D&D (2024) How many magical rings can a single character wear and use?

[TwoSix]

You're not counting toes? What kind of controlling DM are you that you limit a players options like that.

Let's just say magic rings have ended up in some very weird places in my games and we'll leave it at that.

 

[Gorck]

Let's just say magic rings have ended up in some very weird places in my games and we'll leave it at that.

 

[ECMO3]

Usually the limit is going to be the 3-item attunement, but not considering this or assuming you have a bunch of rings that do not require attunement - I would say the limit is 20 for most humanoids-one on every finger and toe. Some humanoids might have fewer than 5 fingers and toes and for them it would be less.

 

[Voadam]

Usually the limit is going to be the 3-item attunement, but not considering this or assuming you have a bunch of rings that do not require attunement - I would say the limit is 20 for most humanoids-one on every finger and toe. Some humanoids might have fewer than 5 fingers and toes and for them it would be less.

And two earrings?

I vaguely remember a pirate with an earring of protection+1 or some such at some point.

 

[Blue]

There's a category of rules questions I call "The Greatsword is not a ranged weapon". We know the greatsword is not a thrown weapon in normal usage, because it is missing the keywords. If you assume the rules are complete, it works absolutely fine. But some questions only make sense if you expect the greatsword to have a rule "this is not a thrown weapon". But really, if you read the rules as complete it is perfectly clear.

Multiple Items of the Same Kind​

You can’t wear more than one of certain magic items. You can’t normally wear more than one pair of footwear, one pair of gloves or gauntlets, one pair of bracers, one suit of armor, one item of headwear, or one cloak. The DM might make exceptions.

"Rings​

For its magic to function, an item in the Ring category must be worn on a finger or a similar digit unless its description notes otherwise."

Read these.

I've looked around elsewhere in the new PHB and DMG, but there's no exact limit given for number of rings that can be worn that I can find.

It's clearly listed above. You can wear ONE.

Yes, you have expectations of more. But if you don't go in with any expectations, the rules are absolutely clear and there is no question.

They aren't listed in the PHB among the types of items that allow only one to be worn,

Nor are any others listed, just the general category of ALL. It's simply making not that some thngs are described as a "pair" but are actually a single magic item.

and the DMG just states that they have to be worn on a finger or similar digit (in a sidebar it states that a ring might be worn on a tentacle, for example).

Which tells you where, and is immaterial to how many. A hydra doesn't get to benefit from seven magical circlets.

The traditional limit has always been two (one for each hand) as far as I'm aware, but I'm not seeing that in the current revision. Has anyone discovered any limitations for magical rings worn,

Yes, you did. You quoted it.

or can some rules-lawyer player come along and start wearing as many as they have digits (and then start talking about toes as well?)

Nope, because it's clearly listed.

 

[Demetrios1453]

There's a category of rules questions I call "The Greatsword is not a ranged weapon". We know the greatsword is not a thrown weapon in normal usage, because it is missing the keywords. If you assume the rules are complete, it works absolutely fine. But some questions only make sense if you expect the greatsword to have a rule "this is not a thrown weapon". But really, if you read the rules as complete it is perfectly clear.



Read these.



It's clearly listed above. You can wear ONE.

Yes, you have expectations of more. But if you don't go in with any expectations, the rules are absolutely clear and there is no question.


Nor are any others listed, just the general category of ALL. It's simply making not that some thngs are described as a "pair" but are actually a single magic item.


Which tells you where, and is immaterial to how many. A hydra doesn't get to benefit from seven magical circlets.


Yes, you did. You quoted it.


Nope, because it's clearly listed.

It most certainly is not.

"You can’t wear more than one of certain magic items. You can’t normally wear more than one pair of footwear, one pair of gloves or gauntlets, one pair of bracers, one suit of armor, one item of headwear, or one cloak. The DM might make exceptions."

A ring is not: footwear, gloves or gauntlets, bracers, a suit of armor, an item of headwear, or a cloak. It is a ring, which has its own special section in the Magic Item section of the DMG, separate from all those items listed.

 

[Voadam]

"Rings

For its magic to function, an item in the Ring category must be worn on a finger or a similar digit unless its description notes otherwise."

So not as an earring in 5e.

 

[ECMO3]

It's clearly listed above. You can wear ONE.

I don't find it so clear, mostly because it says "certain" magic items, implying it exists for some and not for others.

Also if we are to take it this way and apply it to all magic items, does that mean only ONE weapon? So no dual wielding magic short swords?

 

[Voadam]

Read these.

I would suggest that wearing two rings is not analogous to not being able to wear two suits of armor at the same time.

Also I would suggest reading the whole quote

MULTIPLE ITEMS OF THE SAME KIND
Use common sense to determine whether more than one of a given kind of magic item can be worn. A character can't normally wear more than one pair of footwear, one pair of gloves or gauntlets, one pair of bracers, one suit of armor, one item of head wear, and one cloak. You can make exceptions; a character might be able to wear a circlet under a helmet, for example, or be able to layer two cloaks.

At least in the 14 version of it.

Most characters are not ettins and normally cannot wear two helmets at the same time but an ettin could.

Narratively a character cannot normally wear two pairs of gloves at the same time but they can wield two +1 daggers.

A character can normally wear more than one ring at the same time, unlike two pairs of boots.

 

[Mannahnin]

I would suggest that wearing two rings is not analogous to not being able to wear two suits of armor at the same time.

Also I would suggest reading the whole quote

MULTIPLE ITEMS OF THE SAME KIND
Use common sense to determine whether more than one of a given kind of magic item can be worn. A character can't normally wear more than one pair of footwear, one pair of gloves or gauntlets, one pair of bracers, one suit of armor, one item of head wear, and one cloak. You can make exceptions; a character might be able to wear a circlet under a helmet, for example, or be able to layer two cloaks.

At least in the 14 version of it.

Most characters are not ettins and normally cannot wear two helmets at the same time but an ettin could.

Narratively a character cannot normally wear two pairs of gloves at the same time but they can wield two +1 daggers.

A character can normally wear more than one ring at the same time, unlike two pairs of boots.

Exactly so.

I've certainly worn more than one ring at once in real life.

I can only wear one pair of boots at a time because I only have one pair of feet.

I have known people who wear MANY rings at once, because that's how the dimensions of rings and fingers work.