Rarity of magic items?

[TrashMan]

How rare you want them to be?

 

Personally, I liked the feel of Baldurs Gate 1 the most.

Magic items were rare and special. By the time I reached the game end, I didn't have a magic item in every slot for everyone.

 

It just seemed too silly for me. Almsot like every magic item worth something is gravitating towards you.

You come into town loaded with magic gear, carrying several bag of magical extras. Magic kinda loses it's impact..it's not that magical anymore when you can't take tow step without stubbing your toe on a magic item.

 

When you read fanatasy novels, the characters there usually don't have that many magic items either. Usually one or two signature ones.

 

A good, well-crafted steel sword shoudl serve one well the entire game.

2-3 (no more, it starts getting silly. DA sucked in this regard. In what sensible world would you see bronze, iron, steel and titanium weapons be used at the same time??) different sword materials and qualtiy can give variety (altough the differences would be small) without needing to be magical.

[Darkpriest]

I would say, magic items should be obtainable, but costly.

 

Great magical items should be rare and not so easily obtainable. If in shops, they should have serious price tags on them.

 

Legendary items... well there is a reason why they are called legendary... Many people heard of them, but no one seen them - like those 300mln $ wins on lottery

Quest only and not easy quest on top of that. (skill dependent quests too - so some would be in dungeons, some would be rewards by gods if strong faith, etc. so you would not be able to collect all of them in one playthrough) They should also meld with a story of the place where they were found, like, there was a legend a guy went of to fight a dragon, and you find the item in the dragon's tomb 500 years old.

 

Oh... and give me cursed items too even if only for some funny stories

Edited September 23, 2012 by Darkpriest

[Elthosian]

Rare, of course, even though as of today I don't like Baldur's Gate 1 as much as when I played it, I still love the manner in which getting a +2 or +3 sword was something worthy of celebration, and oh boy, let's not get into these moments where you get enchanted stuff!

 

But then you play games like Neverwinter Nights 2 and expansion... Gah, being able to buy +5 enchanted armors in the first store you run across in Mulsantir was pretty annoying and made those little stories the items had very uninteresting, so yeah, first option for me, without a doubt.

[Aedelric]

I would like master crafted items to actually mean something. In most games if it is not magical it is vendor trash.

[Darkpriest]

I'd like to be able to equip all of my toons with magic items in each slot by the end game. Just the number of powerful items should be scarce and acquiring a first item for each slot should be rather expensive/difficult compared to most of the recent RPGs where you can get a magic sword right of the bat.

 

The problem with very rare magic items is that they would not go too well with the setting, which definitely is not a rare/low magic setting. The other is that you would have to implement some sort of different tiers of non-magic items. Because it will be rather bland if my first shield will be also the one with which I will end up a game...

 

BG had it done right. You could have had magic items on each of your party members on each slot, but there was only a handful of really strong items in your possession, even if you've cleared up every area and every dungeon.

 

There was a difference though, between my first playthrough, where I was fumbling in the dark in BG and where my end game was really difficult, to what I experienced once I did every quest possible and explored every hidden hole in the game... Then it was significantly easier, still not a walk in a park...

Edited September 23, 2012 by Darkpriest

[Althernai]

Baldur's Gate 2 style (Shadows of Amn, not Throne of Bhaal). Magic items should not be too rare, but nor should there be one lying around in every barrel. However, I would prefer to avoid long sequences of +x items. That is, Rings of Protection +1, then +2 are fine, but +1, then +2, ..., then +9, then +10 are not. Give the higher level magic items special qualities (e.g. regeneration or immunity to poison or something of the sort).

[TwinkieGorilla]

I personally prefer ALL items to be more on the rare side. I absolutely loved MCA's approach to Dead Money for exactly this reason.

[TrashMan]

The problem with very rare magic items is that they would not go too well with the setting, which definitely is not a rare/low magic setting. The other is that you would have to implement some sort of different tiers of non-magic items. Because it will be rather bland if my first shield will be also the one with which I will end up a game...

 

 

1) I don't see how. It was never said that hte setting is swimming in magic

 

2) Why would it be bland? Plenty of games feature exactly that. I hate the notion that CRPG are becoming so loot-centric. I guess it's the MMO/Diablo influence.

That mastercrafted sword I had made by the master smith in town? It served me trough the game faithfully. Why should it be "bland"? A weapon that served your from beginning to end..that fact alone makes it legendary.

