Items for loot drops

[Zombie]

Currently I am creating some new items to make for interesting loot drops which will hopefully be able to be used in the mod. I am looking for ideas as to what items of around +2 power or less that your characters would actually use, so that I don’t waste my time making items no one wants.

Amulet of will +1 will saves. Who would use this? Its just crap. Amulets of protection +1 are not hard to get. So I wont be making items like that.

Amulet of Frost cold dr/5, would you use this over an amulet of natural armor +2? What if the dr was /10?

What about skill increases of 3 and 6, which skills would you use items for? Would you use an item that gave a +1 ability bonus and a +3 skill increase over a +2 ability bonus?

Items that give dr 5 or 10 vs slashing and the like, do you use those?

If there were ‘sets’ of items would you collect them? Examples are:
• Helm of Odin, Boots of Odin, Ring of Odin.
• A series of masterwork swords crafted by the same smith.

Other ideas for things you would like to see?
Want to help out? Lets get together and make stuff!

[Chemical-Burn]

Might I suggest some better bonuses but some negatives as well. Like say a DR bonus immunity but a reduction in moving silently or say something with SR but 'glitters" and has a reduction in hide. Of course my examples pick on the sneaks but they were my first two examples.

Maybe some random items that have minor spell uses like silence or sleep. Unless im lame enouph to have always missed things like that in the current loot table.

Personally items that are single use like potions I generally dont use for whatever reason. Its just me to feel that I can always save it for a better time and then never use anything.

[JD Smith]

Personally .... I like items with the "X use(s) per day"

[sinn]

Personally .... I like items with the "X use(s) per day"

hehe dont we all


Zombie for your item creation,

I cant speak for everybody but items that work like wands or can be used once then disappear are neat. Similar to scrolls but things that say only a fighter can use or maybe a ranger, or mages. Because some people will use them. Still make them slighty more powerful than say a crystal that when you brake it cast mage armor. That a VERY cheap spell that nearly anybody has access too. Make it do Improved Mage armor.

Why do I suggest this , because the idea of loot is to find something you will use, not just carry around and then sell to a merchant. Hell if thats all loot is just drop gold only, and save the effort and waste of magic bags.

Another thing, if there are monsters or something that one spawn once per reset then it does not hurt to have them drop slighty better items.

Weapons if you are making them, goes with some ideas form above, a long sword that is very sharp but difficult to wield because the handle is slightly bent or something. -2 AB +5 Slashing Damage. Somebody might use it? Or armor that does wacky stuff.

Rings that give you +3 str but -2 INT? Staffs that reduce your casting failure rate while in armor by 50% yet are -1 AB -1 Damage?

Items like a small glass orb with a very poisonous spider in it. Use once throw at enemy, it casts the spell poison, but with a VERY high DC.

Anyways.. the possibility are limitless. But the point is to make loot that will be used not just sold. Once you do that you can make the drops mostly gold, and items that people will use.

Oh and even though I could careless about it myself. Some people craft I assume, drops that help you craft with a higher % of success?

And something that works similar to the teleportion spell mages do but is only a 1 time thing. Like an golden wolf pelt that can be used once to teleport you to Uth Noird.

Okay I am running on at the keyboard again....

thanks for the work in advance Zombie

[sinn]

more from me.. in BOLD figured you might want you questions answered as well, not just a list of my ideas

Currently I am creating some new items to make for interesting loot drops which will hopefully be able to be used in the mod. I am looking for ideas as to what items of around +2 power or less that your characters would actually use, so that I don’t waste my time making items no one wants.

Amulet of will +1 will saves. Who would use this? Its just crap. Amulets of protection +1 are not hard to get. So I wont be making items like that. REMOVE THEM FROM THE LOOT TABLE

Amulet of Frost cold dr/5, would you use this over an amulet of natural armor +2? What if the dr was /10? DR of /10 for what ever is good, and people I THINK would switch out amulets of AC at times when it seems a good idea

What about skill increases of 3 and 6, which skills would you use items for? Would you use an item that gave a +1 ability bonus and a +3 skill increase over a +2 ability bonus? Depends on the skill, if you had a +1 DEX with +6 hide ring people might use it more than a simple +2 dex, but some skills are not used in combat so people can switch out there +2 str gloves for +3 lockpick when needed

Items that give dr 5 or 10 vs slashing and the like, do you use those?

If there were ‘sets’ of items would you collect them? Examples are:
• Helm of Odin, Boots of Odin, Ring of Odin.
• A series of masterwork swords crafted by the same smith.

