What do your players do when they're getting their items enhanced?

[drnuncheon]

This new 14th level (well, 15th, now) campaign that we've been running has been interesting for a lot of reasons - and one of them is the amount of time it takes to create a magic item. I'm not complaining about that - in some ways, I think it could even be longer - but it does bring up some interesting points.

The PCs have come into a bit of money, and are pondering what to do with it. Being good little adventurers, a fair chunk of that is going to be funneled back into their "stuff". But the fighter-types espeically (myself included) are hemming and hawing over upgrading their weapons and armor - because it means being without them for 2-3 weeks. In an adventuring lifestyle, when things could come up at any time, that's not necessarily a situation you want to be in.

So...what do other groups do? Hide in their inn rooms until the crafting is done? Keep 'backup weapons' captured from foes? Do weaponcrafting wizards have 'loaner' weapons for you to use while yours is being worked on? Say that somehow the PCs have a mystical knowledge of how long they have between adventures so they know if they can get something done or not?

I'd love to hear about it.

J

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Just personal experience, but my fighter types ALWAYS have a backup weapon or three. Armour, on the other hand, is a bit unwieldy to lug around.

At 15th level, shouldn't the party have a relatively safe base of operations at which they could stock spare armour, or hole up until the smiths and mages are finished with their work?

 

[Datt]

Backup weapons and armor. My main character currently has 6 weapons at last count. I duel wield so that is basically 3 sets of weapons for me. Of those 6 4 are magical and 2 are freshly crafted. I am going to be putting the 2 crafted ones in the "shop" so to speak and will have the other 4 with me. I just came into some cash as well and am going to be upgrading my armor. After our last fight I kept a set of armor we found on one of the dead guys and am lugging it around in a bag of holding. This way when mine goes into the "shop" I will not be without armor.

 

[Arnwyn]

So...what do other groups do? Hide in their inn rooms until the crafting is done? Keep 'backup weapons' captured from foes?

That's what the players IMC seem to have their characters do. They have backup weapons, but they hide in their inn rooms until the items are ready to for them. They certainly do *not* go out and look for adventure during this time...

(I wonder what makes them so paranoid... )

 

[drnuncheon]

At 15th level, shouldn't the party have a relatively safe base of operations at which they could stock spare armour, or hole up until the smiths and mages are finished with their work?

They have a small storefront in Sigil, from which they operate their "planar troubleshooting" business.

The trouble with 'holing up' is that, well...first, it's Sigil, and walking down the street can be dangerous. (Heck, with all the creatures able to teleport without error, staying in your home can be dangerous...) Second, I don't think they want to take the risk of losing business by having to turn it away.

J

 

[Ashrum the Black]

Mine whine to the DM about why is it going to take so long, and how come I can't have this sword enchanted to +3, with this uber power in anything less than a month. Whine whine whine.

Because the world isn't perfect, the npc has a "life" and because I'm the DM and I said so!

Sorry. A little bit of a sore spot for me.

Nothing to see here folks, just a frothing mad man. Move along, move along.

 

[Voadam]

Our twelfth level party just finished the banewarrens and with my share of the loot my fighter mage decided to upgrade his sword.

So of course while it is in the shop we get hit with a groundhog day scenario where eight different major things happen including fighting a Thodol (from minions) and the day repeats itself after a giant magical ritual's conclusion. Well we killed the Thodol first thing in the repeated morning but I've used up all but three of my attack spells and I've got nothing left but a +1 dagger and my one level of kung fu monk action.

My plan is to rely upon my hat of disguise and moderate bluff skill a lot to handle most situations for the rest of the day.

So for your downtime weapon upgrading, keep a backup weapon, take a level of monk, be a rogue or have magic.

 

[alsih2o]

this is exactly why everyone should have adventurers insurance.

double payment on accidental death involving teleport without error and loaner weapons during required enchantments.

 

[Shallown]

My players don't walk around town in armor or weaponed up mostly anyway so that is not a problem as far as what they do. Research, training (I don't require it to advance in most cases but they do it to be realistic, at least a little) make connections visit family and friends etc. I think it will be harder now since some have access to teleport and can be in several cities on any given day. that should be fun.

later

 

[Skaros]

My players don't walk around town in armor or weaponed up mostly anyway so that is not a problem as far as what they do. Research, training (I don't require it to advance in most cases but they do it to be realistic, at least a little) make connections visit family and friends etc. I think it will be harder now since some have access to teleport and can be in several cities on any given day. that should be fun.

later

Off topic, but I love your sig Shallown. I'll try to keep that in mind this Sunday, when we continue after a cliffhanger where most of the party is strung out over 220 feet of hallway, with only 1 or 2 members within close reach of a dire bear, druid, and priest

Skaros