D&D General Shadow vs belt of giant strength

[Bayushi_seikuro]

If you want to get really scary, don't tell the player how much strength damage he takes - with the belt in place artificially bolstering it, he has no way of knowing through physical effects.

And remind him that he can't change his clothes without removing the belt, or even take his trousers down.

On a side note, I'd LOVE to play in a campaign that treated hit points the same way.

That's one thing I love with 1e Legend of the Five Rings. Combat is deadly, as it should be. Because dice explode (roll and add), the first fatality I had in a campaign was a hero taking a goblin stick to the chest and taking 50 points of damage. (An average person I think can take 21 points before they're in the earth-dead)

 

[Pauln6]

I get this but I hate the +X items like in some versions of D&D. The big problem with those is in the fiction for me - "This belt gives you strength like a giant" so then the 7 strength Ranger dons it and has like an 11 ... which is not "strong like a giant"

I think the +X magic has its place like in manuals and tomes (read and get better) or ioun stones, but other things should have set limits.

The reverse of course is true too - the cursed belt of a weakling should set strength to 5 or thereabouts.

That's why it needs to be coupled with the ability to lift as much as a huge character and trip like a huge creature (or +2 capped at 19 and large if gauntlets of ogre power). You could also include bonuses to skills.

There are pros and cons. The 3e version was very limp but I struggle to understand how giving an extra +5 to attacks and saves is compatible with bounded accuracy.

It's trickier with magic items for other abilities but gloves of Dexterity could also add bonuses to sleight of hand and let you use it as a bonus action, helm of intellect could add bonuses to knowledge skills etc.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If you want to get really scary, don't tell the player how much strength damage he takes - with the belt in place artificially bolstering it, he has no way of knowing through physical effects.

And remind him that he can't change his clothes without removing the belt, or even take his trousers down.

When was the last time your adventurers changed clothes? Or took a bath... or used the rest room...

 

[Ancalagon]

As a DM I would rule that his strength score goes down but the belt keeps his strength score at 24. So if the PC has a 17 strength without the belt and loses 4 point his strength is 13, but the belt keeps it at effectively 24. If he takes more than 17 points of strength damage he dies.

I agree with this ruling. If your strength is zero, there is nothing for the belt to "enhance" thus the magic fails (and you die).

 

[ECMO3]

That's why it needs to be coupled with the ability to lift as much as a huge character and trip like a huge creature (or +2 capped at 19 and large if gauntlets of ogre power). You could also include bonuses to skills.

I look at it like it is magic, so it bypasses things like being huge are irrelevant, the magic makes up for those things.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I'd personally have ruled that the belt sets one's base strength to 24 BEFORE any reduction from the shadow. Meaning that after 8 points of drain, a belt-wearer would have an effective strength of 16.

Results in a more "realistic" feel in my mind, while still preserving the horror of the Shadow's strength-drain. Plus I think the belt is powerful enough as is.

 

[Torquar]

I'd run it as the Shadow drains your base score, but as long as you're wearing the belt/gauntlets your magically enhanced STR will keep you alive. Basically the same as the Crawford ruling.

 

[GreyLord]

When was the last time your adventurers changed clothes? Or took a bath... or used the rest room...

Well, the bathroom thing is a natural bodily function, soooo....

If they aren't going somewhere...I suppose they have to go...well....you know.

And this is why adventurers tend to be more stinky than anyone else in the tavern.

 

[James Gasik]

Well, the bathroom thing is a natural bodily function, soooo....

If they aren't going somewhere...I suppose they have to go...well....you know.

And this is why adventurers tend to be more stinky than anyone else in the tavern.

And why my Wizards always take Prestidigitation!

 

[Not a Decepticon]

I would rule that Shadow drains base Strength, but he dosn't feel ut due to the belt keeping it at 24. If his Strength goes to 0, he dies the moment he takes the belt off