D&D 5E [Out of the Abyss]Magic item distribution?

[jgsugden]

With average rolls and a typical sized party, PCs will end up with roughly 6 permanent magic items per PC by level 20, with half of them attuned. For an up to 15th level adventure, you should see about 75% of that amount (4 or 5 per PC) by the end of the adventure.

You're going to see overpowered (relative to design mechanics) PCs if they have 3 or 4 permanent items by 5th level, or more than 6 by 10th. However, if you roll ability scores, a lot of PCs are already exceeding recommended power levels with their higher than expected attributes where an extra +2 beyond what a point buy would have is roughly equal to a table H permanent item (Ioun Stone).

Regardless, in a 15 level published module, I would not worry about it too much. For the life of the adventure, it should be self balanced. Keep to the module and you'll be fine. If, at the end of the adventure you wish to continue, look at the items that the PCs have and - if overpowered - adjust. A thief, a monster that eats magic, or a story in which they need to give up items to get ahead (the magic fire eats items before answering a riddle, you need to give up a magic item to the baron before he'll reveal his clue, etc...) can help rebalance the game.

And when all else fails, TPK and start anew.

 

[CapnZapp]

Quick note: I'm not so much concerned the adventure will hand out too much loot and that I will get an OP group on my hands.

I'm more coming from the angle "how little loot is handed out and how much leeway to add some of my own?"

Put otherwise, I don't want to add much myself if that takes the loot "over the top" as it were.

Better then to ask y'all first, and to turn my decisions into informed decisions

 

[zingbobco000]

Quick note: I'm not so much concerned the adventure will hand out too much loot and that I will get an OP group on my hands.

I'm more coming from the angle "how little loot is handed out and how much leeway to add some of my own?"

Put otherwise, I don't want to add much myself if that takes the loot "over the top" as it were.

Better then to ask y'all first, and to turn my decisions into informed decisions

There is enough loot that your players should be happy, though you might want to change the +1 Dagger in chapter 2 to a +1 Glaive or other polearm as those seem to be lacking. Other then that it should be just fine for your players. (If not a bit much)

 

[CapnZapp]

Thanks, but I would prefer to look at the hard raw data and interpret it myself

 

[zingbobco000]

Thanks, but I would prefer to look at the hard raw data and interpret it myself

Sure, just check my post, I have everything for levels 1-5 there!

If you want I can work on the later tiers!

 

[DMCF]

which 'that level'? they will be traversing the Underdark through 7th level.... just have them run into that Tomb near the end.

I could have stated this better:
I'm running at average max+1 for the adventure since it is during Encounters and we always have a shortage of DMs.

In my group therefore, I see it as OP Pre-chapter 7. I do see myself adjusting the encounter for later however.

I'm not saying it's bad to have Dawnbringer there. It works great for small parties, especially w/o darkvision, who can easily be overwhelmed in the Underdark. In the large party scenario I see it as making things a little more difficult for the DM.

The reason I don't like OP items in big groups has nothing to do with scaling I can control, but the feeling of resentment in other players when they see someone cutting through NPCs like butter. I can balance that too but the more powerful the item, the less time I feel I have to work with.

 

[CapnZapp]

Sure, just check my post, I have everything for levels 1-5 there!

If you want I can work on the later tiers!

I think I expressed myself clumsily.

First off: thank you for your work!

If I read your data correctly there are three (3) permanent magic items to be had. (Counting tables A-E as "consumables" and F-I as "permanents". I am aware this is rough, since there is a 20% chance or thereabouts that any random roll on the "consumables" tables actually yields a permanent or semi-permanent item. Of course, this doesn't matter in this case once the actual items become known)

Since this is only for the first five levels, I guess this is okay. However. I currently don't know if I will be able to corral the party into visiting all the locations, and besides, you do make it clear there's no guarantee all of the loot will be found. (That you disregard loot you need to murderhobo your way through a king and an OP dragon is perfectly alright, by the way!) On the other hand, if there are permanent items to be had from random rolls in random encounters, I do think it would be valuable to take note of them too.

The way I'm raised on D&D is that consumables aren't "real" items, and that around level 5 you could expect to get your first magic item (your first permanent magic item, that is). So your report for levels 6-10 will be most interesting! If your findings does not suggest it is very likely the party will find two'ish items per character by level 8-10 or so that is on the low end for my personal preferences, and I shall have to start making up more.

Cheers,

 

[zingbobco000]

I think I expressed myself clumsily.

First off: thank you for your work!

If I read your data correctly there are three (3) permanent magic items to be had. (Counting tables A-E as "consumables" and F-I as "permanents". I am aware this is rough, since there is a 20% chance or thereabouts that any random roll on the "consumables" tables actually yields a permanent or semi-permanent item. Of course, this doesn't matter in this case once the actual items become known)

Since this is only for the first five levels, I guess this is okay. However. I currently don't know if I will be able to corral the party into visiting all the locations, and besides, you do make it clear there's no guarantee all of the loot will be found. (That you disregard loot you need to murderhobo your way through a king and an OP dragon is perfectly alright, by the way!) On the other hand, if there are permanent items to be had from random rolls in random encounters, I do think it would be valuable to take note of them too.

The way I'm raised on D&D is that consumables aren't "real" items, and that around level 5 you could expect to get your first magic item (your first permanent magic item, that is). So your report for levels 6-10 will be most interesting! If your findings does not suggest it is very likely the party will find two'ish items per character by level 8-10 or so that is on the low end for my personal preferences, and I shall have to start making up more.

Cheers,

Ah, I just noticed I messed up, there should be 3 table G magic items as I forgot to include the stonespeaker crystal. If you want I can calculate the average number of random encounters/travel and then calculate how many magic items would be had from that. I severely doubt that it's two / character though for levels 8-10. A-E is mostly permanents but there are some highly powerful permanent magical items like the necklace of fireballs or Keoghtom's Ointment since they are multi-use consumables. I'm going to try to analyze levels 5-10 next however something very important is that Escape from the Underdark - Mantol Derith will most likely not give you a level. This works out quite nicely as assuming all the other chapters give one you'll end up at 15th level. Watch my later post for my summary of 5-10!

Thank you again!

 

[Kestrel]

Tangent, but I think I might make potions not consumable. Instead, the vial is magic and refills after a certain period of time (like a week or something)

 

[zingbobco000]

Tangent, but I think I might make potions not consumable. Instead, the vial is magic and refills after a certain period of time (like a week or something)

That would disrupt the balance of potions by a lot, players would most likely not by potions and a lot of potions would become almost worthless if the players got them a second time.