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D&D 5E No Magic Shops!

Mad_Jack

Legend
Or you could try raiding the lair/tomb of a former Nazi general who became a Lich.

I think I saw that movie...


In my games - depending on what the general magic level of the campaign is, of course - there's no such place called the Magic Shop where you can just walk into a store and buy anything off the magic item list, any more than there's a single AdventureMart where you buy all your equipment from the PHB.

But...

Any city or area large enough to support a wizard's guild or college will possibly have a store or merchant who deals with magical supplies like spell components, blank spellbooks, inks, etc. These places are likely to also have a small number of consumables like potions or scrolls, and can most likely arrange to acquire them or direct you to someone who can make them. They might have one or two common permanent magic items, but there's definitely no guarantee.
They would, however, be able to direct you to someone who'd know someone who would likely know if there are any magic items for sale or trade anywhere in the city, if it's possible to make such an item and who would know how to do it, or if a particular item exists somewhere if you're brave/stupid enough to go find/barter for/steal it.

The local black market would also have rumors of such things, although they'd be much less trustworthy. There's a small chance you might be able to make contact with someone who's looking to unload a random magic item on the quiet, but there's a good chance it might get out that you're the one who has that item now.

An exceptionally prosperous merchant might have one or two magical examples of whatever mundane items they usually trade in. Not that it'd necessarily be something of use to an adventurer. There are in fact a handful of mages and artisans who make their living on the patronage of the wealthy and socially elite, making high-end clothing and other items with very minor enchantments on them to flatter their patrons' vanity and allow them to flaunt their social status/wealth. Just getting close enough to them socially to inquire about their services is going to be a quest in itself, and commissioning anything other than a pair of Eobard's Eternally Polished Shoes is going to get you noticed.

If you want a specific item from the item section in the DMG/other book, though, it's usually going to involve finding someone willing to make one for you - and quite likely acquiring the physical materials to craft the item as well. For many items there may be only a handful of people in the campaign world who know how to make them, and their price for doing so may not be measured in gold - for example, the only way to reliably get an elven cloak or elven chainmail outside of knowing a high-level elven wizard is to find one of a small handful of really important elves and get them to like you enough to have one commissioned from their artisans.
There's also the option of doing your own extensive research, acquiring all the materials and then getting a spellcaster to agree to craft it for you.
Either way, if you want it you're going to work for it.
 
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Hussar

Legend
Well there have been, what, 5 adventures set in FR in 5e? And none of them have magic marts. That is compelling.

Well, sort of. Xanathar's gives rules for using down time for buying magic items. It's not like they're particularly difficult, just somewhat random. And, considering it's an expenditure of days rather than weeks, it's pretty easy to be able to buy magic items.
 

ad_hoc

(they/them)
Well, sort of. Xanathar's gives rules for using down time for buying magic items. It's not like they're particularly difficult, just somewhat random. And, considering it's an expenditure of days rather than weeks, it's pretty easy to be able to buy magic items.

Xanathar's isn't an adventure and the optional downtime rules in a supplement are both not a magic mart and not a core part of 5e (or FR).
 

CapnZapp

Legend
Well there have been, what, 5 adventures set in FR in 5e? And none of them have magic marts. That is compelling.
There weren't magic shops in FR 3e adventures either.

You're only trying to invalidate other playing styles than your own.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app
 

This is a patronizing approach to the game.

I agree, but I read here enough whim about missing materials or rules balance.
But there is also in this forum plenty of solutions about making the game your game.
You can wait for the official sane magic item price list, revised ranger, sharp shooter nerf.
Or you can home brew your game now.
It is in the first chapter of the dm guide. A world of your own.
 

Maxperson

Morkus from Orkus
Not what I meant. If 3e says undead lord X rules region Y, he does so still in 5e unless stated otherwise. If Thayans (and others) sell :):):):) in previous editions, they still do unless stated otherwise.

It does state that the Thayan's don't sell, though. Page 135 of the 5e DMG states very clearly that, "Unless you decide otherwise, most magic items are so rare that they aren't available for purchase.". Since the Forgotten Realms is the default setting, that means that the Thayan's don't sell most items unless the DM changes things to allow them to sell as they did in 3e.
 

It does state that the Thayan's don't sell, though. Page 135 of the 5e DMG states very clearly that, "Unless you decide otherwise, most magic items are so rare that they aren't available for purchase.". Since the Forgotten Realms is the default setting, that means that the Thayan's don't sell most items unless the DM changes things to allow them to sell as they did in 3e.
No it doesn't.
 

It does state that the Thayan's don't sell, though. Page 135 of the 5e DMG states very clearly that, "Unless you decide otherwise, most magic items are so rare that they aren't available for purchase.". Since the Forgotten Realms is the default setting, that means that the Thayan's don't sell most items unless the DM changes things to allow them to sell as they did in 3e.

And so sentences from various texts are cherry-picked to divine deeper meaning into the world around us. This is almost ... religious.
 

G

Guest 6801328

Guest
You're only trying to invalidate other playing styles than your own.

That may be his ulterior motive, but only he knows for sure.

Based on the words he wrote all he is saying is that the evidence suggests that there aren't magic shops in 5e FR. And even that he is only offering in response to somebody else's evidence/assertion to the contrary.
 

CapnZapp

Legend
That may be his ulterior motive, but only he knows for sure.

Based on the words he wrote all he is saying is that the evidence suggests that there aren't magic shops in 5e FR. And even that he is only offering in response to somebody else's evidence/assertion to the contrary.
And I am saying that the absence of magic shoppes in any adventure says nothing about the intention or suitability of having them in your campaign.

He used the absence of shoppes to claim there aren't any in 5e. But there aren't any shoppes in 3e adventures either, despite that edition providing significantly stronger support for those who want them.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app
 

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