reprinted items

[schreier]

I have been scouring every thread and source for the best items for characters, and came across a couple items that have old and new versions referenced ... some seem clearly to be newer versions (thus invalidating the old version), while others may have the same name but different items. I wanted to see what people thought about a few of these examples:

Bracers of (the) Blinding Strike - Magic of Faerun had a version for 102k which granted Improved Initiative, the speed weapon special ability (from a bracer to weapon held), and bracers of armor +6. The Magic Item Compendium version is missing the word "the," so I am not sure it qualifies as a replacement. It is much cheaper and weaker, granting +2 initiative and an extra attack 3/day. The MIC version is also part of a set. (My feel - not a replacement)

Retributive Amulet - Book of Exalted Deeds, costs 56k, grants +2 sacred AC and splits all incoming melee and natural attack damage between the attacker and the wearer. The MIC version only costs 9k, has no AC, and does 1/2 damage back to the attacker 3/day (wearer still takes full damage). Huge difference in power level. The BoED seems overpowered, and I'm guessing the MIC replaces it.

Parrying Weapon Special Ability - same exact power, in the Expanded Psionics Handbook and MIC ... going from 8k to +2 bonus. It gives +1 to AC and Saves (Insight). I think this is the most certain of the 3, with MIC controlling. The only reason I mention it is that the 8k version is in the SRD.

The SRD also gets Automatic Quicken wrong, keeping the 3 level version from the Epic level handbook, as opposed to using the updated version from Complete Arcane (1 level per time taken)

Are there other big ones where older and newer version conflict, and people talk about taking either?

[Kayblis]

There's the Ki Straps for monks. 3.0 version raises the DC of Stunning Fist by +5, the reprint is just +2 for the same price. The debate is a clear case of "that's a huge modifier" vs "but it's for a monk".

[skunk3]

Parrying is a shame. 8k GP? Hell yes! +2 cost? Hell no! (In most cases.)

[Jeraa]

The SRD also gets Automatic Quicken wrong, keeping the 3 level version from the Epic level handbook, as opposed to using the updated version from Complete Arcane (1 level per time taken)

The SRD isn't wrong. It only contains material designated as Open Content. Nothing in Complete Arcane was released as Open Content. If the SRD was a collection of the entirety of the rules, then you would be correct. But it isn't. It is just a collection of the rules released through the Open Gaming License.

[Fizban]

IBracers of (the) Blinding Strike - Magic of Faerun had a version for 102k which granted Improved Initiative, the speed weapon special ability (from a bracer to weapon held), and bracers of armor +6. The Magic Item Compendium version is missing the word "the," so I am not sure it qualifies as a replacement. It is much cheaper and weaker, granting +2 initiative and an extra attack 3/day. The MIC version is also part of a set. (My feel - not a replacement)
I am of the opinion that initiative boosters should be tightly controlled character resource based only, not something you can go buy, else you effectively let the PCs go first all the time (or worse, the PCs that know the item combos always go first, and the rest feel bad). So anything with an initiative bonus is likely to get axed entirely. I think it's very likely the MiC version is in fact "derived" from the MoF one, and they just decided to also build a set around it while removing the "the" in the middle because it's weird.

Retributive Amulet - Book of Exalted Deeds, costs 56k, grants +2 sacred AC and splits all incoming melee and natural attack damage between the attacker and the wearer. The MIC version only costs 9k, has no AC, and does 1/2 damage back to the attacker 3/day (wearer still takes full damage). Huge difference in power level. The BoED seems overpowered, and I'm guessing the MIC replaces it.
Yup, the BoED version is completely bonkers. Whether or not something is replaced is still up to the DM- MiC seems to think you'll accept their changes automatically, but they've got plenty of broken stuff in there too.

Parrying Weapon Special Ability - same exact power, in the Expanded Psionics Handbook and MIC ... going from 8k to +2 bonus. It gives +1 to AC and Saves (Insight). I think this is the most certain of the 3, with MIC controlling. The only reason I mention it is that the 8k version is in the SRD.
I wondered why they had that as a bonus. 8k is equivalent to double the non-standard bonus price for both things, so it's either bang-on or (a bit) overpriced. The inconsistency is hilarious- they slash prices on tons of stuff to 1/2 or less because reasons, then take a simple side bonus and make it massively overpriced.

Not that "parrying" should be a flat +1 to defenses or an insight bonus, but Defending already took the most appropriate.


There are some other updated items, but MiC has the most for obvious reasons (none come readily to mind). Items in other books rarely get mentioned again, but the 3.0 books had most of their content re-used/updated in the first wave of completes, so you'll find more there.