Regarding my distaste for items, it's one half not liking the way they break the game's fundamental math (in the case of +1's and the like) and one half disliking the feel that my character is only worth as much as whatever he is carrying.
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YOU give the weapon worth, not the other way around.
Unless it's a sentient magic item like the sword of Kas.
Regarding my distaste for items, it's one half not liking the way they break the game's fundamental math (in the case of +1's and the like) and one half disliking the feel that my character is only worth as much as whatever he is carrying.
So, is there a particuaklr reason why you accept the way a Bag of Holding fixes some things but you don't accept that other magic items fix other but similar problems? Because that's some cognitive dissonance right there. Especially since you play a class using magic abilities.
I accept that item because the alternative is regularly halting the session for twenty minutes at a time while the party reorganizes inventory instead of actually proceeding with the game. That's different than say, a Helm of Comprehend Languages passively negating the language-related plot point while only allowing the guy who happened to be wearing it to interact with the problem.
That can be a fun challenge! It's important to remember that martial characters can still be effective without magic weapons. You can focus on building up their stats, taking feats that increase their damage output, and using non-magical weapons with special properties like finesse or versatile. You can also look into spells that buff your martial character's damage output, like the Hex spell.
Hex? A bit of multiclassing when it starts becoming a problem might help. Somehow didn't think of that. Thank you.
Regarding my distaste for items, it's one half not liking the way they break the game's fundamental math (in the case of +1's and the like) and one half disliking the feel that my character is only worth as much as whatever he is carrying.
So, is there a particuaklr reason why you accept the way a Bag of Holding fixes some things but you don't accept that other magic items fix other but similar problems? Because that's some cognitive dissonance right there. Especially since you play a class using magic abilities.
I accept that item because the alternative is regularly halting the session for twenty minutes at a time while the party reorganizes inventory instead of actually proceeding with the game. That's different than say, a Helm of Comprehend Languages passively negating the language-related plot point while only allowing the guy who happened to be wearing it to interact with the problem.
Have never understood the draw of having something that plays the game for you. They feel bad to use regardless of what they are, and I'd rather just play characters with class abilities and the basic gear loadout.
This is just a weird take that's not really compatible with any game with a progression system. Is a brain surgeon copping out because his microsurgery tools are "doing all the work?"
Magic weapons are tools, not auto-bots that play the game for you. By your logic, spells are also game-breaking because they provide solutions to problems.
If you're honestly just looking for a game where you go around punching things with no magic and no treasure, I think you can probably find a better system for that than D&D. It seems that even if you don't want magic items, you're going to resent the other players for using them as the game intends.
I accept [a Helm of Comprehend Languages] because the alternative is regularly halting the session for twenty minutes at a time while the party [figures out a way to access needed exposition] instead of actually proceeding with the game.
See how that works? The items are functionally identical. But for you personally, struggling with a language barrier is more fun than managing inventory. That's just your preference. Respect the idea that perhaps magic items which you deem useless might be considered by other players as additional ways to skip to the good stuff.
Have never understood the draw of having something that plays the game for you. They feel bad to use regardless of what they are, and I'd rather just play characters with class abilities and the basic gear loadout.
This is just a weird take that's not really compatible with any game with a progression system. Is a brain surgeon copping out because his microsurgery tools are "doing all the work?"
Magic weapons are tools, not auto-bots that play the game for you. By your logic, spells are also game-breaking because they provide solutions to problems.
If you're honestly just looking for a game where you go around punching things with no magic and no treasure, I think you can probably find a better system for that than D&D. It seems that even if you don't want magic items, you're going to resent the other players for using them as the game intends.
I just want to play with the tools I built the character to have. When I play a spellcaster, I take the spells that handle situations I want that character to handle. The surgeon learned medicine so that they could perform surgery. It's the difference between abilities you pick and train to have versus abilities the DM arbitrarily hands you that you wouldn't have otherwise had. If my character wasn't intended to have a skill or ability or whathaveyou, I don't like it getting stapled onto them by somebody else.
Have never understood the draw of having something that plays the game for you. They feel bad to use regardless of what they are, and I'd rather just play characters with class abilities and the basic gear loadout.
