DiceDiceBaby
2016-03-07, 03:19 AM
First attempt at homebrewing (unless you count the other things I've posted in the 5e forum), so please be gentle.
1) Long ago, a powerful Wizard discovered a means to trap the essence of non-humanoid creatures into mystical balls known as “Monster Orbs”. Over time, the magic to create these “Monster Orbs” became easier and easier to do, with much of the world changed forever with the reduced price of this magic. It has come to a point that “Monster Orbs” can now be purchased for 30 GP at any major city, leading for many adventurers to buy them for their awesome ability to bind monsters to their will.
2) Like any other magical item, the “Monster Orb” needs to be attuned to a humanoid creature in order to be used by that creature. Thus, only three “Monster Orbs” can be attuned to a creature at a time (assuming that creature is not attuned to any other magical items).
3) At the end of any combat encounter with a non-Humanoid creature, if that non-Humanoid creature is the last creature to be defeated, each PC (that is not incapacitated, unconscious, or dead) attuned to a “Monster Orb” (that hasn't been used to capture a creature yet) can “throw” a “Monster Orb” (if they are attuned to one) at the body of the creature (in Initiative turn order). The creature must then make a Dexterity Saving Throw (DC 18). If the creature succeeds the Saving Throw, the “Monster Orb” is destroyed. If the creature fails the Saving Throw, the creature becomes “captured” and its body and soul are absorbed into the “Monster Orb”. Once a player succeeds in capturing the creature, no player may throw their “Monster Orbs”. If one turn passes and no one is able to capture the monster, the monster becomes “uncapturable”, and dies. Only one creature may be captured in one “Monster Orb” at a time. If the “Monster Orb” takes 100 damage, it is irreparably destroyed, and the monster captured by it are released, and become hostile to every other character except the character it was attuned to. If a player attuned to a “Monster Orb” is killed, his or her “Monster Orb” can be stolen from him and attuned to, and the creature in the “Monster Orb” will regard this new character as its master.
4) A player attuned to a “Monster Orb” with a monster captured inside it (now known as a “Trainer”) may summon the creature from the “Monster Orb” as a cantrip. When summoned for the first time, the creature will be at full Hit Points (the DM will have to reveal to the player the statistics of the creature he or she “caught”). Once summoned, the creature will obey the commands of its “Trainer” without question, and may be commanded to take actions in combat instead of its “Trainer”. Creatures taking damage may recover Hit Points using Hit Dice during rests in the same way that Player Characters do. When a creature is dismissed, it’s body and soul returns to the “Monster Orb” with the Hit Points it had while it was summoned. Creatures can neither gain nor lose Hit Points within the “Monster Orb”. If the creature dies while summoned, the “Monster Orb” that “captured” it also becomes irreparably destroyed.
Optional plot hooks and ideas for worldbuilding:
1) The relatively cheap price of the magic used for capturing non-humanoid creatures with “Monster Orbs” has caused the fantasy world it was invented in to become largely dependent on it. “Trainers” can engage in battles to the death in order to become a “Champion”, and even poorer humanoids can use the magic to capture creatures and bind them to their will. Adventurers still exist and many of them continue to go out and challenge monsters with the hope of capturing them.
2) There exist secret organizations dedicated to stealing “Monster Orbs” from other humanoids by killing them and attuning their orbs to their members.
3) Legendary creatures with lairs exist, and these are the finest and most difficult creatures to capture, a true prize for any “Trainer”. The secret organizations mentioned in the previous point will stop at nothing to use these creatures to their own end for world domination.
4) The more intelligent non-humanoids decide to rebel against this form of magical slavery, and do their best to move away from humanoid cities and become hostile to them on sight. Humanoids must be cautious when walking in tall grass; they can be attacked at any time.
Any thoughts?
1) Long ago, a powerful Wizard discovered a means to trap the essence of non-humanoid creatures into mystical balls known as “Monster Orbs”. Over time, the magic to create these “Monster Orbs” became easier and easier to do, with much of the world changed forever with the reduced price of this magic. It has come to a point that “Monster Orbs” can now be purchased for 30 GP at any major city, leading for many adventurers to buy them for their awesome ability to bind monsters to their will.
2) Like any other magical item, the “Monster Orb” needs to be attuned to a humanoid creature in order to be used by that creature. Thus, only three “Monster Orbs” can be attuned to a creature at a time (assuming that creature is not attuned to any other magical items).
3) At the end of any combat encounter with a non-Humanoid creature, if that non-Humanoid creature is the last creature to be defeated, each PC (that is not incapacitated, unconscious, or dead) attuned to a “Monster Orb” (that hasn't been used to capture a creature yet) can “throw” a “Monster Orb” (if they are attuned to one) at the body of the creature (in Initiative turn order). The creature must then make a Dexterity Saving Throw (DC 18). If the creature succeeds the Saving Throw, the “Monster Orb” is destroyed. If the creature fails the Saving Throw, the creature becomes “captured” and its body and soul are absorbed into the “Monster Orb”. Once a player succeeds in capturing the creature, no player may throw their “Monster Orbs”. If one turn passes and no one is able to capture the monster, the monster becomes “uncapturable”, and dies. Only one creature may be captured in one “Monster Orb” at a time. If the “Monster Orb” takes 100 damage, it is irreparably destroyed, and the monster captured by it are released, and become hostile to every other character except the character it was attuned to. If a player attuned to a “Monster Orb” is killed, his or her “Monster Orb” can be stolen from him and attuned to, and the creature in the “Monster Orb” will regard this new character as its master.
4) A player attuned to a “Monster Orb” with a monster captured inside it (now known as a “Trainer”) may summon the creature from the “Monster Orb” as a cantrip. When summoned for the first time, the creature will be at full Hit Points (the DM will have to reveal to the player the statistics of the creature he or she “caught”). Once summoned, the creature will obey the commands of its “Trainer” without question, and may be commanded to take actions in combat instead of its “Trainer”. Creatures taking damage may recover Hit Points using Hit Dice during rests in the same way that Player Characters do. When a creature is dismissed, it’s body and soul returns to the “Monster Orb” with the Hit Points it had while it was summoned. Creatures can neither gain nor lose Hit Points within the “Monster Orb”. If the creature dies while summoned, the “Monster Orb” that “captured” it also becomes irreparably destroyed.
Optional plot hooks and ideas for worldbuilding:
1) The relatively cheap price of the magic used for capturing non-humanoid creatures with “Monster Orbs” has caused the fantasy world it was invented in to become largely dependent on it. “Trainers” can engage in battles to the death in order to become a “Champion”, and even poorer humanoids can use the magic to capture creatures and bind them to their will. Adventurers still exist and many of them continue to go out and challenge monsters with the hope of capturing them.
2) There exist secret organizations dedicated to stealing “Monster Orbs” from other humanoids by killing them and attuning their orbs to their members.
3) Legendary creatures with lairs exist, and these are the finest and most difficult creatures to capture, a true prize for any “Trainer”. The secret organizations mentioned in the previous point will stop at nothing to use these creatures to their own end for world domination.
4) The more intelligent non-humanoids decide to rebel against this form of magical slavery, and do their best to move away from humanoid cities and become hostile to them on sight. Humanoids must be cautious when walking in tall grass; they can be attacked at any time.
Any thoughts?