So, I've been thinking that something neat and that would open up quite a few tactical possibilities would be to have a weapon mimicking the properties of our beloved Chromatic Orb, and therefore came up with theChromatichomebrew weapon type (applicable to any weapon, I just chose to take a longsword as base).
The idea is, unsurprisingly, to have a weapon capable of granting additional damage of a chosen type (adding Force to the choices of a Chromatic Orb). I am not 100% sure it is balanced, and have the suspicion it might be a bit underpowered due to both needing attunement and a short rest to change the type of additional damage. I am also caressing the idea of making a "lesser" version that would not need attunement and "only" provide 1d6 additional damage...
All comments and opinions are welcome!
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Thank you for your reply, Matthias. While I see the possible parallels to be drawn between the two weapons, and it certainly makes me think that probably mine is balanced as-is, given the choice in the type of damage being basically an addition to weapons like flame tongue that would need balancing (hence the short rest to do so), I'd still love to hear personal opinions and impressions :)
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Thank you for your reply, Matthias. While I see the possible parallels to be drawn between the two weapons, and it certainly makes me think that probably mine is balanced as-is, given the choice in the type of damage being basically an addition to weapons like flame tongue that would need balancing (hence the short rest to do so), I'd still love to hear personal opinions and impressions :)
Thank you for your reply, Matthias. While I see the possible parallels to be drawn between the two weapons, and it certainly makes me think that probably mine is balanced as-is, given the choice in the type of damage being basically an addition to weapons like flame tongue that would need balancing (hence the short rest to do so), I'd still love to hear personal opinions and impressions :)
Not 100% sure how to compare those... Chromatic Orb is a ranged spell needing attack roll and with damage type at the discretion of the caster; Burning Hands does the same damage (3d8) but only fire and in a cone in front of the caster, giving the enemy the chance to make a Dex save to halve the damage, technically trading variety in damage type for potential amount of enemies hit and sure damage to all target hit; Guiding Bolt is also ranged with attack roll, does one more dice of damage but of a different kind (d6 instead of d8), resulting in a sure higher minimum (4) and the same maximum damage (24) [not sure about the average, never been good at calculating those] and on top of that granting advantage to the next attack on the target (if it hits) until the following round, aside from having a greater range than Chromatic Orb. (always considered this spell to be extremely powerful for a lvl1)
All these are lvl1 Evocation spells requiring 1 Action to cast, and while all have somatic and verbal components, Chromatic Orb is the only one also needing material components (easily avoided by using a focus, but still).
Am I missing something here?
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I like it. I think the rarity is good for the item. However, I think the non-chaotic alignment should be nixed. It's nice flavor, but what if instead, when a chaotic aligned creature attunes to it, it deals 1d8 damage but can be switched as a bonus action?
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
I like it. I think the rarity is good for the item. However, I think the non-chaotic alignment should be nixed. It's nice flavor, but what if instead, when a chaotic aligned creature attunes to it, it deals 1d8 damage but can be switched as a bonus action?
Mmmh... I like the idea of a trade-off when it's a chaotic creature using it, but I feel the option you propose could be easily avoided. I'll think on it though, thank you for the idea ;)
Edit: I have now read again your comment and seen my reply was quite silly (damn hurried reading). That is actually a good option, but now (due to my first erroneous interpretation of your idea) I am also thinking of including a sort-of "backlash" for chaotic characters, something along the line of: If a chaotic-aligned creature attunes to the weapon, it immediately suffers 1d8 force damage, and will suffer 1d6 damage of the same type of the bonus damage type selected each time the weapon is used to attack. At the same time, though, the switch to a different type of damage can be done with a bonus action instead of during a short rest. [I am actually maybe considering changing the basic functionality to needing an Action, rather than short rest...]
