I've given my players a lot of magic items. Is it reasonable for me to give them harder encounters?












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I'm running a campaign for a group of 6 level 8 characters. Last session, they went shopping, and I let them buy about 2 magic items each. On top of this, I let them each start with an extra feat and a free magic item when the campaign started (at level 8).



(Selling magic items to my players was a lot of fun for all of us! My question is not about whether that was a good idea - I believe it was the right call.)



Given how many nice things my players have, I'm thinking about balancing my encounters as though they were for a party of level 9 characters instead of level 8. Is this a reasonable approach for me to take?










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$endgroup$








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    39 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
    $endgroup$
    – lightcat
    14 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
    $endgroup$
    – linksassin
    11 mins ago
















5












$begingroup$


I'm running a campaign for a group of 6 level 8 characters. Last session, they went shopping, and I let them buy about 2 magic items each. On top of this, I let them each start with an extra feat and a free magic item when the campaign started (at level 8).



(Selling magic items to my players was a lot of fun for all of us! My question is not about whether that was a good idea - I believe it was the right call.)



Given how many nice things my players have, I'm thinking about balancing my encounters as though they were for a party of level 9 characters instead of level 8. Is this a reasonable approach for me to take?










share|improve this question









$endgroup$








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    39 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
    $endgroup$
    – lightcat
    14 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
    $endgroup$
    – linksassin
    11 mins ago














5












5








5





$begingroup$


I'm running a campaign for a group of 6 level 8 characters. Last session, they went shopping, and I let them buy about 2 magic items each. On top of this, I let them each start with an extra feat and a free magic item when the campaign started (at level 8).



(Selling magic items to my players was a lot of fun for all of us! My question is not about whether that was a good idea - I believe it was the right call.)



Given how many nice things my players have, I'm thinking about balancing my encounters as though they were for a party of level 9 characters instead of level 8. Is this a reasonable approach for me to take?










share|improve this question









$endgroup$




I'm running a campaign for a group of 6 level 8 characters. Last session, they went shopping, and I let them buy about 2 magic items each. On top of this, I let them each start with an extra feat and a free magic item when the campaign started (at level 8).



(Selling magic items to my players was a lot of fun for all of us! My question is not about whether that was a good idea - I believe it was the right call.)



Given how many nice things my players have, I'm thinking about balancing my encounters as though they were for a party of level 9 characters instead of level 8. Is this a reasonable approach for me to take?







dnd-5e magic-items balance cr-calculation






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asked 55 mins ago









KevinKevin

8871915




8871915








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    39 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
    $endgroup$
    – lightcat
    14 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
    $endgroup$
    – linksassin
    11 mins ago














  • 2




    $begingroup$
    Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
    $endgroup$
    – V2Blast
    39 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
    $endgroup$
    – lightcat
    14 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
    $endgroup$
    – linksassin
    11 mins ago








2




2




$begingroup$
Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
$endgroup$
– V2Blast
39 mins ago




$begingroup$
Answerers should remember to support their answers by citing relevant evidence or experience, per Good Subjective. (Good question!)
$endgroup$
– V2Blast
39 mins ago




1




1




$begingroup$
For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
$endgroup$
– lightcat
14 mins ago




$begingroup$
For a well-informed answer it would be helpful to know the specific items. Including the benefits of each item would be convenient. Otherwise respondents will have to look up 18 magic items.
$endgroup$
– lightcat
14 mins ago




1




1




$begingroup$
@lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
$endgroup$
– linksassin
11 mins ago




$begingroup$
@lightcat makes a good point, though perhaps only include details for combat relevant items. Bag of Holding is a useful item but it unlikely to significantly effect combat difficulty. (Barring very clever play)
$endgroup$
– linksassin
11 mins ago










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In part it depends on the magic items. Did you give them magic items that were useful in combat? Like, have they mostly got +3 plate armor or have they mostly got sovereign glue?



Broadly, the answer to your question is yes: it's probably appropriate to give them more difficult encounters because they have nice stuff. But, especially at higher levels, the encounter tables are a very loose guideline anyway. You'll have to get a feel for what your group can handle.



