D&D 5E Rating magic items on a 1-10 scale

[cthulhu42]

I'm not sure that rarity is the best indication of the true value of a given magic item. I'm wondering what value we would assign magic items on a 1 to 10 scale based on their impact on the game as they pertain to adventurers.

For example, it seems to me that items that give AC bonuses would be pretty high up on the scale, while +x weapons might not be as high, given the 5E philosophy of more hits against higher hit point pools, which makes anything that ups a character's AC have more of an impact on the game.

So, if you're willing, I'd be curious to hear what 1-10 value you'd place on some or all of the following items based on several criteria, including, but not limited to...

How ubiquitous is the item? Can anybody use it, or is it valuable to only a certain class?

How often does the item impact the game? Specifically in combat, but certainly take out of combat value into consideration as well.

How much impact does the item have on one's survival? Does it make you more difficult to hit or grant saving throw bonuses, or help you make death saving throws, etc?

How much impact does the item have on your ability to overcome enemies? Does it help you hit them? Do more damage? And so on.

Does the item require attunement, and thus take up one of your valuable attunement slots? If it does, the item is probably of considerable value, but it does take up a slot.

Does it have limited uses per day?

Does it have multiple uses?

Can more than one character benefit from the item?

How rare is the item?

If you can think of more criteria, please feel free to mention them.

Obviously your ratings will be pure ballpark figures, and one persons 7 might be another persons 3. There are no wrong answers.

And again, these are ratings based on how the items pertain to adventurers. An Alchemy Jug might be a 10 for a merchant, but it might only rate a 3 for the average adventurer (unless he REALLY love mayonnaise), whereas a +3 sword doesn't do the local tanner much good vs it being a PC's most treasured item.

Here's a quick list...

+1, +2, +3 weapons
Bag of Holding
Driftglobe
Dust of Disappearance
Cap of Water Breathing
Goggles of Night
Helm of Comprehending Languages
Immovable Rod
Lantern of Revealing
Rope of Climbing
Wand of Secrets
Chime of Opening
Heward's Handy Haversack
Periapt of Health
Sending Stones
Portable Hole
Amulet Proof vs Detection
Boots of Elvenkind
Boots of Stringing & Springing
Bracers of Archery
Brooch of Shielding
Broom of Flying
Cloak of Protection
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Pearl of Power
Slippers of Spider Climbing
Wand of Magic Missiles
Wand of the War Mage
Eyes of Charming
Eyes of the Eagle
Headband of Intellect
Gloves of Theivery
Necklace of Adaptation
Periapt of Wound Closure
Ring of Mind Shielding
Ring of Water Walking
Quiver of Ehlonna
Stone of Good Luck
Winged Boots
Amulet of Health
Belt of Dwarvenkind
Belt of Hill Giant Strength
Boots of Levitation
Boots of Speed
Bracers of Defense
+1, +2, +3 armor
+1, +2, +3 shield
Cloak of Displacement
Flame Tongue
Helm of Teleportation
Mantle of Spell Resistance
Ring of Evasion
Ring of Featherfall
Ring of Free Action
Ring of Protection +1
Staff of Healing
Sun Blade
Sword of Life Stealing
Wand of Fireballs
Wand of Wonder
Wings of Flying
Amulet of the Planes
Crystal Ball (very rare version)
Ring of Regeneration
Staff of Fire
Staff of Power
Sword of Sharpness
Belt of Fire Giant Strength
Belt of Frost Giant Strength
Dancing Sword
Dwarven Plate
Manual of Gainful Exercise
Manual of Quickness of Action
Oathbow
Tome of Clear Thought
Tome of Leadership
Tome of Understanding
Luck Blade
Holy Avenger
Ring of Invisibility
Staff of the Magi
Vorpal Sword
Belt of Cloud Giant Strength
Robe of the Archmage
Rod of Ressurection
Armor of Invulnerability
Belt of Storm Giant Strength
Deck of Many Things
Ring of Elemental Command (any)

Please feel free to skip any (I know it's a long list), or add any that you feel deserve to be on the list.

Obviously this is kind of a hard exercise given that one item might be a 10 for a fighter and a 1 for a mage. But maybe think of yourself as a magic item merchant assigning a blanket value to an item, trying to get the most gold for it. For example, even though a Holy Avenger is only useful to a narrow selection of buyers, those buyers would still be willing to pay a LOT for it.

