We are in a 2.5 year long campaign, players are level 11 closing on 12. One of my players is a Dragonborn Barbarian-Ranger named Balyax. From level 2 or 3, I forget but first few months of the campaign, he wanted a ridiculously large sword, he gave me images of Guts from Berserk as reference. I thought it was badass so I allowed him too, it took significant time and gold investment, and I think the stats we settled on was a 2d8 sword that required a strength 20 to wield, he also trained and had disadvantage on attacks until this was completed (I know its op, but all my players are and so are their enemies, works for us and we have fun :) )
Fast forward some time, the party fought their first Dragon, a Blue Dragon that had stats between young and adult. They killed her, and harvested parts from her. Because I thought it was fun I included something known as Draconis Fundermentum (not my invention), a crystal dragons have on their hearts which channels/produces/insert fluff here their elemental powers. Balyax harvested this, and in the next town/city set to work finding a blacksmith/magic user who could incorporate it into the sword. Again a long back and forth, but we settled on the 2d8 weapon still, but now it was a +1 and, as long as Balyax was attuned, he could cast lightning bolt once per long rest.
This brings us to now. The party have just fought their second Dragon, and Adult White Dragon up in the mountains. Balyax also managed to harvest the Draconis Fundermentum from this one (its not guaranteed, it can blow up). He now is in a similar mind set of finding a smith or magic user that can incorporate this, for reference they'll be heading to a dwarven city soon and because I'm not original, these dwarven boys are good crafter/miners.
So now the issue:
I am unsure of how to incorporate this into the blade. Again, it's a +1 great sword using d8's instead of d6's that can fire of a lightning bolt once per long rest. I feel if he incorporates this one it should maybe go to a +2? maybe add a different spell or effect?
I am also wondering if their should be risk on incorporating it, as I am not a huge fan of taking apart and putting back together magic items?
Feels a bit like a marvel infinity gauntlet. There could perhaps be something akin to a tiamat sword? Get 5 dragon hearts. As for risk, maybe the sword emirates power drawing enemies to the party? Maybe the blade could develop sentience and the player has to deal with it? Or like an infinity gauntlet maybe the risk is too much power might rip the player apart, so to attune to the blade could require a con save?
If as you say the whole party and monsters are OP then +2 probably won’t be too powerful, late game casters tend to outstrip martial pc anyway
In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, end of Chapter 2, there is an optional way to determine how to distribute magic weapons to a party based on rarity of the item and the tiered levels of the characters in the party. You could look at some comparable blades in the DMG to determine whether this weapon was rare or very rare, or even legendary, and then decide if it was appropriate based on that formula. It is a bit hard to decide I think because I see some blades that are just rare that look better than others that are very rare. Usually a legendary blade has a few things like spellcasting so you might already have a legendary blade there. Note that when a blade gets more and more powerful, it could gain some quirks, intelligence, detrimental aspects, etc. This makes things fun too. It is in the end about having fun, and one aspect of fun is having powerful things, and the other part of fun is having an element of risk. Perhaps you make the next stage in the blade development include some risk.
I agree that a +2 really isn't that big of an issue at higher tiers of play. When the monsters either have absurd ACs or oceans of HP, a +2 to hit and slightly more damage isn't gonna break anything. What you want to consider is whether this will make him OP in comparison to the rest of the party and make adjustments and decisions accordingly.
As for incorporation and mechanics, you might consider these as alternatives to granting the sword another elemental spell:
- Balyax can deal an extra 3d6 cold damage once per short rest - As a reaction after being hit with an attack, Balyax can trigger a rune on the sword to summon an icy shell around him that provides resistance to the triggering damage. This can be used a number of times equal to his proficiency bonus/CON mod/WIS mod - The sword remains a +1 weapon but grants him resistance to cold damage as long as he remains attuned to it - If Balyax is reduced to 0 HP while wielding the sword, a layer of frost covers his body and immediately cryo-stabilizes him. This feature can only be used once per day/short rest. - As a bonus action, Balyax can trigger a rune on the sword that coats his feet with ice for one round, allowing him to skate past enemies. While he has these skates, all attacks of opportunity against him are at disadvantage. This feature can be used once per short rest
Keep in mind that barbarians can't cast spells while they're raging (unless you allow that at your table), so giving his character options that don't interfere with his rage might be helpful. Features that either help his character in areas he's deficient in or that highlight things he specializes in can be great, too.
