Would using the Mace of Disruption traits on a maul affect the item's rarity?

[Thunderbird]

Pretty much what the title says.
If you used the Mace of Disruption traits (which is a rare item if I remember correctly) on a maul, how would the item's rarity be affected, if at all?

[Unoriginal]

Pretty much what the title says.
If you used the Mace of Disruption traits (which is a rare item if I remember correctly) on a maul, how would the item's rarity be affected, if at all?

There is no reason for it to change the rarity.

[ProsecutorGodot]

Item rarity is already a bit of a mixed bag, some items being incredibly strong for a lower rarity item. I would say no, it's not strictly better than a mace.

The creating custom magic items section of the DMG only really suggests raising the rarity for combined effects.

[Thunderbird]

Ok then. I was thinking about the base damage improvement of the maul over the mace.
I don't believe that would be enough to push it into the very rare category, but I thought I might be wrong.

[Unoriginal]

Ok then. I was thinking about the base damage improvement of the maul over the mace.
I don't believe that would be enough to push it into the very rare category, but I thought I might be wrong.

The damages an item do have no direct correlation with its rarity. There is no "if it do X more damage, it goes up a category" guideline.

[nickl_2000]

Ok then. I was thinking about the base damage improvement of the maul over the mace.
I don't believe that would be enough to push it into the very rare category, but I thought I might be wrong.

According to an interpretation of the DMG the answer would be No, it doesn't change anything.


The Vorpal Sword is listed as any Sword that does slashing damage as the same rarity. So that would be a Greatsword (2d6), a Longsword (1d8 versatile), or a Scimitar (1d6)
In the "Weapon, +1, +2, +3" is says any weapon and then the rarity is based on the bonus.
The Sword of Lifestealing is any sword and the same rarity. So that's similar to the Vorpal Sword.


So, based on those example I think it's safe to say that you can use a Maul instead of a Mace without changing the rarity.

[PhoenixPhyre]

To be precise: the only explicit guidelines for rarity are

Maximum Spell Level emulated (1/day)
This also seems to hold for spells required to remove the effect (cf sovereign glue which requires wish or a high-rarity item to remove)


Rarity
Spell level


Common
1


Uncommon
3


Rare
6


Very Rare
8


Legendary
9



Note that most of these are gained at benchmark levels: 1, 5, 11, 17 with Very Rare being the outlier (with full casters getting level 8 spells at level 15). This also corresponds to the suggested levels at which these types of items become available (except for consumables, which are available about one step sooner).

Static Bonus to AC, Attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks*
*more specific bonuses are lower-rarity (so DEX (sleight of hand) < DEX, for example)


Rarity
Max Bonux


Common
--


Uncommon
+1


Rare
+2


Very Rare
+3


Legendary
+4



These items have the potential to disrupt the game math itself--adding bonuses to AC (especially) makes lower-CR monsters less useful than otherwise, while +ATK means that higher-CR monsters are doable sooner (etc).

[Thunderbird]

Thanks for the detailed answers guys, they're quite helpful.

Just out of curiosity, if the maul had a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls as well as the Disruption traits, do you think the rarity would be affected? (I'm trying to get my head around the item rarities :smalltongue:)

[PhoenixPhyre]

Thanks for the detailed answers guys, they're quite helpful.

Just out of curiosity, if the maul had a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls as well as the Disruption traits, do you think the rarity would be affected? (I'm trying to get my head around the item rarities :smalltongue:)

Mace of Disruption is already rare; an uncommon weapon can have a +1 bonus. I don't see that big a shift. The categories are quite squishy/broad already.

[Whit]

I support changing weapons to meet a variety of weapons, although I do think the following should be brought up for rarity

The damage difference of the weapon. A two handed weapon pole arm etc Or just the rarity of the weapon like a whip

[PhoenixPhyre]

I support changing weapons to meet a variety of weapons, although I do think the following should be brought up for rarity

The damage difference of the weapon. A two handed weapon pole arm etc Or just the rarity of the weapon like a whip

Why? The difference in damage dice is well within the noise for the already broad categories.

[DarkKnightJin]

It's well within the DM's perview to alter weapons they want to hand out.
If you want your Cleric to have a Warhammer or Maul of Disruption, instead of a Mace.. go nuts. It's not going to affect what it can do. It'll have higher average damage because of tue increased damage die of the weapon type. The effect is still the same.
You could also make it a Whip, or a Dagger. Longsword of Disruption.

You could make the Holy Avenger sword into a pair of Cestus if your Paladin has taken a liking to punching Evil in the face for great justice.

As far as I can see, adding damage boosts to attack and/or damage rolls, or giving the weapon charges and/or spells to cast from it.. Are about the only things that would up a weapon's rarity like you were thinking.

Simply making a magic weapon into another type from what's listed in the DMG is not a problem.

You could also make a Shield of Protection, instead of a Cloak, for instance.
The best advice would be to gauge what your party is doing, and tailor the items to their needs. Give them a weapon that gives the Fighter or Paladin a ranged option for attacks, for instance.
You're not limited to what's found in the DMG. Those are baseline items for you to use, but also to tweak to what you feel would best suit your party.

Also, be sure to have them find an Alchemy Jug at some point. Then sit back and watch them get creative with that thing.

[Whit]

I agree on one side b cause it’s not fun to a player to use a family mirning Star etc non highly picked weapons but picked for flavor and not get any magic weapon that they use.

However i guess it’s fine if I make a paladin and use a whip and want that holy avenger long sword to be a whip.

I think we use random roll for a character to get it and pick what weapon.
However, in Adventure league I’m very nervous about how they list magic weapons.
If it’s akways common long short swords. War hammers

[Unoriginal]

I agree on one side b cause it’s not fun to a player to use a family mirning Star etc non highly picked weapons but picked for flavor and not get any magic weapon that they use.

However i guess it’s fine if I make a paladin and use a whip and want that holy avenger long sword to be a whip.

I think we use random roll for a character to get it and pick what weapon.
However, in Adventure league I’m very nervous about how they list magic weapons.
If it’s akways common long short swords. War hammers

The magic items don't exist for your PC. They exist, then might end up in your PC's hand. If you get what I mean.

If you use your family's morning star as your starting, mundane weapon, then any magic item you'll find and use is not going to be your family's morning star.