Spasmodic Wand of Magical Might

[Rerem115]

I got really bored at work today while simultaneously suffering a bad case of the hiccups. While I languished in my annoyance, I came up with this item. What do you guys think?

Spasmodic Wand of Magical Might. Wonderous Item, Very Rare, Attunement (must be able to cast at least one spell)

This smoothly polished ebony rod is covered in glowing magical sigils, and a long scar mars one side. It thrums with arcane energy, promising great power to those who would wield it…If there weren’t a few hiccups in the design. Literally. The wand was created by a mighty wizard who suffered from chronic hiccups, and his condition was passed on to the wand.

While attuned, the wand gives a +2 bonus to spell attack and damage rolls, you ignore 3/4 cover when you make a spell attack, and increases the DC of your spells by 1. However, you also suffer a continual case of the hiccups, causing you to roll Concentration checks with disadvantage. These hiccups grow particularly fierce when magic is channeled through the wand; whenever you attempt to cast a spell, you must succeed on a DC 13 Concentration check. On a failure, the spell fizzles, but the spell slot isn’t wasted, as a sudden hiccup distracts you before you can use your magic.

Nothing, not even a wish spell, can cure these hiccups. They can, however, be suppressed by a minute long ritual where the wielder stands on their head and drinks a mixture of hot water, horseradish, and raw egg, the preferred cure of the wand’s creator. Once the ritual is over, the wielder’s hiccups vanish…for 15 minutes.

[khadgar567]

Perfect item to annoy casters either make fort save to not get poisoned or cannot cast spell

[LegendForHire]

This is pretty fantastic. I'd love to see it used in my group

[JNAProductions]

Perfect item to annoy casters either make fort save to not get poisoned or cannot cast spell

I mean... Not really? Not at all?

If they have +9 to Con saves, they literally cannot fail the DC 10 check needed to cast a spell. Admittedly, without other magic items or a Paladin to buff them, that's only achievable by level 12 (and more realistically, level 13, since you want to max that casting stat soon). But still, this item is way too flipping good. +3 to attack rolls and damage rolls is Very Rare-this gives it to attack rolls and save DCs, which is a lot more valuable. If this item is acquired at level 13, when you can take Resilient Con, have an 18 Con, and therefore get +9 to your Con saves (or just be a Sorcerer) you'r rocking a save DC of 21. Choose the right spell, and your opponent will have literally NO CHANCE of succeeding against that.

Even if you only have, say, +5 to Con saves, you still only have about a 1/3 chance of wasting a spell. Which is, admittedly, pretty bad, but considering it can take your spells from resistable to unresistable...

[Rerem115]

Then it's just a question of numbers. What do you think the DC should be, then? Or rarity, for that matter; I tend not to put too much thought to the rarity of magic items, since in a lot of cases, either the party is going to have an item or they aren't, regardless of rarity.

[JNAProductions]

Then it's just a question of numbers. What do you think the DC should be, then?

I think you shouldn't give such massive bonuses, is what I think.

Because if you tweak the numbers so it's balanced, it won't be fun. Having an X% chance of losing your action to hiccups, but if it does go through, it's unstoppable... That's not fun.

[Rerem115]

So, what, make everything a +2, then?

[Rerem115]

I changed the bonuses to make it a lot less overwhelming, and changed the save DC to keep the chance of failure always relevant.

[JNAProductions]

Okay. Not a wand I'd want to use, but I think it's reasonably balanced now.

[BerzerkerUnit]

I far prefer cursed items to be cursed and beneficial ones to be beneficial. Anything that jerks with the action economy is right out.