AV2 Item power levels

[AbdulAlhazred]

Is it just me or are there some really large character power ups inherent in a whole slew of AV2 items?

Seems like there are a lot of items with properties which are pretty darn game changing and available on low level items.

Example: Badge of the Berserker is a neck slot item which has the property

"When you charge, your movement made as part of the charge doesn't provoke opportunity attacks."

This item is available at + 1 as a level 2 item. There are many examples which are significantly stronger as well. A good number of them on weapons and implements. Lots which high level PCs would be happy to have around even on low level items (which for them are trivial cost).

AV2 is definitely going to have a real significant impact on the game.

 

[Mort_Q]

"When you charge, your movement made as part of the charge doesn't provoke opportunity attacks."

Counts as a use of a magic item daily power?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Counts as a use of a magic item daily power?

Nope, it is a property of the Badge. No power use. You wear it, you always get immunity to all OAs on a charge. Admittedly it takes up your neck slot, so there is some motivation to use that slot for other things, but there are plenty of orbs for example that have equally stupid powerful properties that you can get at low levels.

For example there is the Orb of Repeated Imposition. Admittedly it is 13th level, but it allows a daily power use to recharge your OoI class feature. So basically a 30th level orbizard can now get two permalocks going at once for the cost of a (at that level) trivial priced item.

 

[Mengu]

Example: Badge of the Berserker is a neck slot item which has the property

"When you charge, your movement made as part of the charge doesn't provoke opportunity attacks."

I picked one up and used it in a few adventures with my barbarian. It's good but it made a real difference maybe twice in 10 or so encounters. Hardly earth shattering. I think I would have been fine taking the opportunity attack if I didn't have the badge. But it does keep options open, so I like it regardless of the frequency with which it might be needed. I think the difference between it being a property and an encounter power would be minimal for it's utility (at least based on the 4 or so sessions I played with it). And as a daily power, it would be weaker than a cloak of resistance.

 

[Mahali]

Counts as a use of a magic item daily power?

Not if it's a "Property:".

The problem with subliments is power creep. Gotta have nice powers/items to interest people so they buy the book. Problem with a lot of subliment coming out in a brief period is power creep turns into power sprint.

We haven't seen anything yet that we'd disallow or change the level of yet.

 

[Nifft]

The problem with subliments is power creep. Gotta have nice powers/items to interest people so they buy the book. Problem with a lot of subliment coming out in a brief period is power creep turns into power sprint.

We haven't seen anything yet that we'd disallow or change the level of yet.

Well of course not.

If it's a subliment we're talking about, it would happen below the threshold of your conscious perception!

Pernicious indeed, -- N

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I picked one up and used it in a few adventures with my barbarian. It's good but it made a real difference maybe twice in 10 or so encounters. Hardly earth shattering. I think I would have been fine taking the opportunity attack if I didn't have the badge. But it does keep options open, so I like it regardless of the frequency with which it might be needed. I think the difference between it being a property and an encounter power would be minimal for it's utility (at least based on the 4 or so sessions I played with it). And as a daily power, it would be weaker than a cloak of resistance.

Oh, I agree, the Badge is not earth shaking, though it could be pretty handy in certain situations. The real interesting part is some of the other items that similarly have relatively low level versions with some quite nasty properties or powers. A lot of them don't really depend on their enchantment bonus to make them useful and thus it seems to me there are quite a few that will end up in high level character's "golf bags".

 

[DracoSuave]

To be fair, when the rest of the items in that level kinda suck, a bit of power creep isn't terrible.

 

[Stalker0]

Admittedly it takes up your neck slot, so there is some motivation to use that slot for other things.

This is why its not broken

Item slots provide balancing as a form of opportunity cost. As long as there are other powerful abilities that use the neck slot....then the ability balances out. Its only when an ability is so powerful that you would not consider other items that it truly becomes broken.

For a charging build, I would definitely consider this item. But there are other items that add to damage on charges and other things. So I don't consider this item a must have. Now take for example, the reckless or bloodclaw weapons. The argument has been made that these weapon generate so much extra damage that they are better than other weapons....even if your build isn't specifically designed for damage.


I will say though I'm biased towards stronger magic items right now. I generally feel 4e magic items are weak and bland. I didn't mind that they reduced the ability to stack effects that made 3e magic items so important to power. But I do think magic items need a bit of a power up, there are so many items in AV1 and the core book I would never take, no matter what build I was playing.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, there are plenty of items in PHB and AV1 you wouldn't take if you can get easy access to the better items. I agree I haven't seen anything as OP as Reckless and Bloodclaw yet (at least it isn't OBVIOUSLY that OP). The Orb of Repeated Imposition may be in that category, though there are certainly any number of other ways to get the same effect already.

I don't disagree that magic items could certainly be a bit more interesting, and I think the bulk of the AV2 items seem fairly cool. I do think some of them will open up some significant new builds. It just remains to be seen if they prove to be significantly OP.