D&D 5E Power Level of "Raise Stat to 19" Items
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The Crimson Binome
Hero
I like these items because they make characters more well-rounded, without over-shadowing anyone or raising the over-all power level of the game. Gauntlets of Ogre Power let a wizard not be easy to knock down, but are relatively worthless to the barbarian who is going to have Strength 20 anyway. And because there's no way to know in advance that you might find any particular item, it doesn't interfere with character choices.
Of course, all of that goes out the window if you have magic shops, and the problem could potentially become much worse if you were also using feats. A good feat might be worth +2 to your primary stat, but the right magic item could let you take five feats at the expense of having a 19 instead of a 20.
Of course, all of that goes out the window if you have magic shops, and the problem could potentially become much worse if you were also using feats. A good feat might be worth +2 to your primary stat, but the right magic item could let you take five feats at the expense of having a 19 instead of a 20.
The issue I have with some of the items (Gauntlets of Ogre Power and other belts of ___ giant strength) is that they can totally bypass other decisions.
For example, Bob and Joe decide to be fighters. Bob makes strength his highest score and when he levels up dutifully puts points into strength. Joe smirks because he knows the DM allows purchase of uncommon items, makes strength his dump stat and focuses on dexterity. After a few level Joe buys the gauntlets and is now just as strong as Bob (or nearly so) and has a high dex to boot.
Yes in the possible one encounter of the campaign that's in an anti-magic zone Joe is SOL, but other than that he just reinforced that dex is the super stat.
So instead I use the 3.5 rules - items increase ability scores but don't replace them. Also gets rid of the baby putting daddy's gauntlets up and bench pressing a wagon.
For example, Bob and Joe decide to be fighters. Bob makes strength his highest score and when he levels up dutifully puts points into strength. Joe smirks because he knows the DM allows purchase of uncommon items, makes strength his dump stat and focuses on dexterity. After a few level Joe buys the gauntlets and is now just as strong as Bob (or nearly so) and has a high dex to boot.
Yes in the possible one encounter of the campaign that's in an anti-magic zone Joe is SOL, but other than that he just reinforced that dex is the super stat.
So instead I use the 3.5 rules - items increase ability scores but don't replace them. Also gets rid of the baby putting daddy's gauntlets up and bench pressing a wagon.
CM
Adventurer
I'm not fond of how they do nothing for someone already high in that stat. Could always make them a sliding scale to eliminate that aspect, and reduce or prevent min-maxing:
If you have a 10 or less, item gives you a 15.
If you have 11-14, item gives you a 17.
If you have 15+, item adds +2 (max 22).
This makes them much more valuable, but taking up an attunement slot is a huge balancing factor.
Since that makes them always useful, you'd be less likely to see a a character using an off-stat item because the other party members it's relevant for have a 19 or 20 already, but I don't imagine that was very common anyway unless the character's not got any other attunement items.
If you have a 10 or less, item gives you a 15.
If you have 11-14, item gives you a 17.
If you have 15+, item adds +2 (max 22).
This makes them much more valuable, but taking up an attunement slot is a huge balancing factor.
Since that makes them always useful, you'd be less likely to see a a character using an off-stat item because the other party members it's relevant for have a 19 or 20 already, but I don't imagine that was very common anyway unless the character's not got any other attunement items.
Also kind of shortsighted in this instance - you'll never be able to achieve the maximum save DC's that way.
(If you raise your stat the normal way and get a tome, you can end up with a 22 charisma, so your DC's are two higher. And that matters at the higher levels of the game.)Where it is really power-gamey is doing that with your strength, because it is entirely possible to get a Belt of Giant Strength that grants you a strength higher than is possible from any other source. In AL specifically, there are at least 2 and possibly 3 adventures where you can get a Belt of Fire Giant Strength. And at least one that can possibly give the 29 Str giant belt.
And if you are DM, you can award the belt to one of your own characters after you've run the adventure (and a total of 24 hours of DM'ing per item you grant your own characters).
But like I said - AL is not normal D&D. It's its own thing and you have to accept it for that or just don't bother playing because it's going to make you mad.
The 19 items also mean that you'll likely never hit that sacred 20 in a stat. It also likely means that if you happen to get a Tome of X, it won't do you any good.
Unless you're an elf or dwarf in a multi-century game, that is. Which could be pretty scary if you get right dow to it. Imagine it - royalty having afull library of Mauals and Tomes that raise their stats, and using them once a century... for six centuries? Yeesh. Their stats would be rivaling Emyreans and other high CR beings. That's kind ofscary. Imagine a dwarven barbarian king with a Con of 30. Or how about an elven queen bladesinger with Dex and Int modifers of +10 each? Finding one of those, even if you use it for yourself now, will have a massive payoff for in the future for other races.
Huh, kind of got off track here. I guess my ultimate point is that the 19 stat items are pretty low tier when the possibilities of other things come into play.
Unless you're an elf or dwarf in a multi-century game, that is. Which could be pretty scary if you get right dow to it. Imagine it - royalty having afull library of Mauals and Tomes that raise their stats, and using them once a century... for six centuries? Yeesh. Their stats would be rivaling Emyreans and other high CR beings. That's kind ofscary. Imagine a dwarven barbarian king with a Con of 30. Or how about an elven queen bladesinger with Dex and Int modifers of +10 each? Finding one of those, even if you use it for yourself now, will have a massive payoff for in the future for other races.
Huh, kind of got off track here. I guess my ultimate point is that the 19 stat items are pretty low tier when the possibilities of other things come into play.
As others have mentioned, I don't see a balance issue with the items boosting a class' primary stat. Its either a small boost or none if the player already has an 18-20.
Its really the secondary stats that I could see a big use for.
1) Con - Most characters get a decent con but not a maxed one, so this is always a good item for people.
2) Dex - For many fighters in plate (aka 10 dex), that's a +4 to initiative and dex saving throws. Hard to beat that.
3) Wisdom - For most classes that can't afford big wisdom, that's +4 to perception (most important skill in the game) and +4 to wisdom saving throws.
The saving throw bonuses alone look very good.
Its really the secondary stats that I could see a big use for.
1) Con - Most characters get a decent con but not a maxed one, so this is always a good item for people.
2) Dex - For many fighters in plate (aka 10 dex), that's a +4 to initiative and dex saving throws. Hard to beat that.
3) Wisdom - For most classes that can't afford big wisdom, that's +4 to perception (most important skill in the game) and +4 to wisdom saving throws.
The saving throw bonuses alone look very good.
Well, the 5e DMG doesn't have any items that boosts Dexterity, Wisdom, or Charisma to 19.
So if you have items that do that in your game, they are either home brew or from a third party. (Or one of the hardcover adventures that gives out ridiculous items - I don't keep track of those.)
So if you have items that do that in your game, they are either home brew or from a third party. (Or one of the hardcover adventures that gives out ridiculous items - I don't keep track of those.)
TwoSix
Everyone's literal second-favorite poster
I agree in general, but I have been in several games where the starting conditions were along the lines of "We're starting at level 5, you have 1000 gp, any mundane items you need, and one uncommon magic item of your choice." In that environment, picking up something like Gauntlets of Ogre Strength is a sneaky good choice for classes with multiple ability score needs like a Paladin, or adding on a nice melee attack to a Cleric or Bladelock.
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