eastmabl
2015-03-22, 12:48 PM
Okay, Playground - I need your help.
Background
My present group recently made the transition from 3.5 to 5e. We play in a homebrew campaign which incorporates the warforged as a very rare race (imagine Eberron right before House Cannith invented the assembly line).
One of my players had built his character concept around taking one level of renegade mastermaker. As a prince of a kingdom, he wanted to make prosthetics for war veterans who came back from fighting his father's wars - and he didn't want to experiment on anyone else.
While adventuring, he found a warforged arm that he has been playing around with it during downtime. At the end of the last adventure path, his older brother (actually a doppelganger) betrayed him and stole their MacGuffin. He also decided that he "always fancied a Mage's Hand" (the item), and chopped the wizard's right arm off. Now, instead of choosing to experiment on himself and remove his own arm, the wizard needs his own prosthetic.
That brings me to my present dilemma - what should I do for his warforged arm? I no longer have the benefit of the established rules of 3.5.
My thoughts so far
Unlocking the potential of the arm
In order to unlock the powers of the warforged arm, he needs to succeed at a DC 25 Arcana check after spending 3 full days inspecting the arm (can be repeated). It's a high DC, but it is also something which has never been done before. Additionally, if a character proficient with the Arcana skill assists, it will give the wizard advantage on the roll.
Once he unlocks the potential, he can place the warforged arm against his still-healing stump. Wires will seek out nerve endings, providing him with the ability to manipulate the hand. It does take some time become fully attuned to the new arm, and he will suffer disadvantage on all Str and Dex-based checks involving the hand for two weeks.*
(*Players are on a boat for 5 weeks, meaning that this is more a fluff-based limitation than anything else).
Actual Rules for the Arm
Here's what I propose:
- The arm is a magic item which must be attuned to the user (2 weeks, as above).
- It is a +1 magic weapon which gives the user a natural attack (1d4+Str). Once attuned, the user is proficient with the natural attack.
- The hand grants advantage on one Strength-based skill check or saving throw once per short/long rest.
- Since it is made out of magic, the arm can be used as an arcane focus provided that the hand is empty.
- There is a hidey-hole where the user can hide a wand-sized object or smaller. As a free action, the user can eject the wand into his hand and
There are some drawbacks to the
- All Disguise checks are made with disadvantage, as it is difficult to make a robot hand look like anything living. (Contextually, a cunning player may be negotiate away the disadvantage or even turn it into advantage).
- The user suffers disadvantage on all Sleight of Hand checks involving that the hand.
- There is a flaw in the hand: Bull in a China Shop. Since the arm is still alien to you, you do not know your own strength. When handling anything delicate (and non-magical), there is a 25% chance that you will break it.
Thoughts?
Background
My present group recently made the transition from 3.5 to 5e. We play in a homebrew campaign which incorporates the warforged as a very rare race (imagine Eberron right before House Cannith invented the assembly line).
One of my players had built his character concept around taking one level of renegade mastermaker. As a prince of a kingdom, he wanted to make prosthetics for war veterans who came back from fighting his father's wars - and he didn't want to experiment on anyone else.
While adventuring, he found a warforged arm that he has been playing around with it during downtime. At the end of the last adventure path, his older brother (actually a doppelganger) betrayed him and stole their MacGuffin. He also decided that he "always fancied a Mage's Hand" (the item), and chopped the wizard's right arm off. Now, instead of choosing to experiment on himself and remove his own arm, the wizard needs his own prosthetic.
That brings me to my present dilemma - what should I do for his warforged arm? I no longer have the benefit of the established rules of 3.5.
My thoughts so far
Unlocking the potential of the arm
In order to unlock the powers of the warforged arm, he needs to succeed at a DC 25 Arcana check after spending 3 full days inspecting the arm (can be repeated). It's a high DC, but it is also something which has never been done before. Additionally, if a character proficient with the Arcana skill assists, it will give the wizard advantage on the roll.
Once he unlocks the potential, he can place the warforged arm against his still-healing stump. Wires will seek out nerve endings, providing him with the ability to manipulate the hand. It does take some time become fully attuned to the new arm, and he will suffer disadvantage on all Str and Dex-based checks involving the hand for two weeks.*
(*Players are on a boat for 5 weeks, meaning that this is more a fluff-based limitation than anything else).
Actual Rules for the Arm
Here's what I propose:
- The arm is a magic item which must be attuned to the user (2 weeks, as above).
- It is a +1 magic weapon which gives the user a natural attack (1d4+Str). Once attuned, the user is proficient with the natural attack.
- The hand grants advantage on one Strength-based skill check or saving throw once per short/long rest.
- Since it is made out of magic, the arm can be used as an arcane focus provided that the hand is empty.
- There is a hidey-hole where the user can hide a wand-sized object or smaller. As a free action, the user can eject the wand into his hand and
There are some drawbacks to the
- All Disguise checks are made with disadvantage, as it is difficult to make a robot hand look like anything living. (Contextually, a cunning player may be negotiate away the disadvantage or even turn it into advantage).
- The user suffers disadvantage on all Sleight of Hand checks involving that the hand.
- There is a flaw in the hand: Bull in a China Shop. Since the arm is still alien to you, you do not know your own strength. When handling anything delicate (and non-magical), there is a 25% chance that you will break it.
Thoughts?