theskyfullofdust
First Post
This all depends on what type of campaign you want to play.
I have always favoured a more low-key approach to magic items, trying to give reasons why the items the PCs find exist (especially weapons, which always had a history to them); makes it more personal when they find it.
I like the idea of enchanting items already owened to make them more powerful. My last PC was a hoarder and never liked giving up items; still had his +1 dagger from an early adventure that was precious to him (it was his first item); even though he never used it at higher levels he still carried it around with him.
For my next campaign I want to cpature that feeling, that the magic items a character finds is something precious, not just the equivalent of a new but better microwave, the old one just sold off or sent to the tip.
I also like the item of an auction house rather than a magic item shop, which came about when people started unearthing old magic items in a nearby ruin, or tombs, and so on. That would be better, and you coudl then throw whatever items needed in it.
I would much prefer to see items with no boring bonuses, but rather specific powers or abilities.
And I favour a mix of the 2ed and 3.5ed crafting methods. Having some sort of rules helps, but getting rid of the XP cost would be a grand idea, as would replacing the gp cost with ingredients list.
In fact, this reminds me, does anyone remember the old white dwarf magazines when they used to do D&D and other rpgs? There were a few of them that had brilliant lists of ingredients and processes for crafting magical items, potions and so on. I no longer have them, but they were great for when PCs wanted to make their own magic items. Generated lots of adventure hooks and side-treks.
I have always favoured a more low-key approach to magic items, trying to give reasons why the items the PCs find exist (especially weapons, which always had a history to them); makes it more personal when they find it.
I like the idea of enchanting items already owened to make them more powerful. My last PC was a hoarder and never liked giving up items; still had his +1 dagger from an early adventure that was precious to him (it was his first item); even though he never used it at higher levels he still carried it around with him.
For my next campaign I want to cpature that feeling, that the magic items a character finds is something precious, not just the equivalent of a new but better microwave, the old one just sold off or sent to the tip.
I also like the item of an auction house rather than a magic item shop, which came about when people started unearthing old magic items in a nearby ruin, or tombs, and so on. That would be better, and you coudl then throw whatever items needed in it.
I would much prefer to see items with no boring bonuses, but rather specific powers or abilities.
And I favour a mix of the 2ed and 3.5ed crafting methods. Having some sort of rules helps, but getting rid of the XP cost would be a grand idea, as would replacing the gp cost with ingredients list.
In fact, this reminds me, does anyone remember the old white dwarf magazines when they used to do D&D and other rpgs? There were a few of them that had brilliant lists of ingredients and processes for crafting magical items, potions and so on. I no longer have them, but they were great for when PCs wanted to make their own magic items. Generated lots of adventure hooks and side-treks.
I simply grow tired of posts of the general form "ZOMG! In 4e, you can have a WIZARD who uses a SWORD!" or "This is SO COOL! In 4e, not EVERY humanoid encounter is BORING!". Sort of the equivalent of reading, in early 2000, a 3e playtest report which said, "And in 3E, you'll play a character who STARTS WEAK and then GETS MORE POWERFUL! Wow! It's SO DIFFERENT from 2e!" When I see people swooning over things like "In 4e, the DM can make a judgement call as to how to handle things not explicitly described in the rules!" (Because, you know, in 3e, the WOTC ninjas come and kill you if you try), I grow a bit irked.
