D&D 5E Your one hope for D&D?

[Satyrn]

My biggest concern is that a magic economy along the lines of what you saw in 3.5 and 4e simply would not work, balance-wise in 5e. And I worry about what kind of fit that makes Eberron for 5e in general. There's a reason why Ravenloft, of all places, was the first setting they dipped into in 5e (and why Planescape keeps getting name-dropped); 5e's magic item rarity seems to parallel the game's TSR days, which is making those editions prime material for new 5e settings, in much the same way that Dark Sun's de-emphasis on Vancian-casting classes made it a logical choice to bring into 4e.

I wanted to see if I could wrap my head around an Eberron that doesn't have 3.5/4e-style magic weapon shops, such that, if was determined that that level of magic item rarity was incompatible with 5e, that there could still be a place in this edition for the setting.

I just had a thought here that might balance your concern about having magic weapon shops with keeping powerful magic rare.

Now, that sentence should lead you to thinking I'm about to suggest you stock the magic weapon shops with nothing greater than +1 weapons, but I'm not. I'm actually suggesting that the magic weapon shops are stocked with weapons that, while magical, are not so great that they grant a bonus at all. Instead, they're magically lighter, balanced, prettier. They glow, or whistle, or make the wielder seem fairer. Just various qualties that adventurers don't care much about.

And so the really good magic weapons (the stuff in the DMG) wind up being coveted as mastercraft magic, rare and hard to come by, like the artwork of a picasso or monet - in a time where such masters are living and producing, and you could commission a work from them.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I just had a thought here that might balance your concern about having magic weapon shops with keeping powerful magic rare.

Now, that sentence should lead you to thinking I'm about to suggest you stock the magic weapon shops with nothing greater than +1 weapons, but I'm not. I'm actually suggesting that the magic weapon shops are stocked with weapons that, while magical, are not so great that they grant a bonus at all. Instead, they're magically lighter, balanced, prettier. They glow, or whistle, or make the wielder seem fairer. Just various qualties that adventurers don't care much about.

And so the really good magic weapons (the stuff in the DMG) wind up being coveted as mastercraft magic, rare and hard to come by, like the artwork of a picasso or monet - in a time where such masters are living and producing, and you could commission a work from them.

This is what I do, except that I do take magic enchantments that are useful, and put them in shops. They just don't have +x bonuses, and when they do, it's +1, and the sort of shop where if you have to ask the price, you can't afford the item. An exclusive boutique for a select clientele, possessed of discerning taste. Maybe +2, but usually not. I frankly just don't like +x gear, in general.

I've had whole adventures centered around being hired by such a business, and going to fetch ingredients, or steal a schematic/recipe (I don't call things schema, because I have an irrational dislike) from a rival, or rescue their normal finder from some trouble or other.

Or gaining the favors required to trade for a special commission.

But most items in the Cannith Catalog that adventurers might spend coin on are things like returning bolts/arrows, potions, alchemical flasks, wands*, etc. a magic sword would make your attacks do normal damage and fire damage, and have a chance of setting things on fire, for instance.

But also things like glow rods, everlasting soap, spider rope, maps that draw, in a clean hand, what you've seen that day, spellbooks with more pages than they ought to have or that wiegh very little, pouches for coin that silence the jingle of the coins and make it hard to see the pouch when it is on you, items that allow you to perform certain low level magical tasks as if you could cast the appropriate spell, with recharging charges, like the effects of prestidigitation, etc.

But also, one thing to remember with magic items, is that if you have most lvl 6 characters having a +1 weapon, you can balance that out a bit by giving some enemies similar items. I recommend giving enemies the weapons first, and letting PCs keep their weapons of their enemies.

 

[Tony Vargas]

A digital bestiary in which you select a monster and then adjust a slider from a minimum CR to a maximum CR and the monster scales appropriately. Not every monster would have CR 1/8 to CR 20, of course, but as wide a range as possible for each one.

The 4e monster builder (called 'adventure tools,' because 'monster builder' would have made sense), had more bugs than a Soviet-built US embassy, but it did actually let you punch in a level, and *poof* the monster was re-calculated at that level. And, of course, all the triggers and re-charge notes on all it's powers would disappear. Technology: making your life easier.

