level appropriate magic items that aren't lame or bullshit

[OgreBattle]

So you're a D&D murderhobo and you've murdered your way through a D&D dungeon and got some loot, what are the magic items that make it worthwhile?

Out of D&D's history, what are some of the niftier items that don't just give numeracle bonuses, but don't break the game in half either?

[shadzar]

Bag of holding
flying carpet
folding boat thing

primarily any item that you had to think to use and could use in different ways.

the homemade magic items are too numerous to list.

[Seerow]

Sudden stunning weapons out of the DMG 2 are kind of awesome for anyone with a good charisma. +2000gp on a magic weapon to get a 1d4+1 round stun with a level appropriate save DC (against Reflex instead of the usual Fort/Will for a save or suck) cha mod times per day.

[Ancient History]

D&D stuff tends to break down at high levels, just because your wizard's capabilities expand - the Fighter will like the Ring of Not Getting Burned To Death at just about any level, but for wizards that's like a second or third-level spell. Basically, if a wizard of the same level can duplicate its function, the magic item rapidly loses importance. Not that Dr. Strange doesn't like keeping his cloak of levitation, mind you, but he doesn't need it.

[Stinktopus]

D&D stuff tends to break down at high levels, just because your wizard's capabilities expand - the Fighter will like the Ring of Not Getting Burned To Death at just about any level, but for wizards that's like a second or third-level spell. Basically, if a wizard of the same level can duplicate its function, the magic item rapidly loses importance. Not that Dr. Strange doesn't like keeping his cloak of levitation, mind you, but he doesn't need it.

In a game with Clerics, Druids, and Wizards, ALL magic items are bullshit, because most of them are crutches for non-CDW's to get the effect of a CDW spell without having to bother the CDW. I have to laugh at D&D DM's who get all hot and bothered about "keeping magic items special" when Jesus and Gandalf are members of the party.

Certain magic items are neat to have, like portable holes and decanters of endless water. Also, keeping a bag devouring just to poop in is highly amusing to some retarded portion of my brain.

Other magic items are plotwank macguffins. "You need the Sword of a Thousand Truths to penetrate the uber-magic shield around Dickhead the Defiler!" Those items are intrinsically not cool.

[MisterDee]

The Mace of Disruption, the Hammer of Thunderbolt and Girdle of Giant Strength Combo, and the Vorpal blade are good magical items when working as intended, namely straight up killing stuff.

They even scale well - you're going to fight level-appropriate opposition anyway, so the fact that your item could theoretically fuck up a much stronger undead, giant or whatever is just cool fluff.

[Cyberzombie]

In a game with Clerics, Druids, and Wizards, ALL magic items are bullshit, because most of them are crutches for non-CDW's to get the effect of a CDW spell without having to bother the CDW. I have to laugh at D&D DM's who get all hot and bothered about "keeping magic items special" when Jesus and Gandalf are members of the party.

In 3E, yes. But it doesn't have to be that way.

For instance, AD&D girdle of giant strength wasn't something that an AD&D wizard could just give you with a buff. And before having greater magic weapon exist as a spell, having a +3 or +4 sword was a pretty big deal.

3E really overdid the buff spells unfortunately, and then made the mistake of making magic items no more than permanent buffs. A +3 sword was no more than a permanent GMW, girdle of giant strength was no more than a permanent bull's strength, etc.

It's one of the ways 3E really screwed up the magic item system. If the only advantage of your supposedly badass +5 sword is that you don't have to beg the cleric for a GMW spell, then that thing is a piece of garbage.

[JonSetanta]

Weapons that create spell effects are priceless.

When my AD&D high level dark paladin acquired the legendary sword that could use Disintegrate 3 times a day, suddenly I could keep up with mages just a little bit better. Walls and high-HP monsters were brought down easier.

[Lago PARANOIA]

So given what everyone said, the best magical items (that aren't blatantly abusive, like the mirror of opposition) are by and large those that cost <30,000 gp since that's before the game where even a min-maxxed non-caster goes obsolete.

In no particular order as far as 'complete the adventure path' items go, I'm a fan of ring of spider-climb, both tiers of bracers of archery, boots of haste, life-drinker battle axes (even though it's 40k), ring of blinking, monk's belt (for druids), eyes of the eagle, slippers of spider climbing, prayer bead of karma, gloves of storing, 3.0E wings of flying, 3.0E boots/cloak of elvenkind, and circlets of persuasion.

