Motivation in Low Magic

[AeroDm]

There have been an abundance of threads on various boards as of late about playing low-magic games. While I have always enjoyed this type of gameplay, the problem that always seems to creep to the surface is motivation.

While many players seek only plot, most need to see steady gains. Clearly, the most common way to appease this hunger is with magic items/treasure/gold/etc. So in low-magic games what can you give out to keep the players trudging onto that next goal?

 

[Crothian]

Start them out with nothing. Literally. By third level they might have a longsword, by sixth if they have a crossbow they consider them selves lucky!!

Okay, it doesn't have to be that bad but there are plenty of non magical treasures that are useful. Another thing that helps is have equipment wear out.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Positions of authority. Keeps. Towers. Land. Armies. Libraries and universities.

Also, a low magic game isn't necessarily a no-magic game. For instance, while a character might go from 1st to 10th (or higher) without gaining much by way of magic (a one-to-three use item from time to time, and so forth), but could by 11th Level have a weapon suitable for a 20th Level character. Of course, it's likely still his weapon at 20th Level, but that's how it goes.

Another factor is the character itself; Providing ample rewards outside of magic would very much depend on who that character is and what that character want's in life. I played a character once that gained a vineyard as a gift from the Captain of the Queen's Guard for helping to defend the city during an attempted coup by a group of religious fanatics. As a low-ranking-but-still-popular member of the local Thieves' Guild (i.e., too chaotic and fun loving to pursue political pull), having a sizable home about 10 miles beyond the city walls came in very handy, both for me and my "co-workers".

 

[d20Dwarf]

While many players seek only plot, most need to see steady gains. Clearly, the most common way to appease this hunger is with magic items/treasure/gold/etc. So in low-magic games what can you give out to keep the players trudging onto that next goal?

This was one of the principle design considerations behind heroic paths in Midnight. Since treasures and titles were going to be rare and often worthless anyway, we wanted to make the character the focal point of advancement and excitement over gaining "cool things."

 

[Old One]

A couple of thoughts...

I think there are a couple of ways to go...

(1) As Crothian mentions above, make even the mundane valuable. In the backwater abandoned Imperial provinces of my Faded Glory campaign, lorica hamata (chainmail) and a well-made gladius are a very valuable fine, since all but the richest are limited to studded leather and a hand-me-down spear.

(2) Create and use items with a history. I use a lot of bonded items (items that the PCs can imbue with essence - XP - through rituals to unlock minor magical abilities), otherwise mundane items with minor dweomers (frying pan that gives +5 to cooking checks) or a masterwork item with a storied past - such heriditary armor of Prince Sul...conquerer of Atticus.

(3) Provide a path, albeit a tough one, for PCs to discover, recover or create magic items throughout the campaign. This may include researching formula for imbuing basic magics, recovering long-lost tools to support crafting efforts or obtaining components from a rare magical creature as part of a magical formula. Making the PCs work for special items they get makes them a much more intergral part of the campaing, IMC.

~ Old One

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IMO you could use an heirloom item (I don't recall the Midnight name for them) that gets more powerful as the character gains levels.

Plus a plot. Taking on the Lord of Shadow is impossible for first level characters, but one could try to clear his name, free a town from a corrupt lord, and so forth.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Use the UA XP-system and let the players keep track.

 

[Altalazar]

Empire building, as has been stated.

There is nothing (for me anyway) that can engage someone more than the feeling that you are part of carving out an empire in the world.

That is enough to make players excited about finding even a cache of ordinary longswords - EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR ARMY!

Let the players be "players" in the shaping of the world. If you can do that, then you can satisfy even the most power-hungry of players without having to include a single magic item.

 

[Trickstergod]

It also depends on your definition of low-magic, as well.

For my part, I generally run things fairly low-magic, world-wise, but the PC's, as they should be, are the exception, so not only tend to have the standard gold amount that a PC of their level should have in magic items, but a bit more.

The point is that there's no such things as magic item shops, generic NPC's nearly never exceed 5th level, the town priest might have a Wisdom of all of 10-12 or just be a straight out Aristocrat or Expert, and so on and so on. My worlds generally run with the idea that the plot and the PC's tend to be the exception from the norm - thus, essentially a low-magic world, but as the PC's are the heroes, the protaganists, the stars, they see and find wonders, delights and horrors the like of which most folk never even hear in a secondhand story. I've never been too fond of entire worlds that run off the basis that there are adventuring parties and magic to keep them in check. As many folk have pointed out, when you throw in the magic and high-level factor, a lot of conventional real world logic breaks down. Yet that conventional real world logic is often enough applied anyway. I keep the idea of keeps, boat travel, pikemen and other forms of real world conventions that don't necessarily work when mixed with magic and high-level characters by making the magic and high-level characters the exceptions, not the rule.

Low-magic world, medium to high magic PCs. So there's still plenty of motivation.

Clear enough, I hope?

 

[kenjib]

The problem with lots of loot in a low magic world is that players don't want to blow all of their loot on ale and whores, despite their characters' best interests. Ale and whores should be motivation enough.