Maybe they'll do better this time, but, yeah, the slider would make sense...

..if it weren't that the entire game had been wrapped up in bounded accuracy like a mummy in bandages so it wouldn't be needed.

All cynicism aside, the /range/ idea is a nice, simple, bit of mechanics-as-color, though. A monster that can be 1/8th - 3 CR tells a different story than one that can go 1/8th - 18th.

 

[pogre]

Epic rules. I just like the idea of epic gaming. I blame Sepulchrave II.

 

[JonnyP71]

For 'Tales From the Yawning Portal' to become a series - I much prefer short adventures over the extended campaigns.

And another one - for WotC to never release an 'official' book expanding game mechanics/combat tactics. If they do, and my gaming groups latch onto it, then I will be gone from 5E, never to return.

 

[wedgeski]

That it keeps its momentum. This is a pretty awesome time for D&D, and I hope it lasts for years and years.

 

[Caliburn101]

I would like to see someone (WoTC or Third Party) release a really good low-fantasy, dark, gritty 5th Edition gameworld - original and as gripping as Greyhawk back when it first got going, or Dark Sun when it was a new idea.

I was originally thinking maybe a Swords and Sorcery gameworld or 5th Edition ruleset would be great, but I don't see any low fantasy offering going that far...

... pity...

 

[Tony Vargas]

I would like to see someone (WoTC or Third Party) release a really good low-fantasy, dark, gritty 5th Edition gameworld - original and as gripping as Greyhawk back when it first got going, or Dark Sun when it was a new idea.

I was originally thinking maybe a Swords and Sorcery gameworld or 5th Edition ruleset would be great, but I don't see any low fantasy offering going that far...

... pity...

Primeval Thule didn't do it for you?

[MENTION=73782]Psikerlord[/MENTION], (if I spelled it right) may have something for you...

 

[Inchoroi]

Ok, since the digital tools are coming out, here's what I want (and have asked for a bunch of times):

A digital bestiary in which you select a monster and then adjust a slider from a minimum CR to a maximum CR and the monster scales appropriately. Not every monster would have CR 1/8 to CR 20, of course, but as wide a range as possible for each one.

Then click a button and get a PDF.

Generate random treasure, too, while we're at it.

I'd enjoy that, too. I mean, yeah, it's super-easy to tweak a monster, but to have something to do it for me would also be useful.

 

[Inchoroi]

This is what I do, except that I do take magic enchantments that are useful, and put them in shops. They just don't have +x bonuses, and when they do, it's +1, and the sort of shop where if you have to ask the price, you can't afford the item. An exclusive boutique for a select clientele, possessed of discerning taste. Maybe +2, but usually not. I frankly just don't like +x gear, in general.

I've had whole adventures centered around being hired by such a business, and going to fetch ingredients, or steal a schematic/recipe (I don't call things schema, because I have an irrational dislike) from a rival, or rescue their normal finder from some trouble or other.

Or gaining the favors required to trade for a special commission.

But most items in the Cannith Catalog that adventurers might spend coin on are things like returning bolts/arrows, potions, alchemical flasks, wands*, etc. a magic sword would make your attacks do normal damage and fire damage, and have a chance of setting things on fire, for instance.

But also things like glow rods, everlasting soap, spider rope, maps that draw, in a clean hand, what you've seen that day, spellbooks with more pages than they ought to have or that wiegh very little, pouches for coin that silence the jingle of the coins and make it hard to see the pouch when it is on you, items that allow you to perform certain low level magical tasks as if you could cast the appropriate spell, with recharging charges, like the effects of prestidigitation, etc.

But also, one thing to remember with magic items, is that if you have most lvl 6 characters having a +1 weapon, you can balance that out a bit by giving some enemies similar items. I recommend giving enemies the weapons first, and letting PCs keep their weapons of their enemies.

I treat magic items like a black market art economy. Sure, you can try to find someone looking to sell a +1 greatsword...but you might not like who is selling it, or their price. It also varies a lot based on location, with the bigger the city being more beneficial to you finding what it is you're looking for.