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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 4016027" data-attributes="member: 7635">Well if any new option is > not having an option, then yes.If having a situational benefit =/= having a permanent benefit, then no.Imagine back to 3.5. Which would you rather have?a. )Gauntlets of Arrow Snaring: 2/day use snatch arrows feat (4,000 gp)b.) Gloves of Dexterity: +2 to dexterity score (4,000 gp)c.) No Glove Slot FilledA and B are clearly better than C, since both grant a tangible benefit to the wearer. In most games, B > than A, since the ability to grab (and thus stop) a nonmagical projectile twice in a day is not equal to a +1 AC, +1 reflex save, +1 dex-based skill checks, +1 initiative, and +1 ranged attacks.Now, in a hypothetical situation where two PCs (each wearing a set of appropriate gloves) come under missile fire from some gnoll archers. The first PC (a) uses his two charges to completely negate two separate non-20 arrow attacks. After that, he's done, and those gauntlets become equal to Option C (none). The second PC's gloves are only granting him a minor bonus (+1) to his AC against the arrows, but this minor bonus persists the entire encounter (assuming the gnolls are not defeated in two rounds, the net benefit of a +1 to AC begins to improve over negating two whole attacks for every round after the second). Furthermore, his bonus extends to his initiative roll to act against the gnolls and his ranged attacks to return fire. Now, on the second round, a gnoll jumps into melee. PC A still has a snatch arrow charge, but against the gnolls battle axe, its useless (equal to option C), while PC be is still grooving on that +1 to AC vs. that gnoll in melee. This was the dilemma facing a 3.5 character. Nobody ever said "I don't want magic gloves, they make my hand's chafe". They said "why should I buy/make/acquire a set of gauntlets that grant me a limited benefit in a limited situation when I can have a set of gloves that grant me a bonus over a huge amount of rolls for as long as I wear them?" Fourth has removed option b from the equation (by regulating things like AC bonuses to armor and ranged atk bonuses to weapons) so you now get options A and C. A is useful against those gnoll archers for two rounds (and is certainly doing better than a PC with no gauntlets) but after two rounds (and against the melee gnoll) options A and C are equal. That is the balancing factor: limited uses, limited situations. In a situation where having the magical item is useful (such as negating the gnoll archer's arrows) its nice to have. When dealing with a situation where the item no longer works (two uses) or is ineffectual (melee gnoll) its not any better than having nothing at all.</blockquote>

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