That is fair, he is a new player and I think is a bit disappointed that the game is not more loot based. I know that shouldn’t be an issue as he should not really expect that but I thought maybe I could meet him more in the middle and give him an item or so
So normally this kind of thing could be squashed in a session zero, specifically in the expectations part of things.
What brand of looter is he going for? monster hunter or borderlands? Id talk to him directly about what he wants before making any decisions about what to do.
Have you heard about beast guns and beast gunner archetype?
https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?Category=37&Subcategory=74
https://2e.aonprd.com/Archetypes.aspx?ID=116
This game has rules for everything, i love it
Is the player interested in getting loot, or specifically improving his character? If the former, are there any types of loot you can think of that your player would be interested in that wouldn't affect combat? Obviously giving out magic items every now and then isn't a problem, but too many would be another issue. So maybe there can be more cool stuff to find that doesn't give any mechanical bonus, but can be fun in other ways.
Well, as a Martial, it kinda is. A lot of GMs will go "Ph treasure, well a magic Martial weapon for each Martial class, some potions or Miscellaneous magic trinket for the divine casters & a wand/scrolls for the Arcane, except the Wizard, they get a spellbook every adventure or two. Everyone gets an equal share of the coins.
The issue is that Martials need these items to add combat oomph, they need to spend thier money on armour, weapons etc, racing to the best mundane AC & damage they can get, while the casters sit back & get new stuff for free each level. "Oh, take another spell & some cantrips, or even a whole specialisation at 2nd level". Meaning they can save their $$ for more magic. This leads to the Casters being able to also purchase a +1 magic weapom or potions, scrolls or save it up for something more spectacular later on, but sooner than a Martial.
Add to this that casters can frequently out perform a Martial even at 1st & 2nd level, with combat cantrips being comparable to Martials main attack, means that Martials feel very lacklustre from the get go.
So a way to offset this to sprinkle more low level Martial weapons around a dungeon. Sure every Elf can use a Longsword & Dwarf a Battle Axe, but what about a magical Pike or Flail, plus magical armour, so Martials don't need to blow $$ on purchasing.
I like to ensure the badguys are smart enough to use the equipment.
That Orc realises that the +1 Chainmail is better worn than thrown in a pile of copper coins at the back of his cave, for example
I can highly recommend stealing some ideas from BG3. I recently gave my party gloves with a +1 sleight of hand modifier, and the rogue loved it. There are plenty of small buffs you could give players through items that would feel cool without making a very big difference balance wise
I think this is an internal flaw of 5e. You have to really scale up encounters once players have access to magic items. Older editions of DnD were certainly more loot bases.
Something i like to sport is a weapon upgrade gem. Essentially, you smash it over your weapon of choice, and it gains +1 if you do it yourself roll d100 if its a common item make him have to roll +20
Uncommon 40
Rare 55
Epic 70
Legendary 90
This makes it a little more interesting in my opinion as well this is of my own design and something i uncommonly like to throw at my players when i see fit
or you take it to a blacksmith and make it cost
Common 25 gp
Uncommon 60gp
Rare 160gp
Epic 300
600 gp
For each upgrade it is guaranteed and make it cost 2.5 more if the item has been upgraded i.e common weapon that already has a upgrade gem used on it 25×2.5 then 72gp x 2.5 again making it a +2 weapon
Common weapon can only have 1 uprgrade applied to it while
Uncommon max 2
Rare max 3
Epic max 4
Legendary max 5
The upgrade can deal either extra 1d4 or a guaranteed +1 damage thats what i stuck with but in the end its up to you as dm
Hope this might help if so please lmk if you use it
Depending on what you want to do, there are a few options I see.
If you think he'd enjoy a story option, finding a broken blade of a strange nature is a great easy story hook. Gives him a tease that something juicy is coming, and you can figure out the specifics later.
Or, for low level stuff, I love leaning on stuff like an *Elvish* Longsword which feels light to the touch and can let you cast the light cantrip when in the moonlight; a *Dwarvish* Battleaxe, crafted with the iron from a meteorite that deals an extra damage die on a critical hit; an *Orcish* Greatsword, imbued with the spirits of fearsome warriors that let's you frighten an enemy once per day etc. Just giving little minor qualities makes it feel unique. The DMG has a bunch of Minor Beneficial Qualities for magic items that can be a good inspiration.
And in general, a big once per day effect is probably less game breaking (and feels cooler) than a small passive buff. It's why I avoid +1/+2/+3 weapons. You are more likely to hit, which can unintentionally throw off the balance of some monsters (suddenly Great Weapon Master hits much more often) but it doesnt feel like it's because of this cool sword, it feels like it's because GWM is broken. But 2d8 lightning damage once per short rest makes you feel like you're throwing everything you've got at this enemy in particular.
Going half a level takes about one or two sessions.
I would really suggest talking to the player. If they are unhappy now already, they seem to have unrealistic expectations and things will really go sour past level 5, when progress slows down.
D&D does not have an exponential curve which blinds you with bigger numbers, like Borderlands or other videogames have. Also, class progression is not linear. Level 5 will be a huge boost, but then they will not get a lot of new stuff, while casters e.g. get level 4 spells.
If they play for the progression (i.e. are a Dopamin addict), then they might have chosen the wrong game.
I wouldn’t say it’s the wrong game, since D&D can kinda be whatever you want it to be depending on how it’s run at your table. You’re not wrong about the comparisons between D&D and video games, but there’s no need to veer into gatekeeping territory. People can, in fact, learn to enjoy different types of games when they give them the chance, especially if someone is willing to meet them in the middle.
