Magic items are finally rare !

[Phasics]

"I'm working on magic items right now. A previous version of the rules had magic items that were just too complex and too numerous, so we're stripping off a couple layers of complexity. You won't be a magic item Christmas tree any more, but you might be a Christmas shrub or a Charlie Brown Christmas tree."

I may be wrong but this will defintly change the way people think about even about the basics. We're all looking at 4e content and saying oh that looks overpowered, that makes no sense, thats going to be unplayble. I wonder f we all stop to relise how large an effect low magic item will have on how we releate to the game mechanics.

Who here hasent built charcters "KNOWING" you get boost of this or gloves of that pushing your scores to this and getting you ability X to it potential.

I knida like the idea that charcters are self contained and you could go an enitre adventure without finding a single magic item and not really notice.

It was also give a nicer feel to "loot drops" at higher levels when nearly everythign dropped is either money jewls or enchanted , it kinda loses its flavor.

It may just be that finding a +2 sword will be more of a reward than a 3e +5 vorpal nine lives stealing dancing blah blah blah.

 

[Gloombunny]

I hope (and from what they've said, I think my hopes will be realized) that they're not just going to make magic items rarer and less powerful, but will try to minimize the presence of items that just give +X to Y stat, while keeping the ones that let you do interesting things you couldn't do without them.

Less cloak of resistance, more cloak of the bat, if you follow my meaning.

 

[pogre]

I like the trend too - it makes naming items a little more important and fun. I hope they jack the prices - if there are prices - on items as well. My 3.5 campaign has hit 14th level and I would bet most of my players would rather see their characters die than lose their stuff. There is something a bit backward about that.

 

[Kintara]

I'm guessing magic items will probably work like a lot of the recent magic items, lots of swift/immediate action activating effects. It sounds like we still have +X weapons, though. I'm actually cool with that. +X weapons are one of the things about D&D that I have personal attachment to.

 

[Rechan]

Was this posted two months ago?

I'm not sure. I just seem to recall "Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree" being mentioned.

 

[wedgeski]

This is old news I think, but no less welcome now than when it was released!

 

[Wepwawet]

I'm never tired of saying YAY for this one
More inner power for the people!

 

[Aus_Snow]

This is one area where I happen to be in agreement with the design & development people at WotC (regarding 4e.) Sure, there are a number of areas where that ain't so, but kudos where they are deserved.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I'm not sure that this change implies that magic items will be rare. It does say that PCs won't need as many magic items in order to fight opponents of an appropriate level, but that doesn't mean that magic items will actually be much less common.

 

[sidonunspa]

But,

Characters adventure for fame and fortune... and loot... ok it depends on the adventure, but most do… so now that magic items are rare… what are you adventuring for? Just coin? What can you do with coin, seeing that you end up moving from Inn to Inn (well unless you have a localized campaign?)

Xp and Gp/Magic Items where rewards for adventuring, most adventures went adventuring to "seek their fortune" magic items always felt like part of that (even in 2e we had tons of magic items)

I like it, don’t get my wrong, just seems like a strange shift in the paradigm of the game is all, if you where playing in middle earth I could see magic items being rare, but in Eborron?