What is the etiquette on that? I really like the Belt of Dwarvenkind, and it would fit my current character really well. I thought on going to the DM and saying "hey, if you ever look for a high-level magic item to give me, there would be the belt of dwarvenkind!" . Or is that something you don't do in DnD?
You can always ask, as long as you're polite about it. Doesn't mean you should expect anything to come from it though. Some DMs are very strict with items, others not at all. I wouldn't think much of a DM who had a problem with a friendly request, regardless.
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But bear in mind, the more you ask for a specific item, you may find you're less likely to get it. I've had a DM before who said "the more suggestions you make, the more that won't happen."
A better idea is to ask your DM if you could attempt to craft a Belt of Dwarvenkind. That's how you can acquire magical items that you have somehow seen elsewhere. I wouldn't be impressed by a campaign where the DM handed out items that were requested. Like, really, that would annoy me a ton as another player. But I love a DM who allows magic item crafting, especially if rare components need acquiring on quests so it really feels like a big reward when you finally make it.
Personally, as a DM, I like when my players mention specific magic items they're interested in, as long as they don't constantly pester me about it. It's a good piece of ammo that a DM can have on their belt for future plot hooks. If I know that one of my players wants a Belt of Dwarven Kind, then I know that, if I really need to motivate the player, I can imply that a Belt of Dwarven Kind is a potential prize for them at the end... maybe there's some weird Hobgoblin out there with a surprisingly robust beard and a large belt causing trouble. Maybe I can set up a gladiator tournament and the Championship Belt has a large, dwarven face in the middle of it.
So... yeah. Bring it up, don't be obnoxious about it, and just patiently wait. There's no guarantee you'll get what you want... some DM's might want to avoid giving out items specifically asked for because they don't want to be predictable. Some DM's might not want to give you that specific item because they know it will unbalance the game (I have a Ranger who wants some Bracers of Archery, but they're already overpowered because I let them take a feat at level one and they've got both Sharpshooter and Elven Accuracy).
My DM currently does special occasion gifts, which is actually really nice. For Christmas, he gave the party a free level. For our individual birthdays, he gave us magical items during our adventure. He was sneaky about it, having asked questions about items we like in off-topic discussions. I guess he wrote our responses down and during sessions near our birthdays, would drop the item (or a homebrewed version that was a bit better) in an appropriate place.
I hope you have a DM that loves giving, but if not, I would encourage you to express a wish list of a few items that you might enjoy. That way the DM can choose from them and drop them in the game when they feel appropriate. Communication with the party and DM is always important for the health and enjoyment of the game.
One of the things we do as part of character creation/session zero is compose a wishlist of magic items, ranging from common to legendary. The DM uses this information to seed treasure troves as we adventure. It's nice to find something useful and specifically sought after instead of only the random items that comprise the majority of loot.
Something that I did once when a player asked me for a Common magic item was give every member of the party a customized Common magic item. None of them were useful in combat, but they all added flavor to the PCs who had them and they were fun.
I enjoy creating home brewed magic items so I tend to give players custom magic items that fit their character instead of giving them normal magic items from the books. One of my favorite items was https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/1809917-talisman-of-the-wolf that I gave to a Druid PC who lived wolves.
As a follow-up to my last post, our group is currently level 8. Most everyone has all the green items from their wishlist and we are just starting to come across or be able to purchase the blue items we'd like to have. Neither the wishlist nor the existence of magic shops has broken our game, mechanically or narratively.
I like it when I get a surprise and it's a great magical item that really fits. If I were to ask for a specific something and then get it, it would detract from the feeling - it starts becoming ma mail order program with me going through a catalogue and ordering what I want, rather than raiding dungeons and coming across awesome stuff.
If I were DM and you felt like your character was lacking some magic item love, I'd want to know. Maybe I missed you out by accident or I got the wrong end of the stick regarding your vision for your character so while the Wizard is all blinged out, your Druid is feeling left out with some awesome equipment for Wildshaping, but you like your spells better...either way, I want to know so I can adjust things.
If you want something, I'd be happier if you didn't tie my hands. "I think it would really help my character to shine if they had something that could help boost their strength so that they can hold their own better in the fights" will go down better than "I'd like a Ring of Super Duper Awesome Strength that I find in a chest in my next dungeon, thanks, bye!" At least then I can find a way to sneak it in AND help you get your character to where you want them to be.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
As a DM, I would work up a quest line (a very hard one) and make you work for it. Or die trying. I damn sure wouldn't just hand it to you. Ask your DM if he'd be willing to work up some sort of epic quest for you to find it. If he's nice, and has the time maybe he'll work something up for you.
