D&D 5E Rarity of a customized magic item?

[Arcshot]

I am trying to customize a new magic item by combining powers of two Uncommon magic items. What is the Rarity of this new magic item? Rare?

How does Rarity work for customize items?
Uncommon+Uncommon=Rare?
Rare+Rare=Very rare?
Uncommon+Rare=???

 

[Uchawi]

I figure if you are going through the motions of creating new magic items, then you will probably want to introduce them in the game. It is better to understand magic items powers overall, versus rarity, if you want to control the impact on the game. The same concept applies to CR with monsters. It is better to have the experience and overall understanding of monster abilities, then rely on CR.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I am trying to customize a new magic item by combining powers of two Uncommon magic items. What is the Rarity of this new magic item? Rare?

How does Rarity work for customize items?
Uncommon+Uncommon=Rare?
Rare+Rare=Very rare?
Uncommon+Rare=???

How many of these widgets are floating around and how easy is it to make new ones?

If they can be created, then you can backwards calculate rarity by how expensive and time consuming you want the creation of the item to be. If these items cannot be created at all ( their formula was lost) then decide how many are out in the world waiting to be found. Were they common in the time when they were being produced or rare even then?

 

[Arcshot]

DMG page 135 states the rarity of an magic item corresponding to the character level and value (gp). I'm not looking at the value (gp) since the new item is likely to be unique and cannot be re-created. I'm more interested at the indicated character level, so I can estimate whether the new customized magic item is suitable for the PC at his current level without breaking the game balance.

 

[MarkB]

If someone owned both these items, could he use them together normally?
Would each of them require attunement?
Are there any existing magic items that are of comparable power/utility to the combined item?

 

[Arcshot]

If someone owned both these items, could he use them together normally?
Would each of them require attunement?
Are there any existing magic items that are of comparable power/utility to the combined item?

Yes. If each power is with separate item, a person can use both magical items together.
Both would need attunement.
Not that I can find one existing item that comprise both magical traits or comparable power.

 

[MarkB]

Yes. If each power is with separate item, a person can use both magical items together.
Both would need attunement.
Not that I can find one existing item that comprise both magical traits or comparable power.

So by combining these items you are basically saving an attunement slot. I tend to think that would be worth a one-step increase in rarity.

However, rarity is a very broad category, and even in the DMG it's not applied with perfect consistency, so the only real answer is to consider the item in relation to other items of each category, and decide which one feels right for it.

 

[Arcshot]

Side question:
One cannot attune to two magic items of the same type.
Am I correct to say you cannot attune to two magic shortswords, but can attune to a magic shortsword and a magic scimitar at the same time?

 

[MarkB]

Side question:
One cannot attune to two magic items of the same type.

That's not the case. You can't attune to more than one copy of the same item. There's no restriction on items of the same type. You could attune to two different magical shortswords, but not to two Swords of Wounding, even if one was a rapier and the other was a shortsword.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Side question:
One cannot attune to two magic items of the same type.
Am I correct to say you cannot attune to two magic shortswords, but can attune to a magic shortsword and a magic scimitar at the same time?

Nope. You can attune to two different short swords if you are lucky enough to have two such weapons. There are certain restrictions though. Even though you could in theory attune to 3 magic rings, you could only use the power of two of them at a time. You could attune to 2 magic cloaks, but only be able to use one of them at a time.

Thus I would think the power and rarity of such a combination item would be greater if the two items were of a like type- 2 rings for example.