Hello, So first off I am currently running PoTA and wanted to create an item that embodied Samular for my players and wanted to know what I can change for balancing issues, etc.
Heart of Samular: Wonderous; legendary (requires special attunement). This ruby necklace was worn by Samular whenever he went into battle. When he passed away, a piece of his soul remained and inhabits the ruby within the necklace.
Attunement (require special attunement to unlock all benefits of this item).
While attuned: Increase Strength and Constitution score by 1. The scores cannot increase over 20.
Special Attunement: Attunement to item while at a Shrine of Tyr.
The following benefits only occur after Special Attunement.
The necklace has 1d4-1 charges and regains 1d4 charges each dawn. The amount of charges cannot exceed 4. If the item ever has 0 charges, this magical property is lost.
Expending One charge: Increase strength score and Constitution score to 20 for one minute. You can spend one extra charge to increase the score by 2, up to a maxiumum of spending 4 charges. (2 charges-scores of 22, 3 charges- score of 24, 4 charges- score of 26).
Can also expend 2 charges to inspire those around you. Until your next turn, those around you gain an extra d6 to all rolls, except damage.
While attuned the creatures alignment becomes Lawful Good.
Curse: The last remaining soul of Samular inhabits his necklace, including his faults in battle.
While in initiative, any willing movement spent to retreat from a creature that is seen by the wearer (as determined by the DM) results in taking 2d6 psychic damage.
When an ally within 60 feet enters the dying state, you must use your action and movement to rush to their aid and attempt to heal them (This ignores the retreat damage).
The curse ends after the attuned player puts Samular's soul to rest by slaying 50 trolls (must deal the killing blow) or by the Remove Curse spell.
Consider changing the STR and CON alteration to a flat number instead of a raise. Like, make them 19 each. Flat. Useful and cool and good.
Give it a flat number of starting charges (1d4-1 means it could have 0, which is cool and all by itself but means a player could get it and attune it and it would lack a whole property for a whole day). Maybe 1.
Expending the charges to give extra STR and CON is very math-centric. Consider using the systems in 5E more, like advantage. Instead of spending a charge to jack up a +1 modifier (now it feels like we're playing 3rd ed's math games), consider blowing it to grant advantage on the next attack, blowing 2 charges to crit the next attack. Makes play fast and less numbery. And with so few charges, it's a once a day thing; maybe twice.
2 charges to Inspire the party is good, but instead of more dice (chasing Bards and whatnot, copying them), make it a for real "give everyone Inspiration". Inspiration is great. If they already have it, that's a shame--they should spend it before you do this move; if they don't, they're in great position to rock a roll next round. And less math.
The retreat damage is rough, but I like that. That's hardcore. If it proves to be too much, maybe a Wisdom Save with a high DC? Just so there's a /chance/ of making a tactical choice to risk the damage?
Rushing to help... maybe simplify it (to avoid player argument) that if an ally is dying (making them Death Saves) at the start of your turn, you are disadvantaged on all abilities and attacks and saves until they are stable or healed. This gives them an imperative to help or get them help at great risk, but doesn't get into picky things about whether someone is doing enough to try and heal them and can they do this extra other thing or not or indirect activities counting or not counting, etc.
Anyhow. I like the item, just some alternative thoughts trying to keep in the spirit of what you're making.
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I appreciate the help. i'm used to playing around in 3e and havn't DMed much of 5e so this helps a lot.
Only fear i have is that for the currently party (mostly level 5's) if a flat score would be too much. I'll most likely use most of the changes. Should the Inspiration only last one round, or would until the end of the encounter work better? I havn't dealt much with Inspiration but I do know what it is. I also like the change to the help part of the curse. Basically I wanted to make it so that the player receives some sort of reaction to people enter the dying state since Samuel saved his brother by feeding him a position that made him(his brother) into a lich.
Standard Inspiration--they can save it, hold onto it. Keep it simple, because there's already a cost associated you're not really running a risk of overdoing it.
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Hello, So first off I am currently running PoTA and wanted to create an item that embodied Samular for my players and wanted to know what I can change for balancing issues, etc.
Heart of Samular: Wonderous; legendary (requires special attunement). This ruby necklace was worn by Samular whenever he went into battle. When he passed away, a piece of his soul remained and inhabits the ruby within the necklace.
Attunement (require special attunement to unlock all benefits of this item).
While attuned: Increase Strength and Constitution score by 1. The scores cannot increase over 20.
Special Attunement: Attunement to item while at a Shrine of Tyr.
The following benefits only occur after Special Attunement.
The necklace has 1d4-1 charges and regains 1d4 charges each dawn. The amount of charges cannot exceed 4. If the item ever has 0 charges, this magical property is lost.
Expending One charge: Increase strength score and Constitution score to 20 for one minute. You can spend one extra charge to increase the score by 2, up to a maxiumum of spending 4 charges. (2 charges-scores of 22, 3 charges- score of 24, 4 charges- score of 26).
Can also expend 2 charges to inspire those around you. Until your next turn, those around you gain an extra d6 to all rolls, except damage.
While attuned the creatures alignment becomes Lawful Good.
Curse: The last remaining soul of Samular inhabits his necklace, including his faults in battle.
While in initiative, any willing movement spent to retreat from a creature that is seen by the wearer (as determined by the DM) results in taking 2d6 psychic damage.
When an ally within 60 feet enters the dying state, you must use your action and movement to rush to their aid and attempt to heal them (This ignores the retreat damage).
The curse ends after the attuned player puts Samular's soul to rest by slaying 50 trolls (must deal the killing blow) or by the Remove Curse spell.
Thoughts?
My thoughts... in keeping with the 5E flavor:
Anyhow. I like the item, just some alternative thoughts trying to keep in the spirit of what you're making.
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We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
I appreciate the help. i'm used to playing around in 3e and havn't DMed much of 5e so this helps a lot.
Only fear i have is that for the currently party (mostly level 5's) if a flat score would be too much. I'll most likely use most of the changes. Should the Inspiration only last one round, or would until the end of the encounter work better? I havn't dealt much with Inspiration but I do know what it is. I also like the change to the help part of the curse. Basically I wanted to make it so that the player receives some sort of reaction to people enter the dying state since Samuel saved his brother by feeding him a position that made him(his brother) into a lich.
Standard Inspiration--they can save it, hold onto it. Keep it simple, because there's already a cost associated you're not really running a risk of overdoing it.
Good luck! Let us know how it plays!
manysideddice.com
+ A Table of Contents That's Better Than Nothing (hundreds of creative, storied items that are "better than nothing")
+ A Table of Contents To Worry Your Players With (dozens of weird, storied traps to make your players nervous)
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!