Don't buy magical objects.

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Anybody else play without buying magical objects? This is how I play because I come from a P&P background which makes it clear that this is a no-no. I allow myself to buy scrolls (but not protection scrolls) since mages often sell their spell knowledge to other mages.
I find that playing this way make the game tougher (obviously) but also makes you appreciate the magical objects you acquire through adventuring, even more.

[ January 21, 2004, 20:13: Message edited by: keldor ]

 

What about forging items? Does that count as buying or as finding?

 

keldor, I do the same thing almost every game. Not for roleplaying reasons, but rather because just about every item in the game for sale is rather worthless (exception: Robe of Vecna).

 

It will only make the beginning harder, the best items in the game are for free, altough some very handy items are only for sale. ( Mercykiller ring for example and the robe of vecna for example )

 

Robe of Vecna, Bracer AC3, Shield,Sword and Plate of Balduran...that's about it...
Oh yeah and i like to use at chapter II, till i get Celestial Fury, Blade of Roses

 

What about the Girdle of Hill Giant Strength? A STR score of 19 is a must have for a front line fighter. My first stop once I get enough cash is the Adventurer's Mart. And I'm also pretty partial to the mace which boosts the wielder's STR to 18 (a great thing for someone like Aerie who is naturally very weak).

 

No, you found the ingredients for it, so its not buying a weapon with pure gold only.

 

I agree with Crom on the matter of forging items. It's not exactly cheap in the first place and getting hold of any of the items that Cromwell can use is not easy by any means. [Oops!Except the ankheg shell but even that is trapped and may get you attacked by guards. I assume Cromwell can use it to make ankheg armour.]
[Edit] Of course you can travel to Windspear and get ankheg shell but does anyone even bother?!
P.S. The Robe of Vecna is superb for my character but I just can't stoop so low as to *buy* such an item.
Incidentally I don't allow myself to *steal* magical items either, except from NPCs since they can obviously have magical items of their own, and also they will fight you if they catch you i.e. there is real danger involved.

 

The game's been done without any magical items at all so you should be able manage, though not without difficulty. (mod unincluded)

There are actually some very nice magical items for sale, though you don't get to appreciate them as much unless you could use them, for one, or you like using the occasional odd item.
In my first game with a Blade I tried buying everything I saw (for both roleplaying and powergaming urposes) and the merchants actually have very powerful selections, but they're not for everbody, require odd proficiencies, and as a whole the items you find will be more than enough.

 

Well I think that if you dont buy , but only find items, some should be made much harder to find, or the difficulty should represent the quality of the weapons. Some really good weapons are quite easy to get. I would see buying items for 50000-150000 be more difficult than "finding" items, since you have to do a lot more than( unless you steel - sell - steel - sell items until you have the required money. I did this once and my low level company already had some VERY good items )

 

I'd like to see these buyable items, especially the robe of Vecna taken out of the stores and put into a few new quests, I mean c'mon how could you honestly expect to find something like the Robe of Vecna just lying on a store shelf for someone to buy? much more belivable to actually earn it by having to fight an arch-lich or Demilich rather then have it all but handed to you.

 

By 'fnd' I think we all meant 'by adventuring' which is almost always a matter of facing great danger.
There aren't very many magical items that can simply be 'picked up' and they certainly aren't very special. None that you would *buy* in a store.
Daystar: guarded by lich and in locked chest (easy to get in practice but on paper, there is real danger involved).
Axe in the docks district (near the ruffian): In all likelihood, you are going to have to pass the mad priest of Cyric (and the item itself is nothing special). You'd never buy this in a store.

 

In ordinary stores, no less.
With people like Ribald, Joluv and Deidre, the case is quite different.

I agree that the Robe of Vecna should have had better entrance, since given its tremendous power and the fact that the owner just happens to be the god of secrets, how Deidre could have acquired should be something of a very good tale indeed.
But since we know next to nothing about her in the first place, we'll never know, won't we?

 

I disagree. There are many good magical items for sale in the game. Especially for those players who are not so experienced, and do not know each secret place of the powerful items. They can easily find a shop though, and buy the necessary items.

 

I've played the game both ways and buying magical items makes it so easy it's a joke. Think scroll of protection from magic and simulacrums for example. Think scrolls of protection from undead when a huge portion of the story involves vampires! There are also many very high powered magical items to be won from liches and with those scrolls, they are utterly powerless against you. Then there are all the potions you can buff yourself up with before you enter a dangerous lair. This is fine if you've found and saved these but by *buying* them, it makes encounters a joke. It defeats the point of adventuring too!
This doesn't include the several extremely powerful and useful items that have been mentioned such as the belt of giant strength, Vecna's robe, robe of the Archmagi, belt of inertial barrier, cloak of displacement, Azuredge, the shield and armour of Balduran, magical wands...to suggest that these items are largely useless is just...well...what can one say?
Buying such items doesn't just make the game easier in the early stages, it makes it easier throughout. I stopped it ages ago because it killed the game for me. Just wondered about you guys.