I'm running a ready module and the party is currently level 4 and the campaign goes all the way to level 15. Looking at the module so far and the chapters to come, there seems to be an abundance of magic items for martial classes (+1 longswords, longbows, armor, shields, etc.), but hardly any items for spellcasters. They do get a few, but only for the final few levels of the campaign. I don't want to make them feel abandoned for years, but I'm also not sure if it's a balance thing. Do spellcasters benefit from magic items so much more than martial classes? I'm not afraid to homebrew items and I've already made a few... for martials, which I will probably just swap in-place for the items in the module. But again, I don't want the spellcasters to become ridiculously powerful early on, if the item distribution is indeed balanced and spellcasters gain much more from a +1 staff than a fighter from a +1 sword. How should I go about this?
Spellcasters have far fewer magic item options that don't because OP. Spellcasting is already extremely powerful, so direct buffs to saving throw DC, or spell areas are very quickly OP. Hence most magic items for spellcasters are essentially additional spells / spellslots rather than direct buffs to spell power.
By contrast, there is a whole host of enemies with resistance to non-magical damage which cripple martials that don't have a magic weapon, making it basically mandatory for martials to have access to a magic weapon by level 6 to remain balanced with spellcasters.
Spellcasting is already extremely powerful, so direct buffs to saving throw DC, or spell areas are very quickly OP. Hence most magic items for spellcasters are essentially additional spells / spellslots rather than direct buffs to spell power.
Right, this was my instinct as well. I've heard the phrase "martials carry early, spellcasters carry late" a few times, which is why I didn't just throw them a random +1 Staff.
I will probably create some sort of magic item for spellcasters and I what I thought just a few moments ago was indeed some sort of spell slot recovery item. I know there's a few of those already out there, so I might not even need to homebrew it, I just need to find it/them.
If you want to throw the casters a bone, you can add in some spell scrolls. They’re single use and typically won’t be too strong, while the caster gets to save a spell slot. Wizards especially like them, but any caster can make use of one.
While not specific to your question, the DMGhas a chart for Magic Items Awarded by Level as well as a sheet you can print out to help you keep track of what you have handed out.
Related to your question, if you are worried about your Spellcasters feeling left out of Magic Item Loot, you can give them Spell Scrolls and Potionsthat are single use items.
Additionally, there are a lot of Magic Items out there that are not Game Breaking, and/or have limited number of uses.
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
I'm running a ready module and the party is currently level 4 and the campaign goes all the way to level 15. Looking at the module so far and the chapters to come, there seems to be an abundance of magic items for martial classes (+1 longswords, longbows, armor, shields, etc.), but hardly any items for spellcasters. They do get a few, but only for the final few levels of the campaign. I don't want to make them feel abandoned for years, but I'm also not sure if it's a balance thing. Do spellcasters benefit from magic items so much more than martial classes? I'm not afraid to homebrew items and I've already made a few... for martials, which I will probably just swap in-place for the items in the module. But again, I don't want the spellcasters to become ridiculously powerful early on, if the item distribution is indeed balanced and spellcasters gain much more from a +1 staff than a fighter from a +1 sword. How should I go about this?
It's never a bad idea to tailor the magic item distribution to your specific party
Keep in mind too that if there's a wizard in the party, they'll be just as happy with a couple scrolls, or even a whole enemy spellbook they can transcribe into their own book
As Character said above too, more generic items that aren't specifically combat-oriented -- immovable rod, that sort of thing -- will also let the players get creative with solutions to problems
Edoumiaond Willegume "Eddie" Podslee, Vegetanian scholar (College of Spirits bard) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Peter "the Pied Piper" Hausler, human con artist/remover of vermin (Circle of the Shepherd druid) PIPA - Planar Interception/Protection Aeormaton, warforged bodyguard and ex-wizard hunter (Warrior of the Elements monk/Cartographer artificer) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Keep in mind too that if there's a wizard in the party, they'll be just as happy with a couple scrolls, or even a whole enemy spellbook they can transcribe into their own book
As Character said above too, more generic items that aren't specifically combat-oriented -- immovable rod, that sort of thing -- will also let the players get creative with solutions to problems
There indeed is a wizard in the party. She's (probably) getting her hands on her teacher's spellbook, who's gone missing (the module directly says there's a spellbook to be found, I just made it to be her teacher's). To be fair, I never even considered it to be a magic item, but it is indeed something that the wizard will be very happy to receive.