Fuck. I forgot how much 3.5E nerfed non-casters. That wings of flying and the cheaper +skill bonus items were absolutely necessary to keep non-casters in the game at mid-level. And that rat bastard Andy Collins just took them out. Motherfucker.

[Seerow]

What was different about those items in 3.0?


Also going splat diving you can find cheaper flight. One of my characters recently picked up a Vest of Flight, which is Fly 5/day with the same speed/maneuverability as the wings. It's no good if you're trying to adventure to the Castle in the Clouds or some shit, but for tactical in combat flight, it's plenty good enough, and costs 1/5th as much as the wings, making it a much more reasonable purchase for most mid level characters.

[radthemad4]

the homemade magic items are too numerous to list.

Just post your favorite ones then.

Problem is, most magic items seem like they can be replaced by spells at high levels.

Personally, I'm rather fond of the Bag of Tricks (sure, summoning is more reliable, but it's great for low levels), the Hat of Disguise and Deck of illusions (for non casters and low level casters with few spells and short durations), the Lyre of Building, the Instant Fortress and the Robe of Eyes

[Lago PARANOIA]

What was different about those items in 3.0?

They were much, much cheaper. The cap for +skill bonus items was smaller and they were priced less expensively. Also, 3.0E wings of flying were 5000 gp.

Skills were one of the few ways sword-based characters could contribute at the mid-levels because while the items were cheap, they weren't cheap enough that a wizard or cleric could just load up on them and replace the party rogue. As buying a +25 Move Silently item is way expensive compared to a rogue just getting a +10 Move Silently item and making up the difference with native skills. So you were better off spreading the love around.

[Previn]

I do love Marvelous Pigments.

[K]

3e items were mostly lame and made of fail. Armor, boosters, and weapons fall into the fail vortex that ate everyone's WBL.

The interesting ones were things like Spell Storing items, Blink rings, and basically anything that gave you a new spell to cast. CLW sticks ate wealth at this tier.

If I put on my grognard pants, then the best 2e items were shit like Vorpal Swords and Swords of Sharpness. 2e weapons were awesome and made fighters awesome, even the mostly shit ones like Sunblades.

[zugschef]

How would you stat out an item named "grognard pants"?

[deaddmwalking]

If you're a grognard with two thumbs, you never feel small in the pants, and you're immune to persuasion.

[shadzar]

the homemade magic items are too numerous to list.

Just post your favorite ones then.

Problem is, most magic items seem like they can be replaced by spells at high levels.

and what if you don't want to play "high levels"? then you never get toe experience those effects in the game. get name level have a bunch of followers and readily recognized, you have MADE IT!

*effectively a Zippo that doesnt require fuel (always lights in all conditions, yes even underwater)
*autonomous craft like a horseless cart
*a true walking med kit, well floating. a stretcher that could heal minor injuries and cure some illnesses so you didn't always have to return to town
*portable empty chamber pot (anything that goes in, never comes back out) lost a goblin captive to this once

mostly things that gave modern advantages in the medieval world

[OgreBattle]

How would you stat out an item named "grognard pants"?

"Grognard Pants appears to be pants of another sort, and detection will discover nothing more than the fact that it has a magical aura. As soon as a character dons this garment he drops to 3 Intelligence and 3 Charisma, forgetting all social and etiquette skills, is no longer considered a humanoid and counts as an animal for spell and skill effects. The wearer will become very abrasive, with a 50% chance each round of saying something offensive, any encounter reactions are rolled with a -5 penalty. Once the curse is activated, the pants can be removed only by means of a remove curse spell, a wish, or having the wearer crushed by falling rocks."


*Making them succeptible to Ring of Mammal Control.

[shadzar]

which is still better than a 3tard shirt which once worn the curse activates and turns them into half rules lawyer and half green slime, in either case they no longer count as human or mammal and have an ECL of -5. Only death and a successful cure disease on the corpse will allow the curse to be broken. a Raise Dead will then bring them back with all stats at 1 an unable to play again for 13~15 years. touching a WotC edition will reactivate the curse immediately and the removal process must begin again.

[malak]

How would you stat out an item named "grognard pants"?

