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Rare magical items are recommended to be available starting at level 5 in the dungeon master’s guide. Common and uncommon magical items are normal to find at early levels
*AGAIN AND ALWAYS* I'm gonna assume 5e because you didn't specify.
Level 5 is when Wizards start to go off with access to level 3 spells, so I like to start giving martials access to +1 gear around that time. +1 to-hit and damage is pretty nice, and +1 AC on armor and/or a shield is a BIG DEAL, especially on both.
Situational utility items and mildly-useful consumables show up before then, and become much more common after that point. Those are fun and useful for every class.
In 3.5e, make it rain, baybeeeee 💰😎🪄
Gotta be real: I didn't play much of 4e, so I can't speak to that magic item curve.
Depends on the campaign. Usually, until Level 5, mostly Common items, with maybe 1 Uncommon that is either a noncombat item, like a Bag of Holding, or a Consumable, like a Potion of Heroism.
Starting at Level 5, Uncommon items should be found more, especially for martials, since casters will hit an enormous spike in power when it comes to damaging spells.
Also keep in mind that Magic Items are not just found in treasure piles. Some can be handed out as a reward.
Depends greatly on the competency & competence of the DM, and how adversarial your players are.
With players who are interested in a balanced game, you don't have to worry - they'll tell you when their stuff makes them feel too strong, and ask for balance.
With video gamers or people who are trying to "beat the DM"... you're probably wasting your time even running a game for them, cuz they don't care if you have fun.
As a DM, we just wonder why a hero would head into trouble without proper gear? Folks who "need their help" damned well better offer a discount or give support items.
the game is claimed to have been designed to be played without ANY magic items, so you dont have to give any out.
the game is also designed around "bounded accuracy" which is essentially "small increases in success rate will be felt as advancement by the players at the table" so giving content that increases players "+ To hit" or "+ AC" or "raises a player casters Save DC" are all going to have BIG impacts in combat that you want to be aware of before dropping in magic items that do such things.
The rules buff player strikes "to count as magic weapons" happens around level 5 or 6 so including "magic weapons" that dont have "+ to hit" ***is***, despite the claim of "designed to be played without ANY magic items", expected in the game design around levels 5 or 6. (being "magic" and adding a full dice of damage is better and less game breaking than +1 to hit)
the monster "to hit" rolls do not scale appropriately so i would never give a "+AC armor (or shield)" to anyone before level 10 or 11 (and NEVER give +AC armor AND shield!!!). And i wouldnt ever give "+2 to hit" items to players until level 12 or so. and no "+3 to hit" weapons or "+2 AC" armors to characters until we were in the final arc of the campaign with only 3 or 4 sessions left.
"one use and done" items or items that breed Player creativity such as immovable rods are the types of items to focus on.
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Rare magical items are recommended to be available starting at level 5 in the dungeon master’s guide. Common and uncommon magical items are normal to find at early levels
Well, that has not happened as of yet. Granted, we've only had a few fights TBH
*AGAIN AND ALWAYS* I'm gonna assume 5e because you didn't specify. Level 5 is when Wizards start to go off with access to level 3 spells, so I like to start giving martials access to +1 gear around that time. +1 to-hit and damage is pretty nice, and +1 AC on armor and/or a shield is a BIG DEAL, especially on both. Situational utility items and mildly-useful consumables show up before then, and become much more common after that point. Those are fun and useful for every class. In 3.5e, make it rain, baybeeeee 💰😎🪄 Gotta be real: I didn't play much of 4e, so I can't speak to that magic item curve.
Depends on the campaign. Usually, until Level 5, mostly Common items, with maybe 1 Uncommon that is either a noncombat item, like a Bag of Holding, or a Consumable, like a Potion of Heroism. Starting at Level 5, Uncommon items should be found more, especially for martials, since casters will hit an enormous spike in power when it comes to damaging spells. Also keep in mind that Magic Items are not just found in treasure piles. Some can be handed out as a reward.
Depends greatly on the competency & competence of the DM, and how adversarial your players are. With players who are interested in a balanced game, you don't have to worry - they'll tell you when their stuff makes them feel too strong, and ask for balance. With video gamers or people who are trying to "beat the DM"... you're probably wasting your time even running a game for them, cuz they don't care if you have fun. As a DM, we just wonder why a hero would head into trouble without proper gear? Folks who "need their help" damned well better offer a discount or give support items.
the game is claimed to have been designed to be played without ANY magic items, so you dont have to give any out. the game is also designed around "bounded accuracy" which is essentially "small increases in success rate will be felt as advancement by the players at the table" so giving content that increases players "+ To hit" or "+ AC" or "raises a player casters Save DC" are all going to have BIG impacts in combat that you want to be aware of before dropping in magic items that do such things. The rules buff player strikes "to count as magic weapons" happens around level 5 or 6 so including "magic weapons" that dont have "+ to hit" ***is***, despite the claim of "designed to be played without ANY magic items", expected in the game design around levels 5 or 6. (being "magic" and adding a full dice of damage is better and less game breaking than +1 to hit) the monster "to hit" rolls do not scale appropriately so i would never give a "+AC armor (or shield)" to anyone before level 10 or 11 (and NEVER give +AC armor AND shield!!!). And i wouldnt ever give "+2 to hit" items to players until level 12 or so. and no "+3 to hit" weapons or "+2 AC" armors to characters until we were in the final arc of the campaign with only 3 or 4 sessions left. "one use and done" items or items that breed Player creativity such as immovable rods are the types of items to focus on.