As a DM if you tell me about specific items you want then there is a much higher chance of you getting it. It might not be soon but if i can work it into the story then yeah, ill give it to you. it wont be free and you will have to work for it, but itll be there.
its also really useful to have ideas of what to give players because i can make plothooks for you or know what to put in hoard treasure. DM's cant read minds, you know where you are taking your character, tell us what you want or even what you plan to do, so we can make better guesses. DM's arent playing against you, we are on your side. just be polite and keep your eyes peeled :)
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"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game" - Dungeon Masters Guide
What is the etiquette on that? I really like the Belt of Dwarvenkind, and it would fit my current character really well. I thought on going to the DM and saying "hey, if you ever look for a high-level magic item to give me, there would be the belt of dwarvenkind!" . Or is that something you don't do in DnD?
Ugh...there is an active thread discussing this kind of thing. Your situation is a the stereotype of players asking for Force Multiplying magic items, and no, a player should never be given such an item. At best, it should be found on some creature that is actively using it AGAINST the party. Why on earth would such a powerful item just be lying around? It would constantly be in use, unless it is sitting in an a Dragon or Lich's lair, and some unfortunate soul died wandering through said lair.
"Give me" presumably isn't to be taken literally. It's shorthand for "have my PC come across this thing in any way you see fit, be it as an item to be looted, bought in a store, paid a crafter to make, quested for, or anything else I can't think of right now".
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Personally as a DM, I like knowing what magic items the party would be excited to see. They might get the ones they want or they might get something along the same theme. As both a player and a DM, I have never enjoyed the situation where the party finally scores a big hoard of loot only to find that none of the items in it are remotely useful to them. But some DMs really get off on that "realism."
What is the etiquette on that? I really like the Belt of Dwarvenkind, and it would fit my current character really well. I thought on going to the DM and saying "hey, if you ever look for a high-level magic item to give me, there would be the belt of dwarvenkind!" . Or is that something you don't do in DnD?
Ugh...there is an active thread discussing this kind of thing. Your situation is a the stereotype of players asking for Force Multiplying magic items, and no, a player should never be given such an item. At best, it should be found on some creature that is actively using it AGAINST the party. Why on earth would such a powerful item just be lying around? It would constantly be in use, unless it is sitting in an a Dragon or Lich's lair, and some unfortunate soul died wandering through said lair.
Interesting. I don't see how to belt is a huge force multiplier.
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Interesting. I don't see how to belt is a huge force multiplier.
Because it really isn't. It's a nice item, very nice for non-dwarves who lack innate darkvision, but - especially since it requires attunement - nothing that's going to make a character massively more powerful.
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Interesting. I don't see how to belt is a huge force multiplier.
Because it really isn't. It's a nice item, very nice for non-dwarves who lack innate darkvision, but - especially since it requires attunement - nothing that's going to make a character massively more powerful.
I suspect he may have been conflating it with a belt of giant strength
Possibly, though I'd say in practice those aren't that massively powerful either (if definitely stronger than a Belt of Dwarvenkind, even the least powerful variant). It's unlikely that characters who benefit greatly from high Str aren't already close to 18+ Str by the time getting a rare item becomes a distinct possibility. Instances where a character's Str mod goes from +2 to +5 are arguably going to be contrived.
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What is the etiquette on that? I really like the Belt of Dwarvenkind, and it would fit my current character really well. I thought on going to the DM and saying "hey, if you ever look for a high-level magic item to give me, there would be the belt of dwarvenkind!" . Or is that something you don't do in DnD?
You can always ask, as long as you're polite about it. Doesn't mean you should expect anything to come from it though. Some DMs are very strict with items, others not at all. I wouldn't think much of a DM who had a problem with a friendly request, regardless.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Allright, thanks :-)
But bear in mind, the more you ask for a specific item, you may find you're less likely to get it. I've had a DM before who said "the more suggestions you make, the more that won't happen."
A better idea is to ask your DM if you could attempt to craft a Belt of Dwarvenkind. That's how you can acquire magical items that you have somehow seen elsewhere. I wouldn't be impressed by a campaign where the DM handed out items that were requested. Like, really, that would annoy me a ton as another player. But I love a DM who allows magic item crafting, especially if rare components need acquiring on quests so it really feels like a big reward when you finally make it.
That is a great idea! I think that is what I will do, thanks
The DM can do whatever they want, but IMO, players shouldn't just be gifted a magic item. It should be earned via an adventure or quest.
Personally, as a DM, I like when my players mention specific magic items they're interested in, as long as they don't constantly pester me about it. It's a good piece of ammo that a DM can have on their belt for future plot hooks. If I know that one of my players wants a Belt of Dwarven Kind, then I know that, if I really need to motivate the player, I can imply that a Belt of Dwarven Kind is a potential prize for them at the end... maybe there's some weird Hobgoblin out there with a surprisingly robust beard and a large belt causing trouble. Maybe I can set up a gladiator tournament and the Championship Belt has a large, dwarven face in the middle of it.
