Treasure Parcels

[klofft]

I'm new to DMing D&D4 and I've decided to use the Treasure Parcel system. I've seen some critiques of it, but I still think it will work most easily for me. I just wanted to check my math on something.

Between levels 1-30, the parcels award 121 magic items (4 per level, with 5 at level 30).

If my math is correct, a party of 5 "needs" 90 magic items in their career: a weapon/implement, armor, and a neck item for each, each at +1 through +6 over the course of their career.

So over 30 levels and 5 characters, there really is only room for 31 "other" items.

This is presuming that PCs don't buy magic items and that you use the system exactly as is.

 

[JohnnyO]

You also get enough money to buy at least one or two more magic items per level, which I think it factored in, that players will buy items as well.

 

[superpriest]

PCs don't really need to get an item at every step from +1 to +6. In my party, the 18th-level warlord is still using his 11th-level +3 weapon. The party might choose to upgrade it; if not, at this point, his next weapon is going to be +5. This is working just fine in my game. The ranger actually has two +3 weapons.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Between levels 1-30, the parcels award 121 magic items (4 per level, with 5 at level 30).

Not quite. You gain the items at levels 2-30, which is 28*4+5=117.

 

[klofft]

@ JohnnyO: I realize that; I was just planning on making the sale of magic items very, very difficult (though I plan to translate some of the gold in parcels into more magic items instead).

@ superpriest: Good to know that.

@ Infiniti2000: Nope, my math is right. You start getting parcels at 1st level, not 2nd.

 

[Riastlin]

As with all things, a lot of this will depend on party tactics and DM design. Obviously, if you make the encounters particularly difficult and the party uses poor tactics (don't flank, don't try to impose CA, etc.) then the extra +1's from the items will help. A well rounded party though can survive while being a bit behind the curve. You probably don't want to let them fall too far behind, but it need not be exact.

Additionally, if you are concerned enough about it, you can always use the inherent bonus system which assumes enhancement bonuses as the characters level. The net result is that you don't need to worry about the Big 3 slots because they are already getting their bonuses (though you still might want to occasionally give them properties for their weapons, etc.).