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<blockquote data-quote="J-H" data-source="post: 8959791" data-attributes="member: 7020951">I agree with giving interesting choices versus +NUMBERS items.I disagree with low magic item counts, though.&nbsp; 1. Need. Spellcasters can function just fine at level 20 with zero items.&nbsp; They get a bit squishier, and maybe their saves and DCs aren't quite as good, but they can still handle a flying dragon that doesn't land, a 100' chasm with no bridge, an incorporeal enemy that does hit and run, and a fight that takes place over a lava pool.A 20th level martial with no magic weapon, no magic item to boost mobility, and no magic items to boost defenses against magic, ends up much less useful in many of the more interesting scenarios.&nbsp; Fighters, rogues, barbarians, and the like get much more versatility and power from their item than casters do.&nbsp; There is no full-caster equivalent of a Flametongue, Vorpal Sword, or Girdle of Fire Giant Strength.&nbsp; Martials don't have simple access to element resistances, temporary AC boosts, or non-item mobility boosts unless the party caster gives it to them.*partial casters are an exception, a vengeance paladin I DM for likes to use Dimension Door and has Misty Stepped to the back of a dragon before.2. Fun.&nbsp; One of the reasons D&amp;D is fun for some people is the progression of power as they get more powerful.&nbsp; For spellcasters, this is obvious - more and better spells that are more powerful.&nbsp; One of the complaints against high level druids and clerics is the limited spell list making progression not as fun once they're at about 7th level spells.Fighters, barbarians, rogues, etc. don't have as much of a power progression curve, UNLESS they are picking up powerful magical items along the way as part of that progression.&nbsp; Arthur gets Excalibur, Ramgar gets the Undead Bane Spear of Disruption, the Paladin gets a Holy Avenger, etc.&nbsp; Those items are meaningful progression, just as the ability to go from Fireball to Firestorm is for a caster.&nbsp; A low-magic item game is not as fun for non-caster classes for most players.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="J-H, post: 8959791, member: 7020951"] I agree with giving interesting choices versus +NUMBERS items. I disagree with low magic item counts, though. [B]1. Need. [/B]Spellcasters can function just fine at level 20 with zero items. They get a bit squishier, and maybe their saves and DCs aren't quite as good, but they can still handle a flying dragon that doesn't land, a 100' chasm with no bridge, an incorporeal enemy that does hit and run, and a fight that takes place over a lava pool. A 20th level martial with no magic weapon, no magic item to boost mobility, and no magic items to boost defenses against magic, ends up much less useful in many of the more interesting scenarios. Fighters, rogues, barbarians, and the like get much more versatility and power from their item than casters do. There is no full-caster equivalent of a Flametongue, Vorpal Sword, or Girdle of Fire Giant Strength. Martials don't have simple access to element resistances, temporary AC boosts, or non-item mobility boosts unless the party caster gives it to them. *partial casters are an exception, a vengeance paladin I DM for likes to use Dimension Door and has Misty Stepped to the back of a dragon before. [B]2. Fun.[/B] One of the reasons D&D is fun for some people is the progression of power as they get more powerful. For spellcasters, this is obvious - more and better spells that are more powerful. One of the complaints against high level druids and clerics is the limited spell list making progression not as fun once they're at about 7th level spells. Fighters, barbarians, rogues, etc. don't have as much of a power progression curve, UNLESS they are picking up powerful magical items along the way as part of that progression. Arthur gets Excalibur, Ramgar gets the Undead Bane Spear of Disruption, the Paladin gets a Holy Avenger, etc. Those items are meaningful progression, just as the ability to go from Fireball to Firestorm is for a caster. A low-magic item game is not as fun for non-caster classes for most players. [/QUOTE]

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