Comments on: Magic Item Compendium Review

By: WeirdFrog

WeirdFrog — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:43:59 +0000

Viewing the book as a player and a DM, I have to agree that many of the items are unbalanced. What I also have notice is, setting aside the price of the items, many of the items are very redundant. Many of the items are the same items from the DMG with a slight twist and the price cut in half, while most of the rest are very similar to each other, they just have a different duration or use a different body slot. While this may be useful to many players, it does get annoying if you’re going through to book looking for a specific item.
I think what I’d do as a DM or even as a player is, if there is an item that I really want, confirm the price with the guidelines in the DMG, just so it’s not completely overpowered.

By: Reyemile

Reyemile — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:16:37 +0000

t_catt11, ironically you are both correct and wrong at the same time. You’re right that, if the guidelines and rules and up unbalanced, you should change them. What you’re missing is that that’s exactly why the Magic Item Compendium exists! Seriously, when have you ever, EVER seen players buy a gem of true-seeing? Even though True Seeing is, in many ways, a necessity for remotely high-level play, even a 20th level character that blows 75,000 GP on the gem ends up crippled.

There may be some minor balance issues, but on the whole, this book plays a vital role: giving important flexibility to parties lacking the four iconic roles without breaking their bank.

By: magic freak

magic freak — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 03:57:01 +0000

well they could have it made for them, ofcorse it would take time

By: t_catt11

t_catt11 — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:41:30 +0000

Agreed – but you guys are forgetting the cardinal rule of DMing – you make the rules, not the books.

The first thing to do, once you realize how screwed up these prices are, is to change them in your game world. Just because some supplement has something listed at a said price does not mean it should be available in your game world.

By the way, is it just me, or does it seem a little strange to have shops easily available for players to buy 5 belts of healing?

By: magic freak

magic freak — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 04:27:39 +0000

I have to agree with Mr.Boots, this compendium obviously didn’t follow the rules they set for making magic items.

for example (and i’ll use the same one as Mr.Boots) The belt of Healing. Now it cost them 750 GP, but making the same item using the rules in the DMG cost 6480 GP. Bit of a difference in price eh? I think so.
how about the Headband of scoutings. with all it’s abilities calculated it sould cost minimum 11,000 gp.

So in conclusion i agree with MrBoots. The book screws everything up.

By: Mr.Boots

Mr.Boots — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 06:14:41 +0000

I agree for the most part, a lot of these items are novel and indeed more sought after than standard DMG ones, my problem with it is BALANCE. In my opinion, a lot of the items simply are not balanced against those of the DMG.

Of the armour gems, lesser ironguard gives DR 3/- to stop up to 30 damage a day. On a fighter thats effectively
30 hp. Cost: 2000 gp. For the same amount of gold you get +1 natural armour. 30 hp or a 5% chance to stop an attack? I know which item my players will buy.

Runestaffs are a cheap way for Sorcerers to diversify their spell lists. They can put a bunch of basic utility spells they would never take as spells known and plonk them on a 5000 gp staff which then goes in a quiver of ehlonna with 3 or 4 other staffs.

Knowstones also grant more spells known and cost the sorcerer little more than what the wizard pays to put a spell in his SPELLBOOK.

Then theres the headband of scouting. I nearly choked when i saw what this 3400gp wonder can do.

+2 spot, 3 charges per day. For one charge you get darkvision for an hour, for 2 charges you get see invis for 10 minutes, ffor all 3 you get truesight for a minute.

Huh? Truesight? isnt that a 5th level spell? Gem of seeing costs a whopping 75 000 gp and requires you hold the damn thing in front of your face! Now sure it only lasts a minute and can be used once a day. But you can buy 5 of these things for a fraction of the gems price and just sweep over any suspected illusions, shapechangers, invisible enemies, not to mention foil a DMs attempt to incorporate darkness into an encounter. This item means the players will never have to memorise these seldom used spells again because they can go and buy items that grant the spells per day at a tiny cost.

In the DMG the lens of seeing costs 3500 and gives +5 to tracking and search. My problem isnt the power of the items in these books, its their tiny cost in relation to DMG magic items, which then completely confuses party level power and wealth by level guidelines. My campaign for one has been significantly damaged by this book and i plan to complain formally about it.

Lots of items in this book replicate spells and reduce the need for players to memorise utility spells or even be casters. Belt of healing: 2d8hp healed 3 times a day for 750 gold. Who needs clerics or potions? Lets all buy 5 belts of healing each!!

The replication of spells and highly customisable nature of many of these items takes away from the mysterious nature that magic items should embody. Rather than creating effects few spells or class abilities that can rarely be found elsewhere, it opens the doors for players to have any ability they want for a cheap cheap price. Thanks Magic Item Compendium.