I think most people collect what is useful, if your Odin stuff was useful sure people would get them all... like if the helm was /-15 slash, the boots /-15 bashing, and the ring /-15 piercing, I could see them being used together and collected. Your swords, well if they were useful (Ash has 5 morningstars, they are all SORT of useful so he collected them +3, slumberstar, bone pheinox, and redgate, and his PLOT star)

Other ideas for things you would like to see? Something similar to Redgate maybe, meaning weapons that do 5 damage elemental or something.
Want to help out? Lets get together and make stuff!

[Akai]

I think mostly consumables should be in loot drops, with non-consumables for quests/crafters. Instead of dropping +1 magic weapons, drop lots of sharpening stones of various quality (greater magic weapon 5/10/15). Instead of magic armor, incense that casts divine vestment. Basically when considering an item for a loot drop, choose a consumable that does the same thing. And lots more arrows!

Currently Amulet of Frost cold dr/5, would you use this over an amulet of natural armor +2? What if the dr was /10?

I think people would swap out their natural armor item when they knew they were going into a situation that needed the cold resistance.

What about skill increases of 3 and 6, which skills would you use items for? Would you use an item that gave a +1 ability bonus and a +3 skill increase over a +2 ability bonus?

Discipline, Heal, Listen, Lore, Perform, Spellcraft, Spot, Search, UMD. Again, people would carry these and swap out their +2 rings if they were going into a situation where they'd need the skill.

Items that give dr 5 or 10 vs slashing and the like, do you use those?

People who fight will use dr items until they find better dr items; they'll use /5 slashing until they find /5 all or /10 slashing, etc.

If there were ‘sets’ of items would you collect them? Examples are:
• Helm of Odin, Boots of Odin, Ring of Odin.
• A series of masterwork swords crafted by the same smith.

I'd as soon see sets of things that gave an advantage to being used together, not things collected just to take up storage space. Whether my characters would use a set or not would depend on what the set did, and whether using the set would require them to swap out gear to which they're particularly attached (holy items/plot rewards/special presents).

[Verandis]

Something that would be really thrilling is lorebooks or storybooks that had a one use spell on them. I'm sure these would be hoarded jealously by people who had them, and more likely to be used or kept to read then sold.

Another thing that would be sort of nice to find is the gems like bloodstones that don't seem to be treasure drops.

As for those sets, I think I would horde them if each part told part of a story about the relevant thing. So if the drops are pieces worn by a mighty hero, and each part talks about something in his life, making a complete story if you have all the pieces....okay I might not WEAR them, but I would totally keep them. Heh.

I always use DR items. It's a lot better then trying to use potions in combat and those 5 damages a hit really add up when you're surrounded by 12 enemies!

I am lazy and would probably stick with the +2 item rather then the +1/+3 skill. However, if an item had two skills I really used, I might use it over the +2 ability modifier. An example would be a +3 spellcraft/+3 lore item. I'd totally use that.

Other items which might be of use to lowbies and treasured are:
Immunity to poison
Invisibility 1/use

Another item which would require some scripting (or some scripting fix) that I really like is the various healing salves on Arkaz and Avlis. These require a successful healing check with a relatively high DC and tend to do regeneration of 2, 3, or 4. Not all my PCs have the heal score to use them, but those that do use them quite a bit for RP purposes or just to heal someone. Something like these would make good drops.

[Zombie]

One of the things I am doing is making replacement items for all the bulk standard things like Cloak of Protection +1 or in my case

Skjold Cloak, One Rune

Most warriors carry a Skjold, or shield, into battle to protect themselves. Skjold cloaks are enchanted to make them strong enough to offer protection to those that wear them.

A small rune embodied on this cloak signifies its power.

See? You get a magical cloak AND a lesson in Norse. Take that, boring cloak of protection +1

[albonia]

Im replaying an old RPG and one thing that would be intresting would be set items. You get the idea one of a set item would give a skill or whatever 2 a better skill and 3 better again.

I am not even sure if its even feasible in NWN but it would be intresting and make collection the set something to aim for.

Failing that items with + skill points

[_JM_]

Whether you can have a set of items that work better together or not depends on how NWN handed the Lord Nasher items. I know having his boots and his gloves and his cloak (can't remember if more) meant they all became more powerful in Hordes of the Underdark but I'm not sure what method Bioware used for this.

[Idonia]

Make a set of item with a singular theme, sure, like the Dwemer gear, but don't make it like "Odin's Boots", what if I'm looting a nonsentient monster, why would they have boots blessed by Odin?

But I DO like the idea of giving norse mythology lessons. For instance you could make a hammer, don't call it "Thor's Hammer" but "Mjollnir's Spawn" (This hammer was created in likeness to Thor's blah blah blah)


Also IMO unless a lot of us are former Abyss players, or hardcore DnD, I think most players HATE and groan when they see an item with a negative property on it. What's the point of using it? "The properties are perfectly balanced! It's realistic blah blah blah!" but MAGIC is supposed to enhance an item, not neutralize the enhancement and make it suck. Most builds have enough vices already.