Here is what I do when I'm uncertain: I start with an encounter that I'm expecting to be fairly easy, and then if the players seem to be winning too hard, I tell them reinforcements are showing up and I add more monsters of the same type.



The good news is that most players don't really want or need you to give them a super-difficult-but-still-survivable battle. If you give them a battle where everyone gets attacked once, and everyone gets to show off their cool abilities or items at least once, generally they'll be happy.



(source: I run a lot of games and this is what I do)






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    $begingroup$

    In part it depends on the magic items. Did you give them magic items that were useful in combat? Like, have they mostly got +3 plate armor or have they mostly got sovereign glue?



    Broadly, the answer to your question is yes: it's probably appropriate to give them more difficult encounters because they have nice stuff. But, especially at higher levels, the encounter tables are a very loose guideline anyway. You'll have to get a feel for what your group can handle.



    Here is what I do when I'm uncertain: I start with an encounter that I'm expecting to be fairly easy, and then if the players seem to be winning too hard, I tell them reinforcements are showing up and I add more monsters of the same type.



    The good news is that most players don't really want or need you to give them a super-difficult-but-still-survivable battle. If you give them a battle where everyone gets attacked once, and everyone gets to show off their cool abilities or items at least once, generally they'll be happy.



    (source: I run a lot of games and this is what I do)






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$


















      6












      $begingroup$

      In part it depends on the magic items. Did you give them magic items that were useful in combat? Like, have they mostly got +3 plate armor or have they mostly got sovereign glue?



      Broadly, the answer to your question is yes: it's probably appropriate to give them more difficult encounters because they have nice stuff. But, especially at higher levels, the encounter tables are a very loose guideline anyway. You'll have to get a feel for what your group can handle.



      Here is what I do when I'm uncertain: I start with an encounter that I'm expecting to be fairly easy, and then if the players seem to be winning too hard, I tell them reinforcements are showing up and I add more monsters of the same type.



      The good news is that most players don't really want or need you to give them a super-difficult-but-still-survivable battle. If you give them a battle where everyone gets attacked once, and everyone gets to show off their cool abilities or items at least once, generally they'll be happy.



      (source: I run a lot of games and this is what I do)






      share|improve this answer









      $endgroup$
















        6












        6








        6





        $begingroup$

        In part it depends on the magic items. Did you give them magic items that were useful in combat? Like, have they mostly got +3 plate armor or have they mostly got sovereign glue?



        Broadly, the answer to your question is yes: it's probably appropriate to give them more difficult encounters because they have nice stuff. But, especially at higher levels, the encounter tables are a very loose guideline anyway. You'll have to get a feel for what your group can handle.



        Here is what I do when I'm uncertain: I start with an encounter that I'm expecting to be fairly easy, and then if the players seem to be winning too hard, I tell them reinforcements are showing up and I add more monsters of the same type.



        The good news is that most players don't really want or need you to give them a super-difficult-but-still-survivable battle. If you give them a battle where everyone gets attacked once, and everyone gets to show off their cool abilities or items at least once, generally they'll be happy.



        (source: I run a lot of games and this is what I do)






        share|improve this answer









        $endgroup$



        In part it depends on the magic items. Did you give them magic items that were useful in combat? Like, have they mostly got +3 plate armor or have they mostly got sovereign glue?



        Broadly, the answer to your question is yes: it's probably appropriate to give them more difficult encounters because they have nice stuff. But, especially at higher levels, the encounter tables are a very loose guideline anyway. You'll have to get a feel for what your group can handle.



        Here is what I do when I'm uncertain: I start with an encounter that I'm expecting to be fairly easy, and then if the players seem to be winning too hard, I tell them reinforcements are showing up and I add more monsters of the same type.



        The good news is that most players don't really want or need you to give them a super-difficult-but-still-survivable battle. If you give them a battle where everyone gets attacked once, and everyone gets to show off their cool abilities or items at least once, generally they'll be happy.



        (source: I run a lot of games and this is what I do)







        share|improve this answer












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        share|improve this answer










        answered 48 mins ago









        Dan BDan B

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