What kind of Gear do you find useful?

[Tel]

With the talk about the trade fair being a week long, with some people about what makes a good auction item / what items are really prized, and with some talk about basic gear-level... I've realized I have no clue what most players find really useful to them. I have some vague guesses. Nobody wants to sell their prized DM rewards, and nobody wants to pay much at auction for something they could buy down the street. So maybe knowing what kinds of things people *want* will help in some way.



There are some things which I've come to just assume I will use in most situations.

• Battle Bands (or the now more expensive Belt of Defense)
  Bone Ring, or Wightbane Cloak (Immunity: Level/Ability Drain)
  Lesser Belt of Guiding Light (Immunity: Fear) .. also available as a ring, amulet or helmet if less common

After this I don't think there is much that is generally available that I feel I need. My characters used the following guidelines for their purchases.

• Teleniel (Druid, Cleric, Monk): Focused on +Wisdom equipment with 2 divine casting classes
  Tomnan (Barbarian, Palemaster, Wizard): Focused on elemental resist gear

I know some equipment options

• Freedom, Regeneration (DM drop only, highly prized)
  +Open Lock (lots of Rogue types out there, open all the things)
  Vampiric Regen, bonus spell slots or SOAK X/+n (some interest, but most don't want to deal with them)
  +Hide, +Move Silently, +Lore, +Spellcraft (secondary equipment for many players so prized but not valued)

What do people consider to be the 'average gear level'. What kinds of things drive you into a buying frenzy...

I expect a level 10 player to have or be working toward:

• Lesser Battle Bands (or similar effects in other slots)
  Robes of Elemental Resistance (at least one pair, likely fire)
  Copper or Bonze Armor of some kind
  Crafted Weapon(s) (+1 AB, 2 elemental damage)

I expect a level 20 player to have or be working toward:

• +2 Weapon (or better)
  +2 Shield (or second weapon)
  +2 Armor
  Wightbane cloak
  Battle Bands
  Lesser Belt of Guiding Light
  +2 Stat Ring
  +2 Stat Ring
  +2 Amulet (Stat, Saves or natural AC)
  +2 Dodge boots
  Bow (+1 AB/Mighty 5, or +2 AB/Mighty 4) better are out there, but these can be found

At this point I don't know what people want. What makes your level 10 character drool? At level 20 what's out there that you would want, even if you wouldn't use it often? What kinds of things AREN'T out there, but you think are power-wise very similar and wish you could find?

I wish I could find more shields! The average shield I can find with searching is just plain jane +2. There are a few elemental resist ones, quite a few with bonus feats (and class restrictions) and the rare +3... but for some reason there doesn't seem to be a variety that makes it to market.
Some interesting shields might be...

• Shield of the Stalwart (Tower Shield, +1 Enchantment, Immunity: Fear, Remove Fear 2/day)
  Battle Commander Shield (Small Shield, +2 Enchantment, Warcry 1/day)
  Bladed Shield (Tower Shield, 10/slashing, 10% DI Slashing, Blade Barrier 1/day)

[Ronan]

What kinds of things drive you into a buying frenzy...

...Books I don't have.

[silverfields2]

What kinds of things drive you into a buying frenzy...

...Books I don't have.

El'GOS! MJ wants her books back!

[tindertwiggy]

Wands!

[Pekarion]

I love +skills and often just try to get my main stat up. I know BB's and DR is a must but most of my characters don't have them. Old habits die hard.

[LadyAwesome]

staffs!

[Zandel]

This is so build dependent. If my character is pure militant I.E. no caster levels and no UMD, once I get past Battle bands, I want the highest Enchantment Bonus I can get on my weapon. I tend to want items that cast spells 1/day. Frostmere shards, essence of harm or power, minotaur helm, etc. If I have caster levels at least in the 20s, I want stat boosting gear for my main casting stat, and bonus spell slots. For me post 20 I am already looking for +3 or better stat boost gear. If I have UMD, I spend a lot on wands. I will usually also buy mantles of the raven and wards of the brave. If I am a sneak build, lots of rods of the shadow along with things to give me ultravision.

[Manuel the White]

I have noticed that many chars that are high level begin searching for items that protect them from their stat weaknesses. Saving throws to Will or universal are popular, especially in combination with other bonuses.

Some of my chars will begin looking for items that will benefit lower levels within the guilds they belong to. This includes good quality bags which are a must. Though will not bid against a lowbie to get it.

Ion stones are a very popular item and among the first to go at loot split. Those nice Discipline + Dodge boots are another.

[Darkfire]

1%er gear

[krackq]

A lot of the small 1/day items are useful if you remember that you have them. The downside is usually they are the first things to be dispelled too. Wands are better in this respect if you can afford them and find them with high caster levels.

Items that give multiple properties start to become more beneficial in later levels where you can try to make up for some of your character's lacking areas. Those tend to be harder to find though unless you end up with reward "add-ons".

Not to completely derail the thread but I've always thought that "evolving" items are awesome. You might start off with a +2 stat ring and through a quest, it ends up with an additional stat. Perhaps later on in an event or by plot reward or dm reward, something else is tacked on. Now instead of a typical old +2 stat ring, you start to have an item that has history and stories behind it. Some of those things would be really cool to read about if they were ever documented, perhaps even becoming a thing of lore or legend like weapons of Avlis was/is.

[Commander Morgan]

Hmm... My epic weaponmaster won't use any gear that he hasn't made himself, with very little exeption... but then he's green and has some odd ideas. Currently only a few +1 stat items and a pair of Gargoyle boots.

He's not dead yet!

[lloydy]

*\day items at decent caster level

[nihprodne]

Trinkets are nice.

For me I love boots and helms...

With UMD, spellcraft and artificing just about everyone can tweak their stat spread to their hearts content.

To me, AC is golden, espceically dodge AC.

Other then that I love + skill items that allow me to mix and match different kits to different roles.

Skills I actively seek out are
-Listen
-Discipline
-Animal Empathy
-Heal
-Search
-Hide
-Move Silent

and spiderskin wands...always spiderskin wands...and anything that gives owls insight (radish juice, the occasional scroll drop)