Even better if you can customize such weapons (apperance) or simply because you wielded it for so long, you get a bonus to it because you're so familiar with it (easily done by tracking number of kills/strikes for a specific weapon)

[Jarmo]

Depends on the world and the amount of magic we're talking about.

If most towns have a local mages guild and putting a simple enchantment into a sword is something

you do between breakfast and lunch, then hell yeah there should be magic items all around.

 

But that'd be something of the same level as having a damascus steel blade. You'll have one if you're wealthy.

 

Seriously great items should be rare, and they should be significantly better than anything else.

[OldRPG'sAreGood]

Rare and powerful. That way they feel magical, and give a feel of accomplishment when succeeding in getting one. Also rare and powerful magical items would make enemies wielding them hard and rewarding to fight.

[nikolokolus]

A magic item should feel special. They should be scarce and they should almost never be available for purchase in a shop (minus consumables, like potions or perhaps wands and the like?).

 

One of the most immersion breaking things I ever saw was in NWN when you opened up a shop and saw a sequence of dagger +1, dagger +2, dagger +3, ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Weapons, robes, armor, staves, pendants, headwear, etc. should be somewhat unique and/or named (within reason). That doesn't mean that there shouldn't be items made and buy-able using special materials like non-magical mithril or adamantine, etc.

Edited September 23, 2012 by nikolokolus

[general_azure]

Whatever fits the setting, I suppose.

[Darkpriest]

The problem with very rare magic items is that they would not go too well with the setting, which definitely is not a rare/low magic setting. The other is that you would have to implement some sort of different tiers of non-magic items. Because it will be rather bland if my first shield will be also the one with which I will end up a game...

 

 

1) I don't see how. It was never said that hte setting is swimming in magic

 

2) Why would it be bland? Plenty of games feature exactly that. I hate the notion that CRPG are becoming so loot-centric. I guess it's the MMO/Diablo influence.

That mastercrafted sword I had made by the master smith in town? It served me trough the game faithfully. Why should it be "bland"? A weapon that served your from beginning to end..that fact alone makes it legendary.

Even better if you can customize such weapons (apperance) or simply because you wielded it for so long, you get a bonus to it because you're so familiar with it (easily done by tracking number of kills/strikes for a specific weapon)

 

Ad. 1) I never said it's swimming, but the magic is visibly present... - it was mentioned a few times by devs.

 

Ad. 2) Well if you will get different qualities of weapons (rusted, copper, iron, steel, hardened steel, mastercraft, enchanted, magical, legendary artifact) then I can see your point of having a mastercraft being a good weapon to end up a game with on some of characters. If you get simple, mastercraft, magical of various types, then you need to work out very well on the world, so that it will be respecting that... for example a full plate will equal a price that most of warriors in the world could not afford it - reference to medieval times, where such an armor was worth quite a piece of land... There is a lot of mechanics to think of and world design to be done. Sure you can work out such a world, but then again it all matters what kind of setting it is.

[Infinitron]

2) Why would it be bland? Plenty of games feature exactly that. I hate the notion that CRPG are becoming so loot-centric. I guess it's the MMO/Diablo influence.

That mastercrafted sword I had made by the master smith in town? It served me trough the game faithfully. Why should it be "bland"? A weapon that served your from beginning to end..that fact alone makes it legendary.

Even better if you can customize such weapons (apperance) or simply because you wielded it for so long, you get a bonus to it because you're so familiar with it (easily done by tracking number of kills/strikes for a specific weapon)

 

Amen. I once classified RPGs into four tiers of "lootiness":

 

A) Games that have minimal inventory and by extension, minimal loot (Mass Effect 2, Jade Empire)

B) Games that have inventory, but not much loot to find - mostly standard stuff plus a few goodies to find (Ultima, Baldur's Gate)

C) Games that have tons of loot in the world, but most of it isn't useful once you've settled on a stable character build (Morrowind)

D) Games that have tons of loot in the world, and you need to examine every bit of it and constantly change your equipment loadout, because of scaling (Mass Effect 1, Dragon Age 2)

 

Tier B is the best IMO.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Infinitron

[Darkpriest]

2) Why would it be bland? Plenty of games feature exactly that. I hate the notion that CRPG are becoming so loot-centric. I guess it's the MMO/Diablo influence.

