D&D 5E [Artificer Balance] Fixing the Wondrous Invention List

[Garresh]

So as many have noticed, the Wondrous Invention class feature is a bit all over the place. Most of the high level things are completely ridiculous, like a Ring of Jumping requiring level 20. The low levels are mostly okay, but there are some things still out of place, like items which cast 3rd level spells acquired at level 2.


This is an attempt to normalize the power level of the list, while preserving the core concept of the original list. Mostly this new list consists of level adjustments, but some additional magic items have been added, with a focus on "fun" or utility items. Items with combat effects have been avoided for the most part. I've also included a changelog of each change, and an expanded explanation section of why each change was made.

New List:

• 2nd Level: Cap of Water Breathing, Helm of Comprehending Languages, Heward's Handy Haversack, Ring of Jumping, Mariner's Armor(Any Light), Sending stones, Wand of Magic Detection
• 5th Level: Alchemy Jug, Bag of Holding, Boots of Striding and Springing, Driftglobe, Goggles of Night, Hat of Disguise, Lantern of Revealing, Ring of Swimming, Robe of Useful Items, Rope of Climbing, Wand of Secrets
• 10th Level: Chime of Opening, Decanter of Endless Water, Eyes of Minute Seeing, Folding Boat, Gloves of Missile Snaring, Saddle of the Cavalier, Sending Stones
• 15th Level: Bag of Beans, Bracers of Archery, Brooch of Shielding, Broom of Flying, Periapt of Wound Closure, Ring of X-Ray Vision, Slippers of Spider Climbing
• 20th Level: Apparatus of Kwalish, Eyes of the Eagle, Gem of Brightness, Gloves of Swimming and Climbing, Ring of Mind Shielding, Wings of Flying

Changelog:

Apparatus of Kwalish added at 20th
Bag of Beans to 15th from 10th
Bag of Holding to 5th from 2nd
Boots of Striding and Springing down to 5th, from 15th.
Driftglobe to 5th from 2nd
Goggles of Night to 5th from 2nd
Gloves of Missile Snaring to 10th from 20th
Gloves of Thievery added at 15th.
Hat of Disguise to 5th from 15th
Heward's Handy Haversack to 2nd from 10th
Helm of Comprehending Languages from to 2nd from 5th
Mariner's Armor(Any Light) added at level 2.
Periapt of Wound Closure added at 15th.
Ring of jumping to 2nd from 20th
Ring of X-ray Vision added at 15th
Saddle of the Cavalier added at 10th
Wand of Magic Detection to 2nd from 5th

Explanation of Level Changes:

• Bag of Beans is an oddity, as it has a lot of things of weird effects, marginal utility, or just things that need to be managed. I'm bumping this to 15 not because of any amazingly OP effects, but because it has the potential to give a DM headaches, and I'd rather put that towards the higher end.
• Bag of Holding is strictly superior to heward's handy haversake, so they are switched and brought closer together.
• Boots of Striding and Springing are basically jump boots, with the added bonus of not being slowed by heavy armor or encumberance. This is extremely situational, however.
• Driftglobe allows you to cast a 3rd level spell once a day, which allows you to dispel magical darkness. Far too powerful for a 2nd level character when it comes up. But it's also pretty meh the rest of the time. Up to 5th.
• Goggles of Night essentially equates to a Darkvision spell, which is 2nd level. While not amazingly strong, the always-on part makes this worthy of 5th level.
• Gloves of missile snaring are combat gear, but the somewhat situational nature of it means its probably okay to slide down to level 10.
• Hat of Disguise is awesome, but not level 15 awesome.
• Helm of Comprehending Languages is basically just a 1st level spell at will. It has some utility, but its really worth of the weakest tier.
• Ring of Jumping allows you to cast one of the least used 1st level spells at will. Such potency! Dropped to bottom level.
• Wand of Magic Detection is essentially the warlock invocation, but tied to an item. Not game breaking, as the spell itself is a ritual anyways when cast by many.

