Major magic or minor magic items?

[Quasqueton]

DMs:

Assuming the PCs have the standard amount of gold for their level, do you prefer the PCs have one or two major items, or many minor items?

For instance (and only "for instance" -- don't limit the discussion to just this choice). . .
would you prefer a PC be equipped with:

a +2 flaming weapon (18,000gp)

or

a +1 weapon, +1 armor, +1 shield, gauntlets of ogre power, +1 cloak of resistance, handy haversack, +1 ring of protection, rope of climbing, hat of disguise (~18,000gp)

****************

Players:

Assuming your PC has the standard amount of gold for his/her level, do you prefer to have one or two major items, or many minor items?

For instance (and only "for instance" -- don't limit the discussion to just this choice). . .
would you prefer your PC be equipped with:

a +2 flaming weapon (18,000gp)

or

a +1 weapon, +1 armor, +1 shield, gauntlets of ogre power, +1 cloak of resistance, handy haversack, +1 ring of protection, rope of climbing, hat of disguise (~18,000gp)


Quasqueton

 

[Wyn A'rienh]

Welp, as a player, probably option number two.

What I would be more likely to want, is to spend half my funds on one item and the rest on everything else.

 

[Felix]

Player:

Aye. 50% of my funds go towards my main weapon, and the other 50% is spent on various and sundry itmes. Perhaps not all of the items would be as powered down as they are on your list... for instance maybe the armor and shield would be bumped up to +2, and the Hat of Disguise dropped... or maybe put an elemental enchantment on the sword and drop the haversack.

As a DM:

I don't like the idea of local magic shops. I think magic items should be won and looted. As such, I think it is somewhat contrived to make available through looting all the little magic knick-knacks players would equip themselves with were they to optimize their wealth. This would tend towards larger magic items, but I think there will generally be a lot of +1 plate mails lying around on the corpses of enemies that the party doesn't have the ability to pick up and carry with.

 

[Voadam]

I usually spend my money buying or creating little permanent magic items (ring of protection, haversack, hat of disguise, new wizard spells, etc.) but I occassionally save up to make bigger cool items I really want (ring of evasion, monk's belt, blessed book). As a 14th level Eldritch Knight the biggest thing I've bought/made was a ring of evasion (25,000) The biggest thing I've looted (not counting plot artefacts) is a white robe of the archmagi (75,000).

 

[Zappo]

I think that multiple minor items are a more efficient way to spend your money.
However, I think that having only one or two very powerful items adds to the character's flavor.
When I play, I try to strike a balance and generally get one or two big items and a bunch of minor stuff, scrolls and potions. For example, one of my current characters has a +1 shocking sword which costed more than half of his starting money, a decent armor which was the second most costly item, and several trinkets. It is a bit of a quirk of the character that every time he refers to his sword, he calls it with a different name (always something lightning-related though). And he acts as if the sword never had any other name. The other players sometimes get puzzled by this.

 

[Gnarlo]

As a DM, I prefer one or two big items, as it's much easier to keep up with and plan that way

As a player, I like to have magic trinkets dripping off me like price tags hanging off Minnie Pearl.

 

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

As a DM, I prefer one or two big items, as it's much easier to keep up with and plan that way

As a player, I like to have magic trinkets dripping off me like price tags hanging off Minnie Pearl.

Yep. What you said

 

[MichaelH]

Both as a player and a DM I prefer less and better magic items. I prefer that the character's identity, power, and personality develops from his background, experience, feat and skill choices, as well as his equipment and/or magic items, not just the magic items. YMMV.

 

[Arnwyn]

As a player, option #2.

As a DM - I don't care. (Well, maybe option #2 as well... I'd prefer it if the PC has a bunch of items, in case something bad happens to item(s) during the course of adventuring - they'd at least have something to fall back on. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" and all that.)

 

[Gnimish88]

As a player, definately option #2. Have most of your money in your weapon, for example, means that most of your money has been spent on combat effectiveness. Plus, I like the tricks one can pull off by having a number of relatively minor items.