So it was eeked out that WotC has new magic item rules with the essentials line. Most of it is dedicated to further classifying magic items based on their rarity in the world, and a little about allowing players to use different items more frequently.
I’m happy this got into the game. The skinny of the rules are that items with reusable powers or exceedingly powerful abilities are considered rare. Most items with a daily power would be considered uncommon. While powers that offer a flat power bonus or skill check bonus, without any additional daily power, would be a common item. The costs for selling and obtaining such items are also adjusted. So that rare powerful sword is simply something you cannot buy, you have to discover it adventuring. If you wanted to part with it for some coin, it would offer you a small fortune and not simply 1/5th the gold value. While common magical items would be something pretty easily available in some large city, and selling such an item would not offer much.
It’s a great way to handle magic items. I think finally WotC settled on giving the DM some guidelines about awarding magic items in their game based on some other criteria other than just the level and gold value. Face it, a set of climbing claws that gives a bonus to athletics climbing checks is not the same as an acidic weapon, even though both are level 4 items. Having an additional set of descriptive tools for magic items helps a DM tons in figuring out what would be an appropriate reward.
I especially like that much of the ideas for magic item rarity are backwards compatible with the existing items out there. Most items are uncommon or rare, so likely most DMs are giving out appropriate rewards. But at least with the common category, it gives the DM a little leeway in awarding more items. Now I’m willing to give out more magical items during a level, knowing some basic skill bonus items are not something that will screw up the game balance too much.
Another nice stance WotC has taken is dropping the tier restrictions for item use. So finally that level 8 fighter can fire off a daily power from his sword and armor, and drop the either/or conundrum. I never understood why this was in the game in the first place. I’m also surprised with all the fast and loose ‘rules are really guidelines’ that 4E has embraced, WotC never just stated DMs might want to consider curbing magic item use to some method tied to the player tier. Instead they dropped down a hard rule that I think most groups just dumped completely. What still boggles me is how long it took them to come around to this. Man, 2 years post release is a pretty long time to finally get this ironed out.
Still, I’ll be using this. For DMs I think this is a great way to work magic item use into your game. What do you folks think about this new approach to magic items?
August 25, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Mee-sah like these changes too, especially hammering a stake through the heart of that magic item dailies nonsense. I always found that to be adsurdly fiddly.
Now then, if a character collects a weapon, armor, ring, bracers, and funny hat, that’s 5 extra dailies they get to bring to the party, but this really feels like a non-issue. First of all, the DM can control the item distribution, and second, who really cares? Usually the item dailies are interesting without being game-breaking.
Finally, I have an honest item question which I’ve never seen addressed (but maybe I’m just dumb and it’s appeared on every single blog a million times):
Is an item’s daily linked to the user or to the item? In other words, can I use an Amulet of Resolution to reroll a failed saving throw, and then hand it over to someone else in the party for them to use today. If not, are you able to use the daily on that magic item you just picked off the big bad villain today?
August 26, 2010 at 12:09 am
I’m with you on the power-tied-to-tier limit finally being dropped. And as you said, I think the DM could always intercede if something gets out of whack.
That is an interesting question and I’m no rules expert, but I would say no, the daily item use is not linked to the user but independent. I’m going with the statement in the PHB (pg. 226) that magic item powers follow the same rules as other powers.
So if the daily power on an item is used, it is gone for the day. It only recharges when a user takes an extended rest (quickly handing it over to Jim the barbarian won’t recharge the use). Note there are items that specifically can be recharged multiple times (like Blood Cut armor (PHB 227).
Now you’ve brought up an excellent point. Does that influence treasure that villains carry? Typically I do not use magic items stats in an encounter, even if the party ‘finds’ an item on their corpse. So I usually just hand wave the entire thing and allow a player to use a magic items power ability. I don’t want some NPC thugs and the rules trump letting my players have fun.
August 25, 2010 at 8:53 pm
I’ll be implementing these changes immediately at my table. Until WotC officially labels the magic items my players already have, I’ll just guesstimate their value.
The PCs in my game are behind the official magic item curve, largely because I require myself to have decent story reasons for a magic item to crop up in a particular place. The PCs have never been able to waltz into town, visit Ye Olde Magic Item Shoppe, and walk out with the items of their dreams. I’ve solicited wish lists from the players, but I’ve never stocked a magic shop on that basis.
I suppose my approach boils down to treating all magic items as more or less “uncommon” (except for the one artifact I’ve handed out).
August 25, 2010 at 5:03 pm
From what I got from a snippet of the WotC Gencon podcasts, by far most of the items in PHBs and AVs are uncommon to rare items. So I think you are right on track treating most items with some rarity.
I haven’t quite had my group want to start scouting big cities for magic items yet, but I expect they will soon. In a way I was dreading them wanting to dabble in enchanting weapons and such. Nice to see if I put a brake on what they can gain having a little support from WotC’s current idea on magic items.