Major magic or minor magic items?

[Mallus]

I like option 1, period.

As a player, while I'm aware its far more efficient to have a host of minor items, I just get more enjoyment out of spending all my hard-earned lucre on a few powerful [and often silly] ones. Recently, my current char. spent damn near all his money on an animated +2 glassteeled tower shield [props to the DM for reintroducing the glassteel spell just for me and my new shield].

Now there were far better uses for that gold, but seeing as I only have one simple goal --which is enjoy myself-- I found it virtual money well spent.

As a DM, my players don't really have a choice: the get a blend, but its more 1) than 2). That's just the flavor of the games I run.

 

[LRathbun]

as a player:
I much prefer the first option (one big weapon) b/c it can add to the character's story and advancement (basically what MichaelH said above)

as a DM:
I still prefer the first option, but probably because it is easier to keep track of

 

[just__al]

As a DM I guess I perfer option 2. If players come in at a higher level I allow them to spend no more that 40% of their wealth on one item and no more than 20 percent on the other items.

As a player I like this too.

 

[Agback]

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?

I find that one big item tends to attract more attentino than the character. You become 'the guy with the +2 flaming greatsword'. Whereas a sufficiently uniform plating of minor magic items (none of which can substantially dominate play) is reduced to a surface patina, allowing the abilities and inclinations of the charcter still to seem substantially relevant.

YMMV. YDYDWP.

Regards,


Agback

 

[Squire James]

Sometimes a Big Bad Sword might as well have a sign hanging off of it labelled "Sunder Me", so option #2 is the way to go.

 

[Gnimish88]

Sometimes a Big Bad Sword might as well have a sign hanging off of it labelled "Sunder Me", so option #2 is the way to go.

I think Quasqueton may have had some experience with that particular issue...

 

[Altalazar]

It really depends on the character - some character concepts are better served with certain minor, numerous items. Another character concept perhaps would only require a single item.

In my games, magic can be bought, but not on any regular basis except for things like potions and scrolls. Other items can be found for sale in various places, but it is more along the lines of the "random" items with history you'd find in a dungeon than a mass-produced magic item. Like the old, limping dwarven innkeeper who has an old, battered, yet well made red shield hanging over the back of his bar. After enthralling his inn with the tale of how he got it and what it can do, he then leans aside and indicates that he might be willing to part with it - for a price. And perhaps included with that story is how he got his limp (and thus gave up adventuring) and perhaps he will part with that shield if you go retrieve something that he lost on his last (ill-fated) adventure.

 

[Rel]

I'd say I probably lean a bit more toward option two but (speaking as a player) it somewhat depends on the character I'm playing. I've played a character who was a fairly unabashed rip off of Elric and he obviously had a lot invested in his Big Black Greatsword.

But the last character I played was a Halfling Rogue who sported a "bag of tricks" (HHHaversack) and I packed it with every sort of minor magic item you could imagine. He was huge fun to play because he was constantly pulling some creative "save the day" type item from his bag of tricks.

I dunno about other DM's but I'm strongly drawn to the "Wonderous Items" section of the DMG treasure lists when I'm putting together treasures for the bad guys. I find it far more interesting to imagine the tactics a troll would use if he had a Decanter of Endless Water rather than a +3 Breastplate. I don't consider this a virtue on my part really. But I find it hard to breathe an interesting backstory into a +2 Longsword. But an Immovable Rod? Thousands of stories I can come up with for that one.

 

[Ferret]

I'd have a key item, the item my character would het known for, and get most milage out of (bat mans baterang/supermans cape), then lots of smaller items.