Meta topics during our break

Hey folks! So, with Steve C.'s well-deserved vacation time coming up, we find ourselves with a couple of weeks to just chat about things in general. So--let's chat! Can Twitch stop preparing Detect Magic?  So far, Twitch has been using up a prepared spell each day to prepare Detect Magic so that she could cast it as a ritual if needed. But now that we're almost 3rd level, I imagine others have access to Detect Magic as a ritual, too. Sh'nezz'tar, Lukar, and Yipping  all could conceivably have it (maybe even Envy ). If Twitch weren't preparing Detect Magic, she could prepare Sanctuary, Bane, or even another 2nd level spell; and, now that her spell slots per day are increasing, the variety of prepared spells begins to matter more. Does Twitch need to keep preparing Detect Magic, or can she ditch it? Shopping and crafting:  This is for  DM Steve C. , as well as the group: because Steve C. has alerted us that our PCs may have downtime coming up soon, that means downtime activities , and two of our favorites-- buying and c rafting magic items!  Steve C. has already given us his rules for purchasing magic items. What about crafting? We know those rules are complicated by DMG, XGE, Eberron, and everything else. According to the DMG, at 3rd level casters can start crafting common and uncommon magic items.  The costs for crafting in XGE are lower than the DMG, but could require a quest for ingredients. In both the DMG and XGE, the crafter also needs a formula for creating the item. Uncommon magic items are popular for PCs at low levels. For example, Twitch is eager to purchase an Amulet of the Devout +1  (from TCE--note that there is a commonly understood errata in the item description, because the item should only enhance cleric or paladin spells, but that doesn't affect Twitch), which is Uncommon. Per Steve C.'s buying guide, if I understood correctly, it would take 1 day and 1d6 x 100 gp to locate and purchase said Amulet. Crafting the same amulet, per XGE, would take ... 2 workweeks and 200 gp? (Does that sound right?) I'll be selfish for a moment: Twitch will likely have enough gold to buy her item outright at the market if I understand the crafting rules, and then could use her downtime for other purposes. But maybe others want to set up a crafting production line, like y'all did in the last campaign? Again, just want to confirm that we understand how Steve C. wants to do this. I can't claim any expertise on the rules I made on the fly for y'all in the last campaign! Other items that people might covet (probably can only afford Uncommon at the moment)? Meta-combat discussion, part 2:  As we advance in levels and add PCs, our combat strategies will obviously adapt. Any notes people want to offer about their PC's go-to's, things that would be helpful/harmful, things to keep in mind Other stuff?

The crafting rules have always been challenging, but I am satisfied with Koop's previous rules, it was simple and easy. This was essentially the DMG rules, where you had to pay a fixed GP cost and incurred 1 working day per 25GP of cost, with multiple magic users contributing to its construction. I also do not agree with questing for the components.  Knowing that building magic items can be time consuming, and as Koop mentioned, I would prefer that you be allowed to do other things during downtime rather than feeling like you 'must' create magic items. So, Koop is right, 1 day of searching you can find, with a 75% chance, an uncommon magic item for 1d6 x 100 gp. You can increase the probability of finding an item by passing some sort of skill check that you describe how it would apply (persuasion, investigation, etc), it can increase the probability by 10%. Remember though that a low random price might mean an unsavory source (eg, a stolen +1 sword), which may come back to haunt you.  Essentially, I don't want the logistics and time commitments of crafting magic items to become a focus of downtime. Rather, I would prefer people be given more latitude in researching, building a business, or other such activities. This is the opportunity for the PCs to really define what their goals are and what they are focusing their efforts on.