Troll Lord Games

So . . I'm fairly liberal with handing out magic items to 1st level characters, but I try to limit some stuff like the Ring of Three Wishes.

I'll hand out mebbe one per session.

How about you?

Rhuvein wrote:So . . I'm fairly liberal with handing out magic items to 1st level characters, but I try to limit some stuff like the Ring of Three Wishes.

I'll hand out mebbe one per session.

How about you?

I will hand out no more than two Rings of Three Wishes per session.

Arduin wrote:

Rhuvein wrote:So . . I'm fairly liberal with handing out magic items to 1st level characters, but I try to limit some stuff like the Ring of Three Wishes.

I'll hand out mebbe one per session.

How about you?

I will hand out no more than two Rings of Three Wishes per session.

Oh, and I don't award XP for GP ~ otherwise the game will really get out of control!

No experience for GP or magic items unless you some how learn something figuring out the MI or somehow using it.. most times, magic items take away from learning (or you could view it that way)..

I'm pretty darn stingy with permanent magic items. I like those with flavor but little power.. help with odd things, special spots or have odd abilities.

A dull black dagger that floats and never needs sharpening.. a gob of wax that can be shaped into any spell component once per day (50 uses).

I like potions, scrolls, limited use stuff..

Rhuvein wrote:Oh, and I don't award XP for GP ~ otherwise the game will really get out of control!

I don't either. Also, I only award XP for magic items if they capture the item and it was used against them in the encounter...

I make sure all players get a ring of multiple wishes in thirds. Every hour of the session.

But, in reality, I don't hold back on what items are out there. It might not be easy to get, but if you can, so be it. Sometimes, that's point... break into the lord's house to steal his vorpal sword or kill that hobgoblin witch-doctor to take the staff of animation. Just expect these things to be used by whomever has them, unless you're very good and sneaky.

Oh, and I don't use XP so I certainly do not do XP for GP or for items.

A Ring of Wishes...don't think I'd be scrabbling for that item! Same with Deck of Many Things.

I probably average out to one magic item per adventure. That being said, for the first adventure in a campaign, I tend to hand out one magic item for each of the PCs. There’s something about the thrill of that first magic item and I don’t anyone to be left out.

Simply give out XP for what you wish your players would do more often

If I start running a campaign again, I'll try going 100% only awarding XP for quests, roleplaying, solving puzzles, crazy ideas for SIEGE checks, and doing the unexpected. Talking your way past monsters, or figuring out how to go around them, will have the same rewards as killing them.

ssfsx17 wrote:Talking your way past monsters, or figuring out how to go around them, will have the same rewards as killing them.

It's been that way since 1st Ed D&D. I don't remember that changing. But, I didn't play 4E D&D so maybe I missed a new trend...

Arduin wrote:

ssfsx17 wrote:Talking your way past monsters, or figuring out how to go around them, will have the same rewards as killing them.

It's been that way since 1st Ed D&D. I don't remember that changing. But, I didn't play 4E D&D so maybe I missed a new trend...

I have to agree, I have always given out XP for "resolving the encounter" not just for "killing the encounter". And on a side note, I stopped handing out XP for magic and gold not long after starting to play.

Seriously guys? Rings of Three Wishes went out of style with ankle bracelets...

I award XP for completed encounters only; nothing for loot or magic. Completed encounters could mean killing the monsters, talking their way past them, or working around it creatively. My current players are my 2 kids (12 and 9), so they certainly come up with some "creative" ideas.

In our last session, my son thought to use a Helm of Opposite Alignment (that the party had stashed at the Keep) on an evil cleric in order to get some useful info on the Caves area that they were exploring. I thought it was a great idea, so his Ranger will get some extra XP for it.

maximus wrote:Seriously guys? Rings of Three Wishes went out of style with ankle bracelets...

Yep, along with Peter Max art!

But ~ they are coming back and easily obtained. Got an extra 115K GPs laying around, then yes you can purchase this item at Luigi's Magic Emporium. Free polishing!