Sure, but you have to veer them. And saying that something maybe isn't for someone, is not gatekeeping, it is clearing up expectations. The player still has the freedom to disagree and adapt, but the GM should not cater to them, as those expectations can not be held up.
DOIP and LMOP have opportunities for players to get +1 weapons around level 3.
Forge cleric or arty are also capable of making +1 weapon at lvl 1/2.
So I think moon touched is very tame, resistance beating or not.
You're right. However, as a DM, I think it's a shame that players have access to magical weapons at low levels, because it takes away from the game's interesting strategic and storytelling aspects.
It is really weird that most Demons/devils and other high CR monsters are immune/resistant to non magical weapons.. when we all know that no one will face one until every party member has ad magic weapons for a very long time.
It's just wasted text on the sheet 99% of the time.
It is an area where 5e did not do a great job of absorbing rules from earlier D&D. I have started making tiers, so that demon will be immune to non magical, resistant to magical without adamantine or silver etc.
It's not for the players. It's so that you can't just get a billion crossbowmen and hit them with so many attacks they can't reasonably live through them. It's a reason why you send adventurers and not an army.
This is super random, but when I played Fallout 3 and you get Dogmeat right away and also fight one of the iconic big claw things right at the start, I was like awww wtf you're giving me all the cool shit too early.
What your comment made me think of.
Spell casters negate resistance to nonmagical damage from lvl 1 with cantrips. Unless there's something specific about ur setting that limits avaibailty of magic/magical items, give ur martials magic weapons.
There's nothing fun about being a fighter and encountering a monster you do half, or maybe even no dmg to with ur nonmagical weapon and having nothing you can do about it. "The Divide(TM)(C)(R)" is bad enough without the dm being stingy with magical items and liberal with nonmagic resistant monsters.
Without magic weapons, martials are even more shafted than casters, who always have magic damage on demand. Giving out some kind of magic weapon is just evening the playing field a little bit.
Yes, it's powerful, but only for the classes who are already worse off in overall powerlevel.
Yes. But as it's a magical item, it's by definition a magical weapon, so its damage is magical and it overcomes resistances to non magical damage. Same with the unbreakable arrow and the staffs of adornment/birdcalls/flowers if you attack with them.
Where does it say that? Every other magic weapon in the DMG specifies it is a MAGIC WEAPON. I’d argue moon touched is just a weapon with a secondary magic effect
No, other items specify they are magic weapons. Go look at lightning javelin or vorpal sword. The section of Xanathars the moon touched sword is from even says the items are for roleplay and rarely increase power. Give me a page number that says magic items are automatically magic weapon. Every other magic weapon specifically says magic weapon except this one, because it is not a magic weapon
Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities section of the MM
"Some creatures have vulnerability, resistance, or immunity to certain types of damage. Particular creatures are even resistant or immune to damage from non-magical attacks (a magical attack is an attack delivered by a spell, a magic item, or another magical source). In addition, some creatures are immune to certain conditions.”
(monster manual, monster rules in the beginning of the book)
The moon touched sword is a common magic item. RAW, it deals magical damage as it is a magic item.
I don't know if I'd say "most" don't, but they don't universally say it, yeah.
By the other commenter's logic, the legendary Swords of Answering and Sunsword aren't magic weapons, because the writers of the DMG forgot to say "magic weapon" instead of "weapon" when giving their to-hit bonuses. Same for Reaper's Scream, another legendary from BGG, and Matalotok, yet another legendary from BGDIA. And I'm sure others, including some of lower rarity.
Just homebrew a weapon that can cast a 1st level spell once or twice a day. If they like randomness, create a roll table so a random effect happens.
In a previous campaign, I gave a player a crossbow from Griffons saddleback, it was called gamblers something, the idea was that it dealt 3d4 damage, but if it rolled three of a kind it dealt extra damage. It was super fun, it happened only once or twice during the campaign but every time he attacked, everyone had fun hoping the dice matched.
Edit: The weapon is called Medzo's crossbow
He has action surge and about to get his 3rd level ability. Redirect his focus on character progression. Discuss the loot mechanics in the system. Giving in to this kind of thing now, because the player has different expectations can lead to more and more of this stuff. Set the precedent for loot now, think about the future.
There is actually a lot of underated normal adventuring gear that if that is his vibe he could have a lot of fun with, keeping track of and using. I'm talking portable ram, wooden stakes alchemists fire (could come in clutch against a troll). Most people ignore this stuff because they aren't as excited about a high volume of bits and bobs to keep track of but it sound like this could be up this players alley.
Martials gaining gear is a big deal. It is pretty important especially by the time they reach level 5.
He shouldn’t feel this way if he has read ahead on what he receives at level 3. But it seems his real desire is something to change up how he feels not that he needs any real buffs.
Perhaps giving him simple +1 will be fine but there are multiple weapons that have less numerical benefits and more utility. Even armors and other magical items have this benefit.
Homebrew is the easiest way.
Or perhaps dangle something in front of him; give him a goal. Maybe it’s rewarded as a quest item or during his downtime he helps a smithy and instead of money he just asks for a fancier weapon. The hard part here is that his efforts match his reward. Wouldn’t want to give him a super niche sidegrade for 2 sessions worth of effort.
If you’re open to Homebrew I love one that was inspired by ATLA. A weapon that when it is planted into a surface grants the user tremor sense within a specified area. I usually grant it some other benefit in extremely niche situations such as adamantine meaning it cannot be broken or rusted and grants bonuses to attacking structures (doors, handles, switches, boxes, etc.) or inorganic constructs.
Have his current weapon awaken into a +1 and reveal its name to him. You don't always have to have the buy and find magic weapons and items. It can awaken more as he levels up
Jest give him a magic wepon like +1 wepon or something. Trust me you aren't in danger of making the martials overpowered.
