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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DracoSuave" data-source="post: 4448274" data-attributes="member: 71571">In game rationale:  Magic items feed as much off of the user as they do their own residual energies.  An item user cannot maintain two magic items from the same location on their bodies, so they have to choose one and stick with it.  In the case of shields and bracers, that node happens to be on the arms.  Think chi, pressure points, etc.  Out-of-game rationale:  Magic items aren't as powerful as they were in previous editions.  In 1 and 2, a lot of characters defined themselves by the loot they had, as that's where the bulk of their abilities and powers came from.  In 3.x, you had more character abilities, so they ramped up magic item powers even more.  Instead of a system designed to build characters, it was a system designed to hang magical hats and robes off of.They got away from that by making powers the cornerstone of the character, and by making magic items a lot more limited in their scope.  Part of that direction was lowering the number of slots a character had available for items.  Now, bracers and shields use the same slot on the body, for that simple reason.  You're no longer a loot-container with combat stats, you're a character who just happens to have a few nice things he takes to battle with him.Frankly, as a player and as a DM, I rather welcome that change.</blockquote>