This is just a weird take that's not really compatible with any game with a progression system. Is a brain surgeon copping out because his microsurgery tools are "doing all the work?"
Magic weapons are tools, not auto-bots that play the game for you. By your logic, spells are also game-breaking because they provide solutions to problems.
If you're honestly just looking for a game where you go around punching things with no magic and no treasure, I think you can probably find a better system for that than D&D. It seems that even if you don't want magic items, you're going to resent the other players for using them as the game intends.
I just want to play with the tools I built the character to have. When I play a spellcaster, I take the spells that handle situations I want that character to handle. The surgeon learned medicine so that they could perform surgery. It's the difference between abilities you pick and train to have versus abilities the DM arbitrarily hands you that you wouldn't have otherwise had. If my character wasn't intended to have a skill or ability or whathaveyou, I don't like it getting stapled onto them by somebody else.
You presumably built the character to use a sword; does making it a +1sword alter how the sword is used?
I just want to play with the tools I built the character to have. When I play a spellcaster, I take the spells that handle situations I want that character to handle. The surgeon learned medicine so that they could perform surgery. It's the difference between abilities you pick and train to have versus abilities the DM arbitrarily hands you that you wouldn't have otherwise had. If my character wasn't intended to have a skill or ability or whathaveyou, I don't like it getting stapled onto them by somebody else.
If we're going off this example, surgeons didn't keep using chloroform when anesthesia became available. Just as well, they aren't going to amputate bullet wounds if they have access to antibiotics. Like, they're still performing surgery, its just safer, easier, and overall better because of the new technology.
But also you're not suddenly going to a surgeon for psychiatric care just because advancements have been made in that field as well. A surgeon is still a surgeon, just like a fighter is still a fighter. You're just a better surgeon \ fighter if you learn how to use the best tools at your disposal.
You aren't being handed an ability you didn't already have, your old ability is being enhanced by a new tool.
Unless it's a sentient magic item like the sword of Kas.
I accept that item because the alternative is regularly halting the session for twenty minutes at a time while the party reorganizes inventory instead of actually proceeding with the game. That's different than say, a Helm of Comprehend Languages passively negating the language-related plot point while only allowing the guy who happened to be wearing it to interact with the problem.
Hex? A bit of multiclassing when it starts becoming a problem might help. Somehow didn't think of that. Thank you.
So it's just arbitrary. Cool.
This is just a weird take that's not really compatible with any game with a progression system. Is a brain surgeon copping out because his microsurgery tools are "doing all the work?"
Magic weapons are tools, not auto-bots that play the game for you. By your logic, spells are also game-breaking because they provide solutions to problems.
If you're honestly just looking for a game where you go around punching things with no magic and no treasure, I think you can probably find a better system for that than D&D. It seems that even if you don't want magic items, you're going to resent the other players for using them as the game intends.
See how that works? The items are functionally identical. But for you personally, struggling with a language barrier is more fun than managing inventory. That's just your preference. Respect the idea that perhaps magic items which you deem useless might be considered by other players as additional ways to skip to the good stuff.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I just want to play with the tools I built the character to have. When I play a spellcaster, I take the spells that handle situations I want that character to handle. The surgeon learned medicine so that they could perform surgery. It's the difference between abilities you pick and train to have versus abilities the DM arbitrarily hands you that you wouldn't have otherwise had. If my character wasn't intended to have a skill or ability or whathaveyou, I don't like it getting stapled onto them by somebody else.
You presumably built the character to use a sword; does making it a +1sword alter how the sword is used?
If we're going off this example, surgeons didn't keep using chloroform when anesthesia became available. Just as well, they aren't going to amputate bullet wounds if they have access to antibiotics. Like, they're still performing surgery, its just safer, easier, and overall better because of the new technology.
But also you're not suddenly going to a surgeon for psychiatric care just because advancements have been made in that field as well. A surgeon is still a surgeon, just like a fighter is still a fighter. You're just a better surgeon \ fighter if you learn how to use the best tools at your disposal.
You aren't being handed an ability you didn't already have, your old ability is being enhanced by a new tool.
Edit: Tldr: ^This.