Are there too many magic objects in your marketing campaign?
“…and a +5 Sword”
The character of fantasy journey gaming, as set out by the unique Dungeons & Dragons, is that the gathering of treasure meant buying magic objects. In earlier variations of D&D, magic objects have been one of many few methods a personality may enhance in energy. That mindset, which continues to be pervasive in lots of tabletop fantasy role-playing video games as we speak, is that over time, these magic objects add up. That is the “Monty Haul” marketing campaign, wherein characters have so many magic objects that their energy stage far exceeds their stage, and dungeon masters discover themselves struggling to offer challenges for the participant characters to maintain the sport enjoyable. I’ve addressed methods to take care of this earlier than in “When There’s Too Many Magic Objects” and “Energy Creep,” however there are definitely different methods as nicely.
Charging for Magic
One concept I’ve floated for coping with “magic merchandise inflation” is for PCs to roll a die every time a personality makes use of an merchandise, to seek out out if it “expires.” Totally different objects can have totally different chances. For instance, a wand may need a 5% probability of expiration. So when the participant intends to make use of the merchandise, they roll a 20 sided die and if a “1” outcomes the merchandise doesn’t work! By no means once more, except it’s rechargeable. (An alternate could be to have the merchandise work, however then by no means work once more. There may even be some type of magic that may guarantee that the merchandise has not less than one use left.) You can measure every part in percentages or use particular cube: for instance, merchandise expires when a one is rolled on a d12. Or if the sport solely makes use of d6s, it would expire when 2d6 ends in “snake eyes” (one probability in 36).
This limitation may be utilized to all types of magic objects, magic armor, shields, even swords, with the roll occurring on the finish of an journey or on the finish of a gaming session (assuming the merchandise had been in use). Kind of “everlasting” magic objects would have very small possibilities of expiration. This isn’t excellent in fact as a result of objects like armor and shields ought to turn out to be unusable after heavy accumulation of injury.
This idea isn’t new. Varied magic objects (normally wands) have had expenses in several editions of D&D, and Fifth Version has charged objects recharge each day, requiring a die roll (typically a d20) and if you happen to a roll a 1, the merchandise is destroyed (e.g., a workers of therapeutic). And 5E’s attunement mechanism is a wonderful technique of decreasing the variety of magic objects that can be utilized at any given time (as in “want I’d considered that”).
Implications
In fact, if each magic merchandise has a cost, it requires important paperwork to maintain monitor when it’s used. One other downside (assuming the unique downside is your aim is to take away magic objects by way of use) with this scheme is that it may end up in “infinite” use, because the participant by no means rolls badly sufficient to set off expiration. However when the unique AD&D different is that objects can have 100 expenses, or extra probably infinite utilization to start with as they work with out expenses, this isn’t an actual downside. For artifacts, maybe infinite utilization could be acceptable.
Giving any magic merchandise a restricted lifespan modifications how characters work together with it on this planet. Utilizing a magic sword repeatedly is perhaps discouraged for worry it may “run out” on the flawed second, and thus solely utilized in emergencies.
It needs to be famous that hard-earned magic objects which might be destroyed by a nasty roll may be fairly upsetting for PCs too, who would possibly justifiably really feel they “earned” it and be indignant about shedding one thing to a random die roll. As at all times, talking with the group about how magic objects function is a good suggestion earlier than guidelines like this are applied.
Different Constraints
Magic objects don’t have to only be short-term. There are many different methods they are often constrained:
- Particular Results: Magic objects may be loud or flashy when actiated, as I mentioned in “How Delicate is your Sorcery?” which might find yourself making PCs with a number of magic objects flashing warning indicators to monsters and thieves who would possibly run away or assault, relying on their relative energy stage.
- Command Phrase: Does the magic merchandise want a magic phrase or gesture? In my expertise, this tends to be ignored in precise play, maybe as a result of it’s seen as an pointless obstacle. Complete collection of adventures can revolve round discovering the phrase or gesture for a magic merchandise. How straightforward is it to seek out out? The phrase is perhaps written on the magic merchandise. And on this case if somebody simply reads the phrase aloud does the merchandise activate, the basic film “gotcha?” Or it is perhaps hidden in some historical tome, or simply about anyplace, as easy or elaborate because the GM likes.
- Class Necessities: One other component that has turn out to be more and more uncommon in Fifth Version is character class necessities to be used. This was at one level a serious characteristic of thieves, who may use scrolls from different lessons; it was later modified to Use Magic System as a ability, which let the rogue ignore the restrictions of magic objects assigned to a category or species.
- Saving Throws: How straightforward is it to destroy an merchandise throughout fight, or intentionally destroy one thing cursed or in any other case not useful? The “unique” reply was that some spells may destroy objects (saving throw allowed), but it surely was very troublesome to destroy a cursed or evil artifact. Totally different editions of D&D may lead to magic objects be destroyed if the goal rolled a pure 1 or the merchandise was unattended, requiring the merchandise to make a saving throw. Fifth Version has largely eradicated magical objects being destroyed in any respect.
Over time, D&D has shifted from an emphasis on “stuff” for energy to innate talents. Magic objects are useful in Fifth Version however should not essentially a requirement for characters to win battles towards monsters (this doesn’t imply will probably be straightforward!). Because of this, the ability creep of magic objects – and the next limitations that have to be imposed upon them – has shifted.
Which brings us to the best technique of managing magic merchandise energy creep: watch out how PC purchase them within the first place.
Your flip: How do you handle magic merchandise use when it begins to get out of hand?
