Idea - Item Advancements


 Good question over on Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/FantasyAGE/comments/14g8wdc/magic_item_distribution/

Here is my comment. Came up with a decent framework for incorporating items into an overall character advancement plan.

Items are definitely quietly supported in AGE. A decent amount of focus on weapon equipment and styles, but little on modifiers on those weapons. I went through the AGE books (even ModernAGE Threefold as that has a lot of things that made it into FAGE 2e). I found that the FAGE Campaign Builders Guide Chapter Six on Rewards is the most helpful.

On page 77 it has an example campaign called "The Horde of the Dark Temple" with its magic item intentions. The guide splits a campaign into five groups much like adversary threat.

  • Level 1-4 magic items are limited to story focused common trinket (to be later empowered).
  • Level 5-8 magic items are intended to have 3-4 permanent magic items per character.

The example ends there and does not go into plans for the other tiers but the way they phrase it should point to the fact the GM should plan this into their campaign. If it was me I would likely be upgrading items rather than granting more. I think the FAGE "artifact" item system would be something to use, or replace with better items.

I think items should be thought as additional advancements (abilities, focuses, talents). Right now advancements are given at each level. See https://herdingdice.blogspot.com/2023/03/fantasy-age-2e-classes-overview.html for a breakdown of class advancements but here is a simplified list:

  • ability advancement
  • focus advancement
  • talent or specialization advancement
  • spell or stunt advancement


You could add to that list the concept of an item advancement and manage its frequency like the other types of advancements. Options could include:

  • at level multiples (every level, even/odd levels, other multiple)
  • as a replacement an existing advancement (focus or item, ability or item)

I would prefer swapping an item for another advancement. I don't want just add more total stats when I just want to add diversity of sources.

Ideally I would have levels grant one advancement and the PC can choose one from all the types. Levels would be approximately 4 times as often but it removes arbitrary things like "at level 11 get this specific thing".

Three advancements would then be good for a legendary, two for a rare, one for an uncommon, zero required for a common. An item with two uncommon attributes (ie two +1 to something) would equal a rare, thus 2 advancements.

You could also treat advancements as slots as well being able to swap combinations. If you had 3 item advancements, you could hold one +3, or +2 and +1, or three +1.

Cool question. Going to post these thoughts over on the blog. Thanks!

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