D&D 5E Monsters w/ Magic Items?

[jasper]

Do you allow your intelligent monsters to use the treasure they hoard? It seems like you're either mucking about with CR or straining credulity. I mean, why would a dragon sit on a his ring of mind shielding rather than wear it? How do you solve the problem at your table?

Yes but not all the time. I started this with I6 Ravenloft. To me it did not make sense that a vampire with hundreds of years of wandering around his crib would not find stuff. This let to the following scene
PC1. " Glad the vampire is not here."
PC 2. " If he was we could drown him in the water of his own basement!"
wooshis BOOM Fireball blowing in middle of the party.
Vamp blowing smoke from the wand of fireballs, "actually that is flowing water. Initiative!"

But but but be careful when doing so.

As to the resizing argument the srd page 206 Allows rare exceptions of stuff not resizing like drow armour only fits elfs. But it also allows a tentacle on a ring but no boots on Yuan-ti tails. So It is up to the dm. If I would homebrewing it would vary with story. Gee you did kill the dragon but Fachard and Wilson both lost their heads to the red dragon vorpal attacks.
Table flip, wedgie attack,.
2 hours later. As I try to say, after the dragon dies the right pinky claw morphs into a vorpal long sword.

 

[JonnyP71]

Of course monsters will use any items they can. They will also fight intelligently, try to stay alive and add to their own treasure hoard if possible.

My group met a mature Red Dragon, the party fighter flew in with his uber sword. The Dragon, not liking being hit by this sword disarmed the fighter and flew off, taking the sword with it.

 

[Fauchard1520]

My group met a mature Red Dragon, the party fighter flew in with his uber sword. The Dragon, not liking being hit by this sword disarmed the fighter and flew off, taking the sword with it.

Out of curiosity, did the dragon wield the great sword is the subsequent rematch?

I guess that I'm more concerned for encounter balance than most of this thread. Of course it makes sense for a monster to use the item from a fluff perspective. But an imp with a necklace of fireballs is a load more dangerous than an imp. If you've designed your encounter with that increased difficulty in mind, then everything is groovy. But if you've simply pre-rolled your loot table and discovered that your CR 1 dude (who happens to have invisibility and 120' darkvision) can suddenly lay down 8d6 fire damage from range, then you're in for a radically different kind of encounter.

That's an extreme example, I know, but I think it's worth considering. When does an item become "too much?"

 

[Sacrosanct]

Of course monsters will use any items they can. They will also fight intelligently, try to stay alive and add to their own treasure hoard if possible.

My group met a mature Red Dragon, the party fighter flew in with his uber sword. The Dragon, not liking being hit by this sword disarmed the fighter and flew off, taking the sword with it.

Then did it later give that sword to the leader of it's minions, to be used against the same player when they invaded the dragon's lair?

Cuz that's what I would have done

 

[Oofta]

Out of curiosity, did the dragon wield the great sword is the subsequent rematch?

I guess that I'm more concerned for encounter balance than most of this thread. Of course it makes sense for a monster to use the item from a fluff perspective. But an imp with a necklace of fireballs is a load more dangerous than an imp. If you've designed your encounter with that increased difficulty in mind, then everything is groovy. But if you've simply pre-rolled your loot table and discovered that your CR 1 dude (who happens to have invisibility and 120' darkvision) can suddenly lay down 8d6 fire damage from range, then you're in for a radically different kind of encounter.

That's an extreme example, I know, but I think it's worth considering. When does an item become "too much?"

There are guidelines in the DMG for upgrading monsters, if the magic item has a significant increase in threat capability (your necklace of fireballs vs a +1 sword for example) then I would up the CR appropriately.

It's more of a gut feeling than a strict rule though. If I'm running a high magic campaign at higher levels the NPCs are going to have magic items at their disposal, and I'll only modify my numbers a tiny bit if at all.

 

[Nailen]

When does an item become "too much?"

When it's an imp with a necklace of fireballs!

 

[JonnyP71]

Sadly my party chose to ignore the dragon/sword, and simply continue with their existing quest, without sword.

I really wanted them to go after it, to attempt to scale the mountainous peak to the dragon's lair, up in the clouds... where yes, the dragon would have used the sword against them in some way - I hadn't worked out exactly how, but the thought was lurking there.

But no..

WIMPS!

 

[jgsugden]

D&D is an RPG. A role playing game. Characters play a role in a story. Your job, as DM, is to make it a good story. When questions like this arise, go to the rules AFTER you ask yourself what makes for the best story.

Generally, if the item is appropriate for the party and the monster is appropriate for the party, you're ok allowing the monster to use it if it makes sense for the story you want to tell as a DM. The exception here would be a very powerful item in the hands of a very powerful foe. Unless you've got a very rare or legendary item in a strong deadly encounter, I would not worry about it. Even then, consider using the item, but offset it with environmental advantages for the PCs, such as an additional ally, surprise, or giving the enemy something else to contend with (they are casting a ritual, they are in the middle of punishing one of the minions that failed them, etc...)

If the Staff of the Magi is coming into my game, I am making sure it enters it in an amazingly dramatic moment that is the culmination of a long buildup. I'm not going to be deciding whether to have the wizard that owns it using it at the last minute.