Just made a new version of this weapon type, let me know what you think (and if it can be accessed this way, 'cause it's still private): Chromatic Weapon
Edit: made a few more changes. Changelog:
Added bullet points for all special abilities of the weapon
Added one side effect for each damage type, in order to increase variety beyond just the kind of dmg
Adjusted the attunement requisite and added the changes on weapon functioning for chaotic characters
This is it for now, let me know what you guys think :)
Edit2: Fire is the only sub-damage type that does not have a further additional effect other than being also basically a torch, and I am not sure if I should give it one similar to the one I gave cold
Now, given these most probably unbalance the weapon, aside from that I am considering either: increasing the rarity of the item or decreasing the DC of the additional secondary effects (from 12 to maybe 10).
I might include it in a game, but I will remove the force option. With that available I don't think my particular players would ever use anything else.
Until you publish it we cannot see the changes made to the weapon. Personal opinion is make it a "greater" chromatic variant if you want to add secondary effects like knockback, set on fire, prevent movement etc. Already this weapon will rarely be ineffective, and will not STAY ineffective for very long.
Fire - set them on fire, Thunder - knockback, Lightning - advantage against armor wearers, Poison - Poisoned status, Acid - Blind status, Ice - Reduce movement ( I am curious what you picked for them, as these are my suggestions.
Double bonus for choosing a versatile weapon for such a versatile enchantment : )
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I might include it in a game, but I will remove the force option. With that available I don't think my particular players would ever use anything else.
Until you publish it we cannot see the changes made to the weapon. Personal opinion is make it a "greater" chromatic variant if you want to add secondary effects like knockback, set on fire, prevent movement etc. Already this weapon will rarely be ineffective, and will not STAY ineffective for very long.
Fire - set them on fire, Thunder - knockback, Lightning - advantage against armor wearers, Poison - Poisoned status, Acid - Blind status, Ice - Reduce movement ( I am curious what you picked for them, as these are my suggestions.
Double bonus for choosing a versatile weapon for such a versatile enchantment : )
Thanks HeroZero :)
I'll send it for publishing soon, and probably follow your advice and make it a "greater version".
As for the additional effects, you got some right ;)
Edit: submitted both the new "basic" (improved layout and very few, mostly flavour additional effects) and "Greater" (more impactful additional effects, very rare rarity) versions, hopefully they'll be approved soon :)
Go have a look and let me know if you think adjustments are in order :) (also curious to know what @HeroZero thinks of my choices as additional effects based on the damage type ;) )
Edit: I seem to be utterly unable to mention people, and at this point it's been so long that I haven't been able to find how to that I am almost afraid to ask...
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
As strange as it may sound I think the acid one is my favorite, I immediately start thinking about things to melt through, door hinges, locks, damage a weapons stockpile to be unusable. You know, normal DnD stuff : )
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Poison damage on Chromatic doesn't have any special ability.
That would be intended, as the Greater version "only" adds the Poisoned condition... any suggestion on what I could add to it in the normal version? (Also Force doesn't have any additional effect in the normal version, that as well would be intended, but open to suggestions :) )
As strange as it may sound I think the acid one is my favorite, I immediately start thinking about things to melt through, door hinges, locks, damage a weapons stockpile to be unusable. You know, normal DnD stuff : )
Thanks :D
I thought it was the best way to give something interesting and situationally useful without making it de-facto more powerful than other types of damage :) (also, Alien vibe FTW)
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
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Hi everyone o/
So, I've been thinking that something neat and that would open up quite a few tactical possibilities would be to have a weapon mimicking the properties of our beloved Chromatic Orb, and therefore came up with the Chromatic homebrew weapon type (applicable to any weapon, I just chose to take a longsword as base).
The idea is, unsurprisingly, to have a weapon capable of granting additional damage of a chosen type (adding Force to the choices of a Chromatic Orb).
I am not 100% sure it is balanced, and have the suspicion it might be a bit underpowered due to both needing attunement and a short rest to change the type of additional damage.
I am also caressing the idea of making a "lesser" version that would not need attunement and "only" provide 1d6 additional damage...
All comments and opinions are welcome!
