It isnt a big deal early on, but as the game goes on it means you tend to grade the magical items in direct relation to the players skills (they are at 10w2 so the weapon will be rated 40), so they seem effective.
None of my players even considers improving their weapons magic unless it is close to an augment bonus hump.
This seems wrong.
In my game magic items have upper ratings limits, but mostly start at 17 when found. Working on the theory of progressive attunement 9spending HPs to attune it) until they reach the hidden max value, the actual power level of the item. It would seem to me that constant use of the item should result in attunement with time... but HPs dont reflect this.
I suppose you could award HPs specifically for using your weapon/item to allow them to improve them, but this is an extra layer of administration, and my players have trouble adding 1+1 consistently right (every now and then it equals 3, or 4).
It just doesnt seem to gel well for me.
Eg Spear of Brightness (fine spear, 2 handed, Sunbright Flash 17).
Sunbright Flash can be used to blind opponents, direct attack of 17 vs their appropriate resistance.
Such as spear at game start is quite good, but when your characters are using skills above 10w1 it begins to pale (pun intended). The spears effects will simply not work against the foes you are now fighting, who's resistances have improved to match you.
Investing HPs into the spear to keep it relative weakens your character in relation to those you are playing with, in the limited view of power=combat skill.
The other thing, and this may just be my game, is that the power of some magic items doesnt seem to be used directly very often, especially something like Spear of Sharpness (Bladesharp 17). Such an ability usually gets reduced to +2 and forgotten. I suppose I can work out some way to use this (although my brain dead players wont), but it would be nice if the game system incorporated a mechanism. Like actaully adding the +17 to your combat skill, ala animists releasing fetish powers (a precedent of sorts).
Anyway, I'm bored at work and need something to keep me amused.
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