So... yeah. Bring it up, don't be obnoxious about it, and just patiently wait. There's no guarantee you'll get what you want... some DM's might want to avoid giving out items specifically asked for because they don't want to be predictable. Some DM's might not want to give you that specific item because they know it will unbalance the game (I have a Ranger who wants some Bracers of Archery, but they're already overpowered because I let them take a feat at level one and they've got both Sharpshooter and Elven Accuracy).
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My DM currently does special occasion gifts, which is actually really nice. For Christmas, he gave the party a free level. For our individual birthdays, he gave us magical items during our adventure. He was sneaky about it, having asked questions about items we like in off-topic discussions. I guess he wrote our responses down and during sessions near our birthdays, would drop the item (or a homebrewed version that was a bit better) in an appropriate place.
I hope you have a DM that loves giving, but if not, I would encourage you to express a wish list of a few items that you might enjoy. That way the DM can choose from them and drop them in the game when they feel appropriate. Communication with the party and DM is always important for the health and enjoyment of the game.
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One of the things we do as part of character creation/session zero is compose a wishlist of magic items, ranging from common to legendary. The DM uses this information to seed treasure troves as we adventure. It's nice to find something useful and specifically sought after instead of only the random items that comprise the majority of loot.
I almost always use magic items against my players before they get to use them. Doesn’t every DM do that?
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Something that I did once when a player asked me for a Common magic item was give every member of the party a customized Common magic item. None of them were useful in combat, but they all added flavor to the PCs who had them and they were fun.
I enjoy creating home brewed magic items so I tend to give players custom magic items that fit their character instead of giving them normal magic items from the books. One of my favorite items was https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/1809917-talisman-of-the-wolf that I gave to a Druid PC who lived wolves.
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As a follow-up to my last post, our group is currently level 8. Most everyone has all the green items from their wishlist and we are just starting to come across or be able to purchase the blue items we'd like to have. Neither the wishlist nor the existence of magic shops has broken our game, mechanically or narratively.
Personally?
I like it when I get a surprise and it's a great magical item that really fits. If I were to ask for a specific something and then get it, it would detract from the feeling - it starts becoming ma mail order program with me going through a catalogue and ordering what I want, rather than raiding dungeons and coming across awesome stuff.
If I were DM and you felt like your character was lacking some magic item love, I'd want to know. Maybe I missed you out by accident or I got the wrong end of the stick regarding your vision for your character so while the Wizard is all blinged out, your Druid is feeling left out with some awesome equipment for Wildshaping, but you like your spells better...either way, I want to know so I can adjust things.
If you want something, I'd be happier if you didn't tie my hands. "I think it would really help my character to shine if they had something that could help boost their strength so that they can hold their own better in the fights" will go down better than "I'd like a Ring of Super Duper Awesome Strength that I find in a chest in my next dungeon, thanks, bye!" At least then I can find a way to sneak it in AND help you get your character to where you want them to be.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
As a DM, I would work up a quest line (a very hard one) and make you work for it. Or die trying. I damn sure wouldn't just hand it to you. Ask your DM if he'd be willing to work up some sort of epic quest for you to find it. If he's nice, and has the time maybe he'll work something up for you.
As a DM if you tell me about specific items you want then there is a much higher chance of you getting it. It might not be soon but if i can work it into the story then yeah, ill give it to you. it wont be free and you will have to work for it, but itll be there.
its also really useful to have ideas of what to give players because i can make plothooks for you or know what to put in hoard treasure. DM's cant read minds, you know where you are taking your character, tell us what you want or even what you plan to do, so we can make better guesses. DM's arent playing against you, we are on your side. just be polite and keep your eyes peeled :)
"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game" - Dungeon Masters Guide
"Give me" presumably isn't to be taken literally. It's shorthand for "have my PC come across this thing in any way you see fit, be it as an item to be looted, bought in a store, paid a crafter to make, quested for, or anything else I can't think of right now".
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Personally as a DM, I like knowing what magic items the party would be excited to see. They might get the ones they want or they might get something along the same theme. As both a player and a DM, I have never enjoyed the situation where the party finally scores a big hoard of loot only to find that none of the items in it are remotely useful to them. But some DMs really get off on that "realism."
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Interesting. I don't see how to belt is a huge force multiplier.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Because it really isn't. It's a nice item, very nice for non-dwarves who lack innate darkvision, but - especially since it requires attunement - nothing that's going to make a character massively more powerful.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Possibly, though I'd say in practice those aren't that massively powerful either (if definitely stronger than a Belt of Dwarvenkind, even the least powerful variant). It's unlikely that characters who benefit greatly from high Str aren't already close to 18+ Str by the time getting a rare item becomes a distinct possibility. Instances where a character's Str mod goes from +2 to +5 are arguably going to be contrived.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].