What level of magic do you prefer in your AD&D world?

[Valiant]

I realize this probably changes from time to time, but which do you think works best for the 1E experiance generally? I've done it all ways, but find the one that keeps the players interest the most is not selling magic at all (save in very large cities, and only relatively weak potions, and occasional +1 magic for inflated prices). I want PCs eyes to light up when they find magic.

 

[Voadam]

The problems I had with not selling magic at all was potions and spell scrolls are only loot then and make less sense as world elements. High intensity resources to create and find such one use minor things that can usually be done by a PC spellcaster anyway. PCs making them never happened until 3e in my games.

 

[Treebore]

Low power items are easy to find and buy. Ie potions, low level scrolls. At higher levels I have to roll an 01 for a source to have anything "powerful" for sale. So most of the time (99%) they find someone to pay to make something, or they make it themselves. Or they hope to find something cool in the treasure of their next adventure.

But I still wouldn't call my camapigns low magic, and I don't want them to be. MAgic is cool when you "own it", not just hear or read about it.

 

[blargney the second]

There's a really big gap between the second and third items in the poll.

 

[Valiant]

Can I add catagories once a poll starts? If not, I guess just use other and explain. :\

 

[Crothian]

As long as they can pay they can buy magical items. They still need to be in a city of the right size and sometimes we'll role play it out. But the group seems to enjoy the buying of magical items at this time and it has never hurt our game. So as long as the players like it and the game is okay we'll do it this way.

 

[WayneLigon]

Back when we played AD&D, we usually had a chance to purchase some items in the largest cities. The GM had a list of who made what, and it was always different for each city; the cheatin' bastard who made potions (I remember we really hated him for some reason) and, I think, a cabal of women who made various protection rings were in one city. A person who made some +1 and +2 swords lived outside another city. Twice a year there was a magic faire at the two largest cities where wizards would come to show off and display the various new spells they'd created. They'd also sell a miscellany of various items, usually lower level magics like bags of holding and stuff like that. A lot of the weird items from magazines and modules would be found there, too.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

PCs with money can expect to find scrolls and potions availble in cities and such. Other magic items are more difficult to purchase (not impossible, but certainly not "go to the magic shop" or "put in your order" -- it would require some role-play, maybe acquiring some materials, et cetera).

 

[brehobit]

There are a few items that are generally "on the market" at any given time. That's what you can buy. You can also try to "order" a magic item from a wizard, but in general the wizard needs to owe you a favor (and even then you are probably paying for it).

Mark

 

[Wystan]

I think a method that I use is as follows:

1. Temples will sell some potions to anyone with a similar alignment.
2. Temples will sell Most Scrolls and Potions to Priests of their deity
3. Most small stores might have a magic weapon +1 and/or armor +1
4. The 'Shop to go to' for 'insert specialty item name here (example Swords) in a Big Town will have slightly more powerful items and possibly 1-5% have a BIG item that they are looking to sell.
5. The mages tower will hire out for 125% of the cost of an item to be special ordered. (this pays for the XP that would be expended)

Now, realize that the small store might have the item for 90% or thereabout, but usually the rarer the item (higher bonus), the more expensive. +5-10% per plus depending on the store.

Example:

Swordmaster Devon has a +2 Keen Longsword that he bought off Joe Adventurer, the group goes to his store and asks about the price.

I roll for Devon and he is neutral to the Party, his price then starts at 100%, +3 Sword equivalent = +10-20% He is neutral to them, so 20%. (If he is lower than neutral you can basically add more or decide that he will not sell to them , in which case why bother to let them know it is there at all).

The Party can try to haggle using Diplomacy, for every 1 over Devon's Cha score I would subtract 1% (min 110%) so say they roll a Diplomacy Check of 24 and Devon has a 12 Cha, that gives them -12%, too much so I take the item price to 110%.

If he was friendly, they could go to 100%, possibly lower if they had actually done him a good turn. (Min 90%)

Note also that if it had been a +1 Sword they were looking for, he would have had a few on hand and would have sold it to them for 100% minus the Diplomacy check. (Min 90%)...