Pathfinder (and D&D by that extension) is a combat-based, gamist game centered around combat and the rules regarding it. I'd say 90-95% of the rules in Pathfinder are about combat. It's what the system focuses on. It's what the system makes attempts to be good at. Variants that change things will generally try to address these rules. There are many other systems out there that focus on the narrative aspect of the story, FATE being one such example. This doesn't mean you can't have good RP in a Pathfinder game. But it means that there won't be nearly as much support for RP as there would in a different system. On to the actual game/variant...<br/><br/>Note that the DM wanted *no* magic items at all at the start. All those things you're complaining about? They wouldn't be there anyhow. Which means a few things.<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>First, this variant allows us to keep up and face CR-appropriate encounters without being steamrolled regardless of the equipment we have on us. It makes <em>us</em>, rather than the equipment we have on us, awesome. </li><li>Second, as you noted, it fixes a large part of the rules where fighters are nerfed compared to casters as far as gold is concerned since they need so many more things to be viable. Note as well, a very positive side-effect is that it keeps everyone on the RNG. While there are some extreme differences in the AC/saves of characters, none of us are auto-hit/auto-miss if an enemy has an attack roll around the average of our saves and ACs. Taking rolling out of the equation is a bad thing, which is a reason I think it's good.</li><li>Third, you mentioned two items. Those are iconic items and are totally cool. Characters in books usually have iconic items which are few in number. The thing characters in stories rarely have, and which break the realism of the game in my opinion, is a dozen magic items that are all worn at the same time. This variant freely allows you to switch between magic items in between combats so you can face various situations. But those items are iconic, and you're not wearing a plethora of magical items that make you light up like a christmas tree every time someone scans you with Detect Magic.</li><li>It also eliminates for the most part the need for magic shops. No longer simply traded for gold, magic items become things of wonder that are bartered for or looted directly from the corpse of the lich that was just slain. It makes them cooler, and more flavorful rather than needing to upgrade that +2 armor to +3 so you don't fall behind... which is kinda silly in my opinion.</li></ul><br/>And lastly...<br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote from: Balanced Wealth Variant</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">For the purpose of this limit, one-use items (such as potions and scrolls) don't count towards your five magic item limit.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>You can totally use one-shot items, the kind you said you liked, in this variant to no penalty. Please, please,<em>please</em>read the whole thing. It might make more sense afterwards.<br/><br/>EDIT: And what are you talking about, no items that add out-of-combat stuff? Circlets of persuasion, Helm of Telepathy, and the Mask of Stony Demeanor (+10 to Bluff!!) all exist in this game and can be used. I honestly don't understand why you would have that kind of objection when those items are not only there, but are even more often gotten since people don't<em>have</em>to take the items that make them decent in combat--they can get cool stuff that gives them awesome out-of-combat stuff instead.