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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 7768285" data-attributes="member: 29398">This is fine in theory.In practice, however, the following will inevitably occur: unless you-as-DM always tailor the items you drop to be well-suited to your PCs (which, no matter how it's done, always comes across as contrived and unrealistic) there will come a time when the party has one or more magic items it simply has no use for, and wants to unload.&nbsp; An example might be a suit of enchanted full-plate found by a light-armoured party of sea-going swashbucklers to whom heavy armour is both encumbering (dex restrictions) and dangerous (you can't swim in it).Following on from this, just because a particular magic item might have no value or use to the PCs doesn't mean it has no value to anyone else.&nbsp; Those swashbucklers, for example, might take their plate armour to the local monarch, or to the local mercenaries' guild, and see what people are willing to offer for it in trade.&nbsp; Chances are there'll be someone who both wants it and has sufficient resources (be they monetary or otherwise) to offer in return; and on completion of this transaction *boom* you've established a value for that item.Then, both for simplicity and to avoid having to roleplay the haggling every single time (dunno 'bout you, but it'd bore the hell out of me), should the party find another similar suit you can just say they get the same value for it as the last one.Assuming this sort of thing has been occurring for a long time - i.e. long before the PCs ever took up adventuring - it's very easy to justify a list of values* for magic items; values that have been established over the long term within that particular setting.* - but don't just blindly use the value lists in the game books as those are often faulty; go over it yourself first with a fine-tooth comb and tweak it until it makes sense.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 7768285, member: 29398"] This is fine in theory. In practice, however, the following will inevitably occur: unless you-as-DM always tailor the items you drop to be well-suited to your PCs (which, no matter how it's done, always comes across as contrived and unrealistic) there will come a time when the party has one or more magic items it simply has no use for, and wants to unload. An example might be a suit of enchanted full-plate found by a light-armoured party of sea-going swashbucklers to whom heavy armour is both encumbering (dex restrictions) and dangerous (you can't swim in it). Following on from this, just because a particular magic item might have no value or use to the PCs doesn't mean it has no value to anyone else. Those swashbucklers, for example, might take their plate armour to the local monarch, or to the local mercenaries' guild, and see what people are willing to offer for it in trade. Chances are there'll be someone who both wants it and has sufficient resources (be they monetary or otherwise) to offer in return; and on completion of this transaction *boom* you've established a value for that item. Then, both for simplicity and to avoid having to roleplay the haggling every single time (dunno 'bout you, but it'd bore the hell out of me), should the party find another similar suit you can just say they get the same value for it as the last one. Assuming this sort of thing has been occurring for a long time - i.e. long before the PCs ever took up adventuring - it's very easy to justify a list of values* for magic items; values that have been established over the long term within that particular setting. * - but don't just blindly use the value lists in the game books as those are often faulty; go over it yourself first with a fine-tooth comb and tweak it until it makes sense. [/QUOTE]

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