Re: Re: (TFT) Are TFT Magic Items Too Complicated?

[Stan <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

From: Mark Tapley <mtapley@swri.edu>
> it's pretty dang easy to create magic items. I mean, in
> the source material (Tolkien) they are *rare*, important 
> artificts. The costs in TFT imply that they ought to be 
> pretty common utensils

I agree that the rules would seem to consider low-level
items to be relatively common, but TFT isn't really trying 
to re-create Middle Earth.  Forget magic items, consider the 
magic *users*.  Wizards in TFT are pretty common, but 
incredibly rare (as in "count 'em on one hand" rare) in 
Middle Earth.  If TFT was trying to recreate that, it's the
worst job of recreating ever in the history of recreating 
things. :)

The items you mention are interesting, but consider this: 

> ("Light" Chandelier? This one pays for itself 
   vs. candles pretty quick...)

True, likely well-to-do folks would use them.  No smoke, risk of fires, etc.  But to those who can't afford the large one-time-charge for a light item, paying a total of perhaps more, but over time, for candles would still be likely.  DMG once laughed me out of the room for talking about alchemy lab insurance policies, so buying on the installment plan must be unthinkable. :)

(+1 or +2 swords/bows/armor? What good armory *wouldn't* do that?)

I don't know...maybe for armor.  But for weapons, a 
'fine' weapon is a good deal cheaper and nearly as 
good--plus, it can't be easily dispelled the way W/A 
Enchantment is.  In any case, while the prices aren't
too high, they're high enough put this stuff out of 
reach of the common soldiery unless they really save 
their pennies.

> (Gates? Maintaining a 50-km road between cities is *stupid*.)

Gates, gates, gates...sigh.  They're the most over-the-top part of TFT, and I'm reluctant to spill even more electronic ink than we already have over their many implications.  It's such a huge subject.  
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