Steely_Dan
First Post
Yeah, and I thought they stated giants would be going back to their original Strengths (Hill = 19, Stone = 20, Frost = 21, Fire = 22, Cloud = 23, Storm = 24), has that changed (a storm giant now has a 29 Str)?
D&D 5E October Playtest Packet - Magic Items, Updated XP, Monster Traits
- Thread starter Morrus
- Start date
Yeah, and I thought they stated giants would be going back to their original Strengths (Hill = 19, Stone = 20, Frost = 21, Fire = 22, Cloud = 23, Storm = 24), has that changed (a storm giant now has a 29 Str)?
Ultimatecalibur
Explorer
That seems to have been a reference to there pre-3rd edition traditional strengths, and some people made the assumption that they were going back to those numbers when they actually were going back to the traditional order.
Steely_Dan
First Post
Ah, cool, I can dig it, so Storm Giants are amongst the strongest creatures in the multiverse, the only thing stronger are things like Thor (30 special *winks*).
howandwhy99
Adventurer
I've been super busy and this took awhile for me to compile. Then the site was down the last few days. I hope it's not too late.
The stats used all look good. Description, Requirement, Property (or Effect for single use items), Secrets, and Rarity. I guess I'd put other stats in there like Hit Points and ACs for items as well as size and weight. Those might work in the Description though.
Creators, Nature (or purpose), Minor Properties (extra magical effects), and Minor Quirks are all great ways to make magical items more interesting. Th
The catch all category of special magic items for their use really opens up their design. It's not simply wearing, wielding, drinking, or action-activated (like swords). Now learning about the item may be more than simply telling the players.
This leads into the listed means to identify magic items. Trial & Error and Examination I would put first, as not all characters can cast divination spells. That goes for appropriate Knowledge skill checks too. How one attunes his or her self to a magic item could also include some examples. That could be part of learning of its use. Oh, and definitely the learning of secrets too. A cursed item doesn't have to be a gotcha. Secrets means these magic items shouldn't be read by the players beforehand
Taking the Magic Item Identification rules further - Non-proficient characters in a task can always use those means to learn more about the world, people, or items. Non-proficiency is not like immunity with success without players figuring stuff out. What it does is make the task easier.
The advice on buying, selling, and encountering magic items based on intelligence and also their use if they are monster equipment was all spot on. Rarity looks good, though the prices for items looks much lower than before. Overall, I think they're fine for a gold piece standard. Just multiple by whatever factor if you want silver pieces. Maybe that could be mentioned?
Treasure by Encounter Type has been talked about in other threads. It really is about how an encounter is labelled for characters of the appropriate character level (overall). I think magic items can be more easily and evenly distributed across challenge types, if they don't fluctuate depending on the PCs levels. Differing difficulties is appreciated however. I like a wide range, though magic item rarity ranges might be a little too broad for my tastes. Maybe they could get a fine point rating like monsters get an XP rating as well as level?
Last little fiddly bits: What about assigning Treasure Type by creature? Would a brown bear have a vorpal sword? I guess I could make a case for it, but they likely don't collect this stuff. It also makes a case for unguarded treasure as bears might leave corpses after they've finished dining. Also, the last 2 lines in the Tough Encounter table are reversed. Artifacts are likely 1d2-1 (aka 50%) and Legendary 1.
Individual Magic Item comments:
[sblock]Some items are still a bit peculair in their effects, but this could be due to "underlying arcane laws of the multiverse" or some such. For example, the Potion of Diminution shrinks a creature to 10% of their Size & Weight for a respectable amount of time. However your Strength or Movement speeds do not change and no mention is given to whether clothes or other held or worn items shrink as well. These omissions could be purposeful and the other effects are simply up to each individual DM.
Magic Items List:
Armor:
Black Dragon Scale of Resistance - per the description, maybe this is imbued with an illusory fear effect manifesting whenever a critical hit occurs via any attack when the armor is worn? Resistance should be a default ability of the armor I would think. Not a 1/day spell effect unless that's how black dragons have their scale work.
Magical Armor +1 - might require a magical weapon to hit it or perhaps confers the Plus bonus in damage resistance to B/P/S types. The latter does away with the whole "damage resistance armor" paradigm under a non-armor magic category. This parallels (and cancels out) the double bonus from magic weapons to hitting & damage.