If you put the light property on an item it already gives -10 to hide, no need to give a decrease.

[_JM_]

Thinking of the Dwemer gear... if there is going to be a set of items then I think the properties should work together. Three of them have the same property and it is one that does not stack.

Also depends how rare the sets would be. Rather a lot of wiggle room in rarity between the Dwemer Gear that can be collected in one trip and the shield my character has which is one of (theoretically) 49 unique items and I think I saw the amulet once and almost arranged to meet someone who had the belt...

[Zombie]

I have decided that I am going to make replacement items for existing items in the toolset that I think are ‘bland’. Then I am going to make a series of one shot items like the tokens that can be found on Arkaz, because I quite like those.

That amounts to a fair amount of work and should give a good number of items to play with as far as trying out some new system of item drops. I have no idea about that side of things though; I’m just making items to help out.

Assuming the team like my items that is!

Here are a few examples of some of the names I have so far:

Potion of Thor’s Strength
Elixer of Shaundakul’s Speed
Amulet of Jörmungandr’s Hide, Two Runes
Belt of Megingjard, One Rune
Cloak of the Vörðr, One Rune
Raven Helm of Huginn, One Rune

And some of the one shots

Token of Grovel
A Token is a small tablet of clay with a rune inscribed on it. When the tablet is snapped the magic of the rune is released.
Tokens commonly hold week, but useful, enchantments.

Tokens will be 1st-3rd lv spells

Icon of Grovel
An Icon is a small tablet of clay with a rune inscribed on it. When the tablet is snapped the magic of the rune is released.
Icons hold enchantments of moderate power.

Icons will be 4th-6th lv spells

Sigil of Grovel
A Sigil is a small tablet of clay with a rune inscribed on it. When the tablet is snapped the magic of the rune is released.
Sigils hold enchantments of great power and are jealously guarded by those who possess them.

sigils will be 7th-9th lv spells.

Effigy of Grovel
An Effigy is a small metal disk embossed with a picture or representation of a being of great power and importance. When the name of the being depicted is spoken the power of the Effigy is released.
Effigies may be used more than once before their magic is expended and the Effigy crumbles.

Effigys will be a bit more fun and have multiple charges and perhaps also a selection of different spells. Perhaps all the ones from the lesser items, or perhaps something different. So a 9th lv spell that costs 10 charges, a 5th lv at 5 charges and a 1st lv at 1 charge. I would think these would be pretty rare and I know I would want them.

The one shots will represent all sorts of things. Places, creatures, artifacts, planes, whatever. So you could have a Token of The Lord of the Night that casts Scare, or a Sigil of Sigil that casts Gate (bad bad name).

[Tremayne7]

I think you have a good idea Zombie. I rather like the tokens that Arkaz uses and they are handy. I like the renaming items as it would keep with Norse theme we have here on Hala.

[Zombie]

It was pointed out to me that creating the 'token' type items lessens characters who can uses scrolls, especially those who put bulk points into umd. So, I'll leave off on those until the team decides if they want those sorts of things or not.

[Verandis]

It was pointed out to me that creating the 'token' type items lessens characters who can uses scrolls, especially those who put bulk points into umd. So, I'll leave off on those until the team decides if they want those sorts of things or not.

It also negates the usefulness of scrollcrafting/artificing scrolls (which uses up a lot of xp to get to the point where you can make those high level ones!) I'm not sure if anyone makes scrolls on Ysgard, actually, as there seems to be a lack of some of the things needed.

However a few tokens (like, not common drops) are always nice. Even with my mage I tend to carry a couple of these around. It's probably safest to just keep them to the lower level spells.

[Adm.Venge]

It was pointed out to me that creating the 'token' type items lessens characters who can uses scrolls, especially those who put bulk points into umd. So, I'll leave off on those until the team decides if they want those sorts of things or not.

It also negates the usefulness of scrollcrafting/artificing scrolls (which uses up a lot of xp to get to the point where you can make those high level ones!) I'm not sure if anyone makes scrolls on Ysgard, actually, as there seems to be a lack of some of the things needed.

That is a silly argument, especially since the caster level of tokens is fixed. Also, you can apply metamagic to scrolls, which you wont have on tokens.

[sinn]

It was pointed out to me that creating the 'token' type items lessens characters who can uses scrolls, especially those who put bulk points into umd. So, I'll leave off on those until the team decides if they want those sorts of things or not.

simple way to make UMD more useful for the 'tokens' make certain ones restricted on who can use them. Alignment restriction or class.. for instance you token of Thor.. should be used only by say fighters and people with the same alignment as Thor worshipers are allowed.

