Wondrous Item, rare
This necklace has 1d6 + 3 beads hanging from it. You can use an action to detach a bead and throw it up to 60 feet away. When it reaches the end of its trajectory, the bead detonates as a 3rd-level fireball spell (save DC 15).
You can hurl multiple beads, or even the whole necklace, as one action. When you do so, increase the level of the fireball by 1 for each bead beyond the first.
Notes: Damage, Combat, Jewelry
My party's wizard in our first campaign (dragon of icespire peak) used a few beads and a flaming sphere to set fire to woodland manse by throwing them through the windows, and then used the remaining beads to blow up about 20 zombies and skeletons (I improvised an undead occupation of phandalin for Halloween), with a 6th level fireball.
These things are so powerful in the hands of players that can think creatively.
So If I throw a bead, it's 6d6.
If I throw 2 beads, it's 7d6.
If I give a bead to a party member, and we both throw a bead at the same time... do we each deal 8d6, or still just 7d6 total? If impacting the same point, I could see ruling at 7d6, but what about if the entire party throws a bead at a different part of a sleeping gargantuan dragon, or some such. Each 8d6, or still just one upcast fireball? Situation answer, I guess?
If I pull off a bead and don't throw it, then what? Can I just stick back on the necklace? Or just stick it in my pocket, and throw it later? What triggers the fireball? I ruled it was the impact - that is, it's not a grenade or ticking bomb, but more like a plastique or something. But are there any official rules?
The action is pulling a bead off and throwing it. Mechanically, you cannot pull off a bead without throwing it. I would rule that pulling one off without throwing it would result in it detonating at the end of your turn
Quick question, if a player "tosses" the necklace to another, does it or does it not count as "hurling multiple beads"?
cuz ho boy
this can get fun
Beautiful breakdown, and let me just add, as my players just figured out, your FAMILIAR can use this item... Let me just say, having a hawk familiar dropping fireballs from above on enemies is absolutely terrifying, not to mention effective.
so.....what happens if the bead when thrown manages to enter someone's mouth or wound, or is used as a bullet (or modified to be used in that way by an artificer), what would they consider the fate to be of that unfortunate soul?
Depends on the DM. In my campaigns, I'm very restrictive about this item, due to the fact that it can be used under 2nd level invisibility (no attack roll, no spell casting). So, literal wording only. It is only activated by spending an action to detach and throw a bead. Detaching a bead and doing anything else with it turns it into a useless shiny bead. If used properly, standard fireball rules apply where it lands. If that is in a creature's mouth, it wraps around corners to affect the normal area, and every creature gets the saving throw. It is not a grenade. It is magic.
Since one bead is a 3rd level fireball and the maximum beads you can have is 9 and each additional bead increases the level by 1, could you technically cast an 11th level fireball (dealing a total of 16d6 fire damage)? That would be pretty sick.
As a DM I'd allow it, for no other reason than it's cool and it would be pretty funny to see that many dice rolled for one action.
So the necklace is garbage once you've used all the beads? And you'll have to buy or find a new one if you want to keep using it? That's balanced, but it would be nice to state that if it's the case explicitly.
Also, can an Artificer make the beads? and or necklace? (I don't know much about the Artificer and it's like I lot :P)
Action surge cannot be used to cast a spell if you've already cast a spell. The one spell cast per turn rule still applies.
The rule isn't 1 spell per turn, the rule is if you cast a spell as a bonus action you can only cast a cantrip as an action. We aren't casting a spell as a bonus action we are casting 2 action spells.
Also the rule isn't 1 spell per turn cause cantrips are spells.
Just because I can’t seem to find reliable information online, would it be possible to duplicate this necklace using the artificer infusion duplicate magic item?
You can cast 2 spells in a turn, you just can’t cast a bonus action spell and a leveled spell on the same turn.
a caster with 2 lvls of fighter could totally cast fireball, then action surge and cast fireball again (though it’s not a very optimal thing to do).
necklace of fireballs can range from 8000 gp to 10,000 gp.
*small reminder I'm not 100% sure that this is the correct prince but it seams reasonable pricing for it.
You are NOT reading the item properly. The 2nd paragraph clearly states : You can hurl multiple beads,or even the whole necklace, as 1 action. When you do so, increase the level of the fireball by 1 for each bead beyond the 1st.
Shouldn't this item have the 'consumable' tag since it doesn't recharge? Makes a difference in Adventurer's League which limit it counts against.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/magic-items#Consumables
I'd say it depends on the number of beads and if the buyer knows its worth, or is convinced by the party. If the npc's investigation of it and the party's persuasion are all above 20, I'd think that the merchant would offer 50gold per bead, more if the npc is someone who may have real need of it. The components aren't too hard to find so its not really a matter of cost, but the value of being able to cast a much stronger spell. However a non spell caster would value it much much more, and would offer more if they had it.
Imagine you have 9 beads, and you cast all 9, that’s a lv 11 fireball spell and it doesn’t even count as a spell
And it is thee only way to cast a lv 11 spell