I'm running Dragon of Icespire Peak as an AL game, and I think the players are headed to take on Icespire Hold next session. I have an issue with the fact that Icespire Hold doesn't drop any magic items. That's half the fun of logging session results is managing your magic item inventory. Plus, this is the finale. How they settled on 'this dragon has no hoard' in the writing process astounds me. I know as DMs, we're given a measured amount of creative license, which I know doesn't extend to dropping magic items not granted by the adventure. But what about moving items that ARE granted by the adventure to other locations within the adventure? Like, if my players never went to Dragon Barrow, can they find the Necklace of Fireballs on a body in the Hold?
As the DM, you have quite a bit of leeway. You can't add treasure to an adventure but you can move it around if you want to do so. In theory, you would be limited to moving treasure within the "chapter" of a hardcover because these are logged with separate codes in AL. However, DoIP only has one "chapter" and code so you can move treasure that can be found anywhere in the module.
However, one of the differences between Season 9 AL and previous seasons is that when a non-story line magic item drops, everyone has an option to take it. In addition, if you are running DoIP as an AL module you need to check the content catalogue for modifications. For example, the +1 weapon that is dropped at the Tower of Storms was changed in the content catalogue to a Weapon of Warning that could only be a Long bow, mace, shortsword or battleaxe - DM's choice). I'm not sure why some of these changes were needed but the magical shortsword several folks in my party picked up at the Tower of Storms came in handy at the Mountain Toe mine.
Here is the guidance for DoIP from the CC.
"DDHC0-DoIP Dragon of Icespire Peak Character Options. Characters are created using the rules in the Adventurers League Player’s Guide (ALPG); they aren’t limited to the options listed here. Running for Multiple Players. Sidekicks are only used if your group has one player; groups of two or more can’t use Sidekicks. Groups of two players are only specifically permitted for this adventure. Axholm: A14. Throne Room. The gold signet ring is a story item. Dragon Barrow: D8. Dragon Slayer. The dragonslayer is a story item. Each character who earns this story item chooses the type of sword that the dragonslayer is for their character. Gnomengard: Wild Magic. On a result of a 20, the DM may combine two of the above effects of invent their own. If the DM invents their own effect, it may not have a mechanical property. Gnomengard: G6. Barrel Crabs. The barrel crabs are story items. There can be no more than two barrel crabs used in a given session of the adventure. The barrel crabs cease functioning if removed from Gnomengard. Tower of Storms: T10 – T14. Shipwrecks. The treasure found aboard the Star-Crossed Lover is a weapon of warning (either a battleaxe, longbow, mace, or shortsword, DM’s choice). Woodland Manse: W10. Wizard’s Laboratory. Grannoc’s map is a story item."
Story items are persistent across sessions so that when they are needed they are available even if the character that was carrying the item misses the session.
"Story Items If the characters acquire any of the following items during their play of the Season 0 adventures, they may use them as they see fit. Once these items are found, they can be used just like any other item. They can be attuned to, passed to other group members, or stowed; they do not have an associated cost via gold or treasure points. Additionally, these items cannot be traded outside of the group and cannot leave these hardcover adventures – so if one of your party members has attuned to one of them and misses the next game due for some reason (playing in another game elsewhere, life, etc.) the item is considered “party loot” and the DM simply re-assigns it to another character; when this happens, the original character loses attunement and any new wielder can attune as per the item’s normal rules (if any are required). The story items for Season 0 adventures include: • Deck of Several Things (DDAL00-06; see notes) • Polymorph Blade (DDAL00-06) • Symbol of St. Cuthbert’s Knowledge (DDHC00-GSM; present only in Appendix A) • Gold Signet Ring (DDHC00-DoIP) • Dragonslayer (DDHC00-DoIP) • Barrel Crabs (DDHC00-DoIP) • Grannoc’s Map (DDHC00-DoIP)"
This means that if your party had acquired the Dragonslayer sword in the Dragon barrow they would not be able to keep it beyond the DoIP module since it is a story item.
Of course they can, you are running the story and if you want the Necklace of Fireballs to appear anywhere in the adventure, feel free.
If you're playing by AL rules, then all that will really do is "unlock" the necklace for them to purchase, not give it to them permanently .
Actually, in season 9, finding a magic item gives ALL the characters the choice to take it permanently up to the magic item limit for the tier they are in. A tier 1 character can have ONE magic item, tier 2 is three, tier 3 is six and tier 4 is 10 magic items.
Of course they can, you are running the story and if you want the Necklace of Fireballs to appear anywhere in the adventure, feel free.