That mastercrafted sword I had made by the master smith in town? It served me trough the game faithfully. Why should it be "bland"? A weapon that served your from beginning to end..that fact alone makes it legendary.

Even better if you can customize such weapons (apperance) or simply because you wielded it for so long, you get a bonus to it because you're so familiar with it (easily done by tracking number of kills/strikes for a specific weapon)

 

Amen. I once classified RPGs into four tiers of "lootiness":

 

A) Games that have minimal inventory and by extension, minimal loot (Mass Effect 2, Jade Empire)

B) Games that have inventory, but not much loot to find - mostly standard stuff plus a few goodies to find (Ultima, Baldur's Gate)

C) Games that have tons of loot in the world, but you don't really need to take it once you've settled on a stable character build (Morrowind)

D) Games that have tons of loot in the world, and you need to examine every bit of it and constantly change your equipment loadout, because of scaling (Mass Effect 1, Dragon Age 2)

 

Tier B is the best.

 

and where would you classify Fallout or KotOR 2?

[qstoffe]

I don't mind a lot of magic items as long as they aren't generic, i.e. +1 swords. Also, they shouldn't become obsoleted by better items in a crazy pace (like they did in DA2).

[sollus]

I like itemizing my party and companions to optimize their effectiveness both in and out of combat, you can call items magical or non magical there should still be progression. I think it is just a matter of perspective. Having really well described items with unique names does help with this, and doesnt have to be limited to magical items.

 

I agree that seeing rows of the same item with +1 +2 +3 +4 greatly diminishes that feeling of awesomeness.

 

If it fits well with the game that is also fine, PS:T had less focus on items (well less item slots and items available), but I do not feel it was any less.

 

In this game if magic is tied to souls, does that mean that magical items will have souls as well?

[Leferd]

I'd like them to be rare. But then again, my preference is that the leveling is kept so that characters remain in the lower level tiers, ala Baldur's Gate. We will then advance to higher levels in sequels ( but not absurdly so).

[Infinitron]

and where would you classify Fallout or KotOR 2?

 

Fallout is definitely Tier B. KotOR 2...it's actually been way too long since I played it. I don't remember how often you got new weapons and armor there. But probably closer to C.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Infinitron

[Jarmo]

Besides, while it's not been implicitly said the world will be full of magic,

it's been said the gunpowder weapons are basically a mage-killing weapons.

 

So it wont be completely down to earth affair.

 

No. I'm happy with there being a whole bunch of weapons with "sharpness" cast upon them (+1 damage or so).

Just not the usual row of incrementally improved everything.

[fkldnhlsdngsfnhlsndlg]

In addition to rare magic items, with standard weapons and armor making up 95% of what you use, I'd also love to see more interesting consumables and charge, per-day type items. One thing that I loved about Baldur's Gate was that a Fighter could use an Oil of Burning to unleash a fiery inferno in case the party's Wizard didn't ahve the proper spell for the job, or simply that you could get a lot of cross-class functionality out of various artifacts in exchange for giving up some of that protection gear. Utility vs. ability, you might call it.

 

These days class-based RPGs have such strict limits on what you can and can't do that it forces you to compose "one of every type" parties, which can sap some of the fun of party-building. Sure, your wands and potions are never going to be as good as the real thing, but all those trinkets give you a revolving door of useful loot to find and expend, without giving every single person in your party a +10 Sword of God-Slaying. And if you don't want that loot, you can just sell it - more interesting than finding sacks of gold everywhere.

Edited September 23, 2012 by sea

[aluminiumtrioxid]

Rare magic items, but somewhat more easily available masterwork items of different tiers. Throw in some rare materials, too.

[Grone]

Poll is pretty ****ty. The optimal dream-land scenario for me is tons of slots - boots, headgear, rings, armor, weapons, earrings, tattoos, nose-hair-hangings. However as far as the optimal drop-rate goes, I'd like something approaching rare.

[Infinitron]

Poll is pretty ****ty. The optimal dream-land scenario for me is tons of slots - boots, headgear, rings, armor, weapons, earrings, tattoos, nose-hair-hangings.

 

That's not what the poll is about.

[nikolokolus]

Poll is pretty ****ty. The optimal dream-land scenario for me is tons of slots - boots, headgear, rings, armor, weapons, earrings, tattoos, nose-hair-hangings. However as far as the optimal drop-rate goes, I'd like something approaching rare.

 

Here's a thought. Make your own ****ty poll