Why Put magic Items in The PHB?

[Scribble]

I'm a little confused on that one?

From a game rules standpoint, they keep harping on the fact that you don't need magic items because the classes have the power [salespeak]the math works without them.[/salespeak] So doesn't that mean magic items are, for the most part, supposed to be fun treasure items?

I mean, I know most players already have a DMG, and know what the items are already... But still... Doesn't it take a little of the fun out of things if they already know what everything is? (Especially for the new players and their sense of wonder...)

 

[Shieldhaven]

Makes perfect sense to me. Players need to look up magic items (regardless of edition) more often than DMs do. Putting the necessary information in the book every player can reasonably be expected to own is only logical - and means they don't have to keep borrowing the DMG. I'll be interested to see what sort of information winds up in the new DMG.

Haven

 

[Scribble]

Makes perfect sense to me. Players need to look up magic items (regardless of edition) more often than DMs do. Putting the necessary information in the book every player can reasonably be expected to own is only logical - and means they don't have to keep borrowing the DMG. I'll be interested to see what sort of information winds up in the new DMG.

Haven

Why?

In most games I've run, when I give out an item the player has to figure out what it is... If they do so through magic means, I give them the powers and the write it down.. Occasionally if there's a dispute we'll look it up, but since the DM is the arbiter of the rules, shouldn't it be in his book?

But again from a rules perspective, if the players no longer "need" magic items, why is it in their book? It would be like putting the random treasure tables in there as well...

 

[Glyfair]

But again from a rules perspective, if the players no longer "need" magic items, why is it in their book? It would be like putting the random treasure tables in there as well...

Just because they don't "need" them doesn't mean they won't have them. PCs will still likely be able to make them, in some fashion or another.

 

[an_idol_mind]

It could be consolidation of information.

In the 3rd edition games I run, I usually bring the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual to the session. The Player's Handbook has almost all the rules I need for the game; if there's a rule that gets looked up, it's probably in there. The Monster Manual is usually bookmarked with any monsters the session will need, so it's also pretty heavily referenced. The Dungeon Master's Guide is used almost exclusively for the magic items section. That means I'm hauling around an extra hard-covered book so I can reference one chapter.

If they move magic items to the Player's Handbook, that means I get to leave my DM's Guide at home when I go gaming, since the magic items are now accessible in the book I use the most, anyway. The DM's Guide remains useful between sessions, when I'm planning out an adventure, designing towns, and so on.

If things work like that, it means one less book I have to lug around. Seems like a good trade-off to me.

 

[Scribble]

It could be consolidation of information.

In the 3rd edition games I run, I usually bring the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual to the session. The Player's Handbook has almost all the rules I need for the game; if there's a rule that gets looked up, it's probably in there. The Monster Manual is usually bookmarked with any monsters the session will need, so it's also pretty heavily referenced. The Dungeon Master's Guide is used almost exclusively for the magic items section. That means I'm hauling around an extra hard-covered book so I can reference one chapter.

If they move magic items to the Player's Handbook, that means I get to leave my DM's Guide at home when I go gaming, since the magic items are now accessible in the book I use the most, anyway. The DM's Guide remains useful between sessions, when I'm planning out an adventure, designing towns, and so on.

If things work like that, it means one less book I have to lug around. Seems like a good trade-off to me.

Hrmmm that I can understand to a degree... Though in that case, I think I'd rather see a monsters and treasures book... But then I guess monster books never really had treasure in them...

 

[Mouseferatu]

Uh... Is there a source on this? (Magic items in the PHB, I mean.)

 

[Scribble]

Uh... Is there a source on this? (Magic items in the PHB, I mean.)

I'll look. I read it when the announcement was first made, and they were talking about the three new books.

 

[blargney the second]

Players need to look up magic items (regardless of edition) more often than DMs do.

That totally makes sense. I'd been vaguely wondering about it up until now.
-blarg

 

[mmadsen]

If your goal is to have all the rules in one place, then it makes perfect sense to put magic items -- and the rules for creating them -- in the Players Handbook.

Of course, in the current edition, there are enough spells and magic items to justify a fourth core book of nothing else.