Make sure this item isn't too crazy

[J-H]

For my Castlevania game, I'm throwing in an item that is a geographically displaced (to Europe) Aztec sacrificial dagger. My party has a cleric, a sorcerer, and 2(!) arcane tricksters. To get the maximum effect from the weapon, it'll need to be wielded by someone who's mixing melee and spellcasting. Nobody in the party has been doing that a ton. It should get picked up when the party is either about to hit level 9 or about to hit level 10.

This item will be wielded in battle by a death priest whose corpse they'll have to take it from, and who will get to attack as a bonus action if he casts a spell. If he scores a lucky hit, the maximized Harm is going to really cramp someone's style.


Heart-Taker Dagger +2 (A)
This dagger is made from obsidian, chipped and flaked until both edges are incredibly sharp, then carved with runes of a style entirely unknown to you. On a critical hit, it deals 2d12 bonus damage (does not get doubled). Any time the wielder of the Heart-Taker scores a critical hit, he may choose one of the following when he next casts a spell:
o maximize the numerical effects the spell cast
o Gain advantage on his spell attack roll
o Force the saving throw against the spell to be made with disadvantage
The dagger can only hold one charge at a time, and the charge expires after 1 hour.

[bid]

It could be a +0 and still be strong.

[Sparky McDibben]

It's good, not too strong but not too weak either.

[Expected]

It is WAY too powerful for an Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue who took Elven Accuracy, Find Familiar: Owl, and Expertise in Hide. Triple advantage practically on every attack increases probability for a crit. Any crit-fishing build would break the item, but otherwise it's fine as crits are infrequent.

[Dork_Forge]

It is WAY too powerful for an Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue who took Elven Accuracy, Find Familiar: Owl, and Expertise in Hide. Triple advantage practically on every attack increases probability for a crit. Any crit-fishing build would break the item, but otherwise it's fine as crits are infrequent.

The charge limitations stop crit fishing builds (and there's no indictation that any of the PCs are built that way) from abusing the item. Even with crit fishing being able to generate a charge and use it once per combat is the most realistic amount of use.

I would just say add requires attunement to the list to stop a melee character charging it then passing it off to the most potent caster. Maybe in return allow it to act as a casting focus?

[Trandir]

The charge limitations stop crit fishing builds (and there's no indictation that any of the PCs are built that way) from abusing the item. Even with crit fishing being able to generate a charge and use it once per combat is the most realistic amount of use.

I would just say add requires attunement to the list to stop a melee character charging it then passing it off to the most potent caster. Maybe in return allow it to act as a casting focus?

The intresting part is that this dagger is itself a component most usefull for a crit fishing build. Even something as simple as the sorcered dipping a level in hexblade with elven accuracy produces this scenario.
Round 1: hexblade's curse then scorching ray on the target, 31% chances to score a critical his if none have advantage or roughly 65% if the attacks had advantage.
Round 2: repeat scorching ray if you didn't score a critical. If you did score a critical hit consume the charge and get advantage on the cast of another spell that uses an attack roll and thanks to the advantage you still have 31% chances to score another critical hit that would further fuel the critical chain.

If you have a PC that wants to do this kind of stuff it might be too powerfull but if they are happy with the occasional once or twice every adventuring day critical hit this itam is all right

[AdAstra]

Note that any attack made from within 5 feet of a paralyzed or unconscious character is automatically a critical hit. If the player doesn't build around it it should be fine, but if they do they can definitely break this.

Also, it kinda fails the bag of rats test. If your DM allows you to knock a rat unconscious, or someone in your party has Sleep, you can use rats to fill up the knife at will, or at the cost of a 1st level spell, any time you're out of combat.

Even without that exploit, you could just have your melee-focused teammates knock an enemy unconscious (can choose to at the moment they drop to 0) so you can finish the job and fill the knife.

I would recommend only giving the knife a charge when you get a 20 on the attack roll.

[J-H]

The charge limitations stop crit fishing builds (and there's no indictation that any of the PCs are built that way) from abusing the item. Even with crit fishing being able to generate a charge and use it once per combat is the most realistic amount of use.
None of them are built that way. One of the Arcane Tricksters is a half-elf and has 2 levels in Fighter and could go for this, but he has also missed 3 sessions in a row.


I would just say add requires attunement to the list to stop a melee character charging it then passing it off to the most potent caster. Maybe in return allow it to act as a casting focus?
It does require attunement. In my notes, I just use (A) to denote that.