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Compare to flame tongue.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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While I see the possible parallels to be drawn between the two weapons, and it certainly makes me think that probably mine is balanced as-is, given the choice in the type of damage being basically an addition to weapons like flame tongue that would need balancing (hence the short rest to do so), I'd still love to hear personal opinions and impressions :)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Chromatic Orb is a ranged spell needing attack roll and with damage type at the discretion of the caster;
Burning Hands does the same damage (3d8) but only fire and in a cone in front of the caster, giving the enemy the chance to make a Dex save to halve the damage, technically trading variety in damage type for potential amount of enemies hit and sure damage to all target hit;
Guiding Bolt is also ranged with attack roll, does one more dice of damage but of a different kind (d6 instead of d8), resulting in a sure higher minimum (4) and the same maximum damage (24) [not sure about the average, never been good at calculating those] and on top of that granting advantage to the next attack on the target (if it hits) until the following round, aside from having a greater range than Chromatic Orb. (always considered this spell to be extremely powerful for a lvl1)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I like it. I think the rarity is good for the item. However, I think the non-chaotic alignment should be nixed. It's nice flavor, but what if instead, when a chaotic aligned creature attunes to it, it deals 1d8 damage but can be switched as a bonus action?
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Astromancer's Homebrew Assembly
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
but I feel the option you propose could be easily avoided. I'll think on it though, thank you for the idea ;)That is actually a good option, but now (due to my first erroneous interpretation of your idea) I am also thinking of including a sort-of "backlash" for chaotic characters, something along the line of:
If a chaotic-aligned creature attunes to the weapon, it immediately suffers 1d8 force damage, and will suffer 1d6 damage of the same type of the bonus damage type selected each time the weapon is used to attack. At the same time, though, the switch to a different type of damage can be done with a bonus action instead of during a short rest.
[I am actually maybe considering changing the basic functionality to needing an Action, rather than short rest...]
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
@Matthias_von_Schwarzwald ? I am still curious to know where your comparison requests were going towards... ... ...
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Just made a new version of this weapon type, let me know what you think (and if it can be accessed this way, 'cause it's still private):
Chromatic Weapon
Edit: made a few more changes. Changelog:
This is it for now, let me know what you guys think :)
Edit2: Fire is the only sub-damage type that does not have a further additional effect other than being also basically a torch, and I am not sure if I should give it one similar to the one I gave cold
Now, given these most probably unbalance the weapon, aside from that I am considering either: increasing the rarity of the item or decreasing the DC of the additional secondary effects (from 12 to maybe 10).
Every suggestion is VERY welcome :)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
I might include it in a game, but I will remove the force option. With that available I don't think my particular players would ever use anything else.
Until you publish it we cannot see the changes made to the weapon. Personal opinion is make it a "greater" chromatic variant if you want to add secondary effects like knockback, set on fire, prevent movement etc. Already this weapon will rarely be ineffective, and will not STAY ineffective for very long.
Fire - set them on fire, Thunder - knockback, Lightning - advantage against armor wearers, Poison - Poisoned status, Acid - Blind status, Ice - Reduce movement ( I am curious what you picked for them, as these are my suggestions.
Double bonus for choosing a versatile weapon for such a versatile enchantment : )
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
New version of the Chromatic and the new Greater Chromatic variant have been approved and published :D
Go have a look and let me know if you think adjustments are in order :) (also curious to know what @HeroZero thinks of my choices as additional effects based on the damage type ;) )
Edit: I seem to be utterly unable to mention people, and at this point it's been so long that I haven't been able to find how to that I am almost afraid to ask...
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Poison damage on Chromatic doesn't have any special ability.
Tooltips | Snippet Code | How to Homebrew on D&D Beyond | Subclass Guide | Feature Roadmap
Astromancer's Homebrew Assembly
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
As strange as it may sound I think the acid one is my favorite, I immediately start thinking about things to melt through, door hinges, locks, damage a weapons stockpile to be unusable. You know, normal DnD stuff : )
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
(Also Force doesn't have any additional effect in the normal version, that as well would be intended, but open to suggestions :) )
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
(also, Alien vibe FTW)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Food and water goes bad around it?
Tooltips | Snippet Code | How to Homebrew on D&D Beyond | Subclass Guide | Feature Roadmap
Astromancer's Homebrew Assembly
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett