I am currently making a magic ring of artifact rarity which I plan on eventually giving to my wizard, and I expect him to be around level 16-17 once he gets it. I have been workshopping it for quite some time now, and while I want it to be pretty strong as it will be his reward for completing his backstory questline, I do not want it to be so strong that it makes my other players feel underpowered. This is my current build for the ring:
Lacrime, Ring of Dreghan
This ring replaces Dolor, Ring of Dreghan, upon acquisition and requires three attunement slots.
While wearing this ring, you gain the following benefits:
Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
You gain 3 charges of True Spell Amplification.
You can maintain concentration on two spells simultaneously. However, when you do so, you make concentration checks at disadvantage.
True Spell Amplification: When you cast a spell that requires an attack roll or forces a target to make a saving throw, you can expend 1 charge to gain advantage on the attack roll or impose disadvantage on the target's saving throw. The ring regains all expended charges after a long rest.
Additionally, you can choose two of the following abilities, which can be changed during a long rest:
Dreghan’s Insight: Twice per long rest, you can add a d6 to a skill check or a saving throw against a spell.
Calm Presence: Twice per long rest, you can add your Intelligence modifier to any Charisma check.
Soul Bond: Once per long rest, as a reaction, you can gain advantage on concentration checks until the end of your next turn.
Spell Resonance: Once per long rest, you can increase the level of one spell you cast by 1 for that casting.
Ethereal Echo: Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you can gain resistance to all damage or immunity to one damage type until the start of your next turn.
Dreghan’s Shield: Once per long rest, when you or an ally within 30 feet would be hit by an attack, you can expend one charge as a reaction to grant a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
Last Stand: Once per long rest, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, you stabilize and become immune to all damage. You then return to life with 1 hit point at the start of your next turn.
This ring cannot be removed from your finger by any means other than your own will.
Is this ring underpowered, balanced, or overpowered. I tried to balance it by making it cost three attunement slots, but I would love to hear some honest feedback and criticism!
This feels like artifact level power. Also, granting the ability to concentrate on two spells at once is specifically called out as a bad idea in the DMG.
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The three attunement slots feels like too much for what you get from this item. 90% of the power of this item comes from the +2 INT and double concentration (which is never a good idea). The rest is pretty meh? and honestly the multiple choice features seem like more trouble than they are worth.
I know double concentration can easily be a problem, but the player i plan to give this too is someone i trust not to min-max as he is more interested in rp and making a good story. It fits with how his character will end up and it is an extra reward since he has been stuck with a magic item from level 1 which gave him penalized him, so i trust him with it. As for the power, do you think a change to +4 INT and a reduction to 2 attunement slots would make it better?
I know double concentration can easily be a problem, but the player i plan to give this too is someone i trust not to min-max as he is more interested in rp and making a good story. It fits with how his character will end up and it is an extra reward since he has been stuck with a magic item from level 1 which gave him penalized him, so i trust him with it. As for the power, do you think a change to +4 INT and a reduction to 2 attunement slots would make it better?
Honestly... this seems very generic. If this is intended to be a reward for completing a character arc, I personally would make it more customized to the character. Increasing INT is super powerful but it's not very interesting.
Tell me about this character: What type of spells do they cast? Do they like blasting their enemies? Do they like to buff their allies? Do they use crowd control? What is their personality? Are they a proud know-it-all? Are they angry and vengeful? Are they empathetic and caring? Are they nervous and shy? Are they a clever trickster?
Finally, what is the arc they are completing to earn this item? What is the BBEG they are defeating, or ally they are recruiting, or character challenge they are overcoming? And what/who is "Dreghan" and what does Lacrime mean?
Honestly... this seems very generic. If this is intended to be a reward for completing a character arc, I personally would make it more customized to the character. Increasing INT is super powerful but it's not very interesting.
Tell me about this character: What type of spells do they cast? Do they like blasting their enemies? Do they like to buff their allies? Do they use crowd control? What is their personality? Are they a proud know-it-all? Are they angry and vengeful? Are they empathetic and caring? Are they nervous and shy? Are they a clever trickster?
Finally, what is the arc they are completing to earn this item? What is the BBEG they are defeating, or ally they are recruiting, or character challenge they are overcoming? And what/who is "Dreghan" and what does Lacrime mean?
The wizard was built with the haunted one background, and my player has spent a while building up his character from a depressed and nervous wreck to a confident charcter that takes the lead. He is currently quite empathetic and caring, but can appear angry once people from his past show up. He prefers to use spells that applies debuffs and damaging spells that all deal lightning damage through the order of scribes subclass.
His character arc was built around him escaping from a grand wizard school after acquiring a ring (Dolor, Ring of Dreghan) he found in a temple and being chased by his former teacher, an archmage at the school. Inside the ring Dreghan is trapped, and he is an ancient wizard who has been stuck in the ring for a long time. He was an adventurer who lost his friends and loved ones centuries ago, and was imprisoned by an ancient race who used his power for their own. He grew old and resentful, and has been trying to corrupt and overtake my player throughout most of the campaign. They slowly started to connect, and without going into too much context, my player is currently trying to save him and return his alignment back to good.
My player's idea around his wizard was that he draws on Dreghan's power to improve his magic, but at the risk of losing control. He also lost an arm during his escape and I gave the original ring some abilies and penalites which I felt were related to his backstory (penalty to WIS from trauma, penalty to CON from Dreghan's influence, etc.), and also to compensate for the penalties he got from missing an arm. That is partially why I allowed him to start with a magic item. His arc has been in the background for most of the campaign until now, and he has finally come to confront his old teacher who also wishes to draw upon the power of Dreghan. My player is trying to rescue Dreghan and I plan on the two of them uniting their souls at the end of the arc. Once they do my player will still fully be in control, but Dreghan will exist within him and can give him powers, take controll when necessary and allowed, etc. Kinda a relationship similar to Yugi Muto and Atem from Yu-Gi-Oh! if you know what I mean.
As for the word Lacrime, it means tear in latin. The ring was originally called Dolor (representing pain) and is now called Lacrime because it represents the loss both my player and Dreghan has gone through, which is also partially a reason as to why they are uniting.
I appreciate any ideas on how to improve. I currently have the INT increase simply to make him extra strong at spellcasting since they are technically using the powers of two wizards whenever they cast spells. This is also where the two concentrations come from since they concentrate on one spell each. Finally I have the options he can choose from and switch simply to give him some flavor and options that will make him better both in and out of combat since he is using multiple attunement slots for the ring. I have already made some changes and reduced the number of attunement to two instead of three, but I felt it needed to have a big cost specifically because of the dual concentration.
I'd suggest giving the ring a bunch of spells : Dreghan's spells - up to you if they are powered by charges or the wizard's own spellslots, that are extra in addition to their currently prepared spells. You can have the ring further evolve as Dreghan is rehabilitated to unlock more or different spells (and/or gain additional charges) - for instance while Dreghan is still angry/resentful they might be primarily damage dealing spells but as he is rehabilitated they become more buffs/debuffs. You can then limit the double-concentration (Two Minds) to one of Dreghan's spells + one of the wizard's own spells which would limit the potential for deliberate or accidental exploits.
I'd also give it a bonus to lightning damage, you could call it Lightning in a Bottle to represent the chance meeting between him and Dreghan.
Something representing the knowledge of Dreghan would also make sense, maybe advantage on Arcana checks? Another option would be Inner Peace granting advantage on saving throws vs fear.
There should be something representing loss or loneliness as well, since that's where the name comes from. Perhaps: Last Man Standing which gives a buff when one of their allies is reduced to 0 hit points.
For example:
Lacrime, Ring of Dreghan
This ring replaces Dolor, Ring of Dreghan, upon acquisition and requires two attunement slots.
While wearing this ring, you gain the following benefits:
Power of Dreghan. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, the ring holds 10 charges which are restored each dawn. You can use these charges to cast Dreghan's spells or to use True Spell Amplication.
