D&D 5E Starter Set: Excerpt 6

[Falling Icicle]

I like that it takes a short rest to attune or de-attune to an item now. That makes the decision to attune to an item much more meaningful than it was back when it only took 10 minutes.

I also noticed that you lose all item attunements if you die. That could have interesting implications if your character dies and gets raised in the middle of an adventure.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Yay for taste-testing potions plus potion miscibility!

 

[Jinete]

The Big One: Gauntlets of Ogre Power increase a character's Strength to 19! This could lessen the importance of having a high Strength, if you can find these Gauntlets.

I've skipped most of the later playtesting so pardon me if I'm barking up the wrong tree, but these items seem inherently wrong to me. This is the scenario I can see happening:

Player 1: I play a half-orc barbarian, and through my race and class combination I have achieved a strength score of 19!
Player 2: I play a dwarven fighter, so my speed is never reduced by armor!
Player 3: I play a halfling, but I have these here boots and gauntlets, so...

 

[Klaus]

I've skipped most of the later playtesting so pardon me if I'm barking up the wrong tree, but these items seem inherently wrong to me. This is the scenario I can see happening:

Player 1: I play a half-orc barbarian, and through my race and class combination I have achieved a strength score of 19!
Player 2: I play a dwarven fighter, so my speed is never reduced by armor!
Player 3: I play a halfling, but I have these here boots and gauntlets, so...

Since the halfling isn't wearing heavy armor, and has attacks that use Dexterity, he won't be able to benefit from either item. In fact, the dwarf should get the gauntlets and the half-orc should get the boots, so both characters now have Str 19 and aren't slowed down by armor (and the half-orc can now jump really far).

 

[Jinete]

Since the halfling isn't wearing heavy armor, and has attacks that use Dexterity, he won't be able to benefit from either item. In fact, the dwarf should get the gauntlets and the half-orc should get the boots, so both characters now have Str 19 and aren't slowed down by armor (and the half-orc can now jump really far).

Still, I don't think that either the half-orc strength or the (arguably) most important racial ability of the dwarf should be obtainable just by getting one magic item.

 

[Sadras]

I really wish potions (and spells and other magic items) of flying specified an altitude limit. Like 10 feet/level or something.

I would imagine information like that would be included in the DMG under the Flying rules (hopefully).

Still, I don't think that either the half-orc strength or the (arguably) most important racial ability of the dwarf should be obtainable just by getting one magic item.

As opposed to casting a spell and getting either or other racial abilities? Actually it makes sense for the creators of the items (who don't have str 19 and possess armour restrictions) to want to emulate the abilities of others.

Furthermore, the rules only specify of armour/weapons resizing - these gauntlets/boots might be to large for a Halfling.

 

[Jinete]

As opposed to casting a spell and getting either or other racial abilities? Actually it makes sense for the creators of the items (who don't have str 19 and possess armour restrictions) to want to emulate the abilities of others.

If spells really emulate racial abilities I don't like that either Spells and items should make you better at something (as in give a bonus to your existing ability or skill). The Gauntlets of Ogre power simply make your strength score irrelevant.

Furthermore, the rules only specify of armour/weapons resizing - these gauntlets/boots might be to large for a Halfling.

I don't think it's going to work that way...

 

[Sadras]

If spells really emulate racial abilities I don't like that either Spells and items should make you better at something (as in give a bonus to your existing ability or skill). The Gauntlets of Ogre power simply make your strength score irrelevant.

I understand your dilemma. My concern is seeing a mage with 9 Strength wearing something called Gauntlets of Ogre Strength (for this example having +4) and the Mage after wearing them has a 13 Strength. That is hardly Ogre Strength.

I'd rather name it Gauntlets of Strength (and have a lesser [+2] and greater [+6] if you want) and then something like Gauntlets of Ogre Strength would give you 19 Strength. As a DM you can use it or not.

 

[Klaus]

Still, I don't think that either the half-orc strength or the (arguably) most important racial ability of the dwarf should be obtainable just by getting one magic item.

Armored movement is hardly the most important racial bility of a dwarf, IMHO.

And magic items are not "just". They have impact on the character's overall power (as opposed to being assumed in the math). Your half-orc will probably have Str 20 before magic gauntletes come along.

 

[Thaumaturge]

[MENTION=77]Talath[/MENTION] I tried to xp you again. Alas, it will be a while.

Since they're letting PCs identify potions by taste, I wish they'd come up with what they all taste like.

Now I'll have to develop that myself.

Thaumaturge.