[3.0] Ring of Change

[Thurbane]

So, I really love the ToEE computer game. I believe it was released in either late 3.0 or early 3.5.

-*spoiler alert*-

One of the NPCs you meet is Kella, a druid who has infiltrated the temple by Wild Shaping into a hill giant.

She does this with an Item called The Ring of Change, which allows a druid to expend a use of their Wild Shpae and assume the form of a Hill Giant, instead of an animal.
I have some questions:

1. Was this a real item? Did it ever exist in a book or anywhere outside of the computer game? I've searched high and low, so unless it was buried in a magazine somewhere, I think probably not.

2. If not, how would you create it/price it up as a custom item. In the game, I think it has unlimited uses so long as you have a Wild Shape use (i.e. you burn 1 WS to assume HG form), but for the sake of balance, might be better to limit it to X uses/day? Maybe only allow someone who can assume a large WS form to use it? Is a Hill Giant form more powerful than large animal forms? I mean, you get the benefit of being able to speak, so that's something.

Cheers - T

[ExLibrisMortis]

Hill giants are Large, CR 7, and have 12 HD. They're comparable to dire bears, who are Large, CR 7, and have 12 HD.

Dire bear is probably the better form. While hill giants have reach, somewhat better NA, and the ability to use weapons and cast spells, the bears have +6 Strength, +4 Dexterity (compensating for the NA), Improved Grab, and the ability to cast spells thanks to your 6th-level class feature, Natural Spell. The bear also has natural attacks. Most druids probably aren't that that good with manufactured weapons, so from a combat perspective, claws are better than hands.

A druid 5/master of many forms 2 can take the form of a Large giant. Not a hill giant, because that's got 12 HD, but a Large giant anyhow.


So I'd say that the ring of change isn't especially powerful, and doesn't let you do something exceptional. Unless it allows you to become a hill giant before your HD limit would allow you to do so, I would price it at 5000 gp. That's cheap, at ECL 12, but not free.

[Bruh_moment]

A fellow ToEE fan I see, I used to play that game as a half orc roid-raging barbarian

now for the question, My google-fu coudn't find the ring but all it really does is add a hill giant to your wild shaping list, in the pen and paper form of D&D there are things that just let you flat out shapechange or polymorph into almost any monster, so i dont see the need for a nerf on the item unless you want it to cost less. there are feats that give you wild shape forms like the ring does. seeing as getting the dark chaos shuffle done on you costs 2400 gp and that lets you get any feat I would price this ring somewhere around that, maybe 3k for the ring?

[Thurbane]

OK, so this is the stats I'm thinking if using for my game:


RING OF CHANGE

Price (Item Level): 5,000 gp (9th)
Body Slot: Ring
Caster Level: 8th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) transmutation
Activation: —
Weight: —

A ring of change grants a druid who can wild shape the additional form of a hill giant.

When using the wild shape ability, this ring adds the option of assuming the form of a hill giant. In hill giant form, the character can speak and cast normally (the ring does not impart the ability to speak Giant). Otherwise, it acts exactly as any other wild shape form.

The ring does not allow the wearer to ignore size or hit die restrictions of their wild shape ability, which means there wearer must be able to assume large forms, of 12 or more hit dice.

Prerequisites: Forge Ring, ability to wild shape.
Cost to Create: 2,500 gp, 200 XP, 5 days.


Now, the version from the game does ignore HD/size restrictions of the wearer, so maybe I'll add a Ring of Change, Greater as well?

[Remuko]

OK, so this is the stats I'm thinking if using for my game:


RING OF CHANGE

Price (Item Level): 5,000 gp (9th)
Body Slot: Ring
Caster Level: 8th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) transmutation
Activation: —
Weight: —

A ring of change grants a druid who can wild shape the additional form of a hill giant.

When using the wild shape ability, this ring adds the option of assuming the form of a hill giant. In hill giant form, the character can speak and cast normally (the ring does not impart the ability to speak Giant). Otherwise, it acts exactly as any other wild shape form.

The ring does not allow the wearer to ignore size or hit die restrictions of their wild shape ability, which means there wearer must be able to assume large forms, of 12 or more hit dice.

Prerequisites: Forge Ring, ability to wild shape.
Cost to Create: 2,500 gp, 200 XP, 5 days.


Now, the version from the game does ignore HD/size restrictions of the wearer, so maybe I'll add a Ring of Change, Greater as well?

sounds reasonable enough