So I have been running a campaign for level 10 players, and almost everything I give them is a homebrew magic item of my creation. Here are a few of them:
A staff for my warlock that can hold concentration indefinitely (such a bad idea I reconned it)
An axe infused with the power of gorthok (that thunder boar from dragon of icespire peak) that can transform into lightning when thrown
A cloak which allows for seeing into the future once per long rest, but the vision is always intentionally misleading (the joke was a character asked for medium armor, so I provided armor which allowed seeing into the future, which isn't even what mediums do.)
A magical potion that, when consumed, leads to a homebrew wild magic surge type effect happening, with effects such as "you blink vertically now" or, "meteor swarm is cast'
A tame shadow creature that was spawned when one of my characters drank the above potion, who later died because of above potion.
Needless to say, almost all of these have ended up with shenanigans. Now I want to give them some items on their wish list: A cross bow that functions as a grappling hook, and a magic shield that can petrify, which can malfunction in order to give plausible explanations for why players go absent (Oh no, our ranger is petrified! whoops, guess she's stone until we get a healer!)
The point is, I want to give them cool stuff, but I need to make the shield and grappling hook less overpowered so it doesn't ruin everything.
A crossbow that can shoot a grappling hook is no big deal.
A shield that petrifies its user randomly is just a really bad idea all around. Whenever a player can’t make it just treat it as if it were an MMO and they just suddenly disconnected and when they come back treat silt as if they just joined the server again.
A crossbow that can shoot a grappling hook is no big deal.
A shield that petrifies its user randomly is just a really bad idea all around. Whenever a player can’t make it just treat it as if it were an MMO and they just suddenly disconnected and when they come back treat silt as if they just joined the server again.
My phrasing there was a little vague there, sorry.
The shield doesn't go off randomly, like by a d100 roll. It just happens when I need it to happen for missing players. It also makes for a good running gag. Also, I feel like treating absent players like they blink out of existence doesn't sit right with me. Plus, they have a bag of holding to shove them into
A shield that petrifies its user randomly is just a really bad idea all around. Whenever a player can’t make it just treat it as if it were an MMO and they just suddenly disconnected and when they come back treat silt as if they just joined the server again.
My phrasing there was a little vague there, sorry.
The shield doesn't go off randomly, like by a d100 roll. It just happens when I need it to happen for missing players. It also makes for a good running gag. Also, I feel like treating absent players like they blink out of existence doesn't sit right with me. Plus, they have a bag of holding to shove them into
Oh, well that’s a bit different. In those situations I either have the missing player designate their preferred proxy to run their character for them for the session(s) they will be missing.
One of the other players of their choice runs their PC for them.
All of the other players run their PC for them by committee.
I (the DM) run their character for them as an NPC.
So I have been running a campaign for level 10 players, and almost everything I give them is a homebrew magic item of my creation. Here are a few of them:
A staff for my warlock that can hold concentration indefinitely (such a bad idea I reconned it)
An axe infused with the power of gorthok (that thunder boar from dragon of icespire peak) that can transform into lightning when thrown
A cloak which allows for seeing into the future once per long rest, but the vision is always intentionally misleading (the joke was a character asked for medium armor, so I provided armor which allowed seeing into the future, which isn't even what mediums do.)
A magical potion that, when consumed, leads to a homebrew wild magic surge type effect happening, with effects such as "you blink vertically now" or, "meteor swarm is cast'
A tame shadow creature that was spawned when one of my characters drank the above potion, who later died because of above potion.
Needless to say, almost all of these have ended up with shenanigans. Now I want to give them some items on their wish list: A cross bow that functions as a grappling hook, and a magic shield that can petrify, which can malfunction in order to give plausible explanations for why players go absent (Oh no, our ranger is petrified! whoops, guess she's stone until we get a healer!)
The point is, I want to give them cool stuff, but I need to make the shield and grappling hook less overpowered so it doesn't ruin everything.
Best Spells: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2190706-applause, https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2047204-big-ol-switcheroo, https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2188701-cerwicks-copper-cables
Best Feats: https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/1512461-soapbox-revised
Best Monsters: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3775489-jar-jar-binks, https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3860024-spare-ribs
A crossbow that can shoot a grappling hook is no big deal.
A shield that petrifies its user randomly is just a really bad idea all around. Whenever a player can’t make it just treat it as if it were an MMO and they just suddenly disconnected and when they come back treat silt as if they just joined the server again.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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My phrasing there was a little vague there, sorry.
The shield doesn't go off randomly, like by a d100 roll. It just happens when I need it to happen for missing players. It also makes for a good running gag. Also, I feel like treating absent players like they blink out of existence doesn't sit right with me. Plus, they have a bag of holding to shove them into
Best Spells: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2190706-applause, https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2047204-big-ol-switcheroo, https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2188701-cerwicks-copper-cables
Best Feats: https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/1512461-soapbox-revised
Best Monsters: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3775489-jar-jar-binks, https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3860024-spare-ribs
Oh, well that’s a bit different. In those situations I either have the missing player designate their preferred proxy to run their character for them for the session(s) they will be missing.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting