Weirdly exciting treasure.

[Fauchard1520]

I don't think I'll ever understand players. They had tens of thousands of gp to spend. They had access to "Big Six" items in the shop. There were powerful scrolls. A flying carpet. And they wound up blowing their wad on an apparatus of the crab. They immediately took it for a joy ride around town and then parked it in their base. They haven't touched the thing in months.

What about the rest of you guys? What's the weirdest magic item you've ever been excited for?

(Comic for illustrative purposes.)

 

[Fanaelialae]

Similar situation. I offered them a Surf Cycle, which was basically a motorcycle that was powered by a bound water elemental. It looked like a motorcycle that had been flash frozen while a wave was crashing over it. It had both a land speed and swim speed, and could drive on the surface of the water. The player geeked out over how cool it was, bought it, and then never used it.

 

[Blue]

And they wound up blowing their wad on an apparatus of the crab. They immediately took it for a joy ride around town and then parked it in their base. They haven't touched the thing in months.

Similar situation. I offered them a Surf Cycle, which was basically a motorcycle that was powered by a bound water elemental. It looked like a motorcycle that had been flash frozen while a wave was crashing over it. It had both a land speed and swim speed, and could drive on the surface of the water. The player geeked out over how cool it was, bought it, and then never used it.

Definitely the players are in the "oh that's cool" headspace. But they may also be in the mindset "the DM put these things here to see what interests us, and we're signalling we're much more interested in some cool (under)sea exploration than just math bonuses to help in combat".

I know that's how I would take it as DM. If the players are already invested in something, that's a gift to me, makes it easy to get them involved.

 

[Fauchard1520]

Similar situation. I offered them a Surf Cycle, which was basically a motorcycle that was powered by a bound water elemental. It looked like a motorcycle that had been flash frozen while a wave was crashing over it. It had both a land speed and swim speed, and could drive on the surface of the water. The player geeked out over how cool it was, bought it, and then never used it.

lol. Yup. I almost need to throw them into an aquatic mini-dungeon just so the silly apparatus actually sees play.

"Oh if only some brave heroes with personal watercraft could come to my rescue!"

party stares blankly

"Like... Heroes with their own crustacean-based mecha."

party continues staring blankly. etc. etc.

 

[Fanaelialae]

lol. Yup. I almost need to throw them into an aquatic mini-dungeon just so the silly apparatus actually sees play.

"Oh if only some brave heroes with personal watercraft could come to my rescue!"

party stares blankly

"Like... Heroes with their own crustacean-based mecha."

party continues staring blankly. etc. etc.

I know what you mean.

It's weird because I run an island based sandbox, so they've been welcome to explore the waters all along. They have the magic to do so (around 18th level). There's a player who has repeatedly mentioned wanting to. (Not the player with the surf cycle of course.) Yet every time they discuss what to do, they decide on a land based adventure instead.

Heck, they're currently involved in fighting off a naval based invasion. The surf cycle just sits there, ignored.