Make a token of Hel only usable by CE, or a Token of Loth only usable by Drow.

Then UMD is still useful for token items.

just some thoughts to help out MAYBE

[sinn]

I have decided that I am going to make replacement items for existing items in the toolset that I think are ‘bland’. Then I am going to make a series of one shot items like the tokens that can be found on Arkaz, because I quite like those.

That amounts to a fair amount of work and should give a good number of items to play with as far as trying out some new system of item drops. I have no idea about that side of things though; I’m just making items to help out.

Assuming the team like my items that is!

Here are a few examples of some of the names I have so far:

Potion of Thor’s Strength
Elixer of Shaundakul’s Speed
Amulet of Jörmungandr’s Hide, Two Runes
Belt of Megingjard, One Rune
Cloak of the Vörðr, One Rune
Raven Helm of Huginn, One Rune

.

JUST A THOUGHT-

but renaming certain items like a bull strength potion to Potion of Thor’s Strength, will set collectors on fire again..

not saying that is good or bad.. just pointing that out

[Akai]

Scrolls: Yes, someone does scribe on Ysgard, there's a place where you can buy everything you need.

Tokens: I agree, keeping them at fairly low-level spells will keep them from competing with scrollmakers or scroll-users. (Also, I think you ought to inscribe the runes on wood or bone, not clay.)

New item: A set of bracers that whose charges can be used to create a substantial amount of gold coins?

[silverdragonams]

but renaming certain items like a bull strength potion to Potion of Thor’s Strength, will set collectors on fire again..

not saying that is good or bad.. just pointing that out

Our collectors have a limit placed on them as a group to prevent them from being abused. They are intended so that even if you don't play, you can still turn items into the collectors for a fairly good amount of XP per week but you will never gain a whole level in one week just from visiting collectors, no matter how much you turn in (in fact it will take you more than a month to level from collectors alone). So, more stuff for collectors isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[sinn]

but renaming certain items like a bull strength potion to Potion of Thor’s Strength, will set collectors on fire again..

not saying that is good or bad.. just pointing that out

Our collectors have a limit placed on them as a group to prevent them from being abused. They are intended so that even if you don't play, you can still turn items into the collectors for a fairly good amount of XP per week but you will never gain a whole level in one week just from visiting collectors, no matter how much you turn in (in fact it will take you more than a month to level from collectors alone). So, more stuff for collectors isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I agree 100% I play a character that does MANY of the collector quest, and another bonus from creating all these new items will be that it will attract players from other world that are collectors as well... IMO if the portals were suddenly working, the number of players on Hala exploring could VERY easily goes quiet noticeably due to these new items Zombie is talking about making..once they see some areas of Hala and we sick Lexy on them they will hang around a bit as well.. hehe

[Zombie]

So! I’m still thinking about drops as I’m still in a bit of a creative mood.

Are people interested in finding art objects or valuable trade good? Things like bolts of cloth, exotic spices, fine paintings emerald rings etc. It would be like finding a heavy/bulky gem that didn’t stack. Would it just be annoying to have to cart this stuff back to a shop so you could get your gold, or is it exciting to find these?

I am in two minds about it, and as it is a bit of effort to create nice things I would rather spend my time making things people want.

[ambrosia]

hum. that's hard to answer. Bianca would *LOVE* them. Nerice would just sell them. unless a 9 year old girl would like them. >_> <_<

[_JM_]

Those things sound quite nice to find but it depends on how much use can be attached to them. If all people can do is stow them in a chest or sell them then might as well just have gold. Thinking about the four examples:

bolts of cloth - useful if can use this cloth for better clothes, "silks from the orient" or "Egyptian cotton" rather than normal wool...but that would need DM help or the tailors modifying (conversation option that removes bolt of cloth from inventory and adds a "blank" outfit to be tailored with the machine?).

exotic spices - useful if can be used for fine cooking, either a top end cooking crafting recipe that needs it or getting a really nice dish from Hella (swap half the spices for her cooking, you get some nice food and she gets the other half of the spices for food for her to sell)…but again modification to crafting or conversation.

fine paintings – these you’d either put on a wall or sell to a collector (or return to whoever owned them before the bandit / beastie got hold of it)…but no real ability to put paintings on wall of homes so that only leaves selling…so might be simpler to just have gold. Could be nice in RP terms though to be able to build a collection by an artist, but that would need a lot of paintings to be made. They might be better as a DM spawn rather than general loot (keep it and hope a DM-NPC will come along who is a collector of that artist, or just sell it?)

emerald rings – nice present for someone but I think would just get sold almost all the time.

So I think what I am saying is that if all people are going to do is cart them back to a shop then better to just have gold, but if there would be options for RP or DM-RP or at merchants with the item then that would add even more flavour to the world.