Thanks for any time you take to do this, and thought you put into it.

 

[Coroc]

TBH i never give out random Magic, and normally i do intend and enforce this sometimes for a certain character to get the item.

But if you do it diffferently Keep in mind that not the +3 dragonslayer sword or the +2 permanent stat tome is going to ruin your campaign;

It is the Manual of the planes /foldable Portal / portable hole / eventually bag of Holding / wings of flying /helm of tepleportation/winged boots which will Change things in your world irrevocable. If you bplay it right, then the Party could suddenly vanish from your main plot to end up on some outer plane.
If you find fun in such things or if you love to wing it then give out "logistic" magical items freely. I say it is much easier to compensate/balance a magical weapon which seems to mighty in its plusses than to improvise like a mainiac to Keep things meaningful and logic.

 

[cthulhu42]

TBH i never give out random Magic, and normally i do intend and enforce this sometimes for a certain character to get the item.

But if you do it diffferently Keep in mind that not the +3 dragonslayer sword or the +2 permanent stat tome is going to ruin your campaign;

It is the Manual of the planes /foldable Portal / portable hole / eventually bag of Holding / wings of flying /helm of tepleportation/winged boots which will Change things in your world irrevocable. If you bplay it right, then the Party could suddenly vanish from your main plot to end up on some outer plane.
If you find fun in such things or if you love to wing it then give out "logistic" magical items freely. I say it is much easier to compensate/balance a magical weapon which seems to mighty in its plusses than to improvise like a mainiac to Keep things meaningful and logic.

I tend to agree, although flying items don't trouble me overly much.

 

[cthulhu42]

I was thinking that maybe a better and simpler criteria with which to rate an item would be to assign it a number based on how much you would like a character of yours to find one.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Alchemy jug was a live saver in ToA for the PCs. The most powerful item we've seen in play so far was an immovable rod. Took out a green dragon by using it with ease, and no risk to the PCs. (It was asleep when we found the lair, the rogue snuck up and placed the rod on it's snout. It couldn't lift or move it's head. Easy pickin's for the rest of the group.

 

[Blue]

But if you do it diffferently Keep in mind that not the +3 dragonslayer sword or the +2 permanent stat tome is going to ruin your campaign;

I'd like to offer an alternate view on this.

One +3 weapon or such will not ruin your campaign - but it may make the characters who didn't get it feel like second fiddle. +15% chance to hit, (especially how that may multiply things like GWM and SS), and +3 on every damage roll is a fairly large increase in expected damage for each and every attack, every round, day in and out. That will also likely make the character with the weapon more likely to be the buff target of spells like Haste sicne it's the most effective, even further changing the balance between that character and other weapon wielders. So it won't ruin your campaign, but if you give out very few, it can upset the balance between characters.

On the other hand, a party-load of +2 and +3 weapons will throw bounded accuracy right out the window, and that will have a big effect on your campaign.

 

[Stalker0]

Does anyone have thst link for thst wonderful pdf thst remade pricing based on utility?

It’s bascially exactly what the op wants, but even more exact

 

[JonnyP71]

Alchemy jug was a live saver in ToA for the PCs. The most powerful item we've seen in play so far was an immovable rod. Took out a green dragon by using it with ease, and no risk to the PCs. (It was asleep when we found the lair, the rogue snuck up and placed the rod on it's snout. It couldn't lift or move it's head. Easy pickin's for the rest of the group.

That sounds similar to the time my group took out a BBEG by dropping a Folding Boat on his tent (AD&D 1E).

 

[cthulhu42]

Does anyone have thst link for thst wonderful pdf thst remade pricing based on utility?

It’s bascially exactly what the op wants, but even more exact

I'd love to see that.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using EN World mobile app

 

[Coroc]

[MENTION=20564]Blue[/MENTION] You are right, if you overdo it with + on weaponry and armor, then you have to shift the bounded accuracy to make it work again, e.g. give the Mobs more hitpoints use more of them or increase their armorclass or attack bonus. Also that kind of equipment does inherently lower the caster classes damage output in relation. But to counter such a thing is still far more easy than to rewrite your complete campaign, because some gimmick teleported the party to another plane, which you have not had in mind at all to ever play some role in your campaign or even if you slightly considered it, you might not have prepared material for this scenario.