D&D 5E Magic Item (Blackwinter Band) - Looking for Feedback

[Clckwrkhack]

Hey all, long time browser, first time poster. Looking for some advice.

I've been working on a home-brew item for the 5e Campaign that I DM and was hoping for some feedback, since I feel like I have a penchant for making overpowered homebrew content.

Some relevant info on the campaign: The primary antagonists of the campaign are a horde of Beastmen (think Gors of Warhammer) loyal to Baphomet, with some other Call-of-Cthulhu-ish stuff going on as well. The Unseelie Fey are present, but as a sort of secondary antagonist with whom the PCs are not directly opposed, though they are distrustful.

I was hoping to introduce it on the severed arm of a former agent of the Winter Fey that was attempting to escape their influence, and was forced to remove his own hand.

So here is the Item, kind of clearly geared towards either the party's wizard, or maybe the bard:

The Blackwinter Band

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]The Blackwinter Band has a maximum of 13 charges. Its wearer canacquire new charges through: [/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Reducing a living creature to 0 hp using Cold or Necrotic Damage,killing the creature instantly (adds 1 charge per HD of thecreature).[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Dealing 25 points of Necrotic damage to a single living creature inone round (1 charge).[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Taking 10 points of necrotic damage or 20 points of cold damage in asingle round (1 charge).[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Wearing the Ring during a New Moon, taking 1d8 cold damage and 1d4necrotic damage (3 charges).[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-If the Ring is reduced to 0 charges, the wearer rolls a d6 andendures one of the following effects, gaining 1 charge:[/FONT]

1. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Take 2d10 cold damage[/FONT]
   
2. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Take 1d12 necrotic damage[/FONT]
   
3. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Take 1d10 cold damage and 1d8 necrotic damage[/FONT]
   
4. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Take 1d4 permanent Constitution damage (which can only be undone by a greater restoration spell)[/FONT]
   
5. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Take 1d4 permanent Wisdom damage (which can only be undone by a greater restoration spell)[/FONT]
   
6. [FONT=arial, sans-serif]Any living creature within a 20 foot radius of the wearer, excluding the wearer themselves, takes 1d6 cold damage and 1d4 necrotic damage
   
   [/FONT]

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Ifthe wearer attempts to use an ability that would reduce the number ofcharges to fewer than 0 charges, they must still roll on the tablethough the Band's ability fails. [/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Chargescan be spent to:[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Maximize the Cold damage of an arcane spell (1 charge per spelllevel, Cantrips considered a level 1 spell)[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Maximize the Necrotic damage of an arcane spell (1 charge per spelllevel, Cantrips considered a level 1 spell)[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Cast an arcane Necromancy Spell without using any verbal, somatic, ormaterial components (1 charge per spell level, Cantrips considered alevel 1 spell)[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Frigid Rebuke: As a reaction, in response to being damaged bya creature within 30 feet of the wearer that they can see, the wearermay expend 1d4 charge to target the creature. It must make a DC 15Dexterity Save, taking 1d12 cold damage on a successful save, or 1d12cold and 1d8 necrotic damage on a failed save. The wearer gainstemporary hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damageinflicted.[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Rebuke or Command Undead: Expending 2d4 charges, you rebuke orcommand undead as an evil cleric, using Arcane Spellcaster levelsinstead of Cleric levels. Each rebuked undead also suffers 1d6 ColdDamage.[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Curse:The Blackwinter Band is infused with the power of the Winter Fey.The Queen of Air & Darkness, Archfey of the Unseelie Court isperpetually aware of the location of the Band, and can observe whatis taking place around the Band as though through the Scryingspell. She can transmit knowledge of this location to any Fey,Warlock, or magical creature operating on her behalf. Once per day,the Queen of Air & Darkness, or Fey creatures or Warlocks operating on her behalf can force the Band to draw a chargefrom the wearer as though it had been reduced to 0 charges. Thewearer has disadvantage on saves against spells or magical abilitiesfrom the Queen of Air & Darkness and Fey creatures and Warlocks operating on her behalf. [/FONT]Anyattempt to remove the ring requires the wearer to make a DC 20Constitution Save. The wearer takes 1d10 cold and 1d8 necrotic damageon a failed save, or 1d10 cold on a successful save. If the damagereduces the character to 0 hp, they lose consciousness and the ringremains on.

 

[Satyrn]

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Maximize the Cold damage of an arcane spell (1 charge per spelllevel, Cantrips considered a level 1 spell)[/FONT]


[FONT=arial, sans-serif]-Maximize the Necrotic damage of an arcane spell (1 charge per spelllevel, Cantrips considered a level 1 spell)[/FONT]

Neat item.

I'd edit out the "arcane spell' limit. Partly because 5e doesn't really distinguish between arcane/divine the same as older editions, but also because I try to make items available to as many characters as possible.

My only real criticism is this: I think you've provided too many ways to regain charges. Not because I think they'll keep the thing always charged. It's just too much book-keeping. I'd narrow it down to the 2 most flavorful methods, the ones that leave the best impression of what the item is. Tomme, that would be

-Reducing a living creature to 0 hp using Cold or Necrotic Damage,killing the creature instantly (adds 1 charge per HD of thecreature).

-Wearing the Ring during a New Moon, taking 1d8 cold damage and 1d4necrotic damage (3 charges).

 

[Clckwrkhack]

Solid call on the charges, I think I'll do that and just keep those two. Thanks.

Concerning the Arcane element, I generally have tried to make the distinction between arcane and divine more pronounced in my homebrew especially since it is weaker in 5e. I'll think about it further though, since I suppose I don't want to too clearly dictate to the group who gets what. Although, I imagine it could certainly make sense on the Druid.

I was mostly concerned about it being used for cleric resurrections spells. I guess I could qualify the section on using charges to avoid material components so that it doesn't work if the component has a stated value.

 

[Satyrn]

I guess I could qualify the section on using charges to avoid material components so that it doesn't work if the component has a stated value.

Heh, I assumed that qualification was already intended, just not mentioned.


And since your homebrew does distinguish between arcane and divine, that's very a solid reason to ignore my suggestion.

 

[Ancalagon]

... can you recharge the items with livestock? Because that's what's going to happen. Buy 13 goats, murder the goats, give the goat carcasses to the local poor, voila, item fully charged.

So.... that could be, ah, anticlimatic.