The creation of magic (and spirit etc) items should involve giving up an equivalently valuable resource.
As we don't have a working economy, the only equivalently valuable resource is XP, or things bought therewith.
Magic items being bought as skills feels wrong, for a variety of reasons.
Therefore, creating a magic item should entail giving up a certain number of XP from your "XP earned" total (as opposed to adding to your "XP spent" total).
Discuss.
--Jacob
- I disagree. I think IC effort is an equivalent resource, and anyone clearly devoting much time and effort IC towards acquiring magic items (involving negotiating with and persuading NPCs and other PCs, risking death on linears, expending other IC resources etc) should be appropriately rewarded. Simply spending XP without putting appropriate IC effort into it feels terribly wrong. --Valtiel
- I agree that IC effort should be a component too. However, what I would like would be a system whereby a mage can decide "I am going to sit down and figure out how to make $powerful magical artifact", with if not perfect reliability, at least enough chance of success for it to be a sensible thing to do in some situations. One way of doing that is for the refs to list a series of IC hurdles to overcome (you have to procure X, Y and Z, and possibly write a plausible ritual, although one of the things that sparked me off thinking about this is people objecting to rituals of "give me flange"), but that's an awful lot of work for the refs, probably over something that won't involve other PCs much (which I think is the key point); I'm inclined to think that making at least some of what a mage is expected to invest be something simple and systematisable might be good. --Jacob
- A 100% reliable means of mages getting magic items by spending XP is a major balance issue because no other class would be able to do it. Mages are overpowered ALREADY, and are much more prevalent than any other class. Basing magic/spiritual/flangy item acquisition on IC effort and roleplaying means that every class has an equal chance. --Valtiel
- Hence "not perfectly reliably". Besides, at present things are no less unequal - mages and priests can make flangey items, in a less rationed mana, and other classes can't. Part of the point would be to *limit* the power of casters by making one of their options cost XP, as well as IC effort, rather than being free. --Jacob
- ...but warriors who wanted a magic sword would still have only cash and flange to trade for it, thus getting it 'free', or not at all? --I
- I feel that a system where all of your flange, including your equipment, was considered a part of your character would be perfectly reasonable. In that, you would have to spend xp to use a magic item. Charging for creation, when they can then be stolen/given away... Not so good. I, personally, like the idea of an 'enchanter' type class, giving you power through having shiny Stuff - but I think it's into system reset territory. --I
- That was one of the reasons I prefer "give up XP earned" to "add to XP spent". I agree that taking a skill for something that can be stolen/given away would be iffy, but I think that giving up XP that can be reearned is less so. --Jacob
- While I realise the two are not technically equivalent, they feel the same, and I don't think I would feel notably less (OC) bad nicking someone's magic sword if it waqs bought with xp in either fashion. I don't want that to stand in the way of my nicking someone's sword, so I don't like that level of investment. I prefer the Amber Diceless, Orpheus, etc etc view of magic items: If you pay xp (character points, whatever) for them, they are a part of the character, and cannot be permanently removed (without a refund, and not lightly even then). --I
- I see your point, but remember that losing XP is less of a cost than spending them. I think that TT's setting relies too much on supernatural items that pass from hand to hand - there are too many obvious stories/plotlines that involve them - for the default creation mechanic resulting in something that only certain people can use to be desirable. --Jacob
- I disagree on the idea that losing XP is somehow cheaper than spending them. I also note that nothing stops plot items still being in circulation, for those willing to risk the associated plot. --I
- Losing XP doesn't take you any closer to the XP caps. --Valtiel
- You mean like a "use magic item" skill? --Valtiel
- Erm, not really. I mean spending xp on 'I have a magic sword which cannot be disarmed'. You may note that we have this mechanic in system already. I'd prefer to expand it than to go Jacob's route. --I