Magic Items for low power campaign

[SpicyBoi_Nezu]

My party recently came across a (relatively) large sum of gold during one of our quests, and it got me thinking about how to save/spend it.

We are all currently level two (this is our second campaign after the last one blew up), and we each got a share of around 2,400 gp. The DM likes to keep us lower power and we're playing all core classes/races/feats, to make balancing encounters easier, and has in the past restricted/raised the price of items that he deems could unbalance his game (Metamagic rod of extend spell was 4k gp for 1/day use).

I am playing as a Fighter/Ranger hybrid following the guide of the Horizon Tripper Build, and want to know some suggestions as to what items I should try and get later on (aside from the obvious sweeping enchant on my Guisarme). Also no spiked chain, as I'm pretty sure my DM would nerf me more if I utilized that magnificent weapon.

***UPDATE***
After appraising everything and realizing that the DM made the mistake of giving us some +2 weapons that none of us want, as well as misinterpreting how expensive some items are, we each are getting 5,400 gp.

And we are playing mostly from core, but if you ask the DM about it, he has a chance of saying yes (Our Rogue managed to get a feat that was from pathfinder since he reasoned well enough)

One of the Items that the DM gave us was a Type 1 bag of holding that is locked with a magic ring and activated with a command word (Hold the ring, ask for the specific item, and reach in, otherwise it appears empty)

What I currently have in mind is

Great-reach Bracers
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Sweeping Weapon Enchant
Quicksilver Boots

[KoDT69]

For a melee dude, you're probably going to want anything that can increase movement options. Flight, Dimension Door, etc. to make sure you can get at all the targets (or escape them). Other fun things are magical storage of any kind. I know the low power mindset and I'm gonna guess he likes to kinda upside the lower value loot, like instead of finding 100gp you find 1,000cp to make it harder to carry. If not extra space is still useful.

[Telonius]

2400gp isn't all that much to work with. Is the "Core only" thing for classes only? You mentioned Sweeping, so I'm guessing no; but let us know if there are going to be source restrictions on that as well.

If you're limited to Core, I'd second the "extra storage space," assuming the DM cares about encumbrance. A Handy Haversack is very cheap (you can actually afford it now). Otherwise, try to get lots of smaller items rather than one big one, if you have the choice. For example, +2 armor costs 4000gp. A +1 armor and a Ring of Protection +1 gives you the same AC for 3000gp. Similar thing with weapons. A +2 weapon is 8000gp. A +1 weapon and Gauntlets of Ogre Power are 6000gp, for effectively the same bonuses to attack and damage (plus other increases to skills, carrying capacity, etc for having higher Strength).

[Rleonardh]

Donkey and saddle bags.
Collect all fullplate and other expensive armor to sell.

Wand of cure light wounds.

Few scrolls that the cleric will need but not need every day. Have cleric work with wizard on this.

Arcane wands, 10 charges so it's 1/5 cost.

Maybe a pearl of power or 2 for casters.

[Troacctid]

I have a spreadsheet of useful items sorted by cost in my signature that might be useful.

I think +1 weapon and +2 Str are the important pieces to start with, as they are important staple items that make the build work. A good cloak of resistance is also essential and should not be overlooked; you can't go around failing saving throws. And you'll want a good backup ranged weapon (such as a MIC's bow of the wintermoon)—trust me, my players always think "Oh, I'm a melee character, I won't need a bow," and they always kick themselves for it later. If you have access to MIC, there are some really good boots in there that are cheap enough for you to afford, although if you're limited to the DMG, I'd hold out for boots of speed for that slot instead.


If you're limited to Core, I'd second the "extra storage space," assuming the DM cares about encumbrance. A Handy Haversack is very cheap (you can actually afford it now).
Strongly disagree. No Strength-based character needs to be bothering with extradimensional storage on a budget this limited. You should have no problem carrying all your items. And if you need to haul a pile of loot out of a dungeon, that's what donkeys are for.

[H_H_F_F]

Core only, low op. I assume the casters in the party are blasting/healing? If they're doing something more sophisticated, you might want to talk to your DM about letting you power up some more, to make sure you won't be overshadowed too much.

Anyway, do you find attrition to be a problem? If so, you should all chip in for a wand of cure light wounds, assuming there's someone that can use it.


Other than that - a +1 cloak of resistance is only 1K, so it's a good choice if you're actually making saves. If it's mostly just people hitting you that causes issues, consider full plate (unless you're going Barbarian soon).

+1 for carrying capacity if the DM is a stickler with that stuff. Even looting mundane equipment can add up nicely.

[Crake]

Strongly disagree. No Strength-based character needs to be bothering with extradimensional storage on a budget this limited. You should have no problem carrying all your items. And if you need to haul a pile of loot out of a dungeon, that's what donkeys are for.

Firstly, youd be surprised how quickly weight adds up. 1000sp is 20lb alone, and if you dont want encumbrance penalties, best not to stack up. But secondly, its not always just raw carrying capacity thats a limiting factor, sometimes its the practicality of it as well. Extradimensional storage helps make carrying all that stuff actually practical, and also comes with the very underrated benefit of being able to retrieve anything you want from the backpack as a move action that doesnt provoke. It means anything in the backpack is now readily accessible to you.


