Magic Item Compendium

[continuumc]

Alrighty, I have a slight problem. I bought the magic item compendium quite a while ago, and while I really like the book (because it does have a great amount of delightful magic items in it) I find that it actually allows a few too many options. I find that characters with access too it have some truly potent options and I think I might want to tone it down a little. I still want to use the book, but it can get a bit out of control. So my question is, do y'all have any suggestions for ways that I can use this book in a useful manner, but without letting the players go completely hog wild with it. The only idea that i've had thus far, is making up a percentage chart (based on item worth) and rolling randomly to determine if they can find anyone willing or capable of making each magic item that they want. But..i'm not sure if it'd be worth the work.

[Jasdoif]

You're the DM, right? Tell them that not all the options in the book exist in your campaign.

[RTGoodman]

Well, as the DM, you always have the option of telling the players that they can't find a specific item in wherever they are. Or if they ask for one of the items, roll a d%, and give them a 50% chance to find a common item, 25% for a mid-level or uncommon item, 10% for something rare or expensive, and 5% or smaller chance if it's something they'd almost never be able to find (say, a Holy Avenger).

Also, don't forget that the DMG has rules as to what items PCs can buy in certain size settlements (for instance, they'll never be able to buy that 200,000gp item in a hamlet with 37 people, no matter how hard they try; whereas, in a metropolis with like 750,000 people, they're probably going to be able to find most things, but there's a possibility that the item is just unattainable via a "magic shop" or whatever).

Another option is to not let them buy things from the MIC, but ask them for a list of things that they'd like, and include that as random treasure. For instance, they can buy all the Wands of CLW they want, but if they really want that Eternal Wand (from MIC), they're going to have to find it in the horde of some enemy spellcaster. This is usually how I do things if I'm adding in non-Core magic items.

[skywalker]

Alrighty, I have a slight problem. I bought the magic item compendium quite a while ago, and while I really like the book (because it does have a great amount of delightful magic items in it) I find that it actually allows a few too many options. I find that characters with access too it have some truly potent options and I think I might want to tone it down a little. I still want to use the book, but it can get a bit out of control. So my question is, do y'all have any suggestions for ways that I can use this book in a useful manner, but without letting the players go completely hog wild with it. The only idea that i've had thus far, is making up a percentage chart (based on item worth) and rolling randomly to determine if they can find anyone willing or capable of making each magic item that they want. But..i'm not sure if it'd be worth the work.

I recommend taking a look at the advice in the rear of the book(I'm not sure what the section is called, but it's right before the tables) that says(effectively) for the most part, players should be allowed to buy a magic item they want.

I would say, give them greater challenges, instead of limiting their power. I'm not saying let them cheese the hell out of everything, but I've found that the items in the MIC are (for the most part) geared towards being balanced. Are there specific items you've found overly powerful?

IMO, it's almost always a better idea to gear your challenges towards the players, rather than limiting what the players can do.

[leperkhaun]

just tell your players they cant get the item, you are the DM.

[Lord Tataraus]

One world I drew up has no pre-made magic items for sale. You have to contract a crafter to make one for you with an advance payment and then the full price. Some might have a few items that weren't picked up for sale, but for the most part you have to wait, plus make a gather information check to find them. The high level crafters are rare and hard to get a hold of. You usually have to go through a representative of the high-level crafter (who might be a fake) to order a powerful item. Some "evil" or greedy merchants might sell a "magic" item to an adventurer or promise to make one for them and hope the adventurer never comes back to pick it up, and thus never make the item.

This style limits magic items mostly to loot, but you might want to be a little lenient and say that "common" items like wands of CLW are availiable enough to be bought from merchant in a large city.

[BardicDuelist]

One world I drew up has no pre-made magic items for sale. You have to contract a crafter to make one for you with an advance payment and then the full price. Some might have a few items that weren't picked up for sale, but for the most part you have to wait, plus make a gather information check to find them. The high level crafters are rare and hard to get a hold of. You usually have to go through a representative of the high-level crafter (who might be a fake) to order a powerful item. Some "evil" or greedy merchants might sell a "magic" item to an adventurer or promise to make one for them and hope the adventurer never comes back to pick it up, and thus never make the item.