Explanation of New Additions:

• Apparatus of Kwalish comes in at a time when its potency is not that important. What matters is that it's a tank.
• Gloves of Thievery are really nice, but they're a thematic fit for an artificer, so popping them in at 15 makes for a good high level perk.
• Mariner's Armor serves to flesh out the low level bracket, as it is basically a worse ring of swimming, but provides the option if wanted at a low level.
• Periapt of Wound Closure is another item with combat utility which doesn't directly boost any combat stats. It also has some thematic fitting. The idea of a pendant or magical construct sustaining you when you go down? That's pretty artificer to me.
• Ring of X-Ray Vision is rare, but situationally useful, and limited by your exhaustion. Seems a nice thematic addition at level 15.
• Saddle of the Cavalier definitely is a combat focused item, but its potency in a given campaign or build is incredibly variable. Even at its peak, it can be considered somewhat situational.

 

[Blue]

Staying within their design space I like what you are doing.

But my main problems with Wondrous Invention are that I just don't like the design space they have chosen for it.

1. The lists aren't future proofed to handle new items. Whether playing AL with a specific set of new items for the adventure or new books of crunch, this will obsolete itself. Something with guidelines would work, but that might need a base more than rarity such as cost.

2. It is something that DMs need to consider if they don't run default magic items, or don't run default amounts of magic items. If they runa game where anyoen can walk down to the corner store and by a bag of holding, getting ti for a class feature is not much. If they want little items the opposite problem where this "grand magic" could the target of every thief and unscrupulous noble about.

3. I wish for a class feature it was treated more like a class feature. I wish it neede to stay with you - perhaps you needed to maintain it. So you can't sell it or give it to someone not traveling with you, but also if it's taken by force or disenchanted you can make a new one - it's the only class feature you can lose.

3a. Along the same lines, picking a Bag of Holding at 3rd might be great until it's such a part of your character that at 10th when you'd rather upgrade to the Heward's Handy Haversack - only to find out you've just obsoleted your third level choice. If you had to maintain but could remake, perhaps you could also switch out. I have fond memories of an Artificer several editions ago making wands and such specifically for the adventure were were planning to do - love to be able to take some time and coin and swap out.

3b. Social contacts need to be carefully watched. "But you already have a magic item and I don't" during times to split items. If it's a class feature that can't be given away and is more "morphic" that's more visible.

 

[Leatherhead]

I really have to ask, who in their right mind is going to take Eyes of the Eagle over anything else in the level 20 list?

 

[Garresh]

I really have to ask, who in their right mind is going to take Eyes of the Eagle over anything else in the level 20 list?

People who play in game groups with sticky fingered rogues?

 

[NeverLucky]

Driftglobe is a glorified torch, and the Daylight spell is one of the worst 3rd level spells in the game, being relevant once in a blue moon. I'm speaking from experience as I have multiple Adventurer's League characters with Driftglobe or Daylight (Light cleric), and the times that spell has been relevant can be counted on three fingers. Similarly, you can't really treat Sending Stones as a high level item just because it casts a 3rd level spell (in a very limited fashion). What the spell is matters quite a lot, and in both these cases, they can be on the 2nd level item list and still be some of the worst choices on it.

 

[Garresh]

Driftglobe is a glorified torch, and the Daylight spell is one of the worst 3rd level spells in the game, being relevant once in a blue moon. I'm speaking from experience as I have multiple Adventurer's League characters with Driftglobe or Daylight (Light cleric), and the times that spell has been relevant can be counted on three fingers. Similarly, you can't really treat Sending Stones as a high level item just because it casts a 3rd level spell (in a very limited fashion). What the spell is matters quite a lot, and in both these cases, they can be on the 2nd level item list and still be some of the worst choices on it.

I turned this over a bit as it was pointed out by you, and others on Reddit. I think I goofed on Sending Stones and Driftglobe. I'm going to drop Sending Stones back to level 2, and put Driftglobe at level 5. The only reason I'm doing that is because Driftglobe is, as you say, useless in 95% of campaigns. But where it is useful, it can be *extremely* useful, such as in low level encounters vs necromancers and casters who utilize darkness. Overall, I'd have to say we balance it around its ideal use, since its secondary use is like...not even a thing.