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Accounting for magic items in fifth edition.
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<blockquote data-quote="FitzTheRuke" data-source="post: 9013265" data-attributes="member: 59816"><p>I've often felt that two things happen with magic items: 1) they're too weak to feel magical, offering something boring (like with +1 items) to feel all that magical; OR 2) They wildly add a massive benefit (like, say, a Flame Tongue giving you an extra 2d6 fire damage every attack, or a belt of Giant Strength turning your 8 STR rogue to a 23 STR powerhouse).</p><p></p><p>I don't like <em>either</em> option, NOR do I like the treadmill of previous editions, getting weak items at low-levels and powerful items to replace them later.</p><p></p><p>So, I've been working on a system that makes "mundane" (IE non-magic) masterwork items that can be purchased (expected at levels 1-6) and then you start finding magic items, that increase in power as you level up (think of it as Attunement Depth - the longer you spend wielding an item, the more powers you unlock in them, or synergies you achieve, or you just plain learn how to use them better, the fluff is up to the player and the item). But it boils down to: DM gives you a cool item. Every time you level up with it, DM gives you another ability (or enhances an ability).</p><p></p><p>So Flame Tongue, for example, might start by only giving you a sword that also works like a torch (and deals slashing AND fire damage). Then it might give you +1d4 fire damage, or give you produce flame as a cantrip (you can fling the fire at targets!); LATER (Higher Levels), it might do +3d6 fire damage & you can use it to draw yourself a Wall of Fire even!)</p><p></p><p>I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I'm working on it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FitzTheRuke, post: 9013265, member: 59816"] I've often felt that two things happen with magic items: 1) they're too weak to feel magical, offering something boring (like with +1 items) to feel all that magical; OR 2) They wildly add a massive benefit (like, say, a Flame Tongue giving you an extra 2d6 fire damage every attack, or a belt of Giant Strength turning your 8 STR rogue to a 23 STR powerhouse). I don't like [I]either[/I] option, NOR do I like the treadmill of previous editions, getting weak items at low-levels and powerful items to replace them later. So, I've been working on a system that makes "mundane" (IE non-magic) masterwork items that can be purchased (expected at levels 1-6) and then you start finding magic items, that increase in power as you level up (think of it as Attunement Depth - the longer you spend wielding an item, the more powers you unlock in them, or synergies you achieve, or you just plain learn how to use them better, the fluff is up to the player and the item). But it boils down to: DM gives you a cool item. Every time you level up with it, DM gives you another ability (or enhances an ability). So Flame Tongue, for example, might start by only giving you a sword that also works like a torch (and deals slashing AND fire damage). Then it might give you +1d4 fire damage, or give you produce flame as a cantrip (you can fling the fire at targets!); LATER (Higher Levels), it might do +3d6 fire damage & you can use it to draw yourself a Wall of Fire even!) I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I'm working on it. [/QUOTE]
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