Custom item advice

[Skrum]

I want to make custom, class-specific items for my players for an upcoming game. My idea is small, charm-like things that'll enhance class features. The characters are level 5, and probably won't get much beyond that (8th at most).

Paladin: Lay on Hands now has a range of 20 ft. In addition, this charm grants an extra spell slot of 2nd level. This slot may only be used for Divine Smite. Once spent, it recovers on short or long rest.

Barbarian: when you use Reckless Attack, you may choose a damage type. You gain resistance to that damage type until the beginning of your next turn.

Gloom Stalker Ranger: increase your Favored Foe damage dice by 1 (d4 to d6, d6 to d8, etc). You have advantage on the extra attack granted by Dread Ambusher. In addition, your movement during your first turn in combat does not draw opportunity attacks.

Armorer Artificer: for as long as you have temporary hit points granted by Defensive Field, reduce all damage you take by 5. When you hit a creature with Thunder Gauntlets, you may have the rider effect affect another creature of your choice that is adjacent to the creature you hit. This ability may be used 3 times, and you recover uses on a long rest.

I obviously don't want to make anything too ridiculous, but more importantly, I want them to be roughly equal in power/usefulness. Any hot takes, advice, etc?

[SpanielBear]

I handed out magic items of a trinket level to players at the start of a game in a high-magic setting. I’ll edit this post to include the actual examples when I have access to my notes, but the rules I made for myself then were:

- Nothing with direct combat application, i.e. that was damage dealing on its own

- thematic, and enhanced how the player wanted their character to act, so based on backstory rather than class

- limited scope- so charges per day and nothing that replicated a level one spell without additional limitations.

I mainly wanted to avoid breaking the game balance right out of the gate.

[Warder]

The only thing that really stands out is that the Paladin's item's benefits are mutually exclusive on a single round - they're both nice in their own right, but since you have to choose between Lay on Hands and attacking (to smite) it doesn't feel very synergistic. I'd work on that somehow.

[Skrum]

I handed out magic items of a trinket level to players at the start of a game in a high-magic setting. I’ll edit this post to include the actual examples when I have access to my notes, but the rules I made for myself then were:

- Nothing with direct combat application, i.e. that was damage dealing on its own

- thematic, and enhanced how the player wanted their character to act, so based on backstory rather than class

- limited scope- so charges per day and nothing that replicated a level one spell without additional limitations.

I mainly wanted to avoid breaking the game balance right out of the gate.

Well I kinda do want these to be combat items. For one thing, most classes have very little, if any, out of combat abilities. So that would massively limit the scope of what I could with with.

Also, narratively, they are getting these items immediately before going on a very tough, end of a questline adventure. The NPC is giving it to them in the hope that it helps them succeed. So it kinda has to be combat focused.

[J-H]

How likely is 1st-round movement to cause OAs anyway? My experience is not very likely, so the meat of this item is advantage on one attack per fight and +1 damage with favored foe 1/rd.

The barbarian's ability to add a resistance tailored to the individual foes he's fighting seems more useful.

[da newt]

I'd agree that the pali and barb boons seem more impactful than the ranger's. Maybe the item could allow the GS to use dread ambusher on round 2 as well (very simple but handy).

[Skrum]

How likely is 1st-round movement to cause OAs anyway? My experience is not very likely, so the meat of this item is advantage on one attack per fight and +1 damage with favored foe 1/rd.

The barbarian's ability to add a resistance tailored to the individual foes he's fighting seems more useful.

I forgot that Favored Foe only works once per round (wow that ability is bad)

Agreed, the ranger one needs some help. Hmm

OK what if....
Ranger: your Dread Ambusher ability (+10 ft movement, extra attack when you take the attack action, and that attack does an extra 1d8) works during your 1st and 2nd turns in combat. In addition, as a bonus action, you may cast Control Flames, but it may only be used to extinguish fire.

Extending Dread Ambusher into the 2nd round is really good and self-explanatory. The other ability I was thinking as a way get rid of light sources. Probably pretty niche, but potentially really fun.

[Mad_Saulot]

The ranger charm is a bit weak compared to the others, the charm only adds on average 1 point more damage and only to the chosen enemy type, whereas the other charms have a much greater range of usage, lets face it the barb pretty much uses their reckless attack at least once per combat and the paladin always has a use for hands or smite.

For the ranger i'd suggest a charm that allows a better companion or a mobility charm thats flat out increases their movement by something like 10ft or some such.

[Angelalex242]

How about: Favored Foe now works infinite times. Further, you can change your favored foe to any enemy you can see, 1/short rest.

[J-H]

+Wis mod to damage against favored enemies?

No wait, that's just a houserule to fix Favored Enemy being pretty useless.