Personally, I second the handy haversack option. Either that or rings of sustenance all around. 2 hours sleep to recover for the night, and no longer needing to worry about food/drink is huge if your DM is a stickler about it.

[Troacctid]

Firstly, youd be surprised how quickly weight adds up. 1000sp is 20lb alone, and if you dont want encumbrance penalties, best not to stack up. But secondly, its not always just raw carrying capacity thats a limiting factor, sometimes its the practicality of it as well. Extradimensional storage helps make carrying all that stuff actually practical, and also comes with the very underrated benefit of being able to retrieve anything you want from the backpack as a move action that doesnt provoke. It means anything in the backpack is now readily accessible to you.
Mule. Cart. Problem solved. 💁

[Rleonardh]

Well mule and cart plus a few guards to watch it while you dungeon dive.
Once you can get the sack or bags,do so. Pool the money if you got to.

Definitely a full cure light wounds wand.
10 charge wands of spells you will need but not needed every day.

Can save the money in a bank or something till you guys get more.

[pabelfly]

I'd get a Healing Belt for 750 gold, and either a +1 Cloak of Resistance or a +1 to AC for 1K gold, and save the rest of my money to get the other of the two items to start with.

Future items - any of your other Big Six items - Magic Weapon, Magic Armor, Cloak of Resistance, Amulet of Natural Armor, Ring of Protection, and ability Score Boosters. Also the Anklets of Translocation are pretty handy for a melee character.

[sleepyphoenixx]

I'd suggest some alchemical items, they're giving you the best bang for your buck at low levels and let you be prepared for a variety of enemies.
Take a look at the first section of Shax's Indispensible Haversack (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook)) for ideas.

I recommend a weapon capsule retainer and some loads for it, at least one silversheen and ghostblight to deal with DR/silver and incorporeal enemies without investing huge amounts of your treasure into something that probably won't come up that often. If you have a caster in the party he might even be able to craft those for a third of the price.

If you have a caster in the party you can also delay getting a +1 weapon (2000gp) and buy a few scrolls of magic weapon (25gp each) instead in case you need it in a fight and spend your gold on something more immediately valuable than a mere +1 to damage.

[Crake]

Mule. Cart. Problem solved. 💁

Mules and carts cant go up and down ladders and in tight dungeons, or enter buildings with you in urban encounters, and its definitely much more work to retrieve items from a mule cart even nearby, let alone if its all the way back at the start of the dungeon.

[aglondier]

Having a trinket that gives you a once per day casting of a useful cantrip can be rediculously useful and add some flavour to a character. 720gp to buy (or 360gp to have another pc craft) for a command word activated trinket that doesn't take up an item slot, or go for a 1st level spell for double that...

With the right spell, you could carry it through the entire campaign...

[AnonJr]

Anyway, do you find attrition to be a problem? If so, you should all chip in for a wand of cure light wounds, assuming there's someone that can use it.

If he's following the Horizon Tripper guide, the levels in Ranger will give him the ability to use one. And it would indeed be a good one to have.


And you'll want a good backup ranged weapon (such as a MIC's bow of the wintermoon)—trust me, my players always think "Oh, I'm a melee character, I won't need a bow," and they always kick themselves for it later.

Funny ... I always stock up on something ranged, "just in case", and it ends up being little more than an entry on my character sheet. :smalltongue:


I have a spreadsheet of useful items sorted by cost in my signature that might be useful.

There's a lot of great options on that sheet.

As mentioned, the gauntlets are good since the bump to Str will help with the trip attempts as well as a bunch of other stuff. The Cloak of Resistance is an excellent recommendation since I've never heard someone say "my saves are too high".

I'll also second the healing belt someone recommended, some sort of BoH/Haversack (though that seems somewhat contentious), or maybe even a bandoleer from one of the Faerun books if equipment is more broadly sourced. (Can't remember which book. Standard holds 5 items of up to dagger in size and a masterwork one holds 8. Good for keeping some daggers/darts/other throwables handy, and a good wand or two.

With a couple levels of Ranger, you should have no trouble with the Survival check for food, but an Everfull Mug (MIC) wouldn't be amiss.

[Hua]

Stat increase items are the gift that keeps giving.
A +1 stat increase is only 1K. If you can turn an odd ability score to an even one, you get the additional bonus that is best for you (Hit more and harder with str, or AC and ranged for Dex, or extra bonus spell for caster, ...) And half of them it will be a Saving throw increase as well.

cloak of resistance +1 is 1K.

Permanent Longstrider on boots is cheap and gives you the extra 10 feet of movement.

Get a different type of bonus than your armor by getting +1 Natural Armor for 2K.

If you can talk the DM into a custom magic item of a particular spell once per day, the formula in the DMG would price a CLW 1/day at 360gp (slotted). Not that helpful for in combat, but helpful to get healed up afterwards. Other spells 1/day are similarly useful.