True Spell Amplification (2 charges). When you cast a spell that requires an attack roll or forces a target to make a saving throw, you can expend 1 charge to gain advantage on the attack roll or impose disadvantage on the target's saving throw. The ring regains all expended charges after a long rest.
Dreghan's Spells. You can cast these spells using charges in this ring, they use your spellcasting ability for attack rolls and saving throws.
Levitate, Earthen Hand (1 charges)
Slow, Counterspell (2 charges)
Dimension Door, Resilient Sphere (3 charges)
Two Minds. You can concentrate on two spells at the same time, one of these spells must have been cast from this ring. While concentrating on two spells you have disadvantage on concentration checks.
Lightning in a Bottle. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals lightning damage, you add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll.
Last Man Standing. When you see a friendly creature within 60 ft of you be reduced to 0 hit points or die, you gain 15 temporary hit points.
Awesome, those were some great ideas for changes, and they also fix my fear of making it to op. Especially liked the idea of adding spellcharges. Thanks for the advice!
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I am currently making a magic ring of artifact rarity which I plan on eventually giving to my wizard, and I expect him to be around level 16-17 once he gets it. I have been workshopping it for quite some time now, and while I want it to be pretty strong as it will be his reward for completing his backstory questline, I do not want it to be so strong that it makes my other players feel underpowered. This is my current build for the ring:
Lacrime, Ring of Dreghan
This ring replaces Dolor, Ring of Dreghan, upon acquisition and requires three attunement slots.
While wearing this ring, you gain the following benefits:
True Spell Amplification: When you cast a spell that requires an attack roll or forces a target to make a saving throw, you can expend 1 charge to gain advantage on the attack roll or impose disadvantage on the target's saving throw. The ring regains all expended charges after a long rest.
Additionally, you can choose two of the following abilities, which can be changed during a long rest:
This ring cannot be removed from your finger by any means other than your own will.
Is this ring underpowered, balanced, or overpowered. I tried to balance it by making it cost three attunement slots, but I would love to hear some honest feedback and criticism!
This feels like artifact level power. Also, granting the ability to concentrate on two spells at once is specifically called out as a bad idea in the DMG.
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The three attunement slots feels like too much for what you get from this item. 90% of the power of this item comes from the +2 INT and double concentration (which is never a good idea). The rest is pretty meh? and honestly the multiple choice features seem like more trouble than they are worth.
I know double concentration can easily be a problem, but the player i plan to give this too is someone i trust not to min-max as he is more interested in rp and making a good story. It fits with how his character will end up and it is an extra reward since he has been stuck with a magic item from level 1 which gave him penalized him, so i trust him with it. As for the power, do you think a change to +4 INT and a reduction to 2 attunement slots would make it better?
Honestly... this seems very generic. If this is intended to be a reward for completing a character arc, I personally would make it more customized to the character. Increasing INT is super powerful but it's not very interesting.
Tell me about this character:
What type of spells do they cast? Do they like blasting their enemies? Do they like to buff their allies? Do they use crowd control?
What is their personality? Are they a proud know-it-all? Are they angry and vengeful? Are they empathetic and caring? Are they nervous and shy? Are they a clever trickster?
Finally, what is the arc they are completing to earn this item? What is the BBEG they are defeating, or ally they are recruiting, or character challenge they are overcoming? And what/who is "Dreghan" and what does Lacrime mean?
The wizard was built with the haunted one background, and my player has spent a while building up his character from a depressed and nervous wreck to a confident charcter that takes the lead. He is currently quite empathetic and caring, but can appear angry once people from his past show up. He prefers to use spells that applies debuffs and damaging spells that all deal lightning damage through the order of scribes subclass.
His character arc was built around him escaping from a grand wizard school after acquiring a ring (Dolor, Ring of Dreghan) he found in a temple and being chased by his former teacher, an archmage at the school. Inside the ring Dreghan is trapped, and he is an ancient wizard who has been stuck in the ring for a long time. He was an adventurer who lost his friends and loved ones centuries ago, and was imprisoned by an ancient race who used his power for their own. He grew old and resentful, and has been trying to corrupt and overtake my player throughout most of the campaign. They slowly started to connect, and without going into too much context, my player is currently trying to save him and return his alignment back to good.