Efreeti Chain - I would add on "the language of the Efreet" to distinguish why those languages are offered. And that these armors are crafted for allies of the Efreet, so may carry some cultural expectations should one run into such.
Plate Mail of Etherealness - couldn't this be plate mail crafted in the Ethereal realm and made manifest on the prime material? Then the armor is ghostly and only manifests when using the command word. It would always defend against ethereal attacks like drain abilities and allow one to enter the Ethereal realm (via Ethereal Jaunt)
Spellguard Shield - What is the magic spell correspondent to this effect?
Weapons:
Arrow of Dragon Slaying - the CON check seems awfully low for what a Dragon's CON would be.
Dwarven Thrower - is probably desired and asked for in trade by a dwarf who can identify it with good degree of accuracy. It's far from a sure thing they revere anyone who uses, especially an evil giant, hobgoblin or orc.
Flame Tongue - These also are +1 normal and +2/3/4 against other types of creatures. I'd say +3 against any without fire resistance, +2 regenerating, +4 corporeal undead (and dead). Perhaps it is less powerful to make the item less rare?
Frost Brand - +3/+5 vs fire-based creatures might be better. The other options are not high level powers. Plus, dousing fires must be thrust into by the sword normally and then only 50% to do so, but I'd make that a saving throw for magical persistent fire effects.
Hammer of Thunderbolts - these attune if you're wearing a girdle of giant strength, gauntlets or ogre power, or speak the weapons true name.
Keen Rapier - sounds like the samurai sword myth. It must do structural damage to the environment without hardness impacting it, if it requires so little strength. This negates normal Armor Class from affecting any piercing blow by it.
Potions:
Diminution - 10% size and weight with no other changes sets a precedent for minute play that makes exploration difficult to design for at that level.
Heroism - used to grant warriors greater combat ability (BAB, HD, HP, Saves) and not magical ability. It was attuned to warriors too.
Invisibility - and lots of others. It's nice to see longer durations on all of these.
Longevity - This is immortality and eternal youth wrapped into one. Watch out for this one. It used to have a cumulative total years gain loss drawback to balance. A CON saves needs to be able to be failed by any mortal creature.
Rings:
Feather Falling - falls beyond 5' were included so the ring didn't alter long jumping ability.
Protection Scrolls:
It is interesting to see these back in the game even with the required use to be able to cast a spell.
Wondrous:
Bag of Holding - No extraplanar space rules? It sounds fun though. Also, you might mention that they aren't often found empty, depending on the treasure hoard.
Belt of Giant Strength - Good move on changing the Giant's Strength scores away from AD&D (which had a logarithmic increase) to one fitting the current scheme.
Boots of Elvenkind - could refer to walking, not all movement. Plus, absolutely no sound is kind of like absolute zero temperature. Gloves of Elvenkind might be cool for pummeling people silently and other activities performed by hand.
Boots of Speed - were primarily a travel item where a person could move at the speed of a fast horse for normal day's march.
Crystal Ball - "Requirement" missed bolding. Interesting point on psychic damage.
Gem of Seeing - The time it takes to recognize and scan detail in standard exploration is core to the game and shows up here in this item. 1 action to perform might be further defined with a limited range, level of detail revealed / action, or simply a square footage searchable in a round.
Horn of Blasting - Thunder damage does sound better than sonic. So easily destroyed a magic item might not be around long or increases its rarity.
Pearls of Power - are specific to magic users normally. A cleric might gain more power via offerings to their deity.
Portable Holes - are non-dimensional spaces like the Astral plane. They may be self-contained, but are not extra-dimensional spaces technically as they don't store anything in a pocket space. People couldn't breathe or even move about when in them. Movement is as in the astral, strictly mentally performed. Exiting would be like exiting from the only portal existent.
Robe of the Archmagi - I believe +5% MR (magic resistance) meant doubling normal magic resistance. Usually it was a 90% chance of no effect, the robe making it 95%. Or so I believe. What you have now works well though.
