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Worlds of Design: The Problem with Magimarts
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<blockquote data-quote="Starfox" data-source="post: 9324216" data-attributes="member: 2303"><p>Some of the things I feel are important to the discussion.</p><p></p><p><strong>Worldbuilding</strong>: Does it make sense that the world features magic traders. in 3E I felt it very much did so. An international network can exists with Lantern Archons that safely transport magic items weighing up to 25 lbs to any spot in the world, most magic item orders can be completed in a few days. This meshed well with my idea that the World of Greyhak IMC was moving out of the middle ages and into the renaissance. </p><p></p><p><strong>Character Integrity</strong>: In a game like DnD, magic items quickly become very important to characters, to the point where they define you. I had a character that wielded a sword of ice in one hand and a sword of fire in the other. Those were random treasures, but even if the loot you want doesn't drop, it makes sense that you can equip your character to live up to your image of that character. If only GM-given items are accessible, that lessens the player's control of the character.</p><p></p><p><strong>Balance</strong>: DnD is very much balanced around magic items, but is evaluating their effect. The worst example is for the 1E Dungeon Master's Guide, under the section of trading with an NPC wizard to copy a spell out of their spellbook, where "a minor item, like a girdle of giant strength" is suggested as a gift. The problem is that girdle of giant strength is basically the nest item in that game. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite9" alt=":eek:" title="Eek! :eek:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":eek:" /> This example is extreme, but there are many others that are still bad, if not as comical. In 3E, you wanted to spread your budget evenly over the magic item slots, its much cheaper to have a +1 shield, armor, and ring of protection, than to have a +3 armor. This is a major argument against magic emporiums. They encourage all sorts of game-isms.</p><p></p><p><strong>Time</strong>: Having magic item shops and actually playing out what happens in these shops feels like a waste of time to me. If you have no item shops, this is not a problem. If you have items shops and you give the player's a list to pick from, this takes a short amount of time. If you have to bargain and debate with the GM for each magic item, it eats up lots and lots of time.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Starfox, post: 9324216, member: 2303"] Some of the things I feel are important to the discussion. [B]Worldbuilding[/B]: Does it make sense that the world features magic traders. in 3E I felt it very much did so. An international network can exists with Lantern Archons that safely transport magic items weighing up to 25 lbs to any spot in the world, most magic item orders can be completed in a few days. This meshed well with my idea that the World of Greyhak IMC was moving out of the middle ages and into the renaissance. [B]Character Integrity[/B]: In a game like DnD, magic items quickly become very important to characters, to the point where they define you. I had a character that wielded a sword of ice in one hand and a sword of fire in the other. Those were random treasures, but even if the loot you want doesn't drop, it makes sense that you can equip your character to live up to your image of that character. If only GM-given items are accessible, that lessens the player's control of the character. [B]Balance[/B]: DnD is very much balanced around magic items, but is evaluating their effect. The worst example is for the 1E Dungeon Master's Guide, under the section of trading with an NPC wizard to copy a spell out of their spellbook, where "a minor item, like a girdle of giant strength" is suggested as a gift. The problem is that girdle of giant strength is basically the nest item in that game. :o This example is extreme, but there are many others that are still bad, if not as comical. In 3E, you wanted to spread your budget evenly over the magic item slots, its much cheaper to have a +1 shield, armor, and ring of protection, than to have a +3 armor. This is a major argument against magic emporiums. They encourage all sorts of game-isms. [B]Time[/B]: Having magic item shops and actually playing out what happens in these shops feels like a waste of time to me. If you have no item shops, this is not a problem. If you have items shops and you give the player's a list to pick from, this takes a short amount of time. If you have to bargain and debate with the GM for each magic item, it eats up lots and lots of time. [/QUOTE]
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