Magic Items

[Stonebreaker]

I've always liked "low magic" stories and RPG's. The idea that magic items are rare and/or special is appealing to me.
With that said, are there any rules in the pipeline for magic item creation? And if so I would like the writers of DCC RPG to consider this.
When a magic item is created it should cost more than just the material expenses. The creator should have to put some of him or herself into the item (essence, soul). This could be represented by a deduction in XP. Also, the process of making a magic item is very dangerous. A failed check to make the item could result in permanent injury or death.
What do you guys think?
Stonebreaker

[Ducaster]

I took the example given in the BETA rules Cleric Blessing spell as an inspiration for a couple of home brew spells to make limited function Magic items. Take a look if you like via the link in my sig.

The thing is its a damn good thing Clerics Can't spell burn normally as I can see a 1st level cleric churning out Permanently Blessed weapons every month for their fellows given the results that spell grants at a check of 20+

I agree magic items will need to be dealt with somehow int he final rules. The rules I hope GG follows are
*Only ONE magic item of a permanent nature can be carried by a character at any one time.
*Permanent items are exceedingly rare and
*One to three use charged items are the most common to be found (be they potions scrolls rings of XXX whatever) and those are uncommon to say the least.

All magic items need a side effect as well as has been mentioned by Joseph and others in these forums elsewhere. I can't recall the thread he stated this right now though

EDIT
This is the thread I meant http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/vie ... 68&t=14436

[DimitriX]

Actually, I don't want my players making magic items. I'd rather keep magic items as something rare, dangerous, and unique. I'm going to consider every magic item as a legacy item that might seem mundane or have only a simple effect until the characters study and learn more about it and then it gets more powerful as they do. Will there be rules for DM created magic items in the final rule set?

[meinvt]

I think that the base rules should not allow for making permanent items and should not provide a gold price for them. Those should always be by DM control/design and giving numbers encourages a marketplace view of things. But, I also don't want restrictions on how I run my adventures. If I want characters to be able to get a magic helm, magic armor, magic weapon and magic trinket that becomes a steed, I don't want the system telling me that is "wrong".

[Stonebreaker]

I do agree with most of the above. Although multiples of lesser permanent items like +1 swords and +1 rings of protection might not be a game breaker.
My original thought was, if it were to costly to make magic item (giving up XP and injury or death) it might happen less. Thus the game isn't flooded with magic items.
Just a thought.
Stonebreaker

[abk108]

It all depends on how you think magic items.
In my campaign, the PCs went through the 0 level dungeon, and are now almost at the end of their first level adventure. They had 2 healing potions (!) that heal 1d6+1 (they don't know how much yet)...... and they're gonna have a weapon enchanted at the end of the adventure, when the soul of the demon they're going to slay will remain bound to the blade that killed him.
That weapon will have a lot of RP fluff about it, and... +1 to attack bonus. That's it.

There's no +1 sword, +2 icy battleaxe or +3 rapier. I mean -there MIGHT be ONE +3 rapier- called the Needle of Endless Sorrow that is the personal weapon of a greater demon (go get it, if you want it! ), but every magic weapon should feel unique and mysterious.

[Abchiptop]

I agree with not having prices listed for magic items. I'm fairly new to pen and paper rpgs, 4e was my first, but I'm already disgusted in the sheer number of magic items tossed about.
Healing potions are one thing, but I'm part of a (vastly oversized 12+ player) group. Our last adventure, *everyone* got +1 boots of spider walking. Our entire 12 PC party can walk up a wall once daily simultaneously to avoid an encounter and throw our dm off. I'm all for "screw the dm" as a player, but there's no logical reason that someone had 12 pairs of these boots (in everyone's sizes!).
I know personally, I'll be handling magic weapons as artifacts; I name all my magical weapons (even in my 4e game). My teifling warlock has Draaknoir, which was a mundane +1 magic rod, but naming it gives me a bit more attachment.
However, I see no problem in masterwork weapons and armor. If there's a legendary blacksmith in the area, he may create masterwork short swords, where I'll add +1 to hit (it's weighted differently, but feels more natural in the hand of a skilled thief) and bump the damage die up one or two levels due to the better "feel" of the sword and that the blacksmith spent countless hours perfecting this blade. It's not magic, it's just better. Like comparing a steak knife from walmart to one from cutco.

Granted, these masterwork weapons and armor sets won't come cheap; typically blood will have to be spilled to acquire it, be it the blood of the owner, or doing a huge favor and receiving the item as a reward (assuming the item holder doesn't change his mind >:) )

I see magic items as requiring a huge sacrifice, perhaps a powerful archmage contained his own soul into a globe atop a rod in order to gain immortality through magic, or a demon trapped a warrior within his own blade. These will be weapons of extreme legend, heavily guarded by supernatural forces, and they won't be reliable (at least at first, I'll get to this in a minute). Misuse or a fumble on an attack roll with a magic item will likely lead to a roll on a house-ruled corruption list (how dare you defile the Blade of Anzgroth, slayer of Natz'gul the Giant King?). The magic weapons will retain some properties of former users. They will be all around fantastic, carry great risk, but will always be a temptation to adventerous players.

I'm also going to be house ruling a weapon mastery system, it would make sense that if you've slain hundreds of goblins with this dagger, that the wielder would become accustomed to that blade's weight and balance, granting a bonus to hit (and unused weapon skills would fall behind.)
From a roleplaying stance, I feel this would make sense, if you're *always* using a shortbow, a longbow will eventually feel a little awkward to you if you don't practice with it periodically, a broadsword would feel heavy and off balance if you've been gutting people with a short sword for years.

I've not worked the details with the mastery yet, it'll probably be DM handled with input from the players (I'll allow sparring during rest time)
Probably will allow mastery after x number of battles, not sure.

[Stonebreaker]

In response to Abchiptop's last point in his post, I agree. If memory serves, in 1e a fighter got to pick 4 weapons to start with that he was proficient with. Magic users got 1 weapon, thieves got 2, and clerics got 2. If a character used any other weapon he/she incurred a penalty to his attack rolls. At various levels characters became proficient with more weapons. A fighter could also use two weapon slots to specialize with a weapon (+1 to hit, +2 damage).
Stonebreaker