Players, Don't Assume That Rare Items or Resources Will Be Made Available

Most folks who have read this blog, even casually, know that I generally advocate for Game Masters to err on the side of not restricting player options. If a base class, mundane item, spell, or PC species exists in the game world you're playing, and the system you're using is designed to support that option, you gain a lot more by letting your players use these options than you do declaring them off-limits.

This week, though, I wanted to touch on the other side of that coin. Because while I firmly believe players should have access to all the base stuff the game offers as options, I think that far too many players assume they'll also have access to powerful magic items, relics, rare or restricted in-game knowledge, and so on.

And that kind of assumption is something that I think should be curbed as well. Because if you want that, you're going to have to work for it... and even then, it might still be beyond the scope of the game you're currently playing.

What do you mean I can't have the Aegis of The Eagle? Someone ELSE has it?!

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Don't Make Assumptions Beyond The Basics

While I pointed it out in the introduction above, I feel it bears repeating here. Game Masters should make all base player options available that were designed for a particular game, and a particular setting, whenever possible. Sure you might sigh if everyone in the party is playing a full caster, or you might not personally see the fun in gunslingers or barbarians, but if they're a part of the game as it exists, and your players will enjoy them, there's rarely any harm in letting them have their fun.

However, this statement applies only to the things players are assumed to have access to. Any time there's something that's special, unique, difficult-to-acquire, or which has out-and-out in-game limits placed on it, players should not assume they'll simply be able to acquire said thing. Perhaps it will be possible, but if it falls outside the base allotment of resources you have as a player then you're going to have to work it out with the Game Master.

Wait... you want to find WHAT!?

As an example, players should be allowed to have paladin characters. Just because they have a paladin as a character, though, doesn't mean they should automatically be allowed to acquire a Holy Avenger for that paladin. A player should be allowed a warpriest of a storm god, but that doesn't mean they'll be allowed to wield the Maul of Storms. Someone might become a powerful wizard over the course of the campaign, but that doesn't mean they'll be able to acquire an infernal grimoire locked deep in the arcane library of an archfiend.

Again, however, I am not advocating for Game Masters to automatically restrict access even to powerful items, potent prestige classes, or rare and unusual spells. What I'm saying is that players should not go into the game just assuming they'll be able to get the exact magic items they want, that they'll be able to find teachers who fit obscure prerequisites, etc. Perhaps they will, and perhaps they won't.

That should be a conversation with the Game Master.

This is Where "Yes, But" Comes Into Play

Most Game Masters have heard that they should avoid just out and out telling players no whenever possible. Instead they should say, "Yes, and," or, "Yes, but," as a way of trying to meet them in the middle.

And when it comes to gaining access to these powerful options, whether they be prestige classes, relic weapons, feats with difficult prerequisites, etc., this is where I would strongly give that advice... because it gives you a carrot to use to motivate your players instead of just hitting them with a stick.

What are you willing to do for this boon?

Let's go to the paladin example. You have a player who really wants a Holy Avenger. That's a big deal, and you don't just make them pinch their gold pieces until they can buy one. Instead, pay attention to how they act, and who they help. Whether the sword was left with a mountain witch who was guarding it until a worthy paladin came to claim it, or they find it in the lair of the dragon who slew the knight they'd squired for, this can represent a big goal for them to achieve... but the nature of this item is such that they have to still be worthy of it in order for it to find them, and to allow them to use it.

But what about the wizard? Well, if they want this grimoire so badly there are many ways they can acquire it. Perhaps they show mercy to a devil, and make a bargain for it in exchange for the book. Or maybe they need to get several devils to sneak copies of the pages to them, making it a process that's more of a road instead of the culmination of a single event. Perhaps they suggest going to hell to rescue the rogue when they're damned by a fiend, and while going through this jail break they just so happen to swipe a copy of the book they want, as well.

And for that player who desperately seeks to wield the Maul of Storms? Well, it's a potent relic weapon... which means it's not just laying around somewhere. They need to find it, they need to be able to lift it, and they need to deal with whoever it is that currently guards it... or whoever is currently wielding it! A series of tests to determine if they are a better bearer (or even if they'll be allowed to try to lift it at all) could be a fun culmination of that player character's arc, and it would give them a seriously powerful item to use for perhaps the last arc (or even just the final level) of the campaign.

The idea is not to flat-out ban players from getting the "good" toys out. Rather, if you work with them to create a path, and ensure it adds to the story, these things will flow naturally into the game's progression. It also puts at least part of the onus on the players, ensuring that they're willing to put in the time and effort to reach what should be big milestones for their character.

There will, of course, be some circumstances where Game Masters should still say no. A player might want to start the game already in possession of something huge and powerful. They might expect it to just be handed to them when they reach a certain level, or to get the prize regardless of the actions they've taken. However, assuming that your players are acting in good faith and genuinely meeting you in the middle, it is a good idea to use these desires as stakes to keep players interested and involved!

Additional Reading

Whether you're a player looking for additional tips, or a Game Master who'd like more advice along these lines, I'd highly recommend checking out the following:

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Whether it's finding a long-lost family member, being knighted by the queen, or being deemed worthy of wielding a holy relic, there's all sorts of motivations you can use to round out your characters in here!

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master: Just what it says on the tin. I've been peppering Game Master advice throughout this blog for a decade or so, and the best tips and tricks I've come across wound up in this supplement!

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