Adventurer’s Vault 2
Adventurer’s Vault 2 is a supplement for Dungeon & Dragons 4th Edition that features an assortment of magic items that can be inserted into your game. In includes support for the Player’s Handbook 2 classes (such as totem implements) as well as introducing new concepts like immurements (a terrain-based consumable item) and magic item sets.
One can’t help but compare Adventurer’s Vault 2 to its predecessor, Adventurer’s Vault. The latter felt tedious to go through due to the sheer amount of options in each category, especially when it comes to magic weapons and armor. Here, the smaller page count serves the book well, as going through the selection doesn’t feel repetitive or dragging. And since this is a sequel, there’s less pressure to cover all the bases. For example, mundane items such as superior weapons or alchemical items aren’t included, as the book immediately dives into magic items. Those looking for equipment specifically-tailored for the new Player’s Handbook 2 classes will also find this helpful, although there are enough generic items that’ll be useful to any class.
What’s immediately noticeable is how this is an improvement over Adventurer’s Vault. While the format in which magic items are presented remains the same, there are numerous sidebars throughout the book that add flavor and potential hooks to specific magic items, and should address the lack of “fluff” when it comes to treasure. Not every item gets this treatment – that would be a quick way to consume the page count – but it happens often enough that it breaks the monotony. A minor but noticeable element is how the illustrations are now labeled. What was frustrating with artwork in various 4th Edition supplements is that it’s not always clear which entry the art is referencing. Thankfully, that problem’s been resolved here. Lastly, the appendix item tables not only group items by level, but by category (armor, weapons, ammunition, holy symbols, etc.) which provides a more comprehensive overview.
One new feature I’d like to address is the design choice when it comes to items that include powers (noticeable in the wands section). If there’s an item that gives you access to a new power, the entire power is listed in the book, instead of simply stating “supplement X, page XX”, except when it comes to powers included in Player’s Handbook 2 (which follows the old format). Powers from Arcane Power and Eberron’s Player’s Guide are fully listed here and that makes comprehending the usefulness of a magic item more manageable, instead of relying on your memory or flipping through various books. It’s too bad this doesn’t apply to powers from Player’s Handbook and Player’s Handbook 2 items, and for the consumer, provides insight into how the “core” books play into the supplements (i.e. core book powers will simply be referenced in future supplements).
There are several new magic item categories in this book. There’s ammunition, which includes an interesting design mechanic that prevents it from being abused (i.e. using a +6 magic longbow to shoot +1 firestorm arrows) but still provides an interesting, if costly, option to characters that favor ranged weapons. There are two new terrain-based magic items. One of these is the concept of wondrous item lairs – flavorful and useful if you happen to own the dungeon. The second concept is immurements, which are like magical traps in function, and provide interesting challenges for friends and foes alike. Then there are tattoos, and what’s interesting with these wondrous items is that the designers take pains to make them thematic. Tattoos of blood, for example, trigger when you’ve been hit, while tattoos of spirit trigger when you spend an Action Point.
A significant section of the book contains magic item sets. Each magic item set has its own fluff entry and comes with tables that immediately detail the items included in the set in addition to the abilities one gains by collecting them. The magic item sets are divided into the three tiers of play, as well as group item sets. The latter is an innovation in my opinion, as it contributes to the team-centric aspect of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition. Instead of simply pondering what magic items might suit your build, here’s an opportunity where your teammate’s magic items factor into your own magic item wish-list, providing an alternative paradigm to item collecting. What’s also useful with these magic item sets is that they’re spread across consecutive levels, so the situation where the next item to complete the set is ten levels away doesn’t crop up.
A good chunk of the other, more conventional magic items take into consideration the classes outside of the Player’s Handbook. Armor of Aegis Expansion for example is specifically aimed at Swordmages, while Echoing Songblade is geared towards Bards. That’s not to exclude the Player’s Handbook classes – there are enough magic items here to satisfy them as well – but clearly this is a book dedicated to supplement the other neglected classes.
Much like Adventurer’s Vault, I don’t see Adventurer’s Vault 2 as a must-buy by any means, but it definitely extends the options available to players in a modular fashion. Similarly, this is one of the books that provide support for supplements like Player’s Handbook 2, so much of its usefulness also depends on whether you’ve collected everything else Wizards of the Coast has released so far.