The intresting part is that this dagger is itself a component most usefull for a crit fishing build. Even something as simple as the sorcered dipping a level in hexblade with elven accuracy produces this scenario.
Round 1: hexblade's curse then scorching ray on the target, 31% chances to score a critical his if none have advantage or roughly 65% if the attacks had advantage.
Round 2: repeat scorching ray if you didn't score a critical. If you did score a critical hit consume the charge and get advantage on the cast of another spell that uses an attack roll and thanks to the advantage you still have 31% chances to score another critical hit that would further fuel the critical chain.

Scorching Ray will not work. The crit has to be made with the dagger.


Note that any attack made from within 5 feet of a paralyzed or unconscious character is automatically a critical hit. If the player doesn't build around it it should be fine, but if they do they can definitely break this.
...
I would recommend only giving the knife a charge when you get a 20 on the attack roll.

It pairs very well with Hold Person or with a restrained sacrificial victim, yes. So far nobody in the party (at level 6) has used any crowd control magic of any kind. I've demonstrated it against them, but it hasn't taken for some reason. If they want to burn a 3rd (Hold Person) or 5th (Hold Monster) level spell slot to gain the benefit of this, I think it's worth the price for them.


Also, it kinda fails the bag of rats test. If your DM allows you to knock a rat unconscious, or someone in your party has Sleep, you can use rats to fill up the knife at will, or at the cost of a 1st level spell, any time you're out of combat.
That's a good point. If they do that, I'll have to point out that it does not work on small animals or self-summoned creatures or something...just like the Crusader "heal on hit" in 3.5. No rats in Dracula's Castle, and we haven't been having anything drop to 0. Probably safe for my campaign.

[Wildarm]

Heart-Taker Dagger +2 (A)
This dagger is made from obsidian, chipped and flaked until both edges are incredibly sharp, then carved with runes of a style entirely unknown to you. On a critical hit, it deals 2d12 bonus damage (does not get doubled). Any time the wielder of the Heart-Taker scores a critical hit, he may choose one of the following when he next casts a spell:
o maximize the numerical effects the spell cast
o Gain advantage on his spell attack roll
o Force the saving throw against the spell to be made with disadvantage
The dagger can only hold one charge at a time, and the charge expires after 1 hour.

Abusable for a number of reasons others have mentioned. Perhaps you could make it easier to trigger but more limited in it's effect:

- Keep the 2d12 crit bonus - Probably make it necrotic damage
- Once per long rest, if an attack with the dagger reduces a creature to 0 HP, the wielder may choose one of the following when he next casts a spell:
o maximize the numerical effects the spell cast
o Gain advantage on his spell attack roll
o Force the saving throw against the spell to be made with disadvantage
- Dagger loses this benefit if it is not used within 1 hour of reducing a creature to 0HP

Crit fishers still like the weapon since it can get that sweet bonus damage. Others just kill things with it for the spell bonus. All the same effects and it will likely trigger more often(most casters don't land a crit each day). More predictable and useful but less abusable.

What level is your group at? The power level puts this at a very rare+ magic item(+2 Weapon, Vicious x2, Strong 1/LR ability). Would not give something like this out before Tier 3 in a moderate magic world.

Perhaps give it a drawback to make it more dicey to use:

On a Natural 1 the dagger lashes out in rage at the wielder for their clumsy handling of it's majestic power. Take 2d12 Necrotic Damage. Or tendrils of necrotic energy lash out from dagger damaging all within 5' and including the weilder for 1d12 Necrotic Damage.

[AdAstra]

Hold Person is 2nd level, but yeah, if your party isn't all that keen on such spells (and if you're throwing mostly undead at them they have good reason for that) and isn't building for crits it shouldn't be a problem.

Thinking more about your boss, he could be a very good way to showcase the item, and there's a guaranteed, very thematic way for him to do it. Have him occasionally heal his mooks (hopefully you've added some chaff), signifying to the players that the enemies aren't being instantly killed when they're brought to 0. Then, have him eventually start sacrificing (stabbing) his unconscious allies to charge the dagger, thus creating even greater pressure on the players to make sure enemies stay down, and showcasing the power of the item. Of course, that is basically directly teaching them a way to abuse it (knock them unconscious and stab em), so be wary of that. It will also increase the average power of the boss, but you've clearly prepared for him to get the buff at least once.

[Dork_Forge]

The intresting part is that this dagger is itself a component most usefull for a crit fishing build. Even something as simple as the sorcered dipping a level in hexblade with elven accuracy produces this scenario.
Round 1: hexblade's curse then scorching ray on the target, 31% chances to score a critical his if none have advantage or roughly 65% if the attacks had advantage.
Round 2: repeat scorching ray if you didn't score a critical. If you did score a critical hit consume the charge and get advantage on the cast of another spell that uses an attack roll and thanks to the advantage you still have 31% chances to score another critical hit that would further fuel the critical chain.

