I. Map or Magic Determination	-	II. Map Table	-	III. Magic Items
Treasure	-	Non-Standard Magic Items	-	DMG

<edit: revised table>

    III. MAGIC ITEMS (Revised Table)

Dice <Roll1>	Dice <Roll2>
-	-
01-20	01-65 = Potions, Table III.A.
-	66-00 = Potions, Table III.A.2.
-	-
21-35	01-85 = Scrolls, Table III.B.
-	86-00 = Scrolls, Table III.B.2.
-	-
36-40	01-67 = Rings, Table III.C.
-	68-00 = Rings, Table III.C.2.
-	-
41-45	01-40 = Rods & Staves, Table III.D.
-	41-00 = Wands, Table III.D.2.
-	-
46-60	01-14 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.1.
-	15-28 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.2.
-	29-42 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.3.
-	43-56 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.4.
-	57-70 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.5.
-	71-85 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.6.
-	86-00 = Misc. Magic, Table III.E.7.
-	III.E.Special (Artifacts & Relics) <>
-	-
61-75	01-50 = Armor & Shields, Table III.F.
-	51-00 = Armor & Shields, Table III.F.2.
-	-
76-86	01-95 = Swords, Table III.G.
-	96-00 = Swords, Table III.G.2.
-	-
87-00	01-50 = Miscellaneous Weapons, Table III.H.
-	51-00 = Miscellaneous Weapons, Table III.H.2.

As mentioned previously, the MAGIC ITEMS table is weighted towards
results which balance the game. Potions, scrolls, armor and arms are
plentiful. Rings, rods and miscellaneous items of magic represent only a
25% occurrence on the table. This is so done in order to keep magic-users
from totally dominating ploy. They are sufficiently powerful characters
without adding piles of supplementary goodies. What they gain from the
table will typically be used upand discarded.

When determination of a magic item is needed simply roll percentile dice
and consult table III. Complete explanations of each category follow, but
as many items duplicate or closely resemble the effects of various magic
spells, you will need a copy of ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS,
PH for reference.

The suggested experience point (X.P.) values are for characters who keep
the items. Gold piece sale values are the usual sums which characters will
be paid for magic items, and if so sold, the x.p. award should be based on
the selling price of the items, not the x.p. value. Also remember thot a
character is assumed to retain an item, thus getting the low x.p. value for
it, if he or she sells it to another player character. (See EXPERIENCE.)
 

QUESTION: If a party comes across a magic item, should one tell them it is magic?
Would it feel magical?

ANSWER: Only tell the party that something is magic if they throw Detect Magic spell on it.
The only other way to find out is to pick it up and try it out.
That might be dangerous, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
Never, NEVER, tell them, “Oh gee, it feels like a +2 sword.”
Make them work to find out what it is, never just give anything away.
(Note: The psionic discipline of detection of magic works as well).
(Note: comprehend languages can be used to detect magical writings).
<Theory: Is it possible for certain sages to recognize unique magical items?>

TheDungeonDelver wrote:

... If they identify it and sell it immediately after the adventure, if I am understanding you correctly, they would get the item's base XP value of 10,000 , plus another 25,000 XP for the sale of it, but if they didn't sell it off and instead carried it around and used some of its powers on various other adventures they wouldn't get an XP reward for a later sale...? Or would they?

Close, but no cigar :P

If they keep the item they get the 10K XPs for it--the one gaining the item gets that award, not the party.
If the item is sold by the party's agreement, they divide the sale value of 25K as XPs.
If it goes to one person, and that PC sells it, the 25K XPs go to that PC alone.

Cheers,
Gary

Sieg wrote:

:lol: That's great! So, the party has the incentive to browbeat the one person who wants to keep it to sell the item to get an xp split, otherwise just the one person who uses it keeps the xps....thus both getting the xps and the use of the item. That's a great idea! :)

So, did you ever have party infighting over such an issue?
 

In General...

Parties would have an agreement at the beginning of an adventure as to how treasure would be divided, usually total levels (half-levels for the second and third of multi-classed PCs) for the party divided into gold, gems, jewelry, and monster XPs, then handed out in shares per level. Magic items were diced for, the highest roll gettting first pick, and then on down the line.

If the party was in agreement, an item could be sold and the gold received added to the party treasure for division and gain of XPs.

The players able to generate high rolls--Ernie and rob were infamous for that, got the cream of the magical loot.
I recall one time when both rolled 00, and in the roll-off following that rob rolled 99, but Ernie rolled another 00 :roll:

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottyG
There is no XP cost for items in 1E. The XP value listed is the XP reward gained by the character that gets the items.
Scott

That is absolutely accurate!

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Storm Raven
You mean that no one would ever rent such things for short term projects?

Rent?

What pilgrim would rent a valuable magic item to a bunch of adventurers? <paranoid>

Heh,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by FATDRAGONGAMES
Hi Gary!

Was there ever a formula for determining XP and GP values for magic items in 1E AD&D? If not, do you have any suggestions or guidelines for doing so?

Hmmm...

I would have sworn that I used one when I set those values down in GPs in the DMG, but I surely can not recall what it was.
The GP value given for a magic item equaled what XPs I gave for it if they sold it. Hald the amount in XPs if it was retained bu anuone in the party.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quasqueton
Gary,

Did you have an explanation (open or secret) in your campaigns for the existance of so many magic items in the game? Were they being continuously created by NPC mages, or were they ancient artifacts from prodigious eras, or something else?