Also, I've made one wondrous item for specific niche situations. It has charges, but can also be thrown (and broken) for a different effect. I'm hoping the party will enjoy that as well and encourage them to explore some places they might not otherwise explore. I don't think there's that many "class agnostic" items in the module and I'm not very familiar with those, but I could take a deeper look at the DMG magic item list with this in mind as well.
It is much better to give the martial magic items because A) They need them much more and B) They kind of get less otherwise. They have some set abilities, maybe some half-caster spells, but almost every level spellcasters get more spells and cool things to do. It would be good to get in a few scrolls, and perhaps some fun common and uncommon that give a nifty little trick (Hat of Wizardry, Cloak of Billowing designed like a wizard robe), but otherwise, put down shiny swords and things to make sure your martial guys can do things and be happy too.
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He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
Give them a Multitool +1 and bag of diamonds, and one month of down time to craft while the martials play cards. Let them make their own gear from the magical items list, and the problem will solve itself. All you have to do is say "anything from Common or Uncommon, you can have. Fgure it out." It will cost you maybe a half hour of table time as they look through the items and equip themselves.
Bag of Holding, Alchemy Jug, Ruby of the War Mage, Winged Boots. These aren't going to break the game.
Just don't give them a Staff of the Magi in Tier 1. LOL.
As other have suggested, magic users can get OP fast, even at low levels. I've been played in groups and DMed others where the Magic users get most of the body counts, and I tend to not play magic users. What I have done in the past is to incorporate magic items that keeps it fun, even as possible while still challengin.
Note that you can also give out spellcaster items that have poor level scaling -- typically anything that requires an action to use falls off pretty fast. For example, you can give them a enspelled staff that casts burning hands or a similar first level spell that requires an action to cast, and while it's a useful item at fourth level, it's going to rapidly drop off at higher levels.
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I'm running a ready module and the party is currently level 4 and the campaign goes all the way to level 15. Looking at the module so far and the chapters to come, there seems to be an abundance of magic items for martial classes (+1 longswords, longbows, armor, shields, etc.), but hardly any items for spellcasters. They do get a few, but only for the final few levels of the campaign. I don't want to make them feel abandoned for years, but I'm also not sure if it's a balance thing. Do spellcasters benefit from magic items so much more than martial classes? I'm not afraid to homebrew items and I've already made a few... for martials, which I will probably just swap in-place for the items in the module. But again, I don't want the spellcasters to become ridiculously powerful early on, if the item distribution is indeed balanced and spellcasters gain much more from a +1 staff than a fighter from a +1 sword. How should I go about this?
Follow your gut, if you feel there are not many non martial items, then start including a few non martial items.
Personally I like the wonderous items for magic. As they are a bit quirky and not a one solution fits all items.
Spellcasters have far fewer magic item options that don't because OP. Spellcasting is already extremely powerful, so direct buffs to saving throw DC, or spell areas are very quickly OP. Hence most magic items for spellcasters are essentially additional spells / spellslots rather than direct buffs to spell power.
By contrast, there is a whole host of enemies with resistance to non-magical damage which cripple martials that don't have a magic weapon, making it basically mandatory for martials to have access to a magic weapon by level 6 to remain balanced with spellcasters.
Right, this was my instinct as well. I've heard the phrase "martials carry early, spellcasters carry late" a few times, which is why I didn't just throw them a random +1 Staff.