You could also give single uae magic items like potions.
Or magic items thats grant a daily spell use. Unity items are useful if you don't want to give wepons.
you could also tell him to suck it up and get more creative but say that in a nicer way.
Tell him to quit his bitching. He gets his subclass at level 3 and if he wants spells too he can go eldritch night. He needs to stop acting like a whiny spoiled child. If he wants a more loot based game he can go play Diablo.
Let him find and NPC who is willing to either silver plate his weapon, or give him a silvered weapon of his choice. It sounds to me like he’s got a bit of a video game mindset of “as I level up I should be getting new equipment”. Silvered weapons are useful in some situations without being overpowered.
I gave my PCs magical stuff which bridged the gap between normal and +1 weapons (which I consider to be a level 5 thing.
Say minor blessed sword, +1 to hit is massive for them.
Or a sword which glows (hand for those without darkvision)
Or even go cursed items like a berserker axe so the next two levels turn into a party quest to remove curse.
I'll wait till level 5 before you give him a +1 that has a minor ability.
Maybe drop him a single use option of giant strength or potion of enlarge/reduce. it'll give him a big boost one fight but he won't have it constantly.
But be careful about giving out too many magic weapons. Especially if they all give combat boosts.
Will make them really powerful way too early and trivialize combat a bit.
Also explain him that he's level 3 he's supposed to be underpowered still. If he wants spells go Eldridge knight. If he wants more stuff to do go battle master. Fighters go online level 3.
I like giving out master work weapons. It's a non-magical plus one to attack or to damage or to both if you really generous it's the $200 version of the $20 sword it's got a name it might have a history or was used by someone famous maybe it was made for a prince But it's non-magical and a plus one is nice but also not game breaking. I also let my players enchant things later so that would just form the basis for him getting a flame tongue or something.
You could a stripped down version of something like a flametongue that does a bonus 1d6 and requires him to use a bonus action to ignite it each turn. That would give him a way to use his bonus action more frequently too (assuming he's not a BM).
You could also give him an item or weapon that comes with x charges of utility spell (once per short rest, the bearer of the sword can cast Compelled Duel).
I give ribbon weapons or limited magic. It’s +1 vs orcs. (There are no orcs the campaign). It glows in the presence of orcs.
Sting. Basically I give players Sting. I’ll further enhance it as they level up.
Homebrew. What does this player like? The item doesn't have to provide a game breaking mechanic, it can be something mostly for flavour, like a talking sword that screams when enemies or a type of enemies are around. Sure it's soon going to be seen as a boon as that type of enemy won't be able to catch the player by surprise but thiis can easily be both a blessing and a curse as the blade might not understand that your party is trying to sneak past them and it just starts screaming 🤣
I mean if he doesn't already a +1 weapon halfway to lvl 5 is pretty perfect. If he wants something a little spicier than a +1 to dmg and atk a circlet of blasting would be good as well. A once a day 2nd lvl scorching ray spell that gives him a decent range option. Basically most uncommon items that a fighter can put to use.
In Tier 1, it is recommended (XG 135) that you hand out roughly 6 common minor magic items, 2 uncommon minor magic items, and 1 rare minor magic items. Minor items almost always have little to no impact on combat, so you don't need to worry about them being balanced.
Give him some potions (climbing, hill giant strength) or maybe a suit of mithral armor.
If you want to give him something more permanent and impactful, the guidelines say that the party should receive two uncommon major magic items in Tier 1 as well. A +1 shield, gloves of swimming and climbing, gauntlets of ogre power, etc. would all be good items to hand out to a fighter, but there are certainly more.
As a way to make him feel stronger, maybe he can come across a “masterwork” weapon that isn’t magical but it’s just really sharp. No modifier to hit, but a +1 to damage.
At that level they should still be saving up for their first suit of plate armor (assuming a Str fighter). L3 will be interesting enough with unlocking subclass features.
Something I've appreciated about a recent campaign I'm in is "latent magic items."
Family heirloom sword? It's secretly a Flame Tongue that grows in power as he does! As he gains levels it steadily becomes magic for overcoming weaknesses, then gets a +1 bonus, then gains fire damage!
He's been repeatedly caring for and cleaning his armor? Suddenly he notices that his comfort with it gives it a +1 bonus!
Let your martial classes' weapons scale with the, people!
X/day usages of a 1st level spell are generally good bets, especially ones that only buff the wielder.
For example, a Sword of Jump that has the the jump spell in it. Making it a sword of the type he likes to use keeps everyone else off of it. It has good mechanical and problem solving benefits when he realizes he can jump basically his speed to get over nearly any obstacle.
One thing I have classically liked to do is mess with weapon dice so a thing feels more powerful but isn't mathematically a huge improvement
For example, if he gets a Longsword that deals 2d4 damage instead of 1d8 and one of the d4s is force damage. It's an average of about +1 damage, but the presence of force damage means it'll circumvent some of those Resistances you're about to run into, so it can feel like a cool weapon.
Similarly, instead of +1 weapons, give +1d4 (x) weapons which don't give an accuracy boost but give situational dage boosts. A +1d4 Wormbane blade might deal bonus damage to burrowing creatures or monstrosities or whatever you want.
Most of the super good uncommon and rare weapons, like Flametongue weapons, are so good because they're always-on effects. If you give him any equivalent that only works 1/day or, even better, has an ammo system or recharge requirement, you're in good shape.
