DMG Preview 4: Artifacts!

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SilverfireSage

Explorer

• Oct 24, 2014

• #31

Paraxis said:

Same material sure, 3e had magic rings, so did 4e, but both of those editions added things to them tweaked them in some way. You had information on crafting them, different recharge mechanics, stuff that made you look at it and know it came from that edition of D&D. Most of the stuff in the previews you can find in any OSR clone or the 1e DMG.

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Attunement, Ring of Resistance is new, new charging mechanics for magic items, new rarity system, lower bonus cap for armor and weapons, we haven't seen crafting mechanics so no need to make a judgement on that yet, new abilities and uses for the figurines, new recharge mechanics for the figurines, new abilities for the orb of dragonkind, new abilities for the hand and eye of Vecna.

 

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agentc13

First Post

• Oct 24, 2014

• #32

Paraxis said:

Same material sure, 3e had magic rings, so did 4e, but both of those editions added things to them tweaked them in some way. You had information on crafting them, different recharge mechanics, stuff that made you look at it and know it came from that edition of D&D. Most of the stuff in the previews you can find in any OSR clone or the 1e DMG.

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You seem to be judging the DMG by just the previews. That isn't really very fair.

Yes, it's all we have to go on at this point, but it isn't really enough to make a fair judgment yet. For all you know it may have the info on crafting them or gp value or whatever else you feel it should have. Maybe it won't, but I would hold my judgment until it is at least released.

 

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Tormyr

Adventurer

• Oct 24, 2014

• #33

Olgar Shiverstone said:

Sadly, the page selections make it clear that once again a key artifact, the Head of Vecna, has not been included in the DMG.

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Not to be confused with Vecna's Head, his favorite room on his sailing ship of war, where he pondered the great mysteries of the cosmos.

 

TarionzCousin

Second Most Angelic Devil Ever

• Oct 24, 2014

• #34

Tormyr said:

Not to be confused with Vecna's Head, his favorite room on his sailing ship of war, where he pondered the great mysteries of the cosmos.

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For the younger crowd who might not know the story of the Head of Vecna, be thee illuminated: http://www.blindpanic.com/humor/vecna.htm

 

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BrockBallingdark

Explorer

• Oct 24, 2014

• #35

Love the Orb! Love all the previews so far, can't wait to get the DM already!

 

Nilbog

Snotling Herder

• Oct 24, 2014

• #36

Well I'm sold!

I started off neutral towards 5e, the PHB sent me towards positive, the MM back to neutral (I agree with Paraxis that the monsters were too generic) however the previews of the DM guide so far have me positively bouncing to both play and run 5e (I'm currently running lost mines, but seeing these previews has me itching to build my own campaign)

Onto this preview specifically, first the negative: the art isn't as good or evocative as the previous previews, but its serviceable

Now the positives: The write up is superb, and like several folk have mentioned there are adventure seeds scattered throughout, as a DM this is a god send. The random properties are awesome, you can now easily tailor the artefacts to your campaign world, and player metagame knowledge isn't 100% useful.

I hope as well as reusing classic items, as has been shown so far we get some new stuff unique to 5e. I really want this book now!

 

Psikerlord#

Explorer

Publisher

• Oct 24, 2014

• #37

I love this preview. Very excited to get my hands on the DMG and get a 5e campaign up and running.

 

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Cyberen

First Post

• Oct 24, 2014

• #38

I am not very pleased with the magic items so far :
* the art is useless at best (rings ! I wear one on my finger, I don't need wotc to show me what it's like), and often ugly (folding boat illustration looks like a camping manual, dragon orb is plain looking)
* the write ups eat a lot of page space for what they are : straightforward conversions from 1e DMG, with a caveat...
* the new mechanics are crappy. It shows most with the artifacts : the removal of the clever building up frameworks introduced with 4e is a terrible shame. Where are skill challenges, disease tracks and artifact tracks when you most need them ? Neither as a player nor a DM would I seriously consider using/introducing this Eye of Vecna : flat 5% of losing a PC forever to use Clairvoyance is silly. It tells the story of a DMG written on a budget, leaving large gaps in the DM toolbox. Fortunately for WotC, I like the rest of 5e so much that I am looking forward to the Unearthed Arcana which is inevitably coming to fill the holes !
* I am glad to learn that when I wear both the Eye and the Hand, X-Ray vision becomes a picnic, but I didn't know it was exhausting in the first place... general artifact rule, or editing error ?
* the Artifacts backstories are cool and well done

 

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2014

Nikosandros

Golden Procrastinator

• Oct 24, 2014

• #39

Cyberen said:

* I am glad to learn that when I wear both the Eye and the Hand, X-Ray vision becomes a picnic, but I didn't know it was exhausting in the first place... general artifact rule, or editing error ?

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Since the Eye refers to the Ring of X-Ray vision, I assume that the exhaustion is described there, like it was in 1e.

 

fuindordm

Adventurer

• Oct 24, 2014

• #40

I love the fact that the core books have been calling out and reinforcing classical D&D lore. I think the designers mentioned at one point that they wanted to emphasize the stories (and IP) that are uniquely D&D, so that it stands out from generic fantasy roleplay. I think they've been doing a fine job.

And I would totally use the eye or hand in a campaign. Some of the best role-playing happens when players are seriously tempted to destroy themselves.

What's the story of Vecna's ascension, and how does it relate to Kas' rebellion?

Ben