If you're playing by AL rules, then all that will really do is "unlock" the necklace for them to purchase, not give it to them permanently .
Actually, in season 9, finding a magic item gives ALL the characters the choice to take it permanently up to the magic item limit for the tier they are in. A tier 1 character can have ONE magic item, tier 2 is three, tier 3 is six and tier 4 is 10 magic items.
Ah, I read the rules for Season 9 when they were first released and I forgot about that.
Season 8 was enough for the FLGS I run at and myself to say no more AL.
Yeah, I'll need to remind my players that the +1 Mace they picked up from the Tower of Storms is actually a Weapon of Warning. But we did read the ALCC and got the Dragonslayer sorted. I got a player carrying it as a Greatsword to Icespire Hold next week.
So, by your interpretation, I could move an item into Icespire Hold because the whole adventure is all one chapter? I received another set of consensus that determined each location functions as separate chapters. We also dug deep enough to find the rule that said if a magic item is tied to an encounter, you have to have that encounter, even if you change the setting. If, say a Wand of Magic Missiles was in the study of the Wizard's Tower, and you have to defeat the wizard to get access to the wand, and you want to award that wand to the players, you have to have them encounter and defeat the wizard and find the wand on him or something. I can't cite that rule myself, but the people I was chatting with seemed familiar with the text.
Of course they can, you are running the story and if you want the Necklace of Fireballs to appear anywhere in the adventure, feel free.
If you're playing by AL rules, then all that will really do is "unlock" the necklace for them to purchase, not give it to them permanently .
Actually, in season 9, finding a magic item gives ALL the characters the choice to take it permanently up to the magic item limit for the tier they are in. A tier 1 character can have ONE magic item, tier 2 is three, tier 3 is six and tier 4 is 10 magic items.
Ah, I read the rules for Season 9 when they were first released and I forgot about that.
Season 8 was enough for the FLGS I run at and myself to say no more AL.
Overall, I find season 9 to be an improvement and folks at the FLGS near me seemed to enjoy it more. Less to track, less confusing, leveling up is easier, tracking magic items is easier and the approach to leveling and magic items doesn't get into the issues from season 7 and before. (i.e. murder hobo parties using scorched earth policies to maximize xp and arguments/bad feelings over magic item distribution when folks take something useless for their character in order to trade it ... or folks who intentionally took no magic items so that they could get their pick in tier 2/3/4).
The AL rules aren't as "realistic" as your typical home game with gold limits and everyone having a choice to accept the magic item from a module but on the other hand it does give a more even playing field and avoids the issues that crop up when a group of strangers play together and some folks have different ideas about what is fair in terms of distributing treasure.
I'm running Dragon of Icespire Peak as an AL game, and I think the players are headed to take on Icespire Hold next session. I have an issue with the fact that Icespire Hold doesn't drop any magic items. That's half the fun of logging session results is managing your magic item inventory. Plus, this is the finale. How they settled on 'this dragon has no hoard' in the writing process astounds me. I know as DMs, we're given a measured amount of creative license, which I know doesn't extend to dropping magic items not granted by the adventure. But what about moving items that ARE granted by the adventure to other locations within the adventure? Like, if my players never went to Dragon Barrow, can they find the Necklace of Fireballs on a body in the Hold?
Of course they can, you are running the story and if you want the Necklace of Fireballs to appear anywhere in the adventure, feel free.
If you're playing by AL rules, then all that will really do is "unlock" the necklace for them to purchase, not give it to them permanently .
As the DM, you have quite a bit of leeway. You can't add treasure to an adventure but you can move it around if you want to do so. In theory, you would be limited to moving treasure within the "chapter" of a hardcover because these are logged with separate codes in AL. However, DoIP only has one "chapter" and code so you can move treasure that can be found anywhere in the module.
However, one of the differences between Season 9 AL and previous seasons is that when a non-story line magic item drops, everyone has an option to take it. In addition, if you are running DoIP as an AL module you need to check the content catalogue for modifications. For example, the +1 weapon that is dropped at the Tower of Storms was changed in the content catalogue to a Weapon of Warning that could only be a Long bow, mace, shortsword or battleaxe - DM's choice). I'm not sure why some of these changes were needed but the magical shortsword several folks in my party picked up at the Tower of Storms came in handy at the Mountain Toe mine.
Here is the guidance for DoIP from the CC.
"DDHC0-DoIP Dragon of Icespire Peak
Character Options. Characters are created using the rules in the Adventurers League Player’s Guide (ALPG); they aren’t limited to the options listed here.
