LordFluffy
2016-04-26, 09:42 AM
I used to play a game called Earthdawn and one of the things I liked from that game was the idea that magical items had history and further secrets to unlock. This idea seems really compatible with 5e, even though D&D magic items still seem to come in two flavors: you know what they do or you don't.
When they introduced the attunement mechanic, I thought it was an interesting way to limit powerful magic items, but it also made me think about the Earthdawn way of doing things. In that system, to unlock a weapons abilities, you effectively had to go on a sidequest for each level of increase.
Given that magic items are to rare things, I think something like that would work here. This would allow one to introduce a magic item to a character at a low level, but rather than replace them with more powerful items as the characters progress, the item progresses along with them, each new power being worthy of a magic item all it's own. Here are some proposed rules. Tell me what you think.
Some magic items have powers that require more than one attunement.
Each attunement takes up an attunement slot, as if it was an additional item.
Before the attunements can occur, the character carrying it must meet prerequisites.
Unless otherwise noted, effects of lesser attunements are cumulative with more powerful ones.
Example:
The Knife of Sacrificial Defense
Description: This blade is a thick, single edged knife made of dull, blackened steel with wooden handles. The knife is always slightly warm to the touch and radiates potent magic. If anyone with the Urchin background or who has lived in poverty lays eyes on it, they may make a DC10 Perception check to notice there's something special about the blade, though there what that is will not be apparent.
History: The Knife was used by an adolescent girl named Aminilay when her home was attacked by wondering wildmen mauraders. Her father, mother and elder brothers fell, but she drew her father's hunting knife and stood alone against six, defending her younger siblings. When the fight was over, she managed to drive the men off, killing four, but not before she succumbed to her injuries. She pressed the knife into the hand of her nine year old brother, telling him to be good and to protect what remained of their family.
The brother went on to become a great warrior, always carrying the blade at his belt, often wielding it as his only weapon. His sister's sacrifice lived on in the blade and while he carried it, no one he defended ever felt the sting of the tragedy he suffered. The warrior met his end on a moat bridge, repelling a force of undead. While his sacrifice was not in vain, the Knife fell by he wayside, turning up now and in again in the hands of other warriors.
Without attunement:
The knife has the same stats as a dagger, minus the thrown property: 1d4 slashing, Light, finesse.
The knife is a +0 Magical Weapon. If you're wielding the knife with no other weapon, your AC is 11+Dex.
First Attunment:
Prerequisites: You must here of Aminilay's sacrifice and speak her name aloud. Once you do, you will feel a pull to attune to the blade on your next short or long rest.
The knife becomes +1.
When you draw it, if you are wielding no other weapon, a field of force surrounds the blade. The blade now does 1d6 Force damage.
You may cast the Shield spell; you must take a long or short rest to use this ability again.
Second Attunment:
Prerequisites: Level 5+. You must win a fight against a superior number of foes.
The knife becomes +2.
The field of force around the blade becomes longer and does 1d8 Force. This effect only happens while you are wielding no other weapon.
When you draw the knife, you are under the effect of the spell Mage Armor. This replaces the unattuned AC effect.
As long as you are outnumbered since the last time you rolled initiative, you may use your bonus action to make an attack with the Knife.
Third Attunment:
Prerequisites: Level 11+. You must be reduced to 0 hit points while fighting to defend at least one person while outnumbered.
The knife becomes +3.
The field of force is very long and the blade does 1d10 force.
You may cast the Shield spell. You must take a short or long rest, or have been damaged by a foe who was part of a force of superior numbers. This replaces the similar ability from the first attunment.
Final Fury: If you are below half your maximum hit point total, you may use your bonus action to make one attack on each foe in a radius equal to your base move. You must complete a long rest before using this ability again. When you use this ability, you your hit point total drops down to 1 and you lose any temporary hit points.
When they introduced the attunement mechanic, I thought it was an interesting way to limit powerful magic items, but it also made me think about the Earthdawn way of doing things. In that system, to unlock a weapons abilities, you effectively had to go on a sidequest for each level of increase.
Given that magic items are to rare things, I think something like that would work here. This would allow one to introduce a magic item to a character at a low level, but rather than replace them with more powerful items as the characters progress, the item progresses along with them, each new power being worthy of a magic item all it's own. Here are some proposed rules. Tell me what you think.
Some magic items have powers that require more than one attunement.
Each attunement takes up an attunement slot, as if it was an additional item.
Before the attunements can occur, the character carrying it must meet prerequisites.
Unless otherwise noted, effects of lesser attunements are cumulative with more powerful ones.
Example:
The Knife of Sacrificial Defense
Description: This blade is a thick, single edged knife made of dull, blackened steel with wooden handles. The knife is always slightly warm to the touch and radiates potent magic. If anyone with the Urchin background or who has lived in poverty lays eyes on it, they may make a DC10 Perception check to notice there's something special about the blade, though there what that is will not be apparent.
History: The Knife was used by an adolescent girl named Aminilay when her home was attacked by wondering wildmen mauraders. Her father, mother and elder brothers fell, but she drew her father's hunting knife and stood alone against six, defending her younger siblings. When the fight was over, she managed to drive the men off, killing four, but not before she succumbed to her injuries. She pressed the knife into the hand of her nine year old brother, telling him to be good and to protect what remained of their family.
The brother went on to become a great warrior, always carrying the blade at his belt, often wielding it as his only weapon. His sister's sacrifice lived on in the blade and while he carried it, no one he defended ever felt the sting of the tragedy he suffered. The warrior met his end on a moat bridge, repelling a force of undead. While his sacrifice was not in vain, the Knife fell by he wayside, turning up now and in again in the hands of other warriors.
Without attunement:
The knife has the same stats as a dagger, minus the thrown property: 1d4 slashing, Light, finesse.
The knife is a +0 Magical Weapon. If you're wielding the knife with no other weapon, your AC is 11+Dex.
First Attunment:
Prerequisites: You must here of Aminilay's sacrifice and speak her name aloud. Once you do, you will feel a pull to attune to the blade on your next short or long rest.
The knife becomes +1.
When you draw it, if you are wielding no other weapon, a field of force surrounds the blade. The blade now does 1d6 Force damage.
You may cast the Shield spell; you must take a long or short rest to use this ability again.
Second Attunment:
Prerequisites: Level 5+. You must win a fight against a superior number of foes.
The knife becomes +2.
The field of force around the blade becomes longer and does 1d8 Force. This effect only happens while you are wielding no other weapon.
When you draw the knife, you are under the effect of the spell Mage Armor. This replaces the unattuned AC effect.
As long as you are outnumbered since the last time you rolled initiative, you may use your bonus action to make an attack with the Knife.
Third Attunment:
Prerequisites: Level 11+. You must be reduced to 0 hit points while fighting to defend at least one person while outnumbered.
The knife becomes +3.
The field of force is very long and the blade does 1d10 force.
You may cast the Shield spell. You must take a short or long rest, or have been damaged by a foe who was part of a force of superior numbers. This replaces the similar ability from the first attunment.
Final Fury: If you are below half your maximum hit point total, you may use your bonus action to make one attack on each foe in a radius equal to your base move. You must complete a long rest before using this ability again. When you use this ability, you your hit point total drops down to 1 and you lose any temporary hit points.