The new, shiny "Stuff I Have/Would Ban" thread!

[Infiniti2000]

So, by choosing only 1 item you're asking to get screwed? I don't think that's what Jhaelen meant either. I assumed that the player chooses one item and the DM tries to accommodate him/her. Unfortunately, using the methods Jhaelen mentioned doesn't really work in 4E. I, for one, prior to that other thread, didn't really realize it and thus thought it worthy of comment here.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Interestingly if somebody wanted a penultimate archer...

There are only two left!?

-Hyp.

 

[keterys]

So, by choosing only 1 item you're asking to get screwed?

By choosing only one item you _aren't_ 'making a list of 3-5 items' which is the instruction for making a wish list. I wouldn't call that screwed, but I would say it's losing the benefit of the DM being able to customize treasure by you giving him a list with a few options.

Just as much as if the only item on the list weren't within 4 levels. The paladin can make a wish list of '+6 Holy Avenger', but I don't think the DM has to give his 1st level paladin that item. He can cheerfully ignore it.

As the DMG says "If characters don’t find things on their lists, they can purchase or enchant them when they reach sufficient level."

 

[Garthanos]

There are only two left!?

-Hyp.

The other dozen wanted seeker or bard .... and had to be shot... so we were left with two... the ultimate one and the penultimate.... now if its not the elf who is the ultimate ;-/

 

[Jhaelen]

By choosing only one item you _aren't_ 'making a list of 3-5 items' which is the instruction for making a wish list. I wouldn't call that screwed, but I would say it's losing the benefit of the DM being able to customize treasure by you giving him a list with a few options.

Just as much as if the only item on the list weren't within 4 levels. The paladin can make a wish list of '+6 Holy Avenger', but I don't think the DM has to give his 1st level paladin that item. He can cheerfully ignore it.

As the DMG says "If characters don’t find things on their lists, they can purchase or enchant them when they reach sufficient level."

Yup. The way I see it, the wish list is a tool for DMs to find out what kind of items the players are interested in. It does not exist to restrict the items I may put into my adventures.
As an example, the barbarian player who picked an executioner's axe as his weapon of choice naturally wanted an executioner's axe with an enchantment that helped when making charge attacks.
So I included a different kind of weapon with a similar enchantment. At his next opportunity he bought and used a scroll of transfer magic from the money he had gained by pilfering a gem from the group treasure.

I also found it interesting that the group decided the barbarian pc should get three of the six magic items they'd found in their first adventure (thus including the ones that I had originally intended for the ranger and the fighter). The players decided this after seeing their characters in action and found they didn't really need or want those items anymore and felt the barbarian could actually use them better!

Another player received an artifact instead of the item she was looking for. She seemed to like that even more than one of the items she had on her list.

I actually do hand out more money than indicated by the treasure parcel system. Mostly, they get this money from solving quests and by finding better deals (via roleplaying) when selling loot.

I'm also fond of using customized item that work similar to Weapons of Legacy in 3E, i.e. that grow with the power of the person wielding it. After reading the DMG2 I'll also definitely include some of the alternative rewards.

I think that's a more fun approach than simply handing out exactly what the players put on their lists.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Just sharing a bit of experience concerning an item that was mentioned.

I ran a PbP game where you started at level 12. Everyone was allowed 5 level appropriate items. There were 4 melee based characters.

EVERYONE of them picked the iron armband of power. Not the pargagon level one, it was still too high level. The level 6 ones. Once they had bought weapon/neck/armor they had 2 items of level 10 and 9 available and they ALL chose to downgrade to a level 6 items.

Food for thought.

Yeah, I ban them in my home game. No wonder.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Just sharing a bit of experience concerning an item that was mentioned.

I ran a PbP game where you started at level 12. Everyone was allowed 5 level appropriate items. There were 4 melee based characters.

EVERYONE of them picked the iron armband of power. Not the pargagon level one, it was still too high level. The level 6 ones. Once they had bought weapon/neck/armor they had 2 items of level 10 and 9 available and they ALL chose to downgrade to a level 6 items.

Food for thought.

Yeah, I ban them in my home game. No wonder.

The heroic ones aren't really a problem as an item. It's that for melee character who want to focus on combat there are not really any good choices for the armslot. This is especially true for one-shot games or any group that is light on the role play. Personally, when I build a character I choose items that fit whatever theme I got going, but if I can't find one that fits it I will pick whatever items give me the most constant benefit. I hate items that only have a daily power.

 

[renau1g]

Just sharing a bit of experience concerning an item that was mentioned.

I ran a PbP game where you started at level 12. Everyone was allowed 5 level appropriate items. There were 4 melee based characters.

EVERYONE of them picked the iron armband of power. Not the pargagon level one, it was still too high level. The level 6 ones. Once they had bought weapon/neck/armor they had 2 items of level 10 and 9 available and they ALL chose to downgrade to a level 6 items.

Food for thought.

Yeah, I ban them in my home game. No wonder.

Yeah, there's nothing interesting about them, same as the X expertise feats so I give the expertise as bonus feats to my players at 5th lvl. I also don't have the amrbands in my home games either.

 

[keterys]

The heroic ones aren't really a problem as an item. It's that for melee character who want to focus on combat there are not really any good choices for the armslot. This is especially true for one-shot games or any group that is light on the role play. Personally, when I build a character I choose items that fit whatever theme I got going, but if I can't find one that fits it I will pick whatever items give me the most constant benefit. I hate items that only have a daily power.

In the example given, it was the first slot filled of the secondary slots. So it didn't have to compete with just arms items, but all the rest as well.

The sad thing is that it makes taking a magic shield generally a bad idea. I mean, you know there's something wrong if people won't use magic shields in dnd because of an alternative item.

 

[Akaiku]

The sad thing is that it makes taking a magic shield generally a bad idea. I mean, you know there's something wrong if people won't use magic shields in dnd because of an alternative item.

I find it more sad that all magic sheilds are worse to people then +2 to melee damage.