Opinions about Robe of Useful Items?

[Jon_Dahl]

In my campaign the players are going to find a Robe of Useful Items as the grand treasure after a series of difficult challenges. This has already been decided so I can't change the loot anymore, but I just wanted to know how you playgrounders generally feel about this item? Any experiences?

Since RoUI so expensive, it will reserve a big chunk of PC's WBL.

[sleepyphoenixx]

It's a waste of money. You can get the same utility from a Handy Haversack for less money and without the randomness.
If you want the animals, adding a Survival Pouch or Bag of Tricks is still cheaper and has more options.

[nyjastul69]

It depends upon the availability of magic items in your game. If there are magi-marts on every street corner and turning a +5 sword into a +1 sword with +4 worth of abilities is common practice then it's pretty much a robe of useless items. If, on the other hand, magic items are hard to come by then it can be a very significant reward. Its value can only be determined within the context of your specific game.

[DeltaEmil]

It would be better if the robe of useful items worked like in D&D 4th edition. The wearer can choose what item he or she takes out from the robe, limited by the gold cost and nothing consumable, and the item lasts until the wearer puts it back or 1 hour passes, upon which a new item can be taken out. Then it would be useful.

[Chronos]

Yeah, if it's just a set list of items, and you can only take each item off once, then why not just buy that set list of items? None of them are expensive, and all will fit easily in a Haversack. DeltaEmil's suggestion sounds reasonable, though we'd need details like the cost limit and the duration.

[Cruiser1]

It's a waste of money.
Actually, depending on the items on the Robe, it can be free money! A Robe of Useful Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#robeofUsefulItems) costs 7000 gold. For the alternate patches, if you have 4d4=16 patches of 10x100gp gems, the gems alone are worth 16000 gold, for a 9000 gold profit right away before considering the other patches. If you can craft one yourself, and you get to choose which patches are available when making it, it's an interesting infinite money trick.

You can get the same utility from a Handy Haversack for less money and without the randomness.
The other big benefit of the Robe are the special items that are equivalent to powerful magic spells, which can't just be bought like non-magic items. The iron Door, open Pit, and Window alternate items are equivalent to Disintegrate or Stone Shape spells. If those patches are on the Robe, it's much more valuable.

[BWR]

The one time I've encountered it we argued about who was going to take the crappy thing.
Next session it saved our lives and we started worshipping it.
Being able to pull a large door, ladders, holes and whatnot from it can be extraordinarily useful.
Of course, we were about 5th level when we got it, so its utility decreases as characters get better gear and, most importantly, more magic.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Actually, depending on the items on the Robe, it can be free money! A Robe of Useful Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#robeofUsefulItems) costs 7000 gold. For the alternate patches, if you have 4d4=16 patches of 10x100gp gems, the gems alone are worth 16000 gold, for a 9000 gold profit right away before considering the other patches. If you can craft one yourself, and you get to choose which patches are available when making it, it's an interesting infinite money trick.

That's a lot of if's. It would be a useful item if it wasn't random what you get out of it.


The other big benefit of the Robe are the special items that are equivalent to powerful magic spells, which can't just be bought like non-magic items. The iron Door, open Pit, and Window alternate items are equivalent to Disintegrate or Stone Shape spells. If those patches are on the Robe, it's much more valuable.

Those are useful and not easily replaced, true. They just don't come up often enough to warrant the purchase imo. If you find one and it has one ore more of those patches it's worth holding onto, provided you don't have another robe or armor you'd rather wear.
Every other useful item the robe can produce can be just as easily bought seperately and stuffed in your haversack/Bag of Holding.
If your players don't bother buying those items you can certainly provide the robe as loot to help them out.