Segev
2021-08-25, 04:20 PM
I find the magic items that set your stats to a particular value to be irksome because they disproportionately reward those who sink the stat they most want high. This especially can distort a build that starts at a level where it can get an Uncommon item. This isn't solved by insisting they have to invest in higher stats, either, because that just feels obnoxious and makes it a metagame ruled by scolding people for optimizing, rather than designing the system well in the first place.
That said, I also understand why they do what they do, particularly with the Belts of Giant Strength - they literally give you the Giants' Strength!
What I propose, then, is actually a buff to these items to reward using them when you have a higher stat.
Amulet of Health
rare (requires atunement)
Your Constitution score is 19 while you wear this Amulet. It has no Effect on you if your Constitution score is already 19 or higher. If your Constitution is at least 15 without this item, you do not need to attune it to gain its benefits while wearing it.
Belt of Hill Giant Strength
rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 21 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 21 or higher. If your Strength is at least 15 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it.
Belt of Stone Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 23 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 23 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you may have your skin take on the stony appearance of a Stone Giant, and gain advantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks to hide in rocky environments, as well as the ability to hold perfectly still and be indistinguishable from a statue.
Belt of Frost Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 23 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 23 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you gain resistance to cold damage.
Belt of Fire Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 25 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 25 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you gain resistance to fire damage.
Belt of Cloud Giant Strength
Legendary (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 27 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 27 or higher. If your Strength is at least 21 without a Belt of Giant Strength, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 21 or higher, you may cast telekinesis once, using your Strength as the spellcasting ability score. You regain the ability to cast it after a short rest.
Belt of Storm Giant Strength
Legendary (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 29 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 29 or higher. If your Strength is at least 24 without a Belt of Giant
Strength, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 24 or higher, you gain the
ability to breathe underwater and a swim speed equal to your land speed, and the ability to cast levitate on yourself at will.
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Uncommon (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 19 while you wear these gauntlets. They have no effect on you if your Strength is already 19 or higher without them. If your strength without them or any Belt of Giant Strength is at least 15, you do not need to attune these gauntlets to gain the benefits of the Strength score they grant. If you are attuned to them and to a Belt of Giant Strength, you gain the ability to use rocks the size of your head or larger as simple, two-handed, thrown weapons with a range of 60/240 ft. that deal 1d10 bludgeoning damage. The kind of Belt of Giant Strength grants additional abilities:
Hill Giant: None
Stone Giant: You can generate a suitable stone as a bonus action on your turn. Such stones last for up to one minute before crumbling to gravel that soon further disintegrates to dust and vanishes.
Frost Giant: You can generate an icy ball to hurl as a stone as a bonus action on your turn. It does cold damage instead of bludgeoning, and melts away to nothing after 1 minute.
Fire Giant: You can generate a ball of molten magma to hurl as a stone as a bonus action on your turn. It does fire damage instead of bludgeoning, and burns away to smoke after 1 minute.
Cloud Giant: You can generate suitable stones for hurling out of fog you condense out of the air as part of hurling them.
Storm Giant: Instead of hurling stones, you hurl lighting bolts that do ligthing damage and attack every creature in a line between you and your target.
Headband of Intellect
Uncommon (requires atunement)
Your Intelligence score is 19 while you wear this headband. It has no effect on you if your Intelligence is already 19 or higher without it. If your Intelligence without it is at least 15, you do not need to attune this headband to gain the benefits of the Intelligence score it grants.
The Gauntlets of Ogre Power look like they're getting a huge boost, and maybe they are, but they require a synergy with another magic item to get it, and must have both items attuned.
Tweaks, critiques, and suggestions for improvement (or nerfs to bring them into alignment with their item rarities) are invited.
That said, I also understand why they do what they do, particularly with the Belts of Giant Strength - they literally give you the Giants' Strength!
What I propose, then, is actually a buff to these items to reward using them when you have a higher stat.
Amulet of Health
rare (requires atunement)
Your Constitution score is 19 while you wear this Amulet. It has no Effect on you if your Constitution score is already 19 or higher. If your Constitution is at least 15 without this item, you do not need to attune it to gain its benefits while wearing it.
Belt of Hill Giant Strength
rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 21 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 21 or higher. If your Strength is at least 15 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it.
Belt of Stone Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 23 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 23 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you may have your skin take on the stony appearance of a Stone Giant, and gain advantage on Dexterity(Stealth) checks to hide in rocky environments, as well as the ability to hold perfectly still and be indistinguishable from a statue.
Belt of Frost Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 23 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 23 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you gain resistance to cold damage.
Belt of Fire Giant Strength
very rare (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 25 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 25 or higher. If your Strength is at least 19 without this belt, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 19 or higher, you gain resistance to fire damage.
Belt of Cloud Giant Strength
Legendary (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 27 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 27 or higher. If your Strength is at least 21 without a Belt of Giant Strength, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 21 or higher, you may cast telekinesis once, using your Strength as the spellcasting ability score. You regain the ability to cast it after a short rest.
Belt of Storm Giant Strength
Legendary (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 29 while you wear this belt. It has no Effect on you if your Strength score is already 29 or higher. If your Strength is at least 24 without a Belt of Giant
Strength, you do not need to attune it to gain the strength score it grants while wearing it. If you attune to it and have a strength score without it of 24 or higher, you gain the
ability to breathe underwater and a swim speed equal to your land speed, and the ability to cast levitate on yourself at will.
Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Uncommon (requires atunement)
Your Strength score is 19 while you wear these gauntlets. They have no effect on you if your Strength is already 19 or higher without them. If your strength without them or any Belt of Giant Strength is at least 15, you do not need to attune these gauntlets to gain the benefits of the Strength score they grant. If you are attuned to them and to a Belt of Giant Strength, you gain the ability to use rocks the size of your head or larger as simple, two-handed, thrown weapons with a range of 60/240 ft. that deal 1d10 bludgeoning damage. The kind of Belt of Giant Strength grants additional abilities:
Hill Giant: None
Stone Giant: You can generate a suitable stone as a bonus action on your turn. Such stones last for up to one minute before crumbling to gravel that soon further disintegrates to dust and vanishes.
Frost Giant: You can generate an icy ball to hurl as a stone as a bonus action on your turn. It does cold damage instead of bludgeoning, and melts away to nothing after 1 minute.
Fire Giant: You can generate a ball of molten magma to hurl as a stone as a bonus action on your turn. It does fire damage instead of bludgeoning, and burns away to smoke after 1 minute.
Cloud Giant: You can generate suitable stones for hurling out of fog you condense out of the air as part of hurling them.
Storm Giant: Instead of hurling stones, you hurl lighting bolts that do ligthing damage and attack every creature in a line between you and your target.
Headband of Intellect
Uncommon (requires atunement)
Your Intelligence score is 19 while you wear this headband. It has no effect on you if your Intelligence is already 19 or higher without it. If your Intelligence without it is at least 15, you do not need to attune this headband to gain the benefits of the Intelligence score it grants.
The Gauntlets of Ogre Power look like they're getting a huge boost, and maybe they are, but they require a synergy with another magic item to get it, and must have both items attuned.
Tweaks, critiques, and suggestions for improvement (or nerfs to bring them into alignment with their item rarities) are invited.