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Old 07-15-2019, 12:54 AM   #1
Lord Twig
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Default Handing out Magic Items

I have a group that is experienced enough that I want to start introducing magic items in their treasure (besides just potions). Or more likely, magic items being used by their opponents that they can loot off their bodies. The question is, what to give them?

Weapons with +1 to Dx or damage is pretty obvious, and armor and/or shields that absorbs an extra hit. Power stones for Wizards. But what is something more interesting but still not too powerful? I am looking at a Blur ring, which is pretty cheap (relatively speaking, at $3,000) but really seems super effective. So what items do you usually give out, or receive first? What comes later?
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Old 07-15-2019, 01:52 AM   #2
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Lord Twig View Post
I have a group that is experienced enough that I want to start introducing magic items in their treasure (besides just potions). Or more likely, magic items being used by their opponents that they can loot off their bodies. The question is, what to give them?

Weapons with +1 to Dx or damage is pretty obvious, and armor and/or shields that absorbs an extra hit. Power stones for Wizards. But what is something more interesting but still not too powerful? I am looking at a Blur ring, which is pretty cheap (relatively speaking, at $3,000) but really seems super effective. So what items do you usually give out, or receive first? What comes later?
I think before you hand them out, consider whether it will affect the games you will be playing in a good or bad way. If you hand out a blur ring at beginning levels it will make the character almost impossible to hit as most opponents will have DX12 or less. At medium levels, where opponents DX is often higher, items like blur rings will be more appropriate, even necessary.

Self powered items that are always "on" are particularly powerful. Stone or iron flesh, combined with armour, can make a character virtually invulnerable and can change the game in ways you might not like.

Items that give the ability to create a spell effect, like an Avert ring, are perhaps a better choice. They're not always on, and cost ST to use, so you have to consider whether to use them or not.
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Old 07-15-2019, 03:22 AM   #3
Tywyll
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Lord Twig View Post
I have a group that is experienced enough that I want to start introducing magic items in their treasure (besides just potions). Or more likely, magic items being used by their opponents that they can loot off their bodies. The question is, what to give them?

Weapons with +1 to Dx or damage is pretty obvious, and armor and/or shields that absorbs an extra hit. Power stones for Wizards. But what is something more interesting but still not too powerful? I am looking at a Blur ring, which is pretty cheap (relatively speaking, at $3,000) but really seems super effective. So what items do you usually give out, or receive first? What comes later?
Don't forget 'fine' weapons!

Blur rings cost st to use, so a frontliner using one is still suffering 'damage' while engaged. Something to bear in mind.
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Old 07-15-2019, 05:37 AM   #4
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Tywyll View Post
Don't forget 'fine' weapons!

Blur rings cost st to use, so a frontliner using one is still suffering 'damage' while engaged. Something to bear in mind.
Actually, in ITL p156 under the list of Lesser Magic Items, Blur does not require ST to use.
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Old 07-15-2019, 05:46 AM   #5
Tywyll
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Chris Rice View Post
Actually, in ITL p156 under the list of Lesser Magic Items, Blur does not require ST to use.
Where do you see that? All I see is a description of what Blur does. you would still have to make it self-powered to make it free as far as I understand it.
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Old 07-15-2019, 07:10 AM   #6
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
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Originally Posted by Tywyll View Post
Where do you see that? All I see is a description of what Blur does. you would still have to make it self-powered to make it free as far as I understand it.
What I see is that, under the item description, no ST cost is listed. I interpret that to mean that when the item is put on, the wearer has a blur effect at no ST cost. You may interpret it differently.
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Old 07-15-2019, 08:07 AM   #7
malchidael
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Near Milwaukee, WI
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Chris Rice View Post
What I see is that, under the item description, no ST cost is listed. I interpret that to mean that when the item is put on, the wearer has a blur effect at no ST cost. You may interpret it differently.
That is fascinating. I'll have to double-check my original version, but I'm almost 100% sure that in the original version of Advanced Wizard, enchanting an item gives the wearer the ability to cast the spell, not the effect - which is why self-powered items were so expensive and useful.

But yes, reading Legacy Edition, your interpretation makes sense.
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Old 07-16-2019, 04:52 AM   #8
Tywyll
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Chris Rice View Post
What I see is that, under the item description, no ST cost is listed. I interpret that to mean that when the item is put on, the wearer has a blur effect at no ST cost. You may interpret it differently.
Then what would the point of making items self-powered be? Why have those rules at all if casting the spell into an item automatically made it free?

Certainly the Death Test 2 items cost strength to use (though interestingly not to cast the spell at the start).
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Old 07-19-2019, 09:32 AM   #9
KevinJ
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Arizona
Default Re: Handing out Magic Items

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Originally Posted by Tywyll View Post
Don't forget 'fine' weapons!
In my Goranth game, once the players had been exploring ands returned to civilization I made 'fine' weapons available to them and it made a difference for them in combat.

You don't always need magic to improve combat odds. And remember, if the enemy is using the magic during the encounter it will increase the difficulty factor for that encounter. That Blur or Avert will draw out the combat substantially, which might be a good thing as it requires the 'heroes' to rethink their tactics.
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