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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 342896" data-attributes="member: 4937">Arggghhh.  I hate these things.  I try real hard to run a low magic campaign, and invariably the PC's manage to pick these items up no matter how hard I try.The worst one of all is Avner's Always Available Arm of Action.  No matter what the character is carrying, he always has an extra unused hand to perform his action.  As in, "Ok, I've got the torch in one hand and the sword in the other....AC 28 from my shield...I fire my bow and pull a potion out of my backpack... I'll put coins in my _bag_ of holding...I pick the sword up off the floor and hand it to Oswald...then I execute a sneak attack with my dagger of venom....now I light the troll with my torch...'  One of my favorite 'back to reality' tricks is to get the characters in some high narrow place and then watch thier consternation as I remind them that they just can't put something down at thier feet and grab something else.  "Err, Bob, if you draw your longsword without taking the time to put your longbow away, the longbow is going to fall of the path - and its a long way down."Sometimes it gets so bad I have to take valuable time out of the story to go over peoples character sheets with a fine tooth comb.  I'm thinking of passing out pouch/backpack/sack sheets and forcing everyone to keep there items on the sheets as opposed to their regular character sheet.  It is equally frustrating to find that the character has 840 lb. of equipment "Are you sure the Haversack holds all this?"  and 5 lines in their equipment section "Ok, where have you been getting those torches and just what has your character been drinking while doing all this excercise?  How would you like to run around in 50 lbs. of steel engaged in aerobic exercise for 4 hours and not get a sip of water?".I do make a habit of forcing them to write down and turn in on a sheet what lightsource they plan to make use of and whether they plan to keep thier shield ready or slung on thier back etc.  just so we don't get into arguements - e.i. "Bob, you can't ready a sword, ready a shield, put your longbow away carefully in the same round, and attack.  Pick two or please consider taking the Quickdraw feat, ok?"The next worst item is the Rary's Random Reaction Remover, used extensively to generate 27's for initiative.  That one gets so bad I have to speak with players about it.   "Look, Bob, I know you have +9 initiative, but the last 20 rolls in a row have been modified 20 or higher.  What do you think the odds of flipping a coin 20 times and getting heads every time are?  Keep this up and the monsters are going to start taking 20 for init, capeesh?"</blockquote>

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