I don't know if it was just bad luck, different tastes ( a possibility since I dislike most of WOTCs supplements) or what. I suppose that I will give the book a second chance and take another look at it on another day.

When you do, look up the vest of the archmagi.

Cheers!

 

[Edheldur]

Sure.

Thanks for the quote and the link, Mistwell! I gotta say I really, REALLY like the pricing guidelines for the most common abilities.

 

[hong]

That's.... insane. Before, adding multiple abilities of ANY kind was "multiply the higher price by 2"; now it's "Multiply the lower by 1.5" and adding bonuses is straight "add the prices together"? No way. I told my friend about that, and he said, "I"m a powergamer DM, and *I* wouldn't allow that."

My rogue would have 61,000 gp left over - enough for a nice set of boots, a couple wands, several potions, and miscellaneous nonmagical gear, and probably still have some gold left for a night on the town.

Psst. You can get _exactly_ the same effect by simply spreading out your items across body slots.

Bracers of armor +7
Gloves +6 Dex
Amulet of natural armor +5
Shirt +4 Con
Ring of protection +5
Boots +10 Climb

Sure, some of these take up nonstandard slots, but by combining enchantments you're already into the realm of custom items. And bracers of +7 armour and +6 Dex is nonstandard for Dex.

The biggest effect of this rule change is that people no longer have to spread their magic around. Personally I find gloves of +6 Dex, +6 Str to be much more thematic and interesting than gloves +6 Dex and a belt +6 Str. Similarly an amulet of +6 Con, +6 Wis is more thematic than an amulet of +6 Con and a headband of +6 Wis.