I will probably create some sort of magic item for spellcasters and I what I thought just a few moments ago was indeed some sort of spell slot recovery item. I know there's a few of those already out there, so I might not even need to homebrew it, I just need to find it/them.
If you want to throw the casters a bone, you can add in some spell scrolls. They’re single use and typically won’t be too strong, while the caster gets to save a spell slot. Wizards especially like them, but any caster can make use of one.
Greetings Scurvy,
While not specific to your question, the DMG has a chart for Magic Items Awarded by Level as well as a sheet you can print out to help you keep track of what you have handed out.
Related to your question, if you are worried about your Spellcasters feeling left out of Magic Item Loot, you can give them Spell Scrolls and Potions that are single use items.
Additionally, there are a lot of Magic Items out there that are not Game Breaking, and/or have limited number of uses.
Cheers!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
It's never a bad idea to tailor the magic item distribution to your specific party
Keep in mind too that if there's a wizard in the party, they'll be just as happy with a couple scrolls, or even a whole enemy spellbook they can transcribe into their own book
As Character said above too, more generic items that aren't specifically combat-oriented -- immovable rod, that sort of thing -- will also let the players get creative with solutions to problems
Active characters:
Edoumiaond Willegume "Eddie" Podslee, Vegetanian scholar (College of Spirits bard)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Peter "the Pied Piper" Hausler, human con artist/remover of vermin (Circle of the Shepherd druid)
PIPA - Planar Interception/Protection Aeormaton, warforged bodyguard and ex-wizard hunter (Warrior of the Elements monk/Cartographer artificer)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
There indeed is a wizard in the party. She's (probably) getting her hands on her teacher's spellbook, who's gone missing (the module directly says there's a spellbook to be found, I just made it to be her teacher's). To be fair, I never even considered it to be a magic item, but it is indeed something that the wizard will be very happy to receive.
Also, I've made one wondrous item for specific niche situations. It has charges, but can also be thrown (and broken) for a different effect. I'm hoping the party will enjoy that as well and encourage them to explore some places they might not otherwise explore. I don't think there's that many "class agnostic" items in the module and I'm not very familiar with those, but I could take a deeper look at the DMG magic item list with this in mind as well.
It is much better to give the martial magic items because A) They need them much more and B) They kind of get less otherwise. They have some set abilities, maybe some half-caster spells, but almost every level spellcasters get more spells and cool things to do. It would be good to get in a few scrolls, and perhaps some fun common and uncommon that give a nifty little trick (Hat of Wizardry, Cloak of Billowing designed like a wizard robe), but otherwise, put down shiny swords and things to make sure your martial guys can do things and be happy too.
He doesn't have much besides the skin on his bones. Me: I'll take the skin on his bones, then.
"You see a gigantic, monstrous praying mantis burst from out of the ground. It sprays a stream of acid from it's mouth at one soldier, dissolving him instantly, then it turns and chomps another soldier in half with it's- "
"When are we gonna take a snack break?"
Give them a Multitool +1 and bag of diamonds, and one month of down time to craft while the martials play cards. Let them make their own gear from the magical items list, and the problem will solve itself. All you have to do is say "anything from Common or Uncommon, you can have. Fgure it out." It will cost you maybe a half hour of table time as they look through the items and equip themselves.
Bag of Holding, Alchemy Jug, Ruby of the War Mage, Winged Boots. These aren't going to break the game.
Just don't give them a Staff of the Magi in Tier 1. LOL.
As other have suggested, magic users can get OP fast, even at low levels. I've been played in groups and DMed others where the Magic users get most of the body counts, and I tend to not play magic users. What I have done in the past is to incorporate magic items that keeps it fun, even as possible while still challengin.
Note that you can also give out spellcaster items that have poor level scaling -- typically anything that requires an action to use falls off pretty fast. For example, you can give them a enspelled staff that casts burning hands or a similar first level spell that requires an action to cast, and while it's a useful item at fourth level, it's going to rapidly drop off at higher levels.