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D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder / Re: Eliminating Magic Mart
« on: November 26, 2011, 05:27:17 AM »I find the though of magic item prices in general a bit... irritating.Me too, but in a way of why is this X and this one Y? And how in the hell did they come up with WBL's numbers?
Consider that the cash the paladin spends on his +5 could buy a small nation, why is he buying a sword rather than creating an example good utopia?See 1%'s comments on 99%.
A magic mart where you can buy a +10 equivalent armor or weapon, heck, in bulk even, can buy a small planet. Why are they running a market stall?I've always considered something like that to be done by commission, and the guy lives in Sigil. Makes a great item to give to your BBEg who wasted his time making it too.
A single first level dungeon crawl, heck, even hiding and looting the first room, will keep a commoner family fed for months. Why ain't more commoners risking their hides as adventurers?They are, it's called "population control."
1: Eliminate the gold piece as the WBL standard. Instead, everyone has WBL in equivalent "points" to imbue non magical items with. These are abstract points, they can represent your normal length of chain being enchanted while in your hands because you are just that awesome or they can represent you using your magic to do it the old fashioned way. Either way, everyone can manifest magic items up to their manifestation limit (WBL). Now there are no salesmen with the ability to take over the world and the paladin has a reason to burn WBL on gear instead of utopias because it's just another class feature rather than independent something.I've seen it in use but as 80/20. Only 20% of loot is created and it's all various gems and gold which allows you to buy food, lodging, or hire people.
Problem we had was explaining wands. For instance you want a dozen partially charged wands to UMD but you are not a caster and have never studied magic and if you did why use wands when you can cast spells your self? My suggestion was a limitation based on what your character would conceivable know from his own focus, but the imbuing process can be shared. For instance the Paladin cannot imbue Shadow onto his armor, but the Rogue can show him how.
Looking back on it now, I think if the system appeals to you the entire Craft Feat line should removed and a new Knowledge skill created. Crafting an unknown trait (by rule of DM) requires a special Knowledge(imbuing) check, success means you know how.
Of course, then you get people who complain everyone is magical but meh.