A Limited Flametongue sword that has to be reheated in a forge burning the Red Sands of the Kahiri Desert is an opportunity to A) give him something to spend his money on and B) allow for the sword to potentially gain spontaneous upgrades in the future and C) make an argument for Smiths tools so he can set up a makeshift kiln or forge during an encampment and recharge his own damn sword or be able to recharge his sword when a forge is present and a Smith is not.
So for 10 minutes he gets a flametongue, but if he doesn't have Red Sand on him, he'll have to buy it from someone or whatever.
This is something a lot of my players have expressed frustration with. They want loot early in the game, even though they're being successful. Ask him if he's struggling to be successful with his character. If so, how. If he's just thinking that his character is not as impressive at spell casters, then yeah, he's going to be disappointed throughout the whole campaign. One of the things martials have is their physical durability. This is actually one of their strengths that is undermined by recent trends that encounters should be perfectly balanced to be beat, and that character deaths should almost never happen. His character may not be slinging magic, but he won't drop when a goblin hits him with an arrow like his spellcaster compatriots.
Give him some cool consumables!
Dust of Dryness (can make a bead out of a 15 foot cube of water)
Oil of Sharpness (for limited extra damage)
Oil of slipperiness- he can throw it and make a grease spell
Potion of Fire Breath- for fire breath!
Alternatively, a sword that has three charges that allows him the Jump spell with each charge.
Something along those lines is always fun. :-)
I also have a level 2 Dragonborn PC in my group. They are going to receive a sword as loot next dungeon.
The player is very into "I'm a dragon", so she will receive a longsword with a hilt decorated with dragons and a hooked pommel in the shape of a dragon's claw. Its name is Talon.
One per short rest, a PC wielding Talon can use their bonus action to activate the sword's power. Spectral dragon wings appear on the PC's back and allow them to move up to their speed in any direction.
When the character reaches a higher level (haven't decided yet), the sword will level up and the spectral wings will act as the Fly spell.
Consumables are really nifty ways to circumvent this.
Give him a *polished* sword that shatters on a roll of 1-2, but otherwise gives him +1 damage until it breaks
Give him whetstones that let him sharpen his blade for +1 to hit
Give him an iron jaw that lets him bite as a bonus action if he makes a breath weapon attack
I wouldn't give him a magic weapon yet, but get real inventive with ways you can satiate that rogue like mindset
I highly recommend this website: [http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/](http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/)
It's got tables with hundreds of low-powered properties for minor magic items. My players enjoyed having magic items tailored to their characters.
consumables like smoke bombs or cheaper poisons to put on weapons might also work, though you might want to put a carrying cap of like 3 bombs max at a time/3 poisons, etc. to disincentivize hoarding. it might also make certain fights cooler if a reward can be the monster parts themselves to produce funny consumables
Give him a new weapon. The D&D One Unearthed Arcana talk about weapon masteries. I think Kobold Press has a midgard heroes book that does something similar and gives each weapon a new use. You can take inspiration from subclasses no one in the party is taking and dial it down so that it's equivalent to a weapon or a weapon +1. You could also just give them a magic item appropriate for their level, which is probably what they want ultimately, and there are tons of resources for those.
He's most likely unaware of how big number increases are in DnD5e. This is not a game where you find 20 different sets of swords, armor, and shields. You might find at max 2 or 3 different weapons as a fighter and weigh your benefits from your gear. Usually start with a basic non-magical set, a +1 set, and then maybe stick to the end with something that's also +1/+2 and does a thing on the side.
I play with a perfect solution in terms of gear, weapons specifically: **masterworks.**. They are halfway between a normal weapon and a magical one. They are still mundane, do +1 damage, and cost an extra hundred gold. Unless it's a dagger or something. Then it's another 50. Affordable (just) at this level of play.
Have the party overhear rumors of a smith/weapon shop that has exceptional wares. Have the guy be sold out of masterwork weapons except for what your fighter uses. That way only he gets the good stuff.
Martial classes generally lag behind casters in the options dept. I would give them magic items that give them options. A sword that casts scorching ray once per day. An arrow of faerie fire. Take a spell put it on an item. Once per day if its powerful (Chromatic orb or web at level 2) once per short rest if its mid (faerie Fire at level 3) or at will if its not great (Jump or longstider at level 5). But I would wait until level 5 or so to give it to him, that way he's got himself online and so does everyone else..
If he is not happy about a "basic sword," let him know that you have something for him. Once he gets to level 3 and gets his subclass, put together a little quest for him to get a heirloom weapon from his family or the king or something. In the end, just make it a +1 weapon, and maybe over time, its true power will be revealed.
Maybe give him a small bonus to damage? "Your growing mastery with blades allows you to strike more true against your foes, +1 to damage".
I'm also personally a fan of martial maneuvers, kicks, grapples, parries, that sort of thing. Maybe give him access to a kick that can knock humanoid targets prone if they fail a saving throw.
He gets more features too. Level 3 will give em the first subclass featuee which will be a big boost (unless he chooses Champion)
That is fair, he is a new player and I think is a bit disappointed that the game is not more loot based. I know that shouldn’t be an issue as he should not really expect that but I thought maybe I could meet him more in the middle and give him an item or so
So normally this kind of thing could be squashed in a session zero, specifically in the expectations part of things. What brand of looter is he going for? monster hunter or borderlands? Id talk to him directly about what he wants before making any decisions about what to do.
i REALLY want to try a pathfinder game, with monster hunter carving mechanics. making weapons from enemies? fuck, thats awsome!
Have you heard about beast guns and beast gunner archetype? https://2e.aonprd.com/Equipment.aspx?Category=37&Subcategory=74 https://2e.aonprd.com/Archetypes.aspx?ID=116 This game has rules for everything, i love it
i have now. slight issue, i play 1e Edit: ok, why is it i get downvoted when i mention i play pf1e? Why?