One thing you could do would be to make one of the sword's d8s lightning damage and the other cold damage.
You could say that the two dragon gems together become slightly unstable. Every time he uses the magic item's special abilities he takes 1 lightning damage and 1 cold damage that cannot be reduced without immunity. (This could easily be higher if needed.) Then give him the spell sleet storm or cone of cold. If you don't want him to gain another spell, he could:
-Summon the Wings of the North Wind which lasts for one hour and gives him a flying speed of 50 ft. He also gains resistance to cold damage and his attacks deal extra cold damage equal to his proficiency bonus. Recharge after a long rest.
-He could coat the ground around him in ice. The ground within 20 ft of him is difficult terrain and anyone who walks on it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. This ice lasts for 1 minute or until it melts. Recharge after a short rest.
-He could summon an aura of ice. The ground within 10 ft of him is difficult terrain because of the snow, ice, and wind, and any creature that starts its turn there takes 1d4 cold damage. This lasts for 1 minute and it recharges after a short rest.
How many more dragons do you have planned? If there’s little chance of him getting another dragon crystal thingy, then, sure boosting it to a +2 is no biggie. If you add another effect, maybe make it out of combat. White dragons have a burrow, swim and fly speed. You could give him one of those for 1 min/long rest or something.
Or add a dragon bane property, +damage vs. dragons it’s thematic and feels cool, but won’t come up often enough to break anything.
If you’re concerned he might get another one or more, you need to be careful of precedent. You could make a ladder type thing for boosting it further. He only needed one to get a +1, but he needs 2 more to boost it to a +2, and three more beyond that to hit +3. At that point, he practically built an artifact, but he’s gotten six of these things, he’s probably earned it. And if that happens, this is something just begging to be used in future campaigns. Even if it’s just a plot device.
One of our old rules was that a magic Item had to be created "whole" and could not be recreated by adding new parts.
The sword since it was not designed to contain the second gem would not be able to be recrafted into a two gem sword. The recrafting would destroy the first gem.
Nothing says he can not have the second crafted into something new which would give him a new spell effect or power. A shield, helmet, gauntlet, broach, belt. or another weapon.
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Hi all,
So first the background:
We are in a 2.5 year long campaign, players are level 11 closing on 12. One of my players is a Dragonborn Barbarian-Ranger named Balyax. From level 2 or 3, I forget but first few months of the campaign, he wanted a ridiculously large sword, he gave me images of Guts from Berserk as reference. I thought it was badass so I allowed him too, it took significant time and gold investment, and I think the stats we settled on was a 2d8 sword that required a strength 20 to wield, he also trained and had disadvantage on attacks until this was completed (I know its op, but all my players are and so are their enemies, works for us and we have fun :) )
Fast forward some time, the party fought their first Dragon, a Blue Dragon that had stats between young and adult. They killed her, and harvested parts from her. Because I thought it was fun I included something known as Draconis Fundermentum (not my invention), a crystal dragons have on their hearts which channels/produces/insert fluff here their elemental powers. Balyax harvested this, and in the next town/city set to work finding a blacksmith/magic user who could incorporate it into the sword. Again a long back and forth, but we settled on the 2d8 weapon still, but now it was a +1 and, as long as Balyax was attuned, he could cast lightning bolt once per long rest.
This brings us to now. The party have just fought their second Dragon, and Adult White Dragon up in the mountains. Balyax also managed to harvest the Draconis Fundermentum from this one (its not guaranteed, it can blow up). He now is in a similar mind set of finding a smith or magic user that can incorporate this, for reference they'll be heading to a dwarven city soon and because I'm not original, these dwarven boys are good crafter/miners.
So now the issue:
I am unsure of how to incorporate this into the blade. Again, it's a +1 great sword using d8's instead of d6's that can fire of a lightning bolt once per long rest. I feel if he incorporates this one it should maybe go to a +2? maybe add a different spell or effect?
I am also wondering if their should be risk on incorporating it, as I am not a huge fan of taking apart and putting back together magic items?
Any help/ideas/critics appreciated!!!
Feels a bit like a marvel infinity gauntlet. There could perhaps be something akin to a tiamat sword? Get 5 dragon hearts. As for risk, maybe the sword emirates power drawing enemies to the party? Maybe the blade could develop sentience and the player has to deal with it? Or like an infinity gauntlet maybe the risk is too much power might rip the player apart, so to attune to the blade could require a con save?
