Ring of Winter in Play

[Nebulous]

My party just reached 4th level and has acquired Artus Cimber and Dragonbait as allies. They've seen what the Ring of Winter can do, but now I'm worried that I've created a huge imbalance in the game. The Ring can cast SO many spells that they would not normally have access to, not for a long time. It's going to really change how the game plays out moving forward, so I was wondering how others handled similar situations. I could have Artus only stick around a little while, but the way the plot played out, both he and the PCs want to reach the Naga Queen of Orolunga and ask her questions.

Artus alone is a very capable combatant with his dagger and arrows, and Dragonbat is not bad either. It's cool to have some interesting NPCs around, but the way it's potentially looking, they might not have a good reason to ever leave the party and return to Mezro. True Mezro can't be returned until Ras Nzi is dead, so that is yet another incentive for Artus to follow them to Omu.

 

[pogre]

Have the Ring of Winter be a flawed item. Every time it is used have the players roll a d6 - on a 1 the ring fizzles and dies.

 

[CapnZapp]

Have the Ring of Winter be a flawed item. Every time it is used have the players roll a d6 - on a 1 the ring fizzles and dies.

My impression it's still with Artus. His problem is more with how the ring creates an OP ally than with an OP item itself.

 

[Nebulous]

Have the Ring of Winter be a flawed item. Every time it is used have the players roll a d6 - on a 1 the ring fizzles and dies.

I need to do something, for sure. As written, it can cast 6 cones of cold in a row, or lots of other cold based spells. It will make the PCs not very needed as they will rely on their new friend to overcome each and every challenge , because he can do it way faster than they could.

 

[CapnZapp]

I need to do something, for sure. As written, it can cast 6 cones of cold in a row, or lots of other cold based spells. It will make the PCs not very needed as they will rely on their new friend to overcome each and every challenge , because he can do it way faster than they could.

Play him AS IF the ring croaks on rolling a 1 on a d6.

It doesn't actually do that, but a 6th level Artus doesn't need to know that.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Have the Ring of Winter be a flawed item. Every time it is used have the players roll a d6 - on a 1 the ring fizzles and dies.

Its an artefact. Those generally have a more stringent method of destruction than using all of their charges.

However, since it sounds like it is going to be used by an NPC, make it very unpleasant to use: such that it is treated by Artus as a last resort only. It doesn't have to be expressed mechanically.

 

[Nebulous]

Its an artefact. Those generally have a more stringent method of destruction than using all of their charges.

However, since it sounds like it is going to be used by an NPC, make it very unpleasant to use: such that it is treated by Artus as a last resort only. It doesn't have to be expressed mechanically.

YEah, it's a greater artifact, it's like boiling it in the lava of Mordor difficult to destroy. They have seen him use it several times with no ill effects. They don't know it's full range of powers or charges. I think if I want to keep him around I will need to drastically limit how much he can use it. Maybe the presence of the Soulmonger influences it?

But then, even without the Ring, there's Artus and Dragonbait's raw combat ability also heaped on. I think it would be best to find a good, story driven reason to have them leave. Stay long enough to keep things interesting, but then they're off.

Oh yeah, the PCs know that Frost Giants are chasing Artus, and now Artus knows. A couple frost giant attacks would probably convince them to part ways with him!

 

[Sebastrd]

I need to do something, for sure. As written, it can cast 6 cones of cold in a row, or lots of other cold based spells. It will make the PCs not very needed as they will rely on their new friend to overcome each and every challenge , because he can do it way faster than they could.

It sounds like that's your problem. If every challenge can be overcome by cone of cold, introduce more varied challenges. Cone of cold doesn't help with crossing ravines, diplomacy, sneaking, etc. Bulk up your combat encounters with lots of mooks, but don't give the players XP for whatever he kills. Take advantage of the design space the Ring opens up for you.

 

[Nebulous]

It sounds like that's your problem. If every challenge can be overcome by cone of cold, introduce more varied challenges. Cone of cold doesn't help with crossing ravines, diplomacy, sneaking, etc. Bulk up your combat encounters with lots of mooks, but don't give the players XP for whatever he kills. Take advantage of the design space the Ring opens up for you.

That's the problem my friend, the Ring casts about 10 different spells, from damage to battlefield control to utility. A 6th level Wall of Ice cast SIX TIMES a day (per the book rules, I could change that, but that's as written) would change ever encounter from now through forever. And frankly, I guess I just don't want to rebalance encounters just to accommodate a super powerful artifact.

One of my FAVORITE things about low level D&D is that I can throw an encounter together with zero preparation. At higher levels I can't do that as easily.

 

[Oofta]

YEah, it's a greater artifact, it's like boiling it in the lava of Mordor difficult to destroy. They have seen him use it several times with no ill effects. They don't know it's full range of powers or charges. I think if I want to keep him around I will need to drastically limit how much he can use it. Maybe the presence of the Soulmonger influences it?

But then, even without the Ring, there's Artus and Dragonbait's raw combat ability also heaped on. I think it would be best to find a good, story driven reason to have them leave. Stay long enough to keep things interesting, but then they're off.

Oh yeah, the PCs know that Frost Giants are chasing Artus, and now Artus knows. A couple frost giant attacks would probably convince them to part ways with him!

Maybe have the frost giants catch up with the group and Artus (along with Dragonbait if you don't want him around) flee so that he does not endanger the group. He knows that as long as he has the ring they can find him and hunt him down.

Then have him pop in occasionally as an ally to help the group - even if it's just a set piece where the group is facing overwhelmingly deadly foes that under normal circumstances would be a TPK. Have them fight part of the group while Artus fights others. As long as you don't overdo it, this can be fun. Artus doesn't stay long of course, he has to keep on the move ahead of the frost giants.