D&D 4E The 'Big 6' in 4e

[Marshall]

A simple yet dull way to flatten the curve a bit is to stop giving out magic items...but that's no fun for anyone.

Am I the only one that thinks that this is exactly what is going to happen in 4e? Would it really be 'un-fun' if the Big 6 type magic items just disappeared from the game? To be replaced with all those 'cool' type MIs in the MIC?

Suddenly, magic items are just a cool option for your character instead of a must have to keep up with the power curve. The numbers on higher level characters suddenly drop to a reasonable level, the 'sweet spot' adds a few levels just from that, monsters get easier to create, DMs dont have to worry about 4 or 5 different stacking bonuses to every roll.

I dont think I'm nuts. Well, yes I do, but this idea isnt crazy and looks to fit all the available info thats out there....

 

[Rechan]

By the Big 6, do you mean the stat adjusting magical items? Because I don't know what the Big 6 items are.

 

[Aloïsius]

Am I the only one that thinks that this is exactly what is going to happen in 4e? Would it really be 'un-fun' if the Big 6 type magic items just disappeared from the game? To be replaced with all those 'cool' type MIs in the MIC?

If by "big 6" you means :
* stats booster
* cloack of protection
* ring of protection
* + x armor or bracers of armor
* + x sxords
and ?

 

[Grog]

I don't think magic weapons are ever going to disappear from any edition of D&D. They're just too iconic in fantasy settings. Magic armor will probably stick around, too.

But if the +stat items disappeared (along with the mechanics that require high-level PCs to have them), I wouldn't mind one bit.

 

[Doug McCrae]

I think you're 100% correct. No more big six. They're boring but necessary for the power they provide. I'm going to try and wean myself off giving them to NPCs in my 3.5 game unless there's a cool power attached too.

 

[Doug McCrae]

If by "big 6" you means :
* stats booster
* cloack of protection
* ring of protection
* + x armor or bracers of armor
* + x sxords
and ?

stat boosters, AC boosters, save boosters and energy resist

 

[Aloïsius]

I'm going to try and wean myself off giving them to NPCs in my 3.5 game unless there's a cool power attached too.

A belt of giant stength should just increase yout size. This is the only way it should survivre in 4e. If I was in charge, or course.

stat boosters, AC boosters, save boosters and energy resist

Ok. I don't have problems with energy resist, because I have never seen a wide use of them.
For the other, their removal would be cool. As I said elsewhere, a magic sword should be a flaming sword, or a sould-drinking sword. But not "+1" or "+4". I guess you could have a quality bonus (up to +3, maybe, if the right material is used).

 

[Joshua Randall]

the majority of a character’s item slots are spent on what I call the “Big Six”:

Magic weapon
Magic armor & shield
Ring of protection
Cloak of resistance
Amulet of natural armor
Ability-score boosters

From here

 

[Joshua Randall]

It's interesting (to me) that 3 of Collins' "Big 6" have to do with improving your AC. I don't think this is any accident: most players know (or intuit) that raising your AC is the easiest way to improve your combat staying power.

A high AC is like DR infinity/--- , because if they can't hit you, it doesn't matter what weapon they're using.

 

[hong]

Maybe instead of a ring of protection giving a +N deflection bonus, and magic armour giving an armour bonus, you'll just have one type. A ring of protection gives a +N magic bonus to all defenses, as does magic armour. So you can still have bling, it just won't stack. Therefore, there'll no longer be a reason for the Christmas-tree effect.

This is still slightly boring, but you could have other ancillary effects. Maybe it works M times/day, or only when something special happens (eg a sword that gives a bonus when you take down an enemy, or when you're down to 50% hp). Actually, I bet that some of these effects will be curses, just like magic items in the IH DMing guide.