Running for Multiple Players. Sidekicks are only used if your group has one player; groups of two or more can’t use Sidekicks. Groups of two players are only specifically permitted for this adventure.
Axholm: A14. Throne Room. The gold signet ring is a story item.
Dragon Barrow: D8. Dragon Slayer. The dragonslayer is a story item. Each character who earns this story item chooses the type of sword that the dragonslayer is for their character.
Gnomengard: Wild Magic. On a result of a 20, the DM may combine two of the above effects of invent their own. If the DM invents their own effect, it may not have a mechanical property.
Gnomengard: G6. Barrel Crabs. The barrel crabs are story items. There can be no more than two barrel crabs used in a given session of the adventure. The barrel crabs cease functioning if removed from Gnomengard.
Tower of Storms: T10 – T14. Shipwrecks. The treasure found aboard the Star-Crossed Lover is a weapon of warning (either a battleaxe, longbow, mace, or shortsword, DM’s choice).
Woodland Manse: W10. Wizard’s Laboratory. Grannoc’s map is a story item."
Story items are persistent across sessions so that when they are needed they are available even if the character that was carrying the item misses the session.
"Story Items
If the characters acquire any of the following items during their play of the Season 0 adventures, they may use them as they see fit. Once these items are found, they can be used just like any other item. They can be attuned to, passed to other group members, or stowed; they do not have an associated cost via gold or treasure points. Additionally, these items cannot be traded outside of the group and cannot leave these hardcover adventures – so if one of your party members has attuned to one of them and misses the next game due for some reason (playing in another game elsewhere, life, etc.) the item is considered “party loot” and the DM simply re-assigns it to another character; when this happens, the original character loses attunement and any new wielder can attune as per the item’s normal rules (if any are required).
The story items for Season 0 adventures include:
• Deck of Several Things (DDAL00-06; see notes)
• Polymorph Blade (DDAL00-06)
• Symbol of St. Cuthbert’s Knowledge (DDHC00-GSM; present only in Appendix A)
• Gold Signet Ring (DDHC00-DoIP)
• Dragonslayer (DDHC00-DoIP)
• Barrel Crabs (DDHC00-DoIP)
• Grannoc’s Map (DDHC00-DoIP)"
This means that if your party had acquired the Dragonslayer sword in the Dragon barrow they would not be able to keep it beyond the DoIP module since it is a story item.
Actually, in season 9, finding a magic item gives ALL the characters the choice to take it permanently up to the magic item limit for the tier they are in. A tier 1 character can have ONE magic item, tier 2 is three, tier 3 is six and tier 4 is 10 magic items.
Ah, I read the rules for Season 9 when they were first released and I forgot about that.
Season 8 was enough for the FLGS I run at and myself to say no more AL.
Season 9's rules really are a big improvement.
Yeah, I'll need to remind my players that the +1 Mace they picked up from the Tower of Storms is actually a Weapon of Warning. But we did read the ALCC and got the Dragonslayer sorted. I got a player carrying it as a Greatsword to Icespire Hold next week.
So, by your interpretation, I could move an item into Icespire Hold because the whole adventure is all one chapter? I received another set of consensus that determined each location functions as separate chapters. We also dug deep enough to find the rule that said if a magic item is tied to an encounter, you have to have that encounter, even if you change the setting. If, say a Wand of Magic Missiles was in the study of the Wizard's Tower, and you have to defeat the wizard to get access to the wand, and you want to award that wand to the players, you have to have them encounter and defeat the wizard and find the wand on him or something. I can't cite that rule myself, but the people I was chatting with seemed familiar with the text.
Overall, I find season 9 to be an improvement and folks at the FLGS near me seemed to enjoy it more. Less to track, less confusing, leveling up is easier, tracking magic items is easier and the approach to leveling and magic items doesn't get into the issues from season 7 and before. (i.e. murder hobo parties using scorched earth policies to maximize xp and arguments/bad feelings over magic item distribution when folks take something useless for their character in order to trade it ... or folks who intentionally took no magic items so that they could get their pick in tier 2/3/4).
The AL rules aren't as "realistic" as your typical home game with gold limits and everyone having a choice to accept the magic item from a module but on the other hand it does give a more even playing field and avoids the issues that crop up when a group of strangers play together and some folks have different ideas about what is fair in terms of distributing treasure.
Luckily my FLGS group are all friends/ went to school together/ known each other for years so we really don't have those issues.
From AL_DMG_9.1: " (although magic items can only be awarded if specifically mentioned in the encounter in which they’re found)"
This was the closest rule I found to the situation. Players love rewards, I say move the encounter.