If you have a PC that wants to do this kind of stuff it might be too powerfull but if they are happy with the occasional once or twice every adventuring day critical hit this itam is all right

Whilst I suppose they could do that, a one level dip AND a feat (in a game where they are so limited) isn't a low cost and doesn't come online very quickly.

This also takes a +2 weapon away from a martial/gish solely for a caster to gain one of two crit dependent abilities. If you aren't actually using the dagger as a weapon it greatly diminishes it's value as an attunement slot taken (unless magic items are low availability in the world).

Overall a nice Gish weapon, but no not OP at all.

[Trandir]

Scorching Ray will not work. The crit has to be made with the dagger.

I am sorry I thought that "Any time the wielder of the Heart-Taker scores a critical hit" meant that the only restriction was to wield that weapon when performing a critical hit.
It the Heart-Taker has to be the weapon that performs the critical attack then it's all right, maybe on the strong side but ok. I would change the wording to make it clear tho.

[Damon_Tor]

For my Castlevania game, I'm throwing in an item that is a geographically displaced (to Europe) Aztec sacrificial dagger. My party has a cleric, a sorcerer, and 2(!) arcane tricksters. To get the maximum effect from the weapon, it'll need to be wielded by someone who's mixing melee and spellcasting. Nobody in the party has been doing that a ton. It should get picked up when the party is either about to hit level 9 or about to hit level 10.

This item will be wielded in battle by a death priest whose corpse they'll have to take it from, and who will get to attack as a bonus action if he casts a spell. If he scores a lucky hit, the maximized Harm is going to really cramp someone's style.


Heart-Taker Dagger +2 (A)
This dagger is made from obsidian, chipped and flaked until both edges are incredibly sharp, then carved with runes of a style entirely unknown to you. On a critical hit, it deals 2d12 bonus damage (does not get doubled). Any time the wielder of the Heart-Taker scores a critical hit, he may choose one of the following when he next casts a spell:
o maximize the numerical effects the spell cast
o Gain advantage on his spell attack roll
o Force the saving throw against the spell to be made with disadvantage
The dagger can only hold one charge at a time, and the charge expires after 1 hour.

The wording is sloppy.

Specify that the critical hit has to be using the dagger. As written, any crits the user scores will add a charge to the weapon, including a crit from a spell attack.
"Maximize the numerical effects" is unclear. For example, when you cast a spell that summons a monster of a certain CR, does it give you the maximum CR possible for that spell, regardless of the slot you use to cast it? If you mean "maximize the result of any dice you roll for the spell" then say that.
Blanket roll maximization is a bad idea. For example, if used on Bless, it changes the bonus from 1d4 to a flat +4. For the entire duration of the spell. That's extremely powerful. I would limit it to damage dealt or healing delivered.

[Nidgit]

The wording is definitely unclear. I didn't even notice the charge part at the end because it's not mentioned anywhere earlier.

Maximizing dice rolls is probably a bit too strong, especially compared to the other effects. I would change it to "you may reroll any number of dice that determine the magnitude of the spell" or something similar. Basically reroll some damage or effect quantity but not an attack roll.

[denthor]

Is your party evil?

If not they should turn that over for sacrifice then receive the benefits.

[J-H]

I'm not familiar with summoning spells and maximizing, but I've changed the verbiage to specify dice.
Changing Bless to a flat +4 would indeed be powerful. If it gets the party cleric, who usually is busy healing or casting Firebolt, to have some variety in her play by moving into melee and trying to stab things, I'm fine with the group occasionally getting a flat +4 from Bless. I think they've dropped Bless maybe once the last 4 levels (7 sessions), and that was against a medusa. If my entire party was made up of players who always did what the forum says is best, I'd be more concerned.

Revised:


• Heart-Taker Dagger +2 (A); This dagger is made from obsidian, chipped and flaked until both edges are incredibly sharp, then carved with runes of a style entirely unknown to you. On a critical hit made with the dagger against a living being of size Small or greater, it deals 2d12 bonus piercing damage (does not get doubled). This empowers the blade, and the wielder may choose one of the following effects when he next casts a spell:
o maximize the numerical effects (dice) of the spell cast
o Gain advantage on his spell attack roll
o Force the saving throw against the spell to be made with disadvantage
The dagger can only hold one charge at a time, and the charge expires after 1 hour.



Thanks everyone!