If as you say the whole party and monsters are OP then +2 probably won’t be too powerful, late game casters tend to outstrip martial pc anyway
In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, end of Chapter 2, there is an optional way to determine how to distribute magic weapons to a party based on rarity of the item and the tiered levels of the characters in the party. You could look at some comparable blades in the DMG to determine whether this weapon was rare or very rare, or even legendary, and then decide if it was appropriate based on that formula. It is a bit hard to decide I think because I see some blades that are just rare that look better than others that are very rare. Usually a legendary blade has a few things like spellcasting so you might already have a legendary blade there. Note that when a blade gets more and more powerful, it could gain some quirks, intelligence, detrimental aspects, etc. This makes things fun too. It is in the end about having fun, and one aspect of fun is having powerful things, and the other part of fun is having an element of risk. Perhaps you make the next stage in the blade development include some risk.
I agree that a +2 really isn't that big of an issue at higher tiers of play. When the monsters either have absurd ACs or oceans of HP, a +2 to hit and slightly more damage isn't gonna break anything. What you want to consider is whether this will make him OP in comparison to the rest of the party and make adjustments and decisions accordingly.
As for incorporation and mechanics, you might consider these as alternatives to granting the sword another elemental spell:
- Balyax can deal an extra 3d6 cold damage once per short rest
- As a reaction after being hit with an attack, Balyax can trigger a rune on the sword to summon an icy shell around him that provides resistance to the triggering damage. This can be used a number of times equal to his proficiency bonus/CON mod/WIS mod
- The sword remains a +1 weapon but grants him resistance to cold damage as long as he remains attuned to it
- If Balyax is reduced to 0 HP while wielding the sword, a layer of frost covers his body and immediately cryo-stabilizes him. This feature can only be used once per day/short rest.
- As a bonus action, Balyax can trigger a rune on the sword that coats his feet with ice for one round, allowing him to skate past enemies. While he has these skates, all attacks of opportunity against him are at disadvantage. This feature can be used once per short rest
Keep in mind that barbarians can't cast spells while they're raging (unless you allow that at your table), so giving his character options that don't interfere with his rage might be helpful. Features that either help his character in areas he's deficient in or that highlight things he specializes in can be great, too.
One thing you could do would be to make one of the sword's d8s lightning damage and the other cold damage.
You could say that the two dragon gems together become slightly unstable. Every time he uses the magic item's special abilities he takes 1 lightning damage and 1 cold damage that cannot be reduced without immunity. (This could easily be higher if needed.) Then give him the spell sleet storm or cone of cold. If you don't want him to gain another spell, he could:
-Summon the Wings of the North Wind which lasts for one hour and gives him a flying speed of 50 ft. He also gains resistance to cold damage and his attacks deal extra cold damage equal to his proficiency bonus. Recharge after a long rest.
-He could coat the ground around him in ice. The ground within 20 ft of him is difficult terrain and anyone who walks on it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. This ice lasts for 1 minute or until it melts. Recharge after a short rest.
-He could summon an aura of ice. The ground within 10 ft of him is difficult terrain because of the snow, ice, and wind, and any creature that starts its turn there takes 1d4 cold damage. This lasts for 1 minute and it recharges after a short rest.
How many more dragons do you have planned? If there’s little chance of him getting another dragon crystal thingy, then, sure boosting it to a +2 is no biggie. If you add another effect, maybe make it out of combat. White dragons have a burrow, swim and fly speed. You could give him one of those for 1 min/long rest or something.
Or add a dragon bane property, +damage vs. dragons it’s thematic and feels cool, but won’t come up often enough to break anything.
If you’re concerned he might get another one or more, you need to be careful of precedent. You could make a ladder type thing for boosting it further. He only needed one to get a +1, but he needs 2 more to boost it to a +2, and three more beyond that to hit +3. At that point, he practically built an artifact, but he’s gotten six of these things, he’s probably earned it. And if that happens, this is something just begging to be used in future campaigns. Even if it’s just a plot device.
One of our old rules was that a magic Item had to be created "whole" and could not be recreated by adding new parts.
The sword since it was not designed to contain the second gem would not be able to be recrafted into a two gem sword. The recrafting would destroy the first gem.
Nothing says he can not have the second crafted into something new which would give him a new spell effect or power. A shield, helmet, gauntlet, broach, belt. or another weapon.