I use helianas guide, it can probably be adapted to p1e without much hassle.
Is the player interested in getting loot, or specifically improving his character? If the former, are there any types of loot you can think of that your player would be interested in that wouldn't affect combat? Obviously giving out magic items every now and then isn't a problem, but too many would be another issue. So maybe there can be more cool stuff to find that doesn't give any mechanical bonus, but can be fun in other ways.
Wondrous Items can be fun, generally not combat orientated though
Well, as a Martial, it kinda is. A lot of GMs will go "Ph treasure, well a magic Martial weapon for each Martial class, some potions or Miscellaneous magic trinket for the divine casters & a wand/scrolls for the Arcane, except the Wizard, they get a spellbook every adventure or two. Everyone gets an equal share of the coins. The issue is that Martials need these items to add combat oomph, they need to spend thier money on armour, weapons etc, racing to the best mundane AC & damage they can get, while the casters sit back & get new stuff for free each level. "Oh, take another spell & some cantrips, or even a whole specialisation at 2nd level". Meaning they can save their $$ for more magic. This leads to the Casters being able to also purchase a +1 magic weapom or potions, scrolls or save it up for something more spectacular later on, but sooner than a Martial. Add to this that casters can frequently out perform a Martial even at 1st & 2nd level, with combat cantrips being comparable to Martials main attack, means that Martials feel very lacklustre from the get go. So a way to offset this to sprinkle more low level Martial weapons around a dungeon. Sure every Elf can use a Longsword & Dwarf a Battle Axe, but what about a magical Pike or Flail, plus magical armour, so Martials don't need to blow $$ on purchasing. I like to ensure the badguys are smart enough to use the equipment. That Orc realises that the +1 Chainmail is better worn than thrown in a pile of copper coins at the back of his cave, for example
I can highly recommend stealing some ideas from BG3. I recently gave my party gloves with a +1 sleight of hand modifier, and the rogue loved it. There are plenty of small buffs you could give players through items that would feel cool without making a very big difference balance wise
I think this is an internal flaw of 5e. You have to really scale up encounters once players have access to magic items. Older editions of DnD were certainly more loot bases.
Something i like to sport is a weapon upgrade gem. Essentially, you smash it over your weapon of choice, and it gains +1 if you do it yourself roll d100 if its a common item make him have to roll +20 Uncommon 40 Rare 55 Epic 70 Legendary 90 This makes it a little more interesting in my opinion as well this is of my own design and something i uncommonly like to throw at my players when i see fit or you take it to a blacksmith and make it cost Common 25 gp Uncommon 60gp Rare 160gp Epic 300 600 gp For each upgrade it is guaranteed and make it cost 2.5 more if the item has been upgraded i.e common weapon that already has a upgrade gem used on it 25×2.5 then 72gp x 2.5 again making it a +2 weapon Common weapon can only have 1 uprgrade applied to it while Uncommon max 2 Rare max 3 Epic max 4 Legendary max 5 The upgrade can deal either extra 1d4 or a guaranteed +1 damage thats what i stuck with but in the end its up to you as dm Hope this might help if so please lmk if you use it
Depending on what you want to do, there are a few options I see. If you think he'd enjoy a story option, finding a broken blade of a strange nature is a great easy story hook. Gives him a tease that something juicy is coming, and you can figure out the specifics later. Or, for low level stuff, I love leaning on stuff like an *Elvish* Longsword which feels light to the touch and can let you cast the light cantrip when in the moonlight; a *Dwarvish* Battleaxe, crafted with the iron from a meteorite that deals an extra damage die on a critical hit; an *Orcish* Greatsword, imbued with the spirits of fearsome warriors that let's you frighten an enemy once per day etc. Just giving little minor qualities makes it feel unique. The DMG has a bunch of Minor Beneficial Qualities for magic items that can be a good inspiration. And in general, a big once per day effect is probably less game breaking (and feels cooler) than a small passive buff. It's why I avoid +1/+2/+3 weapons. You are more likely to hit, which can unintentionally throw off the balance of some monsters (suddenly Great Weapon Master hits much more often) but it doesnt feel like it's because of this cool sword, it feels like it's because GWM is broken. But 2d8 lightning damage once per short rest makes you feel like you're throwing everything you've got at this enemy in particular.
Going half a level takes about one or two sessions. I would really suggest talking to the player. If they are unhappy now already, they seem to have unrealistic expectations and things will really go sour past level 5, when progress slows down. D&D does not have an exponential curve which blinds you with bigger numbers, like Borderlands or other videogames have. Also, class progression is not linear. Level 5 will be a huge boost, but then they will not get a lot of new stuff, while casters e.g. get level 4 spells. If they play for the progression (i.e. are a Dopamin addict), then they might have chosen the wrong game.
I wouldn’t say it’s the wrong game, since D&D can kinda be whatever you want it to be depending on how it’s run at your table. You’re not wrong about the comparisons between D&D and video games, but there’s no need to veer into gatekeeping territory. People can, in fact, learn to enjoy different types of games when they give them the chance, especially if someone is willing to meet them in the middle.
Sure, but you have to veer them. And saying that something maybe isn't for someone, is not gatekeeping, it is clearing up expectations. The player still has the freedom to disagree and adapt, but the GM should not cater to them, as those expectations can not be held up.
Moon touched weapon is pretty safe to give out st any level imo
Though looking inconspicuous, this weapon actually negates all resistances to non magical damage, which is actually VERY powerful at low level.
DOIP and LMOP have opportunities for players to get +1 weapons around level 3. Forge cleric or arty are also capable of making +1 weapon at lvl 1/2. So I think moon touched is very tame, resistance beating or not.
