Proposal: Remove the magic item penalty for new characters

[covaithe]

I don't particularly mind a level 2 character starting with 780g worth of stuff. Here's the two things I want to avoid:

• People retiring instead of resurrecting at level 2 or 3, because they care more about 500g than their current character.
• Reducing the penalty for dying. It's already ridiculously low.

Now, I may be worried about a problem that doesn't exist. We've only had two people die, and in at least one of those cases I know the player intended retirement soon anyways.

Eh. The more I think about it, the more I think that the 780g and 1750g numbers for levels 2 and 3 were intended to apply to option B instead of A, and we just got it wrong when we changed the charter. I don't have time to review that thread just now, though. Anyone else who was in that discussion want to weigh in? JNC, am I right in thinking you were involved in that?

 

[renau1g]

Beside, several characters got nothing but a bit of gold and potions (Hadrak and 7 Rabbit for example). Other ended up with the neck slot items when they would much rather have gotten the weapon/implement. At least, if you start at level two, you get exactly what you want.

Hadrak did? Maybe I'm confused, I thought I specifically gave him a magic item (implement in fact) before he leveled so that he wouldn't have reached lvl 2 with no item?

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4911727-post176.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/4922399-post237.html

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Hadrak did? Maybe I'm confused, I thought I specifically gave him a magic item (implement in fact) before he leveled so that he wouldn't have reached lvl 2 with no item?

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4911727-post176.html
http://www.enworld.org/forum/4922399-post237.html

Ah, it depends how you see things.

Hadrak got pretty much all the way to level 2 with nothing (By going through The Kobold's captive).

I kinda assumed that the item Hadrak got in Fire and Ice was for the adventure and therefore that he was unlikely to get another one, thus making it his item for level 2.

But hey, if I have more goodies in store, then happy day for me.

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Regardless of the semantics, I think it's agreed that the first generation of L4W characters was in general under-rewarded. We shouldn't use a mistake as the standard for future policies.

 

[renau1g]

Ah, it depends how you see things.

Hadrak got pretty much all the way to level 2 with nothing (By going through The Kobold's captive).

I kinda assumed that the item Hadrak got in Fire and Ice was for the adventure and therefore that he was unlikely to get another one, thus making it his item for level 2.

But hey, if I have more goodies in store, then happy day for me.

I assumed it was Hadrak's lvl 1 item as he didn't get it before.

As I said before, the magic item train is coming and with double the xp comes double the treasure. Maybe Hadrak's been a good boy this year...

Regardless of the semantics, I think it's agreed that the first generation of L4W characters was in general under-rewarded. We shouldn't use a mistake as the standard for future policies.

Agreed. I would like to see something like LEB has re: magic item distribution ensuring that for every 5 levels theres a lvl, lvl+1, lvl+2, lvl+3, lvl+4 item distributed. (that's how we have it right?)

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

Agreed. I would like to see something like LEB has re: magic item distribution ensuring that for every 5 levels theres a lvl, lvl+1, lvl+2, lvl+3, lvl+4 item distributed. (that's how we have it right?)

Yes, although the lvl item is actually a lvl item's worth in gold.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Maybe Hadrak's been a good boy this year...

Hadrak is a lawful good boy all year long!

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

I don't particularly mind a level 2 character starting with 780g worth of stuff. Here's the two things I want to avoid:

• People retiring instead of resurrecting at level 2 or 3, because they care more about 500g than their current character.
• Reducing the penalty for dying. It's already ridiculously low.

Now, I may be worried about a problem that doesn't exist. We've only had two people die, and in at least one of those cases I know the player intended retirement soon anyways.

Hopefully the problem isn't as big as you're worried it about, since the easiest way to stop the first issue is to lower the death penalty.

Something else to keep in mind is that a new character only has enough xp to get them to their starting level. If someone dies halfway through level 2, they need to resurrect if they want to keep that xp.

 

[renau1g]

I surely hope this isn`t the case, personally the work to make a new PC isn`t worth the 500gp that it would cost to get rezzed. Also, I guess I`m not just playing a stat block, but once I make a PC I`ve invested a certain amount of *something* into it and become invested in it. I assume most, if not all, the other gamers are like that... we`re not here to win, but rather play our PC and if Blade dies in this battle (seems like a good chance against the wraiths) I won`t retire him just because it`ll cost a bunch of gold.

 

[TwoHeadsBarking]

*bump*