The Grognard Pants did surely see the very beginnings of our realm; though I must press that they "saw" this formative time by their simple presence, and not through some vestigial eyes that might have erupted through rear pocket perhaps concealing teeth and other improbable extremities. I am sure that the various owners of the pants can attest to the general lack of animated digits or ocular sensors, as evidenced by the continued sanctity and privacy maintained by their respective buttocks.

Lyric pantums of an age long since out of print speak of "trousers that were as metal, though soft around the shanks." While it might be easy to jump to the seemingly inevitable conclusion that the trousers rose while Netheril fell, it is doubtful that the pantaloons were the garments of which they speak. One must clarify these oft-misquoted verses with knowledge of Pantechnicon, an ancient bazaar once prized for Pathfail Pantalets. Fine these may have been, but Grognard they were not. 4e Panties are also siad to be currently available, though the dockside establishments that claim to offer these products are beyond my meager experience, and thus I can make no report.


The purpose of these pants is as mysterious as ever, and will likely remain so until the Pantocrator himself returns, though some properties can be divined through intimate observation. The "uplifting" properties of the gusset very nearly defy gravity, shaping quite nicely both the front and rear. This improved contour would likely increase self-esteem for a wearer of either sex. I would hazard a guess, however, that this continuing self delusion might actually hamper cognitive functions, and care should be taken in the wearing of any pants of grognard nature.

[Username17]

The only weapons I've ever felt good about getting were a sword of lifedraining and a dancing cudgel. And both of those were in 2nd edition. There has literally not been one magic weapon my characters have ever owned in all of 3rd edition that haven't felt like a WBL tax. And yet somehow, some way, 4th edition weapons manage to be even worse.

In 3rd edition, I've been pretty happy with the Bag of Tricks, the Ring of Blink, and the pouch of limitless rations (whatever that thing is actually called). I was also pretty pleased with Rhino Hide Armor until the 3.5 revision nerfed the fuck out of it and that made me sad. But to be honest, while the Ring of Blink has made me happy more than once, it's because I play a lot of Rogues. And for various reasons, the Ring of Blink turns out to be mandatory equipment for Rogues past about level 8. It's kind of like the artifact greataxe that all Barbarians get, or the amulet of tigerform that all Monks get, except that unlike those things it's actually in the rules that you're supposed to be able to get one.

-Username17

[shadzar]

the pouch of limitless rations (whatever that thing is actually called)

you mean the spoon that pretty much had gruel that tasted like cardboard? just put it in a bowl or container like that and the food would appear.

that reminds me of Bucknard's Everfull Purse. one of the items that is worth much more than an XP value or item price listed for it. in game with varying currencies it is useful so you can just get a single coin of the realm and overnight begin to have a supply of them without paying any fees to moneychangers. or if you have a hoard of them in DL, you have a mine for making weapons with. very dangerous item to possess in DL with its steel bits.

this just brings up ALL the EVER-X items. eversmoking bottle, everburning torch etc. either you have those people that don't want to do bookkeeping with having to worry about the number of arrows they shot, or the number of torches they carry, or you dont want to have to stop to make more, or just dont want to deal with encumbrance. Many of the items build the video game mindset into the game with the infinite ammo type thing, but it does help speed some things along and lets you be more "heroic" (my disdain for this term as its use in recent years knows no bounds) and die via character choice rather than to the elements....just good things all around and fun to use in other ways.

also they are interesting if players are researching spells or something to MAKE new items not listed to see what kind of strange things they come up with like the earlier mentioned Alpha Prototype of the everburning torch we created with the "magical Zippo".

this reminded me of another item we had for wizards. a spell component box. a cudb that had 6 doors and when opening a door it corresponded to a cubby-hole in the wizards lab where he could reach in and get extra supplies for common uses spells, or any small thing could quickly be sent home and not have to be carried through the entire adventure to be lost.

obviously it could easily be abused and this too was lost to the portable empty chamber pot.

it just makes me wonder why any publisher even bothers selling books of magic items, when the best things come from player creations.

if i hadnt lost my windows 98 HDD i could probably list thousands of non-stat based magic items. guess i will just have to load up CoreRules and recreate them and more.

[Leress]

I think Frank means the Everlasting Rations from Heroes of Battle.

[shadzar]

was that a video game? i actually remembering having something like that on my githzerai monk and thought i had seen it in the DMG or PHB?

[Leress]

was that a video game? i actually remembering having something like that on my githzerai monk and thought i had seen it in the DMG or PHB?

It's a splat book for running mass combat.