I want to share a few general ideas for magic item creation and hopefully receive ideas from you fellow GMs:
Items that require a check from the attacker to activate. Ex: Fire Mace. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Arcana check 13, on a success it deals extra 1d6 fire damage; Ex 2: Force Hammer. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Athletics check 15, on a success the hammer head emits a force explosion, dealing 1d4 force damage, if the target fails a Str save 13 it's pushed 10 ft away from the attacker.
Items that have multiple states, but only one can be active at a time. Ex: Black and White Staff. Half of the staff is white, half is black. It takes 1 action to turn the staff around, when casting a spell using the black end, any damage rolled receive a +2 bonus, when casting a spell using the white end, any heal rolled receive a +2 bonus.
Stone armor: Heavier than heavy armor, provides more AC than Heavy Armors, require Str 19, leaves the character auto-encumbered (speed reduced by 10 ft).
I want to share a few general ideas for magic item creation and hopefully receive ideas from you fellow GMs. Stay awhile and listen:
Items that require a check from the attacker to activate. Ex: Fire Mace. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Arcana check 13, on a success it deals extra 1d6 fire damage; Ex 2: Force Hammer. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Athletics check 15, on a success the hammer head emits a force explosion, dealing 1d4 force damage, if the target fails a Str save 13 it's pushed 10 ft away from the attacker.
The idea of having to make a roll (while seemingly interesting) will start to bog your game down.
Think about it, You roll to hit, you roll to see if you deal extra damage, you roll your damage (plus your extra damage dice). Why not just add the damage dice without the check?
The force hammer is actually even worse. You roll your attack, you roll your check, you roll your damage, the DM rolls a saving throw.
Now, imagine it's a fighter doing this. 2 attacks (3 w/Action Surge) = 8-12 die rolls. The next person in initiative has already fallen asleep.
Items that have multiple states, but only one can be active at a time. Ex: Black and White Staff. Half of the staff is white, half is black. It takes 1 action to turn the staff around, when casting a spell using the black end, any damage rolled receive a +2 bonus, when casting a spell using the white end, any heal rolled receive a +2 bonus.
Idk that an action is really necessary. If you think about it, the damage potential isn't worth losing your action to switch modes. You could use your standard action to go from healing to attack, OR you can just cast a damaging spell which will outweigh the loss of the action for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt divided by 2. There's also the utility of doing damage/healing NOW than doing an extra 2 next turn (saving someone's life or dealing what can amount to the potential killing blow). How many times would the caster have to see the monster die before their next turn before they never have it set to healing? I feel like this would basically become a +damage item that is switched to a +healing item once out of combat.
I mean, drawing a weapon is considered a free action in 5e, so why would turning the staff/activating its ability be your entire action? Maybe a bonus action to activate it, but even that is saying that a +2 bonus has a similar action economy to the effects of the Rod of Lordly Might, which is physically transforming to become a different item (one of which is a 50 foot long climbing pole).
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
I want to share a few general ideas for magic item creation and hopefully receive ideas from you fellow GMs:
Items that require a check from the attacker to activate. Ex: Fire Mace. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Arcana check 13, on a success it deals extra 1d6 fire damage; Ex 2: Force Hammer. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Athletics check 15, on a success the hammer head emits a force explosion, dealing 1d4 force damage, if the target fails a Str save 13 it's pushed 10 ft away from the attacker.
Items that have multiple states, but only one can be active at a time. Ex: Black and White Staff. Half of the staff is white, half is black. It takes 1 action to turn the staff around, when casting a spell using the black end, any damage rolled receive a +2 bonus, when casting a spell using the white end, any heal rolled receive a +2 bonus.
Stone armor: Heavier than heavy armor, provides more AC than Heavy Armors, require Str 19, leaves the character auto-encumbered (speed reduced by 10 ft).
I second that extra rolling will bog down the game. Maybe if you want something activate or be really special change it up a bit to something like
Ex: Fire Mace. On a roll of 18 to 20, the mace activates its special power giving an extra d6 (fire damage)
Ex 2: Force Hammer. On a successful hit the Hammer emits a force pulse dealing d4 damage to its target and foes within 10ft of target must make a str check dc 14, or be pushed 5 ft backwards.
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Thank you guys, it really can bog the game down. Since I play mostly online I can create macros to run the rolls automatically, but only if the items really have a reason to exist. As for the multiple stages staff, I think that would be more of a balancing issue than the logic itself. It seems possible to create interesting items with this mechanic.
Thank you guys, it really can bog the game down. Since I play mostly online I can create macros to run the rolls automatically, but only if the items really have a reason to exist. As for the multiple stages staff, I think that would be more of a balancing issue than the logic itself. It seems possible to create interesting items with this mechanic.
OH? Then by all means keep the mechanic as you want. I thought it was based on a F2F game :D
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I want to share a few general ideas for magic item creation and hopefully receive ideas from you fellow GMs:
Items that require a check from the attacker to activate.
Ex: Fire Mace. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Arcana check 13, on a success it deals extra 1d6 fire damage;
Ex 2: Force Hammer. On a hit, the attacker rolls an Athletics check 15, on a success the hammer head emits a force explosion, dealing 1d4 force damage, if the target fails a Str save 13 it's pushed 10 ft away from the attacker.
Items that have multiple states, but only one can be active at a time.
Ex: Black and White Staff. Half of the staff is white, half is black. It takes 1 action to turn the staff around, when casting a spell using the black end, any damage rolled receive a +2 bonus, when casting a spell using the white end, any heal rolled receive a +2 bonus.
Stone armor: Heavier than heavy armor, provides more AC than Heavy Armors, require Str 19, leaves the character auto-encumbered (speed reduced by 10 ft).
Think about it, You roll to hit, you roll to see if you deal extra damage, you roll your damage (plus your extra damage dice). Why not just add the damage dice without the check?
The force hammer is actually even worse. You roll your attack, you roll your check, you roll your damage, the DM rolls a saving throw.
Now, imagine it's a fighter doing this. 2 attacks (3 w/Action Surge) = 8-12 die rolls. The next person in initiative has already fallen asleep.
I mean, drawing a weapon is considered a free action in 5e, so why would turning the staff/activating its ability be your entire action? Maybe a bonus action to activate it, but even that is saying that a +2 bonus has a similar action economy to the effects of the Rod of Lordly Might, which is physically transforming to become a different item (one of which is a 50 foot long climbing pole).
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“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
Host of the Pocket Mimic Podcast, a D&D 5e Show! Join us and listen in as we build a new world step by step! (http://Pocketmimic.com)
DMs vs PCs! All DMs are evil | ENnie Award Winner | OSR style in a 5e world |1000+ character souls taken | 25+ yrs exp
Remember to hit the thanks button, if you feel my info was useful, it helps me know I've provided helpful information and know I'm on the right track.
Thank you guys, it really can bog the game down.
Since I play mostly online I can create macros to run the rolls automatically, but only if the items really have a reason to exist.
As for the multiple stages staff, I think that would be more of a balancing issue than the logic itself. It seems possible to create interesting items with this mechanic.
Host of the Pocket Mimic Podcast, a D&D 5e Show! Join us and listen in as we build a new world step by step! (http://Pocketmimic.com)
DMs vs PCs! All DMs are evil | ENnie Award Winner | OSR style in a 5e world |1000+ character souls taken | 25+ yrs exp
Remember to hit the thanks button, if you feel my info was useful, it helps me know I've provided helpful information and know I'm on the right track.