Rod of Absorption - Wow, that spell point table for rating spell slot power in relation to other spells seems very peculair to me. As is this is an artifact. Originally this item had an absolute limit on total spells absorbed before crumbling. With a spell casting like crazy wizard in a duel the wielder casts any spell without preparation and has almost complete spell protection from every magical effect. It would take a much higher level spellcaster who could only hope to overwhelm them. Powerful stuff indeed.
Tome of the Stilled Tongue - looks new and fun[/sblock]
The stats used all look good. Description, Requirement, Property (or Effect for single use items), Secrets, and Rarity. I guess I'd put other stats in there like Hit Points and ACs for items as well as size and weight. Those might work in the Description though.
Creators, Nature (or purpose), Minor Properties (extra magical effects), and Minor Quirks are all great ways to make magical items more interesting. Th
The catch all category of special magic items for their use really opens up their design. It's not simply wearing, wielding, drinking, or action-activated (like swords). Now learning about the item may be more than simply telling the players.
This leads into the listed means to identify magic items. Trial & Error and Examination I would put first, as not all characters can cast divination spells. That goes for appropriate Knowledge skill checks too. How one attunes his or her self to a magic item could also include some examples. That could be part of learning of its use. Oh, and definitely the learning of secrets too. A cursed item doesn't have to be a gotcha. Secrets means these magic items shouldn't be read by the players beforehand
Taking the Magic Item Identification rules further - Non-proficient characters in a task can always use those means to learn more about the world, people, or items. Non-proficiency is not like immunity with success without players figuring stuff out. What it does is make the task easier.
The advice on buying, selling, and encountering magic items based on intelligence and also their use if they are monster equipment was all spot on. Rarity looks good, though the prices for items looks much lower than before. Overall, I think they're fine for a gold piece standard. Just multiple by whatever factor if you want silver pieces. Maybe that could be mentioned?
Treasure by Encounter Type has been talked about in other threads. It really is about how an encounter is labelled for characters of the appropriate character level (overall). I think magic items can be more easily and evenly distributed across challenge types, if they don't fluctuate depending on the PCs levels. Differing difficulties is appreciated however. I like a wide range, though magic item rarity ranges might be a little too broad for my tastes. Maybe they could get a fine point rating like monsters get an XP rating as well as level?
Last little fiddly bits: What about assigning Treasure Type by creature? Would a brown bear have a vorpal sword? I guess I could make a case for it, but they likely don't collect this stuff. It also makes a case for unguarded treasure as bears might leave corpses after they've finished dining. Also, the last 2 lines in the Tough Encounter table are reversed. Artifacts are likely 1d2-1 (aka 50%) and Legendary 1.
Individual Magic Item comments:
[sblock]Some items are still a bit peculair in their effects, but this could be due to "underlying arcane laws of the multiverse" or some such. For example, the Potion of Diminution shrinks a creature to 10% of their Size & Weight for a respectable amount of time. However your Strength or Movement speeds do not change and no mention is given to whether clothes or other held or worn items shrink as well. These omissions could be purposeful and the other effects are simply up to each individual DM.
Magic Items List:
Armor:
Black Dragon Scale of Resistance - per the description, maybe this is imbued with an illusory fear effect manifesting whenever a critical hit occurs via any attack when the armor is worn? Resistance should be a default ability of the armor I would think. Not a 1/day spell effect unless that's how black dragons have their scale work.
Magical Armor +1 - might require a magical weapon to hit it or perhaps confers the Plus bonus in damage resistance to B/P/S types. The latter does away with the whole "damage resistance armor" paradigm under a non-armor magic category. This parallels (and cancels out) the double bonus from magic weapons to hitting & damage.
Efreeti Chain - I would add on "the language of the Efreet" to distinguish why those languages are offered. And that these armors are crafted for allies of the Efreet, so may carry some cultural expectations should one run into such.
Plate Mail of Etherealness - couldn't this be plate mail crafted in the Ethereal realm and made manifest on the prime material? Then the armor is ghostly and only manifests when using the command word. It would always defend against ethereal attacks like drain abilities and allow one to enter the Ethereal realm (via Ethereal Jaunt)
Spellguard Shield - What is the magic spell correspondent to this effect?
