More importantly, my issue isn't one of power - it's of style. I hate, hate, hate, ****ing HATE random items because I refuse to let my gear define my character. I had enough of that in all the games of 1st to 3rd Ed. I played. It CAN work, but I don't want to do that in this game. As far as I'm concerned, Valerian's magic items are reduced to a single one - Vae Damno, his blade, which is only magical because I liked justifying its effects as being imbued with void essence. The rest occupies a slot and is dutifully recorded on my sheet, but in the gameworld, it doesn't exist. If somebody throws Val a military badge and expects him to care, it won't work (to explain this, my neck item is a Badge of the Berserker. This badge does not exist except as an effect). The reason Valerian doesn't generate OAs on a charge is because of his martial experience, not a fancy schmancy item. Wishlists let me stick to the character concept I want, instead of forcing me to make Valerian into a dude who looks like he got his clothes at a rummage sale just to vaguely keep up, because Anagram decided that what was good for me was not only X items, but also a certain apperance as well (sorry for calling you out Ana, I don't think you will do this. I'm just mentioning you because you're the DM, that's all. We''re cool! :) ). That's all it comes down to. If I have to choose between item abilities and inherent bonuses, I will take inherent bonuses. It will hurt my capacity to contribute a metric ****ton, but it will also mean I am playing the character I want to play, not the character I'm forced to play. And that's what matters to me in the end.
PS: Seriously, if possible, I don't even want to see magic items unless they are artifacts or plot important. At all. If I can get inherent bonuses and boons from here to eternity, I'll be a happy man. The only, and I DO mean only item that is going to be physically represented from my wishlist is the Power Jewel, and even that one will (I hope) have special flavor linking it to Val's style. Don't force me into begging or scavenging for magic items man. It's not fun to me.
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Sburbopolis, Homestuck RPG: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/60981373