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LansXero
2011-12-15, 03:22 AM
Hello there!

Im currently DMing a campaign loosely based on a M:TG setting, with a group of players who aren't too versed in D&D yet (although one of them has DMed in the past and tends to be a rules stickler, even in their detriment).

As a reward from a quest they completed, I handed them out "signets" loosely based on which color pair fit with them the most. They are small slotless items that have a handful of abilities per day (activated as swift actions unless otherwise specified), like so:

Rakdos Signet:
3/day: RTA to deal 1d6/2 levels fire damage to target enemy.
3/day: Touch attack to deal 1d6/2 levels negative energy damage to target enemy.
1/day: 20 ft. burst centered on the caster deals 1d6/2 levels fire and 1d6/2 levels negative energy damage to all creatures in the area. Ref. for half (DC: 10+Half your level+Highest Mental Score).

Dimir Signet:
3/Day: If your next attack succesfully deals damage to an enemy capable of spellcasting/manifesting, it loses spell slots of a total level equal to your character's level.
3/Day: On your next attack, if you manage to deal damage, add 2d6 negative energy damage to any damage you deal with it.
1/Day: Your next attack heals you for half the damage it manages to inflict.

Simic Signet:
3/Day: Increase one of your physical scores by +4 for 1 rd./level.
3/Day: Increase your size category to the next larger one for 1 rd./level
1/Day: As an standard action, exchange an ability score with target's ability score. Target is entitled to a Will save of 10+selected ability modifier+your level to resist this effect.

Gruul Signet:
3/Day: Touched target enters a rage - +4 Str, +4 Con, -2 AC, +2 will vs fear, cant cast spells or use mental or dexterity based skills. Will save of 10 + half your level + Highest Physical Score to resst this effect.
3/Day: You lose HP up to your Base Attack Bonus; for each 2 points of HP lost this way, your next attack deals 1d6 extra fire damage.
1/Day: Your melee attacks deal an extra 1d6/2 levels fire damage for 1 rd/level. You gain the benefit of the Cleave feat for the duration, or if you already had it, the Great Cleave feat.


So, are these too weak? too strong? what would their market value be? Oh, and aditionally, Im planning on giving them this as the loot from last session (havent told them what they found yet, as we were short on time when we finished).:

Cursed Scrollcase
It has room for up to 10 scrolls. It lets you cast scrolls as an standard action even if you had your hands otherwise ocupied; aditionally if you posess spellcasting yourself you may spend two slots of the same level as the scroll you are trying to cast to keep the magic in the scroll from dissapearing. Doing so deals 1 point of wisdom damage to you.

Bottle Gnomes:
A bottle gnome is a fragile tiny construct with AC 10 and 5 hp that resembles a metal gnome with a big crystal sphere instead of a belly. The sphere can be filled with a potion of up to 3rd level, and it takes a full round action to refill. On command, the gnome's owner can direct it to apply the potion to him (the magic of the gnome turns it from something that needs to be ingested into something that can be splashed upon) as a free action. Gnomes have +0 to all saves and tend to stick around their owners when not directly commanded to do otherwise.

Drelua
2011-12-15, 03:51 AM
Some of the language isn't clear, for example the Dimir Signet:
3/Day: Whenever you succesfully deal damage This contradicts itself. Do you mean you can make such an attack 3 times a day? That wouldn't be too powerful. It really depends on the party's level. These would of course be very strong for a really low level party, but they may not have as significant of an effect as you intend for level 20s. Around level 10 the signets would probably be good, but that's just a guess. I'd say the scrollcase is a lot weaker. I assume there's 3 people in the party?

Uncle Casw
2011-12-15, 11:37 AM
Rakdos Signet:
3/day: RTA to deal 1d6/2 levels fire damage to target enemy. Swift action
3/day: Touch attack to deal 1d6/2 levels negative energy damage to target enemy. Swift action
1/day: 20 ft. burst centered on the caster deals 1d6/lvl hellfire damage to all creatures in the area. Ref. 14+relevant ability modfor half.Standard action

Dimir Signet:
3/Day: If your next succesfully deal damage to an enemy capable of spellcasting/manifesting, it loses spell slots of a total level equal to your character's level.Swift action, 1rd/lvl, discharges on attack
3/Day: On your next attack, if you manage to deal damage, add 2d6 negative energy damage to any damage you deal with it.
1/Day: Your next attack hits you for half the damage it manages to inflict. maybe "heals" instead of "hits"?

Simic Signet:
3/Day: Increase one of your physical scores by +4 for 1 rd./level.swift action
3/Day: Increase your size category to the next larger one. 1rd/lvl, swift action
1/Day: Exchange an ability score with target's ability score. Target is entitled to a Will save of 10+selected ability modifier+halfyour level to resist this effect.standard action, 1rd/lvl


Imo. Still, no idea on market value, probably in the 10-15k range.

Slipperychicken
2011-12-15, 12:39 PM
What actions do they take to activate? I think the simic one is potent, because ability buffs and size increases are nice things. These are pretty balanced effects, so you should be fine.

EDIT: Just read experience of your players. I think the "switch ability scores" might bog down play, you may want to just make it a flat penalty/bonus (-4 seems appropriate).

LansXero
2011-12-15, 01:44 PM
Forgot to mention, they are all swift action activation, The party is currently level 4, and got theirs when they were level 2. Its a 5 people party, but one of them is an NPC and the other one died recently and entered with a new character; Im going to clean up and add his signet to the first post, thanks for asking clarification.


I think the "switch ability scores" might bog down play, you may want to just make it a flat penalty/bonus (-4 seems appropriate).

The party currently consists of:

Kobold Sorcerer/Wizard - Rakdos Signet
Human Dragon Shaman - Simic Signet
Half-Orc Barbarian - Dimir Signet
[Dead]Human Magus - Gruul Signet
[NPC]Human Archivist - Scrollcase

Where the shaman is basically a fighter with less feats and a healing aura, and with his 10 on both int and cha has been using his signet as a means to disable enemy spellcasters (hadn't realized it could potentially do that, so it was a neat finding by the player :P), the sorcerer uses his as basically extra blast spells (thus preparing only controlish spells on his wizard side), and the half-orc using his as an emergency heal. I also gave them another magic "item" last session which Id like opinions on. Adding it to the first post now. Thanks!