Weapons:
Arrow of Dragon Slaying - the CON check seems awfully low for what a Dragon's CON would be.
Dwarven Thrower - is probably desired and asked for in trade by a dwarf who can identify it with good degree of accuracy. It's far from a sure thing they revere anyone who uses, especially an evil giant, hobgoblin or orc.
Flame Tongue - These also are +1 normal and +2/3/4 against other types of creatures. I'd say +3 against any without fire resistance, +2 regenerating, +4 corporeal undead (and dead). Perhaps it is less powerful to make the item less rare?
Frost Brand - +3/+5 vs fire-based creatures might be better. The other options are not high level powers. Plus, dousing fires must be thrust into by the sword normally and then only 50% to do so, but I'd make that a saving throw for magical persistent fire effects.
Hammer of Thunderbolts - these attune if you're wearing a girdle of giant strength, gauntlets or ogre power, or speak the weapons true name.
Keen Rapier - sounds like the samurai sword myth. It must do structural damage to the environment without hardness impacting it, if it requires so little strength. This negates normal Armor Class from affecting any piercing blow by it.
Potions:
Diminution - 10% size and weight with no other changes sets a precedent for minute play that makes exploration difficult to design for at that level.
Heroism - used to grant warriors greater combat ability (BAB, HD, HP, Saves) and not magical ability. It was attuned to warriors too.
Invisibility - and lots of others. It's nice to see longer durations on all of these.
Longevity - This is immortality and eternal youth wrapped into one. Watch out for this one. It used to have a cumulative total years gain loss drawback to balance. A CON saves needs to be able to be failed by any mortal creature.
Rings:
Feather Falling - falls beyond 5' were included so the ring didn't alter long jumping ability.
Protection Scrolls:
It is interesting to see these back in the game even with the required use to be able to cast a spell.
Wondrous:
Bag of Holding - No extraplanar space rules? It sounds fun though. Also, you might mention that they aren't often found empty, depending on the treasure hoard.
Belt of Giant Strength - Good move on changing the Giant's Strength scores away from AD&D (which had a logarithmic increase) to one fitting the current scheme.
Boots of Elvenkind - could refer to walking, not all movement. Plus, absolutely no sound is kind of like absolute zero temperature. Gloves of Elvenkind might be cool for pummeling people silently and other activities performed by hand.
Boots of Speed - were primarily a travel item where a person could move at the speed of a fast horse for normal day's march.
Crystal Ball - "Requirement" missed bolding. Interesting point on psychic damage.
Gem of Seeing - The time it takes to recognize and scan detail in standard exploration is core to the game and shows up here in this item. 1 action to perform might be further defined with a limited range, level of detail revealed / action, or simply a square footage searchable in a round.
Horn of Blasting - Thunder damage does sound better than sonic. So easily destroyed a magic item might not be around long or increases its rarity.
Pearls of Power - are specific to magic users normally. A cleric might gain more power via offerings to their deity.
Portable Holes - are non-dimensional spaces like the Astral plane. They may be self-contained, but are not extra-dimensional spaces technically as they don't store anything in a pocket space. People couldn't breathe or even move about when in them. Movement is as in the astral, strictly mentally performed. Exiting would be like exiting from the only portal existent.
Robe of the Archmagi - I believe +5% MR (magic resistance) meant doubling normal magic resistance. Usually it was a 90% chance of no effect, the robe making it 95%. Or so I believe. What you have now works well though.
Rod of Absorption - Wow, that spell point table for rating spell slot power in relation to other spells seems very peculair to me. As is this is an artifact. Originally this item had an absolute limit on total spells absorbed before crumbling. With a spell casting like crazy wizard in a duel the wielder casts any spell without preparation and has almost complete spell protection from every magical effect. It would take a much higher level spellcaster who could only hope to overwhelm them. Powerful stuff indeed.
Tome of the Stilled Tongue - looks new and fun[/sblock]
slobster
Hero
I think this falls into the "rulings, not rules" category for me. Sure they could give you guidelines for the kinds of treasure found with animals, or with monstrous humanoids, or with abominations. But it is a lot simpler and more elegant, IMO, to give you a general treasure generating engine and leave it to the GM to tweak the results to match the encounter in question.
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