D&D 5E Campaign Idea: Very Rare Magic Items at Lv. 1

[doppelgangerstudios]

What is the reason behind specifying that the magic items be Very Rare? If you're just going to take them away, game balance isn't a problem. And if you want to let the PCs eventually get even better Legendary or Artifact items as replacement later on in the campaign, doesn't that negate your whole idea? I mean, why would I care about having lost a belt of frost giant strength or a wand of the war mage if I can get a belt of storm giant strength or a wand of Orcus?

If I specify "Very Rare Magic Item" it gives a parameter, and even arbitrary parameters can help. It also gets the players thinking I'm concerned in some way with game balance, and though it's true that I'm not, it gives the appearance of that. Someone else was going on about "why don't they just pick ____" item, well you know why? Because not everything is said up front

 

[doppelgangerstudios]

Also,

 

[Mort]

View attachment 261859

Wow, it's rare someone states their thread intention so clearly! Guess that explains quite a bit!

 

[doppelgangerstudios]

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

Instead of giving hugely valuable items to the players and take them away in the first "plot twist", why not give these items to an NPC that the PCs are loyal to? Can be the king, or just the mother of one of the PCs. Session Zero should be used to cement that relation with the NPC.

E.g. if the king owned some valuable items, saving these items is like saving the kingdom. And to make it really a classic theme, maybe it's not a valuable item, but a princess.

At least you avoid a situation where people have a specific build that relies on an item to work, and then find themselves without that item all campaign.

Also, too many plot twists can be frustrating.

 

[doppelgangerstudios]

Appreciate all the feedback guys, I now have what I need to get this campaign realllly poppin

 

[aco175]

This may be the players. He looks kind of sad and angry at the same time. He is thinking that he should have used his ring of 3 wishes when the BBEG said to die or let me undo the creation of the ring.

 

[Seramus]

I get disintegrated during the first plot twist.

 

[doppelgangerstudios]

This may be the players. He looks kind of sad and angry at the same time. He is thinking that he should have used his ring of 3 wishes when the BBEG said to die or let me undo the creation of the ring.

View attachment 261870

Ring of three wishes is a legendary item, OP stresses Very Rare magic items

 

[Seramus]

Amulet of the Planes.