Magic items / Group level

[Targeteron]

Hello all,

i am one of thos gms wich just love to create storys npcs ambience and the like. but when it comes down to monetary rewards i fall flat on my face. I am more of a winging GM and feel very uncomfortable to just "thow it at them" if you know what i mean. I am worried to give them too much power. I looked in the dmg to check what amount of cash characters should have at certain levels and what the items cost but it shurely is bothering me. i have the feeling that my players have got the short stick when it comes to magic items. they are lvl six now and all they have is a ring of protection +1 a robe of protection +1 2xdarts +1 a scalemail +1 and a light mace +1 and some silver weapons. Also the wizard has some scrolls, nothing fancy. the most potent is a fireball. doesnt sound much for a 4 man party of level 6 to me... i tallied the total and i average at about 2.5 k tops a player including mundane items (except the wizard because of his spell books) wich according to the DMG is not enough.

Could maybe some other DMs post some tips or maybe some overview what there characters have? i know its all relevant to the campaign one plays in and the general power level of the same. I am just hoping to at least get an average that could help me out. They are on their way to a lost city wich will propably be a great place to get items and i would like to plan ahead a bit. note that specific weapons for things they might encounter are not as good an option as would be items of general usabillity since i am mostly ending up winging it anyway. any input appreciated.

 

[kenobi65]

I don't have my DMG with me, and I can't remember what the suggested wealth level is for a 6th level PC, but I'd hazard that, in a campaign that tries to stick with the suggested wealth, you might expect:

- A +1 weapon, if you actually engage in combat
- Either +1 armor, or +1 bracers, or a +1 ring of protection (and, at 6th level, you might start to see some +2 versions)
- Maybe some other sort of moderately-priced permanent magic item (e.g., a +1 cloak of protection, boots of elvenkind, +1 amulet of natural armor, etc.)
- Spellcasters might have a wand or two by now (though often found with less than maximum charges), and a few scrolls
- Everyone should have a few low-level potions

Because these last few items are consumable, you need to remember to regularly "replace" them, or at least their value, in the treasure you distribute.

 

[Nifft]

Make sure they know not to get too attached to their stuff, and then make liberal use of oozes, slimes, Blackguards (or anyone else with Improved Sunder), rust monsters, sinking-in-water traps, etc.

If items are easy come, easy go, the PCs may BRIEFLY be too powerful, but it'll all even itself out in the end.

-- N

 

[jmucchiello]

Make sure they know not to get too attached to their stuff, and then make liberal use of oozes, slimes, Blackguards (or anyone else with Improved Sunder), rust monsters, sinking-in-water traps, etc.

If items are easy come, easy go, the PCs may BRIEFLY be too powerful, but it'll all even itself out in the end.

That's just terrible. Why bother spending the time and money to identify stuff if it's always getting destroyed?


Targeteron, don't worry about the characters getting too powerful. Only worry when one character out-shines all the others. As DM you can always ramp up the power. But if it isn't even, that can lead to boredom or TPKs real fast. Start out slow by handing out more scrolls and potions. They'll appreciate them and you can't really overpower a party with potions.

You also might look into creating your own magic items that enhance you story/npc style. Circlet of persuasion type items are not very powerful combatwise but great with npc interaction. Items that improve odd skills like appraise or decipher script might be more in line with your style.

 

[Thanee]

By 6th level, a fighter (for example) should have something like this:

• +1 weapon
• +1 armor
• +1 shield
• +1 protective item (deflection/natural armor)
• +1 cloak of resistance
• +2 gauntlets of strength
• some minor other item (like bag of holding I)
• some potions

A 6th level wizard's treasure might look like this:

• +2 headband of intellect
• +2 cloak of resistance
• +1 protective item (deflection/natural armor)
• wand of magic missiles (CL 3rd), 20 charges
• some scrolls

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nifft]

That's just terrible. Why bother spending the time and money to identify stuff if it's always getting destroyed?

I dunno -- what's the point in ever ID'ing a wand? Using it maybe?

-- N

 

[Targeteron]

Thanks for your input they where all helpfull. Especially thanees was great. I shure did understock them. oh well nothing we cant remedy Thanks again, and if you have further input do not hestiate!

 

[Thanee]

Note, that this is only a guideline and what the CR/EL rules are based upon (roughly the gold value a 6th level character should have according to the DMG, my list above adds up to a bit more than the 13k, actually... but you already start going towards 7th level, if you are 6th, so... ).

If challenges are below the average (or meant to be tougher) treasure could be more limited. Depends on the campaign, really.

Bye
Thanee

P.S. Added another example list above.

 

[shilsen]

Note, that this is only a guideline and what the CR/EL rules are based upon (roughly the gold value a 6th level character should have according to the DMG, my list above adds up to a bit more than the 13k, actually... but you already start going towards 7th level, if you are 6th, so... ).

If challenges are below the average (or meant to be tougher) treasure could be more limited. Depends on the campaign, really.

Waves "What Thanee said" flag again. I personally prefer to keep my PCs a little over-equipped for their level (in practice it usually works out to having equipment which they should have - by the DMG chart - one level higher). Doing so has a few advantages. If they lose some equipment through various mishaps, it doesn't handicap them too badly. And more importantly, when they have a really tough fight (I'm good at making encounters tougher than they're supposed to be, through a judicious use of tactics), they can't complain as much as they'd like to, since it's easy for me to point out that they're higher level, have much higher than average stats, and much better equipment than the guys who just kicked them around

 

[Ibram]

My PC's are definatly underequiped for their level:

1 ancesteral sword thats currently a +2
1 +1 rapier with the shocking property
1 +1 quarterstaff that deals an additional +1 point of cold damage
3 doese of daemon venom poison (causes the target to be affected by a bane spell)

thats it for a level 7 party.

on the mundane side the most expensive thing owned is the samurais armor.
They are also down to their last few silvers.

now the ancsteral sword and the rapier have the potential to become more powerful (i prefer to use leveled items instead of handing out new ones every two levels).

I rarely give out magical treasures, and i rarely ever give them to the villians as thats a sure fire way to give them to the players. now this means that i have to be careful when using creatures with DR like daemons or elementals, but i hardly ever use such creatures (prefering to stick with more mundane foes like humans and orcs).