Modifying specific items from DMG

[nameless]

Some specific items can have their powers easily ported over to a new item of the same type, frex the Sword of Lifestealing or the Banded Mail of Luck. The item type is not essential to its function or flavor.

What about things like Demon Armor, Rhino Hide, or a Assassin's Dagger? Is it unbalancing to have perhaps a Suit of Leather (or Full Plate) Rhino hide armor, or an Assassin's Rapier?

-nameless

 

[durath]

As far as balance is concerned I don't think there would be a problem in doing what you propose.

However, I do think that some items would be just plain silly.

Example:An assasin's great axe.

 

[shilsen]

Most powers can be transferred to a different type of item without balance issues, but there are some which can cause trouble, and sometimes it's easy to miss it.

Rhino hide armor, for example, offsets the powerful ability (as many of the smackdowns on these boards have shown, doubling damage on a charge is one of the easiest ways to get very high damage) with the fact that hide is a poor armor choice, so I'd avoid shifting that to another armor type.

Another example - Cloaks of Charisma seem like something that might be safely transferred to another item. But having it as a cloak prevents paladins from benefiting from the Cha bonus to saves and a cloak of resistance as well, so it is better not to allow goggles of Cha (Ray-Ban?).

 

[Umbran]

Plus, on some things there is a flavor aspect to consider.

Why is it Rhino Hide? "Sympatheic magic" - the attributes of the rhino in the armor. If you drop that connection to the rhino, it really ins't rhino hide, thematically. It's just - "Run into them like a lunatic" armor. Sure, you can make it more powerful, but it loses major cool points.

 

[RogueJK]

Cloaks of Charisma seem like something that might be safely transferred to another item. But having it as a cloak prevents paladins from benefiting from the Cha bonus to saves and a cloak of resistance as well, so it is better not to allow goggles of Cha (Ray-Ban?).

Well, this point is moot, since they already have a Vest of Resistance in T&B (IIRC). (Besides the fact that you could get around this just as easily by making Gloves/Bracers/Goggles/Boots/whatever of Resistance.)

Even just using published magic items, the Paladin can have both a Cloak of Charisma and a Vest of Resistance, so I don't see a problem with allowing Goggles of Charisma, or any other item which acts like a Cloak of Charisma.

If you begin to limit one item, you'll probably have to limit every other item as well.