TOPIC: 2006 Shops

I just want to be there when a noob walks out and says: <br /><br />  "what's this hand of glory thing do?"<br /><br />It's going to be like a scene from the finish of cannonball run/mad mad mad mad world/etc...

I did kinda think that I might be a little harder for parties to get equipped this year, with no shops.  I don't think that first-time players will have a problem, they should be able to equip themselves with commons from the bags (and as was pointed out, wouldn't have much opportunity to trade for those except with each other anyway).  But if the values of commons and rares drops too much, people who have a few tokens already and want to get better equipment may have a hard time.<br /><br />My party last year used the shops to trade in some of our extra common weaponry and gear and buy some better stuff.  I don't think any players are really going to care about those tokens, since most people would already have more than they know what to do with.  If the value was low already, it may now be non-existant.  Even 1-2 gold is helpful when you're putting it all together--but if no one wants it, you can't even get that anymore.<br /><br />I'll have to see though, after I've been trading on Thursday and Friday.  It could be no problem at all.  

The plan for the bags that will be given to players is that each will definitely have at least one common weapon and armor token, with the rest being the standard random assortment. With the staff person in the player reg area also having a small stock of common weapons and armor, there shouldn't be any reason that each person doesn't end up with at least one usable weapon and piece of armor (assuming their class can wear armor). Whether or not they have other useful items and consumables will be the luck of the draw. After their adventure, they can either keep what they have, or visit the trader area.

On the plus side, I might be able to finally get rid of a million and one shortswords.