Hey gang,

I'm looking to come up with a signature item for one of my PCs.  He is a forest gnome thief, playing the Out of the Abyss campaign.  He's currently 4th level.  He's already picked up a set of gloves of thievery and eyes of minute seeing.  These are handy tools for him, but I'm looking to come up with something a bit more significant and defining for him.

He is brave - often rushing into melee with bad guys with his little short sword - and has a background as a locksmith. He would like a rapier - though this item does not need to be a weapon.

I did wonder about something which might allow him to make the occasional attack as a reaction (thus allowing him to use Sneak Attack twice a round).

Any ideas from the collective brain?

Thanks in advance!
Blakey

Get an item that causes fear. When the creatures uses ITS movement to move away from you, you can get the opportunity attack.

Dagger of returning for throwing? Rather than melee.

How about an item that makes him huge and all his equipment.  A small gnome running into battle, the orcs laughing at this little guy charging at them and then as he is running he becomes twice their size.  An item that misty steps, or something like the cape of Mountebank, He pops in, swish swish sneak attack, and pops out (limit usage accordingly).  

To be honest, I like giving multi-stage items to players.  But you have to make sure none of them shines more than others.  Take the Blade of Broken Mirrors which evolves with the character.  I've done some moonblades as well.  But if you go this big with something for the rogue, you have to be ready to do something unusual for the other characters at the table too, because everyone wants something really cool.  Ok, so with that bias in mind, what I tend to do is look for several items that I like and see if I can find a way to work them into a legendary item like this, but that they don't get the power all at once.  It kind of levels up with them and they don't find out about some of the other aspects until later.  And if it has a voice... play it with subtlety.  Entice the character for more power, don't suddenly go over the top on them to try and force them into something.  Also, to show my bias on magic items, I love the interactions between Elric and Stormbringer.  If you can get the character to need the item, there are interesting ways you can manipulate them or make them agonize over decisions.  All I'm really looking for is amplifying the tension around decisions that matter to the character.  I know that doesn't give you a one-size fits all magic weapon to fix your campaign, but maybe you'll see the tools that are there and make one better than I could for that player and character.

Quote from Grayfax >>

To be honest, I like giving multi-stage items to players.  But you have to make sure none of them shines more than others.  Take the Blade of Broken Mirrors which evolves with the character.  I've done some moonblades as well.  But if you go this big with something for the rogue, you have to be ready to do something unusual for the other characters at the table too, because everyone wants something really cool.  Ok, so with that bias in mind, what I tend to do is look for several items that I like and see if I can find a way to work them into a legendary item like this, but that they don't get the power all at once.  It kind of levels up with them and they don't find out about some of the other aspects until later.  And if it has a voice... play it with subtlety.  Entice the character for more power, don't suddenly go over the top on them to try and force them into something.  Also, to show my bias on magic items, I love the interactions between Elric and Stormbringer.  If you can get the character to need the item, there are interesting ways you can manipulate them or make them agonize over decisions.  All I'm really looking for is amplifying the tension around decisions that matter to the character.  I know that doesn't give you a one-size fits all magic weapon to fix your campaign, but maybe you'll see the tools that are there and make one better than I could for that player and character.

Yeah, I am the same and the other players all have a signature, multifaceted item designed for them.  One of them has picked up Dawnbringer, which I have reduced in power until she sees the light of day when her full powers will be unveiled.  The others I have created from scratch for the PCs, usually taking stock items and adding on.  Each has tiers, though none count as Artifact level.

I'm trying to think what would be good for Geppetto, the forest gnome thief, as I say.   Keep the ideas coming as I might well build something combining the ideas posted here.

In that case, maybe take some inspiration from Boots of the Winterlands... but not get into Artifact territory yet.  

Boots of the Hinterlands (Very Rare). Require Attunement.
* While you wear these boots, your walking speed becomes 30 feet, unless your walking speed is higher, and your speed isn't reduced if you are encumbered
* While you wear these boots, your steps make no sound, regardless of the surface you are moving across. You also have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on moving silently.
* While you wear these boots, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. However, the boots don't allow you to move this way on a slippery surface, such as one covered by ice or oil.

If you wanted this to have the Dormant, Awakened and Exalted properties, then have it be a chaotic force that inhabits the boots that distracts the wearer periodically with a new "shiny" item or hums the "Road goes on and on..." at random times.  Even though it isn't armor, give it the +1 at Dormant, +2 at Awakened and +3 at Exalted and then put one of these at each level.  Probably the striding effect first... so let me rearrange those in logical order up above.  Then pick out a few spells... Plant Growth, Pass Without Trace, Water Walk, Tree Stride or whatever and make them be able to be cast once per day or something.  

I like these boots - very cool and they seem to feed into is skill-set as a Thief nicely.   He did talk about a Ring of Protection being handy, so I am thinking the +1/+2/+3 can be Protection - which is very powerful but on par with the others' signature items.   Definitely going to use these as a starting point - thanks heaps!