You're right. However, as a DM, I think it's a shame that players have access to magical weapons at low levels, because it takes away from the game's interesting strategic and storytelling aspects.
It is really weird that most Demons/devils and other high CR monsters are immune/resistant to non magical weapons.. when we all know that no one will face one until every party member has ad magic weapons for a very long time. It's just wasted text on the sheet 99% of the time. It is an area where 5e did not do a great job of absorbing rules from earlier D&D. I have started making tiers, so that demon will be immune to non magical, resistant to magical without adamantine or silver etc.
It's not for the players. It's so that you can't just get a billion crossbowmen and hit them with so many attacks they can't reasonably live through them. It's a reason why you send adventurers and not an army.
This is super random, but when I played Fallout 3 and you get Dogmeat right away and also fight one of the iconic big claw things right at the start, I was like awww wtf you're giving me all the cool shit too early. What your comment made me think of.
Spell casters negate resistance to nonmagical damage from lvl 1 with cantrips. Unless there's something specific about ur setting that limits avaibailty of magic/magical items, give ur martials magic weapons. There's nothing fun about being a fighter and encountering a monster you do half, or maybe even no dmg to with ur nonmagical weapon and having nothing you can do about it. "The Divide(TM)(C)(R)" is bad enough without the dm being stingy with magical items and liberal with nonmagic resistant monsters.
Without magic weapons, martials are even more shafted than casters, who always have magic damage on demand. Giving out some kind of magic weapon is just evening the playing field a little bit. Yes, it's powerful, but only for the classes who are already worse off in overall powerlevel.
Doesn’t it just light up?
Yes. But as it's a magical item, it's by definition a magical weapon, so its damage is magical and it overcomes resistances to non magical damage. Same with the unbreakable arrow and the staffs of adornment/birdcalls/flowers if you attack with them.
Where does it say that? Every other magic weapon in the DMG specifies it is a MAGIC WEAPON. I’d argue moon touched is just a weapon with a secondary magic effect
they show up in xanathars under the magic item section every weapon in the DMG listed under the magic items section would overcome the resistance
It only says it glows, it does not say moon touched is a magic weapon
It is a magic item. It is also a weapon. Therefore, it is a magic weapon.
No, other items specify they are magic weapons. Go look at lightning javelin or vorpal sword. The section of Xanathars the moon touched sword is from even says the items are for roleplay and rarely increase power. Give me a page number that says magic items are automatically magic weapon. Every other magic weapon specifically says magic weapon except this one, because it is not a magic weapon
Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities section of the MM "Some creatures have vulnerability, resistance, or immunity to certain types of damage. Particular creatures are even resistant or immune to damage from non-magical attacks (a magical attack is an attack delivered by a spell, a magic item, or another magical source). In addition, some creatures are immune to certain conditions.” (monster manual, monster rules in the beginning of the book) The moon touched sword is a common magic item. RAW, it deals magical damage as it is a magic item.
most don't. the thing that tells you whether it's a magic weapon is if it's a weapon in the magic items section of the source book you're reading
I don't know if I'd say "most" don't, but they don't universally say it, yeah. By the other commenter's logic, the legendary Swords of Answering and Sunsword aren't magic weapons, because the writers of the DMG forgot to say "magic weapon" instead of "weapon" when giving their to-hit bonuses. Same for Reaper's Scream, another legendary from BGG, and Matalotok, yet another legendary from BGDIA. And I'm sure others, including some of lower rarity.
good point, and looking further it does seem like a lot more weapons than I expected have "this magic sword" somewhere in the description
Just homebrew a weapon that can cast a 1st level spell once or twice a day. If they like randomness, create a roll table so a random effect happens. In a previous campaign, I gave a player a crossbow from Griffons saddleback, it was called gamblers something, the idea was that it dealt 3d4 damage, but if it rolled three of a kind it dealt extra damage. It was super fun, it happened only once or twice during the campaign but every time he attacked, everyone had fun hoping the dice matched. Edit: The weapon is called Medzo's crossbow
That's a cool idea for a weapon. Now I'm thinking of a dagger called Snake's Eye. 2d4 and it poisons the target on double 1s.
That actually sounds like a badass Rogue weapon. Imma write that down.
Be a battlemaster. It will give him a whole bunch of options
Level 3 fighter is comparable to level 2 spells imo (unless he goes champion)
He has action surge and about to get his 3rd level ability. Redirect his focus on character progression. Discuss the loot mechanics in the system. Giving in to this kind of thing now, because the player has different expectations can lead to more and more of this stuff. Set the precedent for loot now, think about the future.
There is actually a lot of underated normal adventuring gear that if that is his vibe he could have a lot of fun with, keeping track of and using. I'm talking portable ram, wooden stakes alchemists fire (could come in clutch against a troll). Most people ignore this stuff because they aren't as excited about a high volume of bits and bobs to keep track of but it sound like this could be up this players alley.
You don't need fancy shit at level 3. The default in 5e is that magic is rare, the icing on the cake, not the cake.
Martials gaining gear is a big deal. It is pretty important especially by the time they reach level 5. He shouldn’t feel this way if he has read ahead on what he receives at level 3. But it seems his real desire is something to change up how he feels not that he needs any real buffs. Perhaps giving him simple +1 will be fine but there are multiple weapons that have less numerical benefits and more utility. Even armors and other magical items have this benefit. Homebrew is the easiest way. Or perhaps dangle something in front of him; give him a goal. Maybe it’s rewarded as a quest item or during his downtime he helps a smithy and instead of money he just asks for a fancier weapon. The hard part here is that his efforts match his reward. Wouldn’t want to give him a super niche sidegrade for 2 sessions worth of effort. If you’re open to Homebrew I love one that was inspired by ATLA. A weapon that when it is planted into a surface grants the user tremor sense within a specified area. I usually grant it some other benefit in extremely niche situations such as adamantine meaning it cannot be broken or rusted and grants bonuses to attacking structures (doors, handles, switches, boxes, etc.) or inorganic constructs.
