Magic Item Question

[The Human Target]

The new magic item rarity article at WotC brought something to mind.

Common items are the exact opposite of rare items. They offer useful but limited abilities. The processes of their manufacture are well known, and anyone with the money can track one down for purchase.

Common items lack activated powers. They usually confer a simple bonus or a static effect that you note on your character sheet and forget about. For example, a pair of gloves that grants a +2 bonus to Thievery checks makes a fine common item. You note the modifier to your skill check, adjust the total bonus as necessary, and never think of the gloves again until you find new ones to replace them.

Emphasis mine.

Does anyone actually want an item that you forget about until you replace it with something cooler? What exactly is the point of that?

Do you think its ever going to be possible for an edition of DnD to get away from having a large quantity of common and forgettable magic items again?

Or is the idea too ingrained in the players?

 

[Ryujin]

Viceo game style mechanic, with the 4e magic economy and the number of items found at each level. If you don't like the idea of essentially tossing things away, have the characters "unlock" previously unsuspected abilities of the items. That will tend to make them a little more memorable.

 

[abyssaldeath]

From what I understand they aren't going to be making anymore common items or uncommon items except for what is already included in the Essentials products. I'm pretty sure I've heard the devs say that they are only going to be publishing rare items from now on.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

From what I understand they aren't going to be making anymore common items or uncommon items except for what is already included in the Essentials products. I'm pretty sure I've heard the devs say that they are only going to be publishing rare items from now on.

This is definitely not true. Mike Mearls even referenced an uncommon item coming out in Heroes of Shadow. And basically said that the Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium would have many uncommon, common, and rare items in it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Also, those items which you mainly forget have always been part of the game. Any edition. But 4e lacked cool items so far.

 

[MarkB]

Does anyone actually want an item that you forget about until you replace it with something cooler?

Not in every slot, but those items that make you just that little bit better at your job every single time are always worth having. As a Fighter, my character got more use out of Iron Armbands of Power than he ever did from any daily-power item.

 

[The Human Target]

Also, those items which you mainly forget have always been part of the game. Any edition. But 4e lacked cool items so far.

Yeah, I can agree that 3E for sure had the same problem. Never played 2E enough or 1E at all to formulate an opinion on their items systems.

I think 4E has lots of cool items myself.

 

[The Human Target]

Viceo game style mechanic, with the 4e magic economy and the number of items found at each level. If you don't like the idea of essentially tossing things away, have the characters "unlock" previously unsuspected abilities of the items. That will tend to make them a little more memorable.

Yeah there are fairly easy patches to make more items memorable.

But will we ever see an edition in which all items are?

 

[The Human Target]

From what I understand they aren't going to be making anymore common items or uncommon items except for what is already included in the Essentials products. I'm pretty sure I've heard the devs say that they are only going to be publishing rare items from now on.

I don't think thats the case, but even so 50% of the items a character gets are designed to be forgettable.

So why have them (or have those abilities as items and not feats or what have you?)

Other than an ingrained desire to acquire loot.

 

[The Human Target]

Not in every slot, but those items that make you just that little bit better at your job every single time are always worth having. As a Fighter, my character got more use out of Iron Armbands of Power than he ever did from any daily-power item.

Oh for sure those forgettable items are useful and many players (mine included) do get more mileage out of them than they do daily item powers.

But could those items be made flashier and more interesting mechanically?