The best magic item I ever had as a PC was the Lions Shield - very excellent and effective.

The best magic item that I gave out was a Mace of Disruption. I had a half-giant PC wielder who could pretty much kill everything that I threw at the party. I could only hope for 2 fumbles in a row for weapon destruction. Never happened!! Arrgggh!

To quote a DM from days gone by, "What the DM give'th, the DM take'th away."

Cheers, Capt K

You know, I never understood the idea behind exp for gold and magic items ... I always figured the gold and items were their own reward and didn't warent exp for finding and using them.

Also, I always preferred the magic items to mean something other than just a random result on some table. That I why I like Rigon's Monday night game. Thus far each magic item (and even the master work weapons) have a back story and meaning to the character that has them. My swashbuckler's back sword being blessed during an adventure to clear out an abandoned temple of the god he worshiped, the barbarian's sword 'elf-bane' that was taken off the orc tribe leader we killed, Bluetooth's crossbow that seems to miss ALL THE TIME (well that may just be bad rolling and not magic)

As for random magic items, I'm leery of rings of wishes - I'm literal and twisted so I know how easy it is to mess with a poorly thought out and worded wish. For the deck of many things ... I run away screaming at the though of that item!

Lurker wrote: ... I always preferred the magic items to mean something other than just a random result on some table.

I agree 100% with this thought for most magic items. History, names, unusual features all can give a magic item a level of fun way beyond "a +1 Long Sword". I will put even more effort for players who play along and seem to enjoy that level of detail.

I admit that I don't do this for the consumable items though.

Roll Playing, like movies and books is fun, level of detail, level of real life detail can be fun and add so much. Think about your favorite anything, dice, pencil, key chain, etc. small thing, simple, but I'm sure they have something unique about them, something cool, something "magical". I've found you start the story, even the smallest things, and they become special and you can encourage the PC to embellish the story at each telling.. that's how stories and legends are born.

Roll playing and detailing everything sometimes gets too much, must they find and account for every scrap of food? How about bathroom breaks, locations to do this, and other necessities? Not as much fun.. although being bitten in the butt with a poisonous snake can make a fun encounter.

We were spending too much time finding food with the ranger and druid acting as food carts for the rest of the group so they met The Green Wizard. He offered them a fine picnic dinner for the price of one copper piece. When they handed him the copper piece he cast a spell on it and proceeded to pinch that penny and work it into a self heating wok-like pan which turned mundane veggies, plants and grains into filling, healthy and fully seasoned meals (no meat - vegan only - he is the green wizard after all). He taught the group wizard how to care for and use this special copper pan/coin. So when next you find a copper penny, bright and shiny like no other, with a cornucopia of veggies on one side and a blazing phoenix on the other, it might be worth more than one copper piece, give it a pinch!

Daniel wrote:

Lurker wrote: ... I always preferred the magic items to mean something other than just a random result on some table.

I agree 100% with this thought for most magic items. History, names, unusual features all can give a magic item a level of fun way beyond "a +1 Long Sword".

I have to temper that desire when I look at how many +1 sword my players have made over the years that had very little in the way of interesting history. Same with other low level items. I save history (of the type a bard 1,000 years later would know) for major items.

Arduin wrote: I have to temper that desire when I look at how many +1 sword my players have made over the years that had very little in the way of interesting history. Same with other low level items. I save history (of the type a bard 1,000 years later would know) for major items.

Good point. Everything in moderation and at the level that makes sense.

Party finds a +1 Sword, I might say "You find a sword that is clearly a high quality blade and is an older Stragalian pattern." and leave it at that. Where if they find a major item I might have several lines of info for them to discover as thy research the item.

So you are right, it is best to exercise some control as the GM.

I like the idea of adding history, where appropriate, instead of just adding pluses. Makes for a more engaging session. Enjoying the story should be a big part of the game.