Help Designing a Ranger Magic Item

[tigycho]

I am about to bring a story arc to completion, and am planning out the Big, Final Encounter, but I'm having trouble thiking of rewards to include for the Ranger.

Background: Everyone is 4th level, and will be 5th by the time this portion of the story arc concludes.

I plan to design the BBEG and his Minions to be fully capable of using the Goodies I include against the party, and they will do so.

Example Goody: A Blood Crystal that the BBEG's sorceror will be using, which allows spontaneous application of metamagic feats that he possesses, at the cost of d4 damage per effective level increase (max 5d4 worth of uses per day).

The Ranger is an archer type, and has a Magic Quiver which is a cross between Heward's Handy Haversack for Arrows and Ehlonna's Quiver. He also has a dozen flame burst arrows (+2d6 damage on hit). He has no other Magic items.

Can anyone think of anything totally groovy for a Ranger that specializes in archery and wilderness awareness? Something custom would be better than a stock item or items.

Whatever we come up with WILL be equipped by and used by one of the BBEG's minions against the party.

Thanks for any help.
Tiggy

 

[robberbaron]

Intelligent Bow of Seeking - spots for foes in cover and points them out to the wielder?

 

[LazerPointer]

This doesn't play to his strength, but how about:
The +1 Spear of Spearity-- feel free to change the name.
After 24 hours and being used in combat, the Spear of Spearity begins to grant it's wielder WF: Longspear WF: Shortspear, and Combat Expertise. The better part: This Enhancement applies to all spears used, and takes 24 hours to wear off when the user parts with it. The effect ends immediately if it's sundered.

or what about something that gave his criticals an extra damage die against his favored enemy? that would be cool. I'd make it a cool lookin hat. Hat of Rangerousness or something.

 

[tigycho]

I just had a thought: An Archer's Bracer which does something
fantabulous. Maybe a 'uses per day mechanic' of some sort, and it has
special abilities that each use differnt amounts of uses per day.

ARCHER'S BRACER

• Continuous Powers:
  • All Range increments are treated as one increment closer.
  • (I suppose this would just be a +2 to hit with bows)
  • Doubles Threat range when targetting favored enemy?

• Activated Powers (5 uses per day)
  • All activated powers apply to Projectile Weapons only.
  • Ideas for possible Activated Powers:
    • True Strike Spell (Cost 1 use)
    • Magic Weapon Spell (Cost 1 use)
    • Magic Missile (Cost 1 use)
    • Protection from Arrows (Cost 2 uses)
    • Keen Edge (Cost 3 uses)

Any variant ideas/fixes/other suggestions?

 

[aco175]

I suspose this all depends on how big of an item you want to give the ranger at 5th level. Perhaps something that advances as he gains levels would be handy and you could control its game ballance. Something like the bracers you are describing would be neat, but if you only let him know about one of the powers when he gets the item leaves you room to make it suited with the other players and their power. Maybe bracers that give his shots keen edge would be handy to start and eventually he can discover that they also grant +2 to reflex saves or allow him a limited sneak attack similar to a thief. Something that would allow him to transform a few arrows each day to lightning bolts could be a power that he discovers after some sort of quest or meeting with a powerful bard or something.

 

[tigycho]

I suspose this all depends on how big of an item you want to give the ranger at 5th level. Perhaps something that advances as he gains levels would be handy and you could control its game ballance. Something like the bracers you are describing would be neat, but if you only let him know about one of the powers when he gets the item leaves you room to make it suited with the other players and their power. Maybe bracers that give his shots keen edge would be handy to start and eventually he can discover that they also grant +2 to reflex saves or allow him a limited sneak attack similar to a thief. Something that would allow him to transform a few arrows each day to lightning bolts could be a power that he discovers after some sort of quest or meeting with a powerful bard or something.

That's a great idea. I could do the ARCHER'S BRACER as described, and only tell him about one persistent, and one activated power. Then, as he levels up, let him know about other powers, as they seem suited to him.

 

[Nifft]

IMHO, the leveled item is a great idea.

However, I'd tie it to his Favored Enemy list.

The bracers grow more powerful as the PC kills powerful / evil / unnatural-like members of his favored enemy's race. Mechanics could include painting sigils on the bracers in the blood of a newly slain foe.

-- N

 

[tigycho]

IMHO, the leveled item is a great idea.

However, I'd tie it to his Favored Enemy list.

The bracers grow more powerful as the PC kills powerful / evil / unnatural-like members of his favored enemy's race. Mechanics could include painting sigils on the bracers in the blood of a newly slain foe.

The only reason I haven't invoked the Favored Enemy machanic much is that the Ranger PC hasn't ever chosen one. When he created it, he asked if he had to choose immediately, and I said no, since I couldn't see the downside.

Now I surely can. I can't throw in his favored enemy as a way to make him shine, since he's never chosen one.

 

[Nifft]

Oooo, and as for specific item powers:

5th level: Bracers of Archery (lesser)

1st favored foe slain: Foebane Arrow 1/day -- as a Swift action, you imbue one arrow with the Bane (any Favored Enemy) special ability

2nd favored foe slain: Foebane Arrow 3/day, flame arrow 1/day

3rd favored foe slain (so, 10th level or higher): Foebane Arrow 5/day, +4 bonus to Spot

Intermediate Bonus (around 13th level): base items become Bracers of Archery (greater), bracers can create 20 masterwork arrows each day

4th favored foe slain (so, 15th level or higher): Foebane Arrow 10/day, true strike 3/day

Intermediate Bonus (around 18th level): Will of the Hunter (+4 to Concentration and Survival checks)

5th favored enemy slain (20th level at least): Great Bane Arrow 10/day (+4 to attack, +4d6 damage, replaces Foebane Arrow ability), bracers can create additional 10 MW cold iron arrows and 10 MW silver arrows each day

-- N

 

[tigycho]

Those are really awesome! I'll be stealing that idea!