GlassJaw
Hero
Truly enjoying this book so far. Quick question though: to be clear, the book is proposing the idea that dropping the big six, or at the very least greatly limiting them, will actually bring the game into better balance (so long as APs are used)?
It seems like that is the conclusion made, but it's not implicit, so I wanted to make sure.
Thanks Rogue!
You could drop the Big 6 but that is a bit drastic - we certainly aren't advocating that per se.
The more important thing is not allowing your players to cherry-pick the magic items they want, whether from crafting or buying at Ye Olde Magic Shoppe. A good rule of thumb is that the players should "use what they find". Once the players get used to that, the "power curve" starts to feel a bit more balanced.
You can still give out the Big 6 but by doing so, you are controlling their introduction into the campaign.
We definitely advocate dropping the Craft feats though, at least for permanently charged items. Crafting potions, scrolls, and wands is ok.
Hope that helps!