Closed

[cwlomax]

This post is now closed. I made an error with the DM and the item in questions was never a tome but a blessing that provides the same benefits as the tome. I would have been trading with a fellow character for the robe but seeing as that was never an actual option, I feel like an idiot. Thank you everyone


So I find myself in an interesting situation where I can choose between these 2 the Tome of Understanding or Robe of Stars.

My character is a level 10 Lizardfolk Moon druid. He was made with the point buy system and has picked up the warcaster and resilient (con) feats but my DM will allow me to redo my starting stats and my feats/ASIs. I'm not sure which item I would prefer although I'm leaning towards the Robe because my typical spells are conjurations and buffs. I rarely target an enemy with a spell that requires a save short of one use of Dominate Beast and I also don't plan on multiclassing due to RP (although I'm not ruling it out entirely). I won't have Xanathar's guide until next weekend when I pick up my copy so I'm not sure what new spells were added but as it stands, I don't see a great reason to take the Tome. If anyone has any opinions or advise in this matter I would greatly appreciate it.



For anyone without a DMG at hand, here are the short descriptions of the magical items.

Tome of Understanding: +2 to my wisdom and to my max wisdom

Robe of Stars: requires attunement, +1 to saving throws, 6 uses of level 5 magic missle recovering 1D6 uses daily (No chance to break on last use), and you can jump to the astral plane and come back at your liesure to the spot you teleported from.

[JellyPooga]

In summary;

Tome of Understanding: Do the same things but a little bit better.

Robe of Stars: Get new and interesting abilities formerly unavailable to your character.

This one's a no brainer to me. Sure, the Tome is probably the "power" option, but the Robe is simply more fun. At least in my opinion.

[Gtdead]

I really like Magic Missiles in higher level adventures. Damage may be small, but since it has a 100% hit rate, it competes with classes that have higher output.

I won't touch the astral plane subject. At the very least, it's a way to avoid a dangerous situation by teleporting out of the battlefield. Generally speaking, abilities like these can go either way, depending on the DM, player's knowledge, campaign direction etc.

[dejarnjc]

14th level Moon Druid here in a 2+ year campaign reporting in.

Go with the Robe of Stars unless you have other cool things using that attunement slot.

[Mikal]

Eh, I don't think the tome of stars is useful enough throughout the life of the campaign to keep attuned. Personally I'd go with the Wisdom slot.

[DarkKnightJin]

Eh, I don't think the tome of stars is useful enough throughout the life of the campaign to keep attuned. Personally I'd go with the Wisdom slot.

Same. I'd go with the Tome over the Robe.
If you're a Moon Druid, chances are you spend most of your combat time in Wildshape as a Beast or an Elemental, which wouldn't be able to make great use of the Robe.

[Temperjoke]

Optimization aside, would your character prefer a book or a fancy robe as a reward? I mean, you've already made one decision for RP reasons, this could be something to help tip the balance on the decision.

[dejarnjc]

Same. I'd go with the Tome over the Robe.
If you're a Moon Druid, chances are you spend most of your combat time in Wildshape as a Beast or an Elemental, which wouldn't be able to make great use of the Robe.

Common misconception and maybe true at level 18+. From level 11 to level 18, wildshape is pretty underwhelming as anything but a survival tool or something to do while concentrating on another spell. \

Always remember that a Moon Druid is a spell caster first and a shapeshifter second.

Also, a druid's most powerful spells tend to be concentration so being able to blast a 5th level magic missile repeatedly during combat while maintaining concentration on another spell is incredibly useful and outpaces wildshape damage for sure.


Obviously the attunement slot is the biggest consideration though.

[cwlomax]

Optimization aside, would your character prefer a book or a fancy robe as a reward? I mean, you've already made one decision for RP reasons, this could be something to help tip the balance on the decision.

The RP reason for not multiclassing is that my character is completely enamored with dinosaurs. He believes himself to be one and that they are superior to all other beasts just like "dinofolk are the strongest race". If he is going to wildshape, polymorph himself, or just summon beasts, it is always dinos. The one exception are his 4 dinomentals he wildshapes into.

He would multiclass if he had a valid dinosaur reason. RP wise, he is indifferent to the items.

[KorvinStarmast]

For anyone without a DMG at hand, here are the short descriptions of the magical items.

Tome of Understanding: +2 to my wisdom and to my max wisdom

Robe of Stars: requires attunement, +1 to saving throws, 6 uses of level 5 magic missle recovering 1D6 uses daily (No chance to break on last use), and you can jump to the astral plane and come back at your liesure to the spot you teleported from. As cool as that robe is, I have a hard time turning away from anything that will boost my spells' DC.

That said, as tough as it is to get boosts to a saving throw that you are not proficient in, that +1 save feature is sweet. Attunement choices really need to drive your decision.

Also, as above, force damage is resisted by very few monsters. Magic missile is a neat additional spell to have in your pocket ... (7d4+7) up to six times

[cwlomax]

Common misconception and maybe true at level 18+. From level 11 to level 18, wildshape is pretty underwhelming as anything but a survival tool or something to do while concentrating on another spell. \

Always remember that a Moon Druid is a spell caster first and a shapeshifter second.

Also, a druid's most powerful spells tend to be concentration so being able to blast a 5th level magic missile repeatedly during combat while maintaining concentration on another spell is incredibly useful and outpaces wildshape damage for sure.


Obviously the attunement slot is the biggest consideration though.

I like that I could use the magic missle while concentrating and yes my wildshaping is mostly being used as an utility option instead of pure combat.

My attunement slots are being taken up by:

Brooch of Shielding- resistance to force and immunity to Magic Missle oddly enough

Witch's Heart- (Homebrew) 3 one time only uses of counterspell (one level 3 slot and two level 4 slots), and the Firebolt, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, and Light cantrips. These are cast using the stat's of the soul in the heart.

[UrielAwakened]

Tome is a no-brainer here.

There are almost no ways to get above 20 in a stat.

[cwlomax]

As cool as that robe is, I have a hard time turning away from anything that will boost my spells' DC.

That said, as tough as it is to get boosts to a saving throw that you are not proficient in, that +1 save feature is sweet. Attunement choices really need to drive your decision.

Also, as above, force damage is resisted by very few monsters. Magic missile is a neat additional spell to have in your pocket ... (7d4+7) up to six times

If I had been any other class, I would have taken the tome without a second thought for the DC alone but I haven't been using many spells where I've forced my enemies to make saves. The battlefield control options are useful but we that role covered by another player. We also have a dedicated Blaster. Are there spell's I've probably missed that are spectacular and demand me to increase my DC? I'll look through Xanathar's guide this weekend before my session.

[cwlomax]

Tome is a no-brainer here.

There are almost no ways to get above 20 in a stat.

Normally yes but where does that really help a Moon Druid?

[DarkKnightJin]

In a vacuum/whitespace, I'd grab the Tome, and consider 1 level of Monk. Though I will admit that the infinite wildshape thing is pretty tempting as a capstone.

Honestly, I don't think we are qualified to make a call on which you should take for your character. You could fluff the book as having pictures of dino's.. but you could also fluff the robe as having stars in dino constellations.

[Kane0]

Both are fine options, but both help your casting more than your wildshapes. If you spend more time in dino form then a passive +2 Wis will help more and keep an attunement slot free, if you spend more time spellcasting (especially concentration or non-blasty spells) then the robe of stars is free damage and a possibly very useful teleport, but the +2 wis will also come in handy for magic attacks, DCs and Wis saves.

[Coffee_Dragon]

I have a general partiality for innate capability and power that cannot be pilfered from the coat room.

[cwlomax]

Closed. See OP.