Noob Question about Magical Items

[Segev]

This forum would say yes, it is that easy. I know many personally who would disagree, myself included.

That's a valid position, but it does risk throwing off balance as defined by Wealth-By-Level, since a party carrying technically the right amount of gp worth of stuff is still under-geared if that stuff is either not useful to their builds or is not useful at all.

As an example, if the party has appropriate WBL, but it's all in "trade goods" and coins, they're still under-equipped to handle a CR-appropriate threat. The whole point behind rewards in the form of gp and trade goods (which are gp described differently for fluff purposes) is to be able to go buy what you want with it the next time you're "in town."

The joke about the "magic mart" is mostly just that; in practice, what is supposedly happening is that you're shopping around and finding relatively unique items if you're purchasing at the high-end, or you're going to really specialized high-end shops. The low-end stuff is actually supposed to be relatively common, in that most moderate-sized towns will have somebody who has some of what you need, or a specialist who can make it. (scrolls, wands, potions, etc.)

[Chronos]

On the other hand, even DotA requires you to go to the Secret Shop to find some high-end items.

[Milodiah]

I mean, I've even sold lower-grade potions out of an inn in one of my campaigns.

Granted, the innkeeper decided in his vast alchemical wisdom to cut the Cure Light Wounds potions with laudanum (read: opiates) for pain reduction. Without telling anyone. It was interesting.

[Sith_Happens]

It's not really an assumption if it's right there in the PHB.

[NITPICK]I'm pretty sure it's in the DMG, actually.[/NITPICK]

[sleepyphoenixx]

[NITPICK]I'm pretty sure it's in the DMG, actually.[/NITPICK]

I actually quoted the relevant section on the last page.

[Sith_Happens]

I actually quoted the relevant section on the last page.

That only covers the cheap stuff, DMG covers everything up to 200k.