My player's idea around his wizard was that he draws on Dreghan's power to improve his magic, but at the risk of losing control. He also lost an arm during his escape and I gave the original ring some abilies and penalites which I felt were related to his backstory (penalty to WIS from trauma, penalty to CON from Dreghan's influence, etc.), and also to compensate for the penalties he got from missing an arm. That is partially why I allowed him to start with a magic item. His arc has been in the background for most of the campaign until now, and he has finally come to confront his old teacher who also wishes to draw upon the power of Dreghan. My player is trying to rescue Dreghan and I plan on the two of them uniting their souls at the end of the arc. Once they do my player will still fully be in control, but Dreghan will exist within him and can give him powers, take controll when necessary and allowed, etc. Kinda a relationship similar to Yugi Muto and Atem from Yu-Gi-Oh! if you know what I mean.
As for the word Lacrime, it means tear in latin. The ring was originally called Dolor (representing pain) and is now called Lacrime because it represents the loss both my player and Dreghan has gone through, which is also partially a reason as to why they are uniting.
I appreciate any ideas on how to improve. I currently have the INT increase simply to make him extra strong at spellcasting since they are technically using the powers of two wizards whenever they cast spells. This is also where the two concentrations come from since they concentrate on one spell each. Finally I have the options he can choose from and switch simply to give him some flavor and options that will make him better both in and out of combat since he is using multiple attunement slots for the ring. I have already made some changes and reduced the number of attunement to two instead of three, but I felt it needed to have a big cost specifically because of the dual concentration.
Very cool, very cool.
I'd suggest giving the ring a bunch of spells : Dreghan's spells - up to you if they are powered by charges or the wizard's own spellslots, that are extra in addition to their currently prepared spells. You can have the ring further evolve as Dreghan is rehabilitated to unlock more or different spells (and/or gain additional charges) - for instance while Dreghan is still angry/resentful they might be primarily damage dealing spells but as he is rehabilitated they become more buffs/debuffs. You can then limit the double-concentration (Two Minds) to one of Dreghan's spells + one of the wizard's own spells which would limit the potential for deliberate or accidental exploits.
I'd also give it a bonus to lightning damage, you could call it Lightning in a Bottle to represent the chance meeting between him and Dreghan.
Something representing the knowledge of Dreghan would also make sense, maybe advantage on Arcana checks? Another option would be Inner Peace granting advantage on saving throws vs fear.
There should be something representing loss or loneliness as well, since that's where the name comes from. Perhaps: Last Man Standing which gives a buff when one of their allies is reduced to 0 hit points.
For example:
Lacrime, Ring of Dreghan
This ring replaces Dolor, Ring of Dreghan, upon acquisition and requires two attunement slots.
While wearing this ring, you gain the following benefits:
Power of Dreghan. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, the ring holds 10 charges which are restored each dawn. You can use these charges to cast Dreghan's spells or to use True Spell Amplication.
True Spell Amplification (2 charges). When you cast a spell that requires an attack roll or forces a target to make a saving throw, you can expend 1 charge to gain advantage on the attack roll or impose disadvantage on the target's saving throw. The ring regains all expended charges after a long rest.
Dreghan's Spells. You can cast these spells using charges in this ring, they use your spellcasting ability for attack rolls and saving throws.
Two Minds. You can concentrate on two spells at the same time, one of these spells must have been cast from this ring. While concentrating on two spells you have disadvantage on concentration checks.
Lightning in a Bottle. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals lightning damage, you add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll.
Last Man Standing. When you see a friendly creature within 60 ft of you be reduced to 0 hit points or die, you gain 15 temporary hit points.
Awesome, those were some great ideas for changes, and they also fix my fear of making it to op. Especially liked the idea of adding spellcharges. Thanks for the advice!