This style limits magic items mostly to loot, but you might want to be a little lenient and say that "common" items like wands of CLW are availiable enough to be bought from merchant in a large city.

Something akin to this works well, and makes sense. How many people can really afford even a +1 longsword without saving up for one for their entire lives. Obscure magic items should be like this. Potions, Scrolls, Wands, and such can probably be found at wizarding colleges or somthing, but for the most part, magic items should be made on consignment.

[Tokiko Mima]

Something akin to this works well, and makes sense. How many people can really afford even a +1 longsword without saving up for one for their entire lives. Obscure magic items should be like this. Potions, Scrolls, Wands, and such can probably be found at wizarding colleges or somthing, but for the most part, magic items should be made on consignment.

The problem with this paradigm in a standard campaign is it results in adventurers being fabulously wealthy compared to anyone, even local nobles and landowners. Magic items need to seem a little more common than that to make sense with the Wealth by Level guidelines, otherwise the players might get the bright idea that they should sell some of their junk loot and raise an army to storm their dungeon for them.

After all, if a humble +1 longsword was worth a person's entire lifetime salary, then you could very easily pay 30+ people very, very well with that single sword. Enough to risk their lives as soldiers, certainly.

As to the OP, I say if players are getting too powerful with their MIC, you have two options (a) pick a factor to cut their WBL allotment of gold by or (b) re-examine what you think is too powerful and why, and ban or raise the price of items accordingly. For example, if you think augmentation crystals are too powerful given their cheap cost, then raise their price across the board 200%+ or more.

[RandomNPC]

i tell everyone to run it past me first. i think i only vetoed one thing, but it's nice to see what they want, and thats all it takes

[Skyserpent]

Fight magical fiery weapons with really big monsters... honestly, as powerful as players get, there's always a monster that can challenge them...

pre-epic at least...

[Dausuul]

Tell them they have to clear each MIC item with you before allowing it into the game; and make it clear that you reserve the right to nix items that turn out to be too powerful. (If you do this, however, be sure to let the player pick another item of equal value to replace it!)

And do not allow the belt of battle. Just don't. Trust me.

[continuumc]

It's not that i've found any one item in there that is overpowered, but rather that there are so many that it is easy to make combinations of items that can make your character pretty hard core if you know how to pick em. I think the best option will be a combination of two ideas. 1. I'll make rolls for items that they wish to buy; to see if they can find them. and 2. I'll get a list (before hand) of items that they want, and i'll include some of those as loot or quest items; etc. That way, I can limit their item acquisition, but still be able to reward them with things that they want.

[Kaelik]

I'd have to agree with skywalker. What's the problem with your players using there money to become "hardcore?" They are supposed to be hardcore. To many DMs seem to think that they are in competition with the players, and therefore limit player options. They PCs are supposed to be powerful, even better when you give them more options. Yes the bracers that give attacks of oppurtunity can be a problem when the power attacking ubercharger with karmic strike buys three sets of them. But what about the battlefield control spike chain wielder with stand still? If you limit everything to core then everyone plays a Batman or a CoDzilla to be useful instead of looking at the options.

Why do some DMs try so hard to limit there players to blastercaster, tank, skillmonkey, and heal bot when there are so many options that just plain more fun?

[Machete]

Belt of Healing = Cheese

I'd say go with the Custom Made for the character option as it makes sense that crafters don't dump EXP into random items and hope somebody wants them.

The list of items they want idea is also good. Both ideas can be used together.

[leperkhaun]

I would simply sit down with the players and explain this to them. When they pick an item have them go over it with you.

If they are honest players most of them will be like "well this will be kinda op, but if i get x item with the y item i already have ill be able to do this 3/day"