Treasure Parcels & Low-magic Setting Rules

[Kzach]

This system assumes several significant system changes designed to represent a lower-magic setting.

The following changes make up those assumptions:

1) All items and rituals have their level increased by 5. A +1 magical item is now a 6th-level magical item.

2) Characters gain a natural +1 bonus to defences and attacks at 6th, 16th-level and 26th-level.

3) Items are limited to a +3 bonus. Items up to (unaltered) 25th-level may exist, however they are +3 only.

All Treasure Parcels in the DMG have 5 levels added to them, and the following tables are inserted for 1st to 5th-levels.

Party Level 1 Total Monetary Treasure: 100gp

1 50gp
2 30gp
3 10gp
4 10gp
5 0gp
6 0gp
7 0gp
8 0gp
9 0gp
10 0gp

Party Level 2 Total Monetary Treasure: 180gp

1 Magic item, level 1
2 60gp
3 50gp
4 30gp
5 30gp
6 10gp
7 0gp
8 0gp
9 0gp
10 0gp

Party Level 3 Total Monetary Treasure: 260gp

1 Magic item, level 2
2 Magic item, level 1
3 80gp
4 70gp
5 40gp
6 40gp
7 20gp
8 10gp
9 0gp
10 0gp

Party Level 4 Total Monetary Treasure: 320gp

1 Magic item, level 3
2 Magic item, level 2
3 Magic item, level 1
4 100gp
5 90gp
6 50gp
7 50gp
8 20gp
9 10gp
10 0gp

Party Level 5 Total Monetary Treasure: 400gp

1 Magic item, level 4
2 Magic item, level 3
3 Magic item, level 2
4 Magic item, level 1
5 120gp
6 110gp
7 60gp
8 60gp
9 30gp
10 20gp

 

[MarauderX]

Not bad for simplicity, and you may wish to let your players know about how much they are being limited by and what to expect at higher levels. As a DM & player I prefer not to know the upper boundaries and get to test them myself. Perhaps there are no +4 items in the setting to be found, but only crafted anew by the players once they are capable, as they may be the most powerful beings in hundreds of miles.

 

[Kzach]

It's based off the same math as the Treasure Parcel tables which is the main reason I'm supplying it for general consumption. That and there has been a fair amount of interest in lowering the default magic.

 

[mykelsss]

How does
"1) All items and rituals have their level increased by 5. A +1 magical item is now a 6th-level magical item."
work if you have items of level 1-4 in the above tables? What are the items of these levels then?

Under this logic does it mean I would be giving my players a Magic Holy Symbol +1 at level 6?

And by the way, the system looks awesome, but could you give me some directions on how I could create a treasure parcel system that would be on an even-ground between your low-magic & wizard's high fantasy? Or at least steer me in the right direction?

 

[Kzach]

How does
"1) All items and rituals have their level increased by 5. A +1 magical item is now a 6th-level magical item."
work if you have items of level 1-4 in the above tables? What are the items of these levels then?

Under this logic does it mean I would be giving my players a Magic Holy Symbol +1 at level 6?

And by the way, the system looks awesome, but could you give me some directions on how I could create a treasure parcel system that would be on an even-ground between your low-magic & wizard's high fantasy? Or at least steer me in the right direction?

The list above assumes the same levels as presented in the PHB. Therefore when it says to give a level 1 magic item, that item is actually a 6th-level item in this system.

The only thing this really does is alter the costs for creation and selling. There are essentially no such thing as magical items lower than 6th-level.

What do you mean by 'even ground'?

 

[Kzach]

Perhaps there are no +4 items in the setting to be found, but only crafted anew by the players once they are capable, as they may be the most powerful beings in hundreds of miles.

You can't have +4 or more items in this system (other than artefacts) as that serves the opposite cause to the purpose of the system.

The system is balanced by giving players innate plusses to their attacks and defences. By giving them items above +3, you are making them more powerful than in the default system.

 

[Khaalis]

Ok, to make sure I understand this...

1 Magic item, level 3

Actually means... 1 Magic item that is a PHB Level 3 (as written) but it is considered a Level 8 item for costs?

 

[Kzach]

Ok, to make sure I understand this...



Actually means... 1 Magic item that is a PHB Level 3 (as written) but it is considered a Level 8 item for costs?

Yes.

Hence the need to build a level 1-5 set of tables in the first place

 

[Paul Strack]

You are including bonuses for attacks and defenses, but not bonuses for damage. By 30th level, I imagine the +6 damage bonus (and +6d6 for crits) becomes pretty important. At the highest levels, in your low-magic system, PCs will have half that (low and mid-level PCs are only 1 point behind, not too bad).

Maybe your automatic bonuses should be for attack, defense and damage rolls? Possibly with extra crit dice as well?

 

[Kzach]

You are including bonuses for attacks and defenses, but not bonuses for damage. By 30th level, I imagine the +6 damage bonus (and +6d6 for crits) becomes pretty important. At the highest levels, in your low-magic system, PCs will have half that (low and mid-level PCs are only 1 point behind, not too bad).

Maybe your automatic bonuses should be for attack, defense and damage rolls? Possibly with extra crit dice as well?

Good point. I forgot about that.