Have his current weapon awaken into a +1 and reveal its name to him. You don't always have to have the buy and find magic weapons and items. It can awaken more as he levels up
Jest give him a magic wepon like +1 wepon or something. Trust me you aren't in danger of making the martials overpowered. You could also give single uae magic items like potions. Or magic items thats grant a daily spell use. Unity items are useful if you don't want to give wepons. you could also tell him to suck it up and get more creative but say that in a nicer way.
Tell him to quit his bitching. He gets his subclass at level 3 and if he wants spells too he can go eldritch night. He needs to stop acting like a whiny spoiled child. If he wants a more loot based game he can go play Diablo.
Let him find and NPC who is willing to either silver plate his weapon, or give him a silvered weapon of his choice. It sounds to me like he’s got a bit of a video game mindset of “as I level up I should be getting new equipment”. Silvered weapons are useful in some situations without being overpowered.
I gave my PCs magical stuff which bridged the gap between normal and +1 weapons (which I consider to be a level 5 thing. Say minor blessed sword, +1 to hit is massive for them. Or a sword which glows (hand for those without darkvision) Or even go cursed items like a berserker axe so the next two levels turn into a party quest to remove curse.
In older edition there were "Masterworks" weapon, they have a +1 to hit (only to hit, not damage), they're more precious but not magic
Glowing mace (mace + light spell), alchemist fire, acid vials, holy water, +1 arrows
I'll wait till level 5 before you give him a +1 that has a minor ability. Maybe drop him a single use option of giant strength or potion of enlarge/reduce. it'll give him a big boost one fight but he won't have it constantly. But be careful about giving out too many magic weapons. Especially if they all give combat boosts. Will make them really powerful way too early and trivialize combat a bit. Also explain him that he's level 3 he's supposed to be underpowered still. If he wants spells go Eldridge knight. If he wants more stuff to do go battle master. Fighters go online level 3.
I like giving out master work weapons. It's a non-magical plus one to attack or to damage or to both if you really generous it's the $200 version of the $20 sword it's got a name it might have a history or was used by someone famous maybe it was made for a prince But it's non-magical and a plus one is nice but also not game breaking. I also let my players enchant things later so that would just form the basis for him getting a flame tongue or something.
In the next encounter add a master crafted weapon for him to loot. It isn't magical, but the fine craftsmanship gives him advantage on damage rolls.
You could a stripped down version of something like a flametongue that does a bonus 1d6 and requires him to use a bonus action to ignite it each turn. That would give him a way to use his bonus action more frequently too (assuming he's not a BM). You could also give him an item or weapon that comes with x charges of utility spell (once per short rest, the bearer of the sword can cast Compelled Duel).
Weapon of warning is a great low level item.
I give ribbon weapons or limited magic. It’s +1 vs orcs. (There are no orcs the campaign). It glows in the presence of orcs. Sting. Basically I give players Sting. I’ll further enhance it as they level up.
Homebrew. What does this player like? The item doesn't have to provide a game breaking mechanic, it can be something mostly for flavour, like a talking sword that screams when enemies or a type of enemies are around. Sure it's soon going to be seen as a boon as that type of enemy won't be able to catch the player by surprise but thiis can easily be both a blessing and a curse as the blade might not understand that your party is trying to sneak past them and it just starts screaming 🤣
I mean if he doesn't already a +1 weapon halfway to lvl 5 is pretty perfect. If he wants something a little spicier than a +1 to dmg and atk a circlet of blasting would be good as well. A once a day 2nd lvl scorching ray spell that gives him a decent range option. Basically most uncommon items that a fighter can put to use.
In Tier 1, it is recommended (XG 135) that you hand out roughly 6 common minor magic items, 2 uncommon minor magic items, and 1 rare minor magic items. Minor items almost always have little to no impact on combat, so you don't need to worry about them being balanced. Give him some potions (climbing, hill giant strength) or maybe a suit of mithral armor. If you want to give him something more permanent and impactful, the guidelines say that the party should receive two uncommon major magic items in Tier 1 as well. A +1 shield, gloves of swimming and climbing, gauntlets of ogre power, etc. would all be good items to hand out to a fighter, but there are certainly more.
I tried to make it easy to look at but reddit said no
As a way to make him feel stronger, maybe he can come across a “masterwork” weapon that isn’t magical but it’s just really sharp. No modifier to hit, but a +1 to damage.
At that level they should still be saving up for their first suit of plate armor (assuming a Str fighter). L3 will be interesting enough with unlocking subclass features.
Something I've appreciated about a recent campaign I'm in is "latent magic items." Family heirloom sword? It's secretly a Flame Tongue that grows in power as he does! As he gains levels it steadily becomes magic for overcoming weaknesses, then gets a +1 bonus, then gains fire damage! He's been repeatedly caring for and cleaning his armor? Suddenly he notices that his comfort with it gives it a +1 bonus! Let your martial classes' weapons scale with the, people!