Did you consider magic items rare and wondrous treasures, or fun and exciting tools for the PCs in the game? How did the Players in your campaigns treat magic items: amazing finds that filled them with awe, or standard articles with useful abilities, or something else?

Quasqueton

Never a concern of mine.
In a magic active world having many enchanted items around is no more remarkable than having many jewels and objects d'art in a wealthy society.
Most of the better items in my campaign were assumed to be forged by reclusive or retired mages; the most potent of them being of the relic and artifact sort or placed on the planet by a deity.

Cheers,
Gary

Certainly there are no magic shops selling any form of real items.

Colonel Hardisson, your comments regarding available magic items are quite relavant.
I also do indeed allow petty things such as you note, faux items, and sometimes even something that heals a bit of damage to be rooted out by dilligent scouring of all the odd shops in town.
 

Hi Haakon1,

As a general rule I select the magic items to be discovered in a set encounter, use random table determination for all treasure in a random encounter.

On occasion I will have a real magic item for sale, or available as a gift if a PC or PCs do the prescrubed things correctly.
ANy item that can be purchased is of very minimal magic--mostly some minor healing or a +1 arrow for example.

Dealers in "magic" in my campaign settings are generally swindlers, and that makes it doubly hard for players when they come across an NPC that is offering something not a fake.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by rossik
Hi gary, long time since i read your replys

my question is about magical weapon with "+"

when a player find a +1 short swort, for exemple, do you allways describe it as a very good sword?
and when that player uses the sword, do you tell him to add +1 or do you keep to yourself, till the player "pay" for some spell to identify, or till the player uses that sword a lot..or something else?

tx

Howdy!

Indeed, it is logical to assume that most magic items are of fine construction, so when a magic sword is discovered I generally describe it as a beautifully crafted blade, As to the potency of such an item, if the PC examining and testing it has experience with magic weapons of the same sort, the bonus will be realtively easy to determing. Special properties will not be so likely to be discovered by trial and error. For such questions, as well as for examination by those unfamiliar with the class of magic item, I do require that a magical examination of the item be made in order to know exactly what it is.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by rossik
i see, great point. but do you say to the player , after he tested, "its a +1 sword"?
Sure...

If the PC doing the testing has used a +1 sword before. Otherwise all I say is that the weapon seems siperior to other swords he had weilded.

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuStel
Ah, but how does he know he's used a +1 sword before? 
Phooey!

A piece iof cake.

A m-u IDed it, or someone knowledgeable and reusted did the same for the character.

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Yeah, trust is always an issue when ID'ing magic items.

My DM once told me that my character had identified a ring as a Ring of Multiple Wishes (fully charged).
Now, since this was my secondary character who was identifying it for a different group of characters than the one he normally adventured with, he had the opportunity to, shall we say, mislead the party who had hired him and buy the ring at far below its percieved value.

My character failed to take advantage of the opportunity (he was chaotic, but basically honest) and, yes, the ring did turn out to be a Ring of Delusion.
I'm glad the Paladin got saddled with that one. 

As for ID'ing magic swords... there's a pretty simple test for 1st edition based on a logical extention of existing rules.
If the magic sword can bite into stone, it's a +2 weapon. If it can bite into iron, it's a +3 weapon. If it can bite into iron and it is made of adamantine, then it's a +4 or +5 weapon.

This is based on various tidbits of lore regarding magic weapons, and the fact that in 1st edition, you needed a +2 weapon to harm a Stone Golem and a +3 weapon to harm an Iron Golem.

Sure,

A ring of delusion can indeed mislead a mage as well as anyone else, if the examination is done without checking for curse and misinformation.

As for the value of magical blades what you suggest is fine but add" "Can bite into __________ without dulling the weapon's edge."

Gary

Note: Many magical items are of an expendable nature, where their
power is depleted with each use and eventually used up. The Dungeon
Master can use his discretion in setting such limitations on other particular
items, if he wishes.
 

MAGIC ITEMS FROM OFFICIAL TSR AD&D SOURCES
* Include AC4
* Incl. DLA
* Incl. GHA

Amulet of Communication (Kara-Tur)
Fiend Amulet (Fiend Folio)
Amulet of Health (Kara-Tur)
Amulet of Hunting (Kara-Tur)
Amulet of Neutrality (WG8)
Palm Sign Amulet (I4) *
Amulet of Protection from Turning (C1)
Amulet of Recall (C2)
Amulet of the Spirit (WG8)
Amulet of Weakening (C1)
Leather Apron (I9)
Arcane Formula for a Lich (REF5)
Silver Arm of Ergoth (DL7)

AXE
Cursed Battle Axe (C1)
Rocksplitter (C6)

Potion of Protection from Dragon Breath (RG)
Dust of Dispelling Air Elementals (RG)
Phylactery of Detecting Secret Doors and Traps (RG: Erac's Cousin)

Amulet of the Abyss (Dungeon 13)
Amulet of Cheetah Speed (Dungeon 15)
Draskilion's Amulet of Life (Dungeon 28)
Amulet of Protection from Good (Dungeon 11)
Equus Anklet (Dungeon 22)
Maglubiyet's Wounding Arrow (Dungeon 33)
Pigments of Longevity (Dungeon 10)

* Indicates that an image for the item is in the EM.