Rivendell Preview 5: Magical Treasure

[Eclipse]

I like the way how magical treasures are handled in TOR. And as a LM I am always free to just distribute items I want to see in the game if players encounter a streak of bad luck with their die rolls. Of course, it all depends on the amount and qualities of treasure hoards in your games. If there are few, but you still want your players to obtain magical treasures, another way must be found.

[doctheweasel]

Yeah, my biggest issue with the rules as written is the likelihood of hoards... Sure, Trolls might have hoards but how often are the heroes going to find those?

My players are not going to steal from burial mounds... Troll/Dragon hoards are just second-hand stealing, but I guess that's okay?

Maybe some Patrons can gift magical items, as appropriate?

I'm going to have to think a little more on this... I want to introduce ways to get magical items into players hands, but I want it to feel right...

This is one of my issues with Standing as well. The rules assume much more treasure than makes sense (at least in my games).

[Rich H]

Yeah, my biggest issue with the rules as written is the likelihood of hoards... Sure, Trolls might have hoards but how often are the heroes going to find those?

My players are not going to steal from burial mounds... Troll/Dragon hoards are just second-hand stealing, but I guess that's okay?

Maybe some Patrons can gift magical items, as appropriate?

I'm going to have to think a little more on this... I want to introduce ways to get magical items into players hands, but I want it to feel right...

This is one of my issues with Standing as well. The rules assume much more treasure than makes sense (at least in my games).

I'm the same. I house-ruled, reducing the costs for increasing Standing because of this.

[Beran]

I like the idea of merging Standing with a Renown stat. This way if you want to spend money to raise your "standing" you can, but overall it is dependent on deeds rather then cash.

[Artking]

Are there examples of iconic items in Rivendell? For example, the mithril coat, elf cloaks, Aiglos, Narsil, the Rings of Power.

[aramis]

Are there examples of iconic items in Rivendell? For example, the mithril coat, elf cloaks, Aiglos, Narsil, the Rings of Power.

Some. We get to see writeups for Thorin's Orcrist, Fili's The Shield of the Dead, Glóin's The Axe Under the Mountain, Sting, Bilbo's Mithral Coat, and Balin's Silver Mail.

There are about a dozen famous items in total written up.

[zedturtle]

I like the idea of merging Standing with a Renown stat. This way if you want to spend money to raise your "standing" you can, but overall it is dependent on deeds rather then cash.

A simple way could make "natural" Standing be equal to the lower of your Valour or Wisdom, minus 1. This would give the intended result of 0 Standing for starting characters and make it so that only characters of unusual dedication would achieve high natural Standing (i.e. you'd have to raise both Valour and Wisdom concurrently).

But you'd still be able to buy a higher Standing, maybe greatly reduced cost, but it only lasts for a year...

[Andrew]

I wrote up Glamdring too but dropped it during layout; I'll see if I can find it to post up here.

[Glorelendil]

Where did Balin's armor, Gloin's axe, and Fili's shield come from? I thought they were invented by C7 for this supplement.

[Andrew]

They're all items that are mentioned as being found in Smaug's horde in The Hobbit; but not necessarily as belonging to those Dwarves.