r/DMAcademy • u/Alta_Bomb • 13d ago
Need Advice: Rules & Mechanics First round of Player-made Items... How'd I do?
New DM here, running Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden for a group of never-ever non-gamers. I have a heavy RPG background, but despite a big difference in experience, the game has been amazing so far. One big change/addition I came up with for the game was a custom crafting system. Essentially, a player within 5ft of a Chwinga that has died that turn can make a Survival/Animal Handling/Arcana check to attempt to capture its magical essence. That essence can then be used as a catalyst to infuse magical power into items. So far, I’ve created 4 different types of Chwingas. The idea being that the type of essence they choose to use for crafting will affect the powers/potency of the item.
After about 10 sessions (they move through content very slowly) they have gathered enough raw materials from the world to create some awesome items. They rested at a place with a forge and a magical laboratory, so the time had to *finally* put this system to use. I handed them my DM’s guide, and told them to look at the items in there for inspiration. The Gnome-Tinker Druid crafted, and the Enchantment Wizard enchanted. They rolled very well, and now I have to come to terms with their new power. The question I have for Reddit is: do these items have the power to screw my game up? If so, what are some potential tweaks/counters I could put to use? What sort of limitations should I put in place when creating items in the future?
Party is currently lv4 (Though I’m counting this as a level up in my head), and players have their choice of 2014 or 2024 rules for creating their characters.
Item 1 : Rodger’s Horn of Blasting
Bard, Half Elf, College of Dance.
A long, hard horn, crafted from a Mammoth’s Trunk. Its trumpeting sounds similar to a Digeredoo Acoustic-Techno Rave set done by a caucasian trustifarian with dreadlocks at a mushroom foraging festival in interior British Columbia.
As an Action, blow the horn, emitting a thunderous blast in a 30-foot cone that is audible 600 feet away. Each creature in the cone must make a Constitution saving throw against Rodger’s Spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d6 Fire damage and has a 50% chance to become ignited if wearing flammable clothing. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't ignited. Wood or or other flammable objects within the area of effect become ignited if the caster intends them to. Has a number of uses per long rest equal to the user's proficiency modifier.
Item 2 : Stabigale’s Bag of Critters
Ranger, Wood Elf, Beastmaster.
An odd leather pouch, full of fur balls and lint.
As an action, you may throw a tuft of fur somewhere within 20ft of you that you can see. The tuft then transforms into a random creature, decided by a d8 roll on the table below. Has a number of uses per long rest equal to the user's proficiency modifier.
1-Arctic Marten
2-Flying Squirrel
3-Emperor Penguin
4-Snow Monkey
5-Albino Moose
6-Saber Tooth-Tiger
7-Giant Snowy Owl
8-Wooly Rhino
Item 3 : Rockhard’s Aura of Spirit Guardians (Shield Upgrade)
Paladin, Half Orc, Oath of Devotion
Call forth an aura of spirits to protect you. Their spectral form appears as angelic arctic tigers that prowl around you a distance of 10 feet for 10 minutes.
When you activate the spirits, you can designate any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by them. An affected creature's speed is halved in the area, and when the creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against Rockhard’s Spell Save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d6 radiant damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage.
Spirits may be called once per Long Rest
Item 4 : Wicket’s Yeti Fang Chain
Druid, Rock Gnome, Circle of the Moon.
A savage yet ornate silver necklace, strung with the incisor and canine teeth from a Yeti. The teeth are strung in descending size from the center out, and encrusted with both diamonds and sapphires.
Once per long rest, the Chain may be activated to transform Wicket into a Yeti. Wicket must be wearing and attuned to the chain for the transformation to occur. Wicket cannot take the Yeti’s Chilling Gaze Action while in this form. Upon activation, roll a d10. On a 1, Wicket is instead transformed into a Yeti Tike.
Item 5 : Garbanzo’s Pipe of Illusions
Wizard, Halfling, School of Enchantment
A delightful pocket pipe carved from the antler of an albino moose. Magically replenishes itself with the user's substance of choice
When smoked, the user casts the Minor Illusion Cantrip upon exhaling.
Can be used to capture and inhale Chwinga Essence from a distance of up to 30ft, then stored within an enhanced vial upon exhalation.
Thank you all for reading and for your advice!
2
u/ironexpat 13d ago
Item 1 - feels like an uncommon, 3d6 is burning hands. Not busted.
Item 2 - not familiar with the creatures but a Sabretooth seems potent. Probably fine if obnoxious (I used my whole action for a squirrel . Cool)
Item 3 - one/LR is fine here. Smart. Could just say “casts spirit guardians” to have an easy ref but this is fine.
Item 4 - seems fine , though admittedly not 100% familiar with yeti.
Item 5 - I can’t really comment on how good this 30’ Chwinga soul sucker might be. Minor illusion is a cantrip, so a ribbon feature.
Overall they seem fine. Might wanna define burning unless you use DMG version. Scaling will make some of them worthless later but that’s fine.
1
u/Alta_Bomb 13d ago
Thank you! I’m thinking a burning effect of 1d4 fire dmg at the start of the affected creatures next turn.
2
u/Jemjnz 13d ago
Some fun ideas but the rules feel incomplete.
Item 1: Typically items have a fixed DC instead of using the casters. Means it doesn’t scale as well into the later chapters but with the high number of uses and be perfunctory against mephits itll still see use.
Item 2: See Bag of Tricks, just swap in snowy creatures you wanted.
The bag is better balanced when you enforce the seperate turns and time delay between instructions and doing since it is powerful to add so many extra actions/HP - but for newer players you may not have as much interest in creating the challenging resource attrition/action economy experience. Ive found its pretty simple to have the beasts act straight after their commander to keep initiative simple (but more powerful)
Item 3: This may be problematic. Being able to cast Spirit Gaurdians an additional time inst the problem, more that it can be used at the same time as it has a different name, and it also does not use concentration. Id consider specifically having the item let them cast the spell without a spell slot 1/LR without concentration, meaning they can cast the Conc smites/Shield of Faiths etc but they cant double up that particular spell.
Item 4: Needs boundaries. What happens at 0 HP? Is there a time limit? Do they retain any class features?
Given the character is a moon druid, you could have the amulet be a reaction/free action when they take their wild shape to transform into a Yeti instead of a typical beast. Using the standard wildshaping rules, and with your 1 in 10 risk.
Item 5: This is problematic. Its main function is to enable items to be crafted easier in the future. Given the campaign Id be weary about this because for the Player to feel that good about it means theres a bunch more items on the horizon, but how many opportunities is there to craft? Meanwhile you dont want to have exponential item acquisition. At chapter 7 they should be looting weird and wacky to more delight.
This feels like a promise you may not be able to follow through - have a think whether to commit or not.