Tengu_temp
2009-04-01, 03:47 PM
4e has taken a step back from 3.x's tendency for higher level characters to glow like a Christmas tree from all the magic items they're carrying. However, some people think this is not enough, and would like to run a 4e game where magic items are truly rare and unique. There are many suggested rules for implementing such a setting, here are mine.
1. Magic items lose their enchantment properties - only the special effects remain. Magic weapons and implements don't deal extra damage on crits, unless it's an amount different than 1d6 per plus, in which case they overwrite the perk bonus. Masterwork armor does not exist. Enchant Item and Move Enchantment rituals do not exist.
2. At each level (including level 1), each character can (but doesn't have to) choose one perk they meet the level prerequesite for. Perks cannot be retrained.
3. Perks with the same name, but different ranks, do not stack - you only use your strongest one. This includes Improved Armor Use - for example, Improved Armor Use (Leather - Drowmesh) and Improved Armor Use (Leather - Feyleather) together don't give you +1 Reflex and +1 AC - you only get the benefit of one of those perks.
Perk list:
Required level 1:
Improved Attack I
You gain +1 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +1d6 damage.
Improved Defense I
You gain +1 to AC.
Improved Resistance I
You gain +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Required level 6:
Improved Attack II
You gain +2 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +2d6 damage.
Improved Defense II
You gain +2 to AC.
Improved Resistance II
You gain +2 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use II
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +2 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 11:
Improved Attack III
You gain +3 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +3d6 damage.
Improved Defense III
You gain +3 to AC.
Improved Resistance III
You gain +3 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use III
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +3 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 16:
Improved Attack IV
You gain +4 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +4d6 damage.
Improved Defense IV
You gain +4 to AC.
Improved Resistance IV
You gain +4 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use IV
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +4 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 21:
Improved Attack V
You gain +5 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +5d6 damage.
Improved Defense V
You gain +5 to AC.
Improved Resistance V
You gain +5 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use V
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +5 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 26:
Improved Attack VI
You gain +6 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +6d6 damage.
Improved Defense VI
You gain +6 to AC.
Improved Resistance VI
You gain +6 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use VI
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +6 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
1. Magic items lose their enchantment properties - only the special effects remain. Magic weapons and implements don't deal extra damage on crits, unless it's an amount different than 1d6 per plus, in which case they overwrite the perk bonus. Masterwork armor does not exist. Enchant Item and Move Enchantment rituals do not exist.
2. At each level (including level 1), each character can (but doesn't have to) choose one perk they meet the level prerequesite for. Perks cannot be retrained.
3. Perks with the same name, but different ranks, do not stack - you only use your strongest one. This includes Improved Armor Use - for example, Improved Armor Use (Leather - Drowmesh) and Improved Armor Use (Leather - Feyleather) together don't give you +1 Reflex and +1 AC - you only get the benefit of one of those perks.
Perk list:
Required level 1:
Improved Attack I
You gain +1 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +1d6 damage.
Improved Defense I
You gain +1 to AC.
Improved Resistance I
You gain +1 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Required level 6:
Improved Attack II
You gain +2 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +2d6 damage.
Improved Defense II
You gain +2 to AC.
Improved Resistance II
You gain +2 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use II
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +2 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 11:
Improved Attack III
You gain +3 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +3d6 damage.
Improved Defense III
You gain +3 to AC.
Improved Resistance III
You gain +3 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use III
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +3 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 16:
Improved Attack IV
You gain +4 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +4d6 damage.
Improved Defense IV
You gain +4 to AC.
Improved Resistance IV
You gain +4 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use IV
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +4 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 21:
Improved Attack V
You gain +5 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +5d6 damage.
Improved Defense V
You gain +5 to AC.
Improved Resistance V
You gain +5 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use V
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +5 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.
Required level 26:
Improved Attack VI
You gain +6 to attack and damage. Your critical hits deal +6d6 damage.
Improved Defense VI
You gain +6 to AC.
Improved Resistance VI
You gain +6 to Fortitude, Reflex and Will.
Improved Armor Use VI
Choose an armor type and a masterwork armor of that type with minimum enchantment bonus no higher than +6 - when wearing that type of armor, it counts as that kind of masterwork for you. You can take this perk several times, but you must choose a different armor type each time.