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<blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 7267341" data-attributes="member: 158">3e has a lot of great qualities, but managing the math at level 10+ isn't one of them, and a lot of this problem can be laid at the feet of stacking bonuses -- so much so that one looks at a current-gen 3.x heir like Starfinder, and see that the designers RABIDLY guard the keys to the combat bonus kingdom, for fear of players repeating the 3.x and Pathfinder faux pas of rapid escalation.To this end, you don't see items such as +2 or +4 gauntlets, and easily available +1 or higher weapons, because for purposes of keeping the reins on, a set static score or a reroll is better than a straight bonus, because it keeps the bondaries in place.RE: magic item shopping - I allow it in my 5e games, but I don't allow it in the old sense of &quot;this community has any item up to x,000 gold pieces&quot;. I allow a limited subset of magic items for purchase in a area, from a short list, and this list changes regularly (say, once a week). Is it harder work? Sure! But it's worth it because (1) I don't let them have access to truly game breaking items in this way (mostly potions or one-shot items), (2) it adds an organic sense to the campaign, as items are bought and sold, and one week you have an item for sale but the next week it's gone because someone bought it or the merchant moved, and (3) it does give a gold reward sink for stuff (even uncommon items cost 500gp or higher!) that makes the players feel good when they finally have enough to purchase that item they had an eye on.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Henry, post: 7267341, member: 158"] 3e has a lot of great qualities, but managing the math at level 10+ isn't one of them, and a lot of this problem can be laid at the feet of stacking bonuses -- so much so that one looks at a current-gen 3.x heir like Starfinder, and see that the designers RABIDLY guard the keys to the combat bonus kingdom, for fear of players repeating the 3.x and Pathfinder [i]faux pas[/i] of rapid escalation. To this end, you don't see items such as +2 or +4 gauntlets, and easily available +1 or higher weapons, because for purposes of keeping the reins on, a set static score or a reroll is better than a straight bonus, because it keeps the bondaries in place. RE: magic item shopping - I allow it in my 5e games, but I don't allow it in the old sense of "this community has any item up to x,000 gold pieces". I allow a limited subset of magic items for purchase in a area, from a short list, and this list changes regularly (say, once a week). Is it harder work? Sure! But it's worth it because (1) I don't let them have access to truly game breaking items in this way (mostly potions or one-shot items), (2) it adds an organic sense to the campaign, as items are bought and sold, and one week you have an item for sale but the next week it's gone because someone bought it or the merchant moved, and (3) it does give a gold reward sink for stuff (even uncommon items cost 500gp or higher!) that makes the players feel good when they finally have enough to purchase that item they had an eye on. [/QUOTE]

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