If items scaled with character power...

[SorO_Lost]

That and no matter how boring a Cloak of Resistance is, the players will just turn around and spend the saved cash on Empyreal Bracers of Armor. Because why settle for a mere +5 bonus to avoid being cheap shotted in a one hit KO when you can make it a +13 or higher.

[Gazzien]

That and no matter how boring a Cloak of Resistance is, the players will just turn around and spend the saved cash on Empyreal Bracers of Armor. Because why settle for a mere +5 bonus to avoid being cheap shotted in a one hit KO when you can make it a +13 or higher.

In a higher-op game, I'd say so. At my table, at least, once you have your Cloak of Resistance, Ring of Protection, and Amulet of natural armor, it's all about the more interesting stuff for us. May not be true for everyone, but we really enjoy those not-really-optimal items, and often skip even the most basic of defensive items for them.

[veekie]

That and no matter how boring a Cloak of Resistance is, the players will just turn around and spend the saved cash on Empyreal Bracers of Armor. Because why settle for a mere +5 bonus to avoid being cheap shotted in a one hit KO when you can make it a +13 or higher.

In a higher-op game, I'd say so. At my table, at least, once you have your Cloak of Resistance, Ring of Protection, and Amulet of natural armor, it's all about the more interesting stuff for us. May not be true for everyone, but we really enjoy those not-really-optimal items, and often skip even the most basic of defensive items for them.

Likewise. Automatic enhancement bonuses for weapons, armor and ability scores. Automatic bonuses to natural armor and deflection to AC. Automatic resistance bonus to saves.

What the group started buying was interesting and useful things. Still combat relevant, but more willing to splurge on an interesting item over a more powerful item. Even if you were trying to get even more out of it, it's a lot of effort for marginal gains.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

I don't know what power "schedule" feats
are supposed to have, but they ain't spells.

Some magic items very obviously scale
at the moment of creation ... so it shouldn't
be too hard to make them ~augmentable.

Fighter with Armor of poly/metamorphosis+ is say level 5.
Shield of Plane Shifting is say level 7 with a free action touch send away bbeg thingy.
Sword of Baleful PAO is decent level 9, dangerous to demon lords.
Necrotix Arrows that hit or miss spawn Wraiths or better ... etc

The spells power schedule is well known, why not put magic items there entirely, too?

[Mithril Leaf]

In the vein of what Soro suggested, might I recommend giving them standard WBL to be spent of items for power and another maybe 50% that can only be spent and used for random out of combat crap basically.