MIC - Forehead palm

[Andor]

I realize the magic item compendium has been out for a while, and probably everything about it has been hashed to death, but a friend just loaned it to me and I'm taking my first look at it.

The intro has a big side bar about how they've changed everything, but have faith, it's all in the interest of clarification, and improving the game. Okay...

The very first magic item entry, the very first one leaves me scratching my head. It's the acidic property for armour and shields which causes damage to foes grappling you, and makes no mention whatsoever about whether or not the damage applies to a shield bash or armour spike attack. *shakes head* Sad guys, very very sad.

 

[frankthedm]

The very first magic item entry, the very first one leaves me scratching my head. It's the acidic property for armour and shields which causes damage to foes grappling you, and makes no mention whatsoever about whether or not the damage applies to a shield bash or armour spike attack. *shakes head* Sad guys, very very sad.

nothing sad at all. The rules for the item tell you what it does "causes damage to foes grappling you". It does not give your shield or armor spikes an "acidic" weapon property for free unless the entry said the armor did so.

 

[Piratecat]

Agreed. I don't see the problem. I'm looking at it right now; neither a shield bash nor a spiked armor attack stay in contact for a full round, so the armor special ability doesn't apply.

 

[Andor]

It's just a poorly thought out entry for failing to mention the shield bash at the very least. What would that cost them, 12 words? This property does not apply to shield bash or armour spike attacks. Given that it's the very first entry in the books I think it sets a poor tone.

That said I'm 32 page in now and continue to be unimpressed.

Specific items violate the pricing structures of the general properties. The variable shield property costs a +1 enhancment bonus, the almost identical changeling spear property costs a flat +2000 gp. The ghostward armour property is pathetic compared to a crystal of screening.

And on a general note the flavor descriptions are the lamest I've ever seen. :/

 

[shilsen]

It's just a poorly thought out entry for failing to mention the shield bash at the very least. What would that cost them, 12 words? This property does not apply to shield bash or armour spike attacks. Given that it's the very first entry in the books I think it sets a poor tone.

As indicated by frankthedm and Piratecat above, I think that's fairly silly nitpicking on your part, and very arbitrary to boot. Why shield bash and armor spike attacks only? Why not cover what happens when an ally tries to use a touch spell on you? And what about how much acid damage it does if you lean against a door? And can you bottle the acid and carry it with you? Such elements, like the ones you mention, are completely unnecessary for mention. It says that the acid applies when an enemy grapples you. So it doesn't apply anywhere else. Simple and elegant, unlike your suggestion.

 

[Piratecat]

That said I'm 32 page in now and continue to be unimpressed.

Well, it's a good thing you didn't buy it, then! I'm personally very glad I did buy it; it's proven to be a resource that I find fun, imaginative and useful. Everyone differs.

 

[Blue]

My experience with it has been quite the opposite. They've changing pricing structures of some things to make them more in line with what characters will actually spend. What used to be "hmm, 8000 gold for a utility item I may use every other adventure or a +2 weapon", is now "hey, this nifty utility thing I can use twice a day for 750gp. That's worth it instead of another wand of cure light."

I've been very happy with it from a player perspective, allowing interesting and balanced item at low levels, and also from a DM perspective where I'm running a lower wealth game and now have nifty toys I can give out that are appropriate.

Is everything perfect? No. I can tell it had multiple writers because there are items as you pointed out that have strong overlap in functionality without consistancy in pricing. If I look for them, I can find them. But if I look for cool things I can use in my games, I can find them easier.

It has it's warts, but if you don't let them distract you, you can find a lot of good items in it. My "basic pack" when traveling to games instead of hosting them is the three core, MIC and spell compendium. I add as appropriate, but I always bring them.

Cheers,
=Blue(23)

 

[Andor]

As indicated by frankthedm and Piratecat above, I think that's fairly silly nitpicking on your part, and very arbitrary to boot. Why shield bash and armor spike attacks only? Why not cover what happens when an ally tries to use a touch spell on you? And what about how much acid damage it does if you lean against a door? And can you bottle the acid and carry it with you? Such elements, like the ones you mention, are completely unnecessary for mention. It says that the acid applies when an enemy grapples you. So it doesn't apply anywhere else. Simple and elegant, unlike your suggestion.

Actually it does work if you lean it up against a door. The exact text is:

A thin film of acid continuously covers the surface of this armor or shield, which is not damaged by this effect. An acidic suit of armor or shield deals 2d4 points of acid damage per full round of contact to each opponent grappling you, and to any object that remains in direct contact with it (except object you are holding) for that amount of time. However, the acid deals no damage to creatures or objects that remain in contact with it for less than a full round, such as when a creature makes a melee attack against you.

So you could use it to burn your way through a door if you felt like it. I'll grant that a close reading of the text does seem to indicate that a shield bash wouldn't work as it's less than a full round of contact, presumably. But the actual text is hardly as clean as you guessed.

A few more pages in there are some things I've liked so far, although the thought that's struck me really is just how crude a tool the +1/+2/+3 enhancment bonus thing is as a tool for differentiating subtly different powers. An ability like Deadly Precision is strictly inferior to another like corrosive or shocking, yet costs the same. Conversely the Consumptive property it only slighty better than flaming or shocking yet cost as much as both of them together. Which is better +1d8 negative energy or +2d6 fire and electricity? I think 3e would benefit from finer granularity in magic weapon pricing.

 

[FalcWP]

Actually it does work if you lean it up against a door. The exact text is:

Wait... so doesn't that meant that information about what happens in a given situation can be easily and quickly divined just by reading the description? That really doesn't seem poorly written at all.

And yes, some things in MIC are not the best bargains for their price. However, in most cases, those items:

1) Are fairly interesting, providing new tactical, problemsolving, or roleplaying options.
2) Have a significantly more affordable pricetag than other fringe options from the DMG.

Since we started using the MIC, my group rarely goes for the +1 X items, despite the fact that they're more valuable (or, at least, their value is more easily measurable) because they're boring. MIC gives items with sometimes questionable value a compelling pricetag.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

I thought that particular entry was rather straightforward; since it doesn't specifically mention Shield Bash or Spikes, it doesn't effect them. Exception based magic item design.

And 3e won't get any more granularity, as it's a non-supported game (by its parent company, anyway).

-TRRW