Just listened to @BrandesStoddard and @DMSamuel talking about 3rd edition D&D's economy on @thetomeshow.

Wow, that's some flashbacks, and has me thinking about one of the components that comes along with wealth being equivalent to character power progression. 1/7 #dnd

There were means to destroy objects and magic items in 3e, many of which were rooted in legacy D&D things. Spells, monster offensive and defensive abilities, action maneuvers, all kinds.

If you did that, though, you were permanently removing power from the PCs. That sucks. 2/7

As a player I was terrified of it, and as a DM I could both see that my players were terrified of it, and I avoided it because it threw off the balance curve of the campaign so harshly. So I never did it. It wasn't fun, and made more work for me. 3/7

Now, though, 5e assumes zero magic items for the basic math that sets up the game. Even the most lowly magic item you find is gravy. Removing the requirement/expectation of magic items removes some of that sacrosanct status. 4/7

As a DM in 5e, I can disenchant, shatter, and steal magic items without the fear of crippling a character and throwing my campaign into deeper uncertainty, challenge-wise.

That's an exciting thought, not because I want to run out and destroy all my players' favorite stuff, 5/7

But because it's a shackle removed. It's a dial that can be adjusted to create stories, tension, and motivation, but without risk of dropping the bottom out of the entire game.

As a DM, designer, and player, that makes me happy. 6/7

A slightly ironic final note, I'm still glad there's no Mordenkainen's Disjunction spell. That was the ultimate dick move. If you're gonna blow up magic stuff, make it more individually meaningful.

My goal as a DM is for players to have more fun this session than the last. 7/7