Magic Items

[FireLance]

I use a system similar to CovertOps, but I also give each character a small amount of gold which they can use to buy consumables (potions, etc.) or save up to buy other magic items later.

Essentially, whenever a character gains a level, he gets a magic item of up to his new level +1, and gold equal to one-fifth the gp value of a magic item of his new level -1. If the character opts for a magic item of less than the highest level that he can obtain, he gets one-fifth of the difference in value in gold.

Example: a character who reaches 2nd level gets one 3rd-level magic item and 72 gp (one-fifth the value of a 1st-level magic item). If he opts for a 2nd-level magic item, he gets an additional 32 gp (one-fifth of the difference in value between a 3rd-level magic item and a 2nd-level magic item).

Characters can sell off their magic items at one-fifth value, as normal.

 

[CapnZapp]

How do people handle giving out magic items in 4e to ensure that it is fair for all the players? In general, you give out 1 less magic item than PC, plus there is such a wide range of items, from +1 to +4 on each level. Just wondering what others are doing. I know that I have created my own spreadsheet to keep things balanced.

My players use a round-robin list to determine who's turn it is to select a piece of loot.

Of course, with 4E items so tightly tied to specific classes and builds, it's a challenge to offer treasure there will be an actual discussion on how to distribute (i.e the opposite of wishlists).

Having a list of what the players have already is almost a must-have. Otherwise the loot will probably go unused and only be put on the sell-list.

 

[Atomo]

My party is probably an excession, but none of my players like of "tailored" items for them in treasure or a wishlist... They like something completely random. So we use Table Smith software to just give items for the proper level in each treasure.

Sure, they end with lots of things they will never use and a considerable percentage of that becomes residuum anyway. It could be argue that they use the residuum to just enchant the items they want, but there is a limitation. You can only create magic items of your level or under it. Magic items in treasure usually are higher level than chars. So, in the long run, they are "sub-optimized".

However, they are having fun and prefer this way. And once one of our rules of RPG time is "have fun with your friends", does not matter. If randonness is fun, let it be. And it is very interesting to notice the unusual uses the players give to items they never would get in the first place, but now they have because a random treasure.

 

[Stalker0]

I'm a big fan of giving players innate bonuses at +1/6 levels,+ a little extra for masterwork armor. That way players have everything they "need" without magic items. Then you can give out items at whatever pace you want.

 

[Rhuarc]

I do something similar as several other posters here, but instead of gold, I add the levels of the magic items together for each character and try to find new items for those who have lower totals that the rest.
Almost the same, just with other values (in the dozens instead of thousands).

 

[Markn]

I've been thinking about CovertOps method to magic items and there is another reason to like that method.

By RAW on any given level a DM is giving out items from level +1 to level +4. In theory, if you like to mix things up so PCs don't know when they will get an item, you might give out teh level+4 item before a level +1 item. Now this item is more powerful, yet a PC managed to get a hold of it earlier.

with CovertOps system, if a player gravitates towards a powerful item set at a higher level, they will have to wait longer to get it which in a sense balances out the power of the item with the timing for them to get it.

I really like this benefit of CovertOps system since it places more emphasis on magic item level than the standard rules.

 

[karlindel]

I keep a spreadsheet, and choose the bundles for each level based on the spreadsheet.

I generally plan about 5 levels in advance. Over the course of 5 levels, each PC gets 4 items, so it ends up being pretty fair. I place the items so that different people get the strongest item each time, generally based on how that person's been doing in combat or the like. That way they'll get an awesome item and feel really powerful for awhile. I edit the list every now and then, when I see items I expected one person to get going to someone else (very common for generic items) or when new supplements come out with new options.

To get more variety, I generally try to skip a few of the +x items (i.e. someone's first weapon/implement will be a +2 version, then they'll get a +4 version) rather than trying to upgrade all of everyone's +x items each level. That way more of the magic items I give out are cool items in other slots, rather than replacements. Also, the PCs have enough gold that they can pay to upgrade +x items if they're happy with the special abilities of their lower level item (I've got one PC that loves the Healer's Broach, so I'm not planning on giving her a new neck slot item for quite awhile).

 

[Tallifer]

Two things:

1. During the adventure, I just tell the party they get piles of gold and jewels and various wonderful things. (I gave them Handy Haversacks early on.) I dress it up with suitably ornate and vague language: it glitters, it comes in heaps, it dazzles and seduces them. I include vague descriptions of non-magical parade armour, decorated walking staves, jewelry such as rings and brooches, ornamental batons and stuff, so that there will be much leeway for describing the actual magical loot later.

This means that I need not plan loot or treasure at all.

Then once the party achieves a new level and an extended rest in town, they examine the treasure.

I add up the gold plus the gold value of the magic items suggested by the treasure parcels of the level just finished by the adventurers. This is divided among the party, who then proceed to "discover" what magical treasures they found in their loot. This is all subject to my approval at the table in a massive orgy of plundering. My players love this and combined with choosing their new powers and feats, we can take a long time lovingly rewarding the adventurers for a fine victory.

OOC the players usually lend each other gold-value each level so that a particularly expensive but important item can be "discovered" in the heap. I limit any items to level-finished-plus-four as per the Dungeon Master's Guide, although the players usually pick more lower level items.

2. I allow players to upgrade their old items with residuum as per the Enchantment Ritual. But I also allow old crud to be exchanged for its full weight in residuum when the adventurers need to offset the cost of a treasure more appropriate to their level or their newfound abilities. (For example, I let the party exchange all their Rings of Protection for the new Wondrous Stones from the second Adventurer's Vault.)