Change the standard class restrictions on wilds-themed items

[Wrexsoul]

Since I am currently playing a stargazer, I regularly encounter various "wilds"-items; Totems, gear for wilderness characters and so on. A great majority of these are restricted to Druids, Rangers, Barbarians and Sorcerers. Some only to 2 or 3 out of these classes. I realize why this is done, but I think it is a rather limiting way of trying to ensure that only wilds-based classes use them, since there are wilderness-based characters of other classes around, too.

My suggestion is preferably to, instead of the mechanical class restrictions, have an OOC note as on some DM loot stating what manner of PCs can use them. This would allow freedom for unorthodox stargazer/wildsman concepts, and not let city-based varieties of these four classes gain automatic access to them. If that is unwanted, at least add Bard to the number of classes these items are allowed to be used by, since there's a fair few of them.

As an example I just got a "Totem of the Wolf" item, that'd be a perfect item for the Wolf tribe stargazer I often interact with, but since she's a bard she can't even use it, despite being a wielder of spiritual magic and otherwise being perfectly ICly suited to use this item.

[Wrexsoul]

I'd like to bring this issue into focus again, since it really does cause a bit of frustration for the characters not of the fantastic four above. Recently I acquired an item with Eagle's Splendour 1/day, with a description that doesn't in any way ICly explain why a bard shouldn't be able to use it (in fact, it makes a lot of sense that one would be), yet it is limited to the usual barbarian/druid/sorcerer/ranger quartet.

Any chance this could be commented on?

[Valo56]

If balance is a concern, a Barbarian with Splendor 1/day is far more OP than a Bard with it.

Opening up nature loot for all characters who are actually nature based would mean people might actually go with other classes out there and not get killed for lack of good loot. It is, after all, a very harsh thing to be a nature character. You're out in a very dangerous wilderness, often alone, and not just traveling from point A to B, but expected to make it your home and explore to an extent. If anyone from Mistlocke finds you, expect some hostility at some point, especially if you try to claim any land, even if it's just to defend it. Not to say it isn't fun to play one, I love playing druids, but it's not exactly wise to essentially play EfU on Hard when playing a class that is unsuited to the setting, regardless of how much it fits your concept.

Not to mention the "Pure Ranger Only" loot doesn't make sense to me. Pure Ranger doesn't make one a nature ranger. Nor does going Ranger/Rogue make one less a nature ranger.

[derfo]

Don't really see why this needs to change. The listed classes are well known to be a lot more nature inclined than the others, and bards and rogues can circumvent the restrictions by investing in Use Magic Device. I may see about adding more things to the table, though.

[Wrexsoul]

Don't really see why this needs to change. The listed classes are well known to be a lot more nature inclined than the others, and bards and rogues can circumvent the restrictions by investing in Use Magic Device. I may see about adding more things to the table, though.

UMD isn't always feasible though, either concept wise, or points wise. I admit though to actually having a pretty vague idea about what UMD is like "ICly", i.e. in other aspects than mechanically, so I'm not sure what concepts it fits into. Points wise, though, on my decently intelligent bard I already have a very hard time getting the skills I want even without needing to consider UMD. Stealth is a very hard skill to skip in the wilds, and Perform is integral to the class, so there's already three "mandatory" skills to max. There already isn't very much place for "flavour" skill picking as it is. Having UMD also being a "mandatory" skill to be able to use loot would leave almost no room for individual skill choices, so I don't think UMD should be a requisite for being able to use non-custom loot for wilderness bards.

Nice to hear you're looking into adding more things though!

[Winston Martin]

Perform is integral to the class

Last I heard bards don't need to invest points into perform to get the benefit of their songs. However, every 3 ranks does grant an additional round duration.