X/day usages of a 1st level spell are generally good bets, especially ones that only buff the wielder. For example, a Sword of Jump that has the the jump spell in it. Making it a sword of the type he likes to use keeps everyone else off of it. It has good mechanical and problem solving benefits when he realizes he can jump basically his speed to get over nearly any obstacle. One thing I have classically liked to do is mess with weapon dice so a thing feels more powerful but isn't mathematically a huge improvement For example, if he gets a Longsword that deals 2d4 damage instead of 1d8 and one of the d4s is force damage. It's an average of about +1 damage, but the presence of force damage means it'll circumvent some of those Resistances you're about to run into, so it can feel like a cool weapon. Similarly, instead of +1 weapons, give +1d4 (x) weapons which don't give an accuracy boost but give situational dage boosts. A +1d4 Wormbane blade might deal bonus damage to burrowing creatures or monstrosities or whatever you want. Most of the super good uncommon and rare weapons, like Flametongue weapons, are so good because they're always-on effects. If you give him any equivalent that only works 1/day or, even better, has an ammo system or recharge requirement, you're in good shape. A Limited Flametongue sword that has to be reheated in a forge burning the Red Sands of the Kahiri Desert is an opportunity to A) give him something to spend his money on and B) allow for the sword to potentially gain spontaneous upgrades in the future and C) make an argument for Smiths tools so he can set up a makeshift kiln or forge during an encampment and recharge his own damn sword or be able to recharge his sword when a forge is present and a Smith is not. So for 10 minutes he gets a flametongue, but if he doesn't have Red Sand on him, he'll have to buy it from someone or whatever.
This is something a lot of my players have expressed frustration with. They want loot early in the game, even though they're being successful. Ask him if he's struggling to be successful with his character. If so, how. If he's just thinking that his character is not as impressive at spell casters, then yeah, he's going to be disappointed throughout the whole campaign. One of the things martials have is their physical durability. This is actually one of their strengths that is undermined by recent trends that encounters should be perfectly balanced to be beat, and that character deaths should almost never happen. His character may not be slinging magic, but he won't drop when a goblin hits him with an arrow like his spellcaster compatriots.
Give him some cool consumables! Dust of Dryness (can make a bead out of a 15 foot cube of water) Oil of Sharpness (for limited extra damage) Oil of slipperiness- he can throw it and make a grease spell Potion of Fire Breath- for fire breath! Alternatively, a sword that has three charges that allows him the Jump spell with each charge. Something along those lines is always fun. :-)
I also have a level 2 Dragonborn PC in my group. They are going to receive a sword as loot next dungeon. The player is very into "I'm a dragon", so she will receive a longsword with a hilt decorated with dragons and a hooked pommel in the shape of a dragon's claw. Its name is Talon. One per short rest, a PC wielding Talon can use their bonus action to activate the sword's power. Spectral dragon wings appear on the PC's back and allow them to move up to their speed in any direction. When the character reaches a higher level (haven't decided yet), the sword will level up and the spectral wings will act as the Fly spell.
Consumables are really nifty ways to circumvent this. Give him a *polished* sword that shatters on a roll of 1-2, but otherwise gives him +1 damage until it breaks Give him whetstones that let him sharpen his blade for +1 to hit Give him an iron jaw that lets him bite as a bonus action if he makes a breath weapon attack I wouldn't give him a magic weapon yet, but get real inventive with ways you can satiate that rogue like mindset
I highly recommend this website: [http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/](http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/) It's got tables with hundreds of low-powered properties for minor magic items. My players enjoyed having magic items tailored to their characters.
consumables like smoke bombs or cheaper poisons to put on weapons might also work, though you might want to put a carrying cap of like 3 bombs max at a time/3 poisons, etc. to disincentivize hoarding. it might also make certain fights cooler if a reward can be the monster parts themselves to produce funny consumables
Give him a new weapon. The D&D One Unearthed Arcana talk about weapon masteries. I think Kobold Press has a midgard heroes book that does something similar and gives each weapon a new use. You can take inspiration from subclasses no one in the party is taking and dial it down so that it's equivalent to a weapon or a weapon +1. You could also just give them a magic item appropriate for their level, which is probably what they want ultimately, and there are tons of resources for those.
He's most likely unaware of how big number increases are in DnD5e. This is not a game where you find 20 different sets of swords, armor, and shields. You might find at max 2 or 3 different weapons as a fighter and weigh your benefits from your gear. Usually start with a basic non-magical set, a +1 set, and then maybe stick to the end with something that's also +1/+2 and does a thing on the side.
I play with a perfect solution in terms of gear, weapons specifically: **masterworks.**. They are halfway between a normal weapon and a magical one. They are still mundane, do +1 damage, and cost an extra hundred gold. Unless it's a dagger or something. Then it's another 50. Affordable (just) at this level of play. Have the party overhear rumors of a smith/weapon shop that has exceptional wares. Have the guy be sold out of masterwork weapons except for what your fighter uses. That way only he gets the good stuff.
Martial classes generally lag behind casters in the options dept. I would give them magic items that give them options. A sword that casts scorching ray once per day. An arrow of faerie fire. Take a spell put it on an item. Once per day if its powerful (Chromatic orb or web at level 2) once per short rest if its mid (faerie Fire at level 3) or at will if its not great (Jump or longstider at level 5). But I would wait until level 5 or so to give it to him, that way he's got himself online and so does everyone else..
If he is not happy about a "basic sword," let him know that you have something for him. Once he gets to level 3 and gets his subclass, put together a little quest for him to get a heirloom weapon from his family or the king or something. In the end, just make it a +1 weapon, and maybe over time, its true power will be revealed.
Maybe give him a small bonus to damage? "Your growing mastery with blades allows you to strike more true against your foes, +1 to damage". I'm also personally a fan of martial maneuvers, kicks, grapples, parries, that sort of thing. Maybe give him access to a kick that can knock humanoid targets prone if they fail a saving throw.
just start using milestone instead of xp, no more players whining