Ok, about the "Waterbroom" one of my players from past editions, had a Broom of Flying that granted waterbreading for up to 4 creatures that were riding the broom, and the reason he had this, was because his mother was "The Dreaded pirate Bane Witch, the Kelp Queen of the dead coast" who would hang entire pirate crews from the masts of their ships with enchanted blood sucking kelp, and in her old age, opened a bakery in the fishing village the players were from. Because it was a gift from his mom, he had the stipulation that he could never De-attune from it. Not because it was cursed, but because the Character was a Momma's boy. An item with story to it can be more meaningful than a perfect build item.
The old idea of a wish list also is helpful in so many ways. Shows what they want (so you can know what they are trying to do) and any possible conflicts.
I love making magic items. If I have the time, I always attach a small story to each magic item. For instance, I am going to give my players a ring of swimming pretty soon. The text in the item states that it is "too big for your fingers, so you have to wear it on your thumb." It's because giants originally made the ring, and their sense of humanoid proportion is off. I also take a lot of inspiration from Destiny 2 and add flavor text to my magic items. It allows me to name drop things from lore before they come up in game, so the players can learn about the world through showing instead of telling. And don't get me started on weapons that level with the characters. Those are really fun to give out. I really like Ancestral Weapons from the DMsGuild because they also have sidequests before you can advance to the next tier of power in the weapon.
for party-wide items, if I can't find something really good, I try to give them something infinite but not game breaking. infinite identify doesn't hurt anyone, but when players want to interact with your world but are struggling to roll high on their insights and arcanas, go for it. players with the spell will be glad to use the slot for something else.
I made a homebrew item I called the "artificers arrow" which is an arrow that can have a level 3 spell imbued onto it. I'm interested to see how the players use it.
I'm still worried about the Build Magic Item rules in the new DMG are just too easy 200gp and a week for a Uncommon item and that item can be Armor that can cast the Shield spell 6 times a day?!? CRAZY!!! Also, that sheet is made for a group of 4 but it doesn't say that those 6 items are items or charges (like 6 charges of Shield spell) or does that include the 4 healing potions you got from the mayor at the beginning of the day? This was excellent practical advice on a difficult subject based on experience. Thanks again! Excellent Video.
The problem with the DMs items by rarities is that consumables are in no way in the same tier of a reward as other items. Lvs 1-4 here are your 6 common potions of healing, 4 potions of resistance and 1 potion of mind reading... and your players are going to be pretty ticked at that. When alternatively each player could get a +1 implement/weapon, and maybe one person finds something cool like a flametongue.
Consumables are where it's at, although I disagree with the rarity ranking of these items - most of them should be lowered by one rank at least. High level casters can do a lot. However, martial characters need magic items to balance utility. Be cautious with constant Flying and Wands/Staff/Rods. Flying trivializes many challenges, and Wands and the like don't run out if you are smart. A simple Wand of Magic Missiles is very powerful. I like to use Treasure Generators, like the one on Donjon. Generate multiple results and pick one you like. Saves lots of time. Great Video!
I feel like I give magic items pretty liberally, but man, that list puts me to shame! I had seen it in the past, numerically, but when you spell it out like that it's a whole lot of magic!
EVIL LAUGHTER. EVIL DM LAUGHTER. Crying in pain another dm did this. Never randomly roll for items. Especially thirty seconds after the group has open the chest. 1: 59 NO. NO. Do not give out free bags. Turn on encumbrance and make the monk and barbarian move only 20 feet due to being over loaded. 5:39 decanter of endless water. I create a short adventure in 1E around this. Dungeon was flooding. Some where some time ago left one running and the water finally broke through into a working dungeon. In 3e I forget which module had it used as fire truck. In 5e Radial Citadel has one. I do suggest changing some of the outputs. You forgot the Cartoon Portable Hole. Creates a 10-foot pit in the floor or wall of the dungeon. Good for getting around medium big bad monsters. 6:57 BEWARE the MAGIC EIGHT BALL of Death. The 1E version not the wimpy 5E version. I do not suggest you use in your out house. 10:36 A Deck of Many things should be use to end a campaign. Some of the cards are very interesting. How many different producers are selling their version of the cards? 11:29 On Pets. I just make most of them immortal. If I kill them during a session, they back the next session. This is more of book keeping solution than a story solution. 13:08 Creating a magic item. No magic missile machine guns. Hey Talon is suing you for stealing his IP. Lawyer Lee Horsley will be in touch. 14:55 Wise cracking magic swords can become a big bother for both the DM and Group. I think one my creations got dipped into a sphere of annihilation when it got uppity. Always make your homebrew magic item to have patch notes.
Who cares if the players don't get the items they want? Giving out player specific magic items is how you destroy game balance. The fighter should feel very lucky to get a flame tongue. He shouldn't feel entitled to it.
I agree with a lot of this, but I believe you should have diversity in your party so they can have their moments for what they're built for. Not everyone needs a pet or a familiar for example.
Breaking down items by "what they're about" is actually really useful and seems so simple in retrospect. Fantastic advice!
Ok, about the "Waterbroom" one of my players from past editions, had a Broom of Flying that granted waterbreading for up to 4 creatures that were riding the broom, and the reason he had this, was because his mother was "The Dreaded pirate Bane Witch, the Kelp Queen of the dead coast" who would hang entire pirate crews from the masts of their ships with enchanted blood sucking kelp, and in her old age, opened a bakery in the fishing village the players were from. Because it was a gift from his mom, he had the stipulation that he could never De-attune from it. Not because it was cursed, but because the Character was a Momma's boy. An item with story to it can be more meaningful than a perfect build item.
The Flanders joke sent me. Didnt expect the echo of "Nothing at all"
Nothing at all
The old idea of a wish list also is helpful in so many ways. Shows what they want (so you can know what they are trying to do) and any possible conflicts.
I love making magic items. If I have the time, I always attach a small story to each magic item. For instance, I am going to give my players a ring of swimming pretty soon. The text in the item states that it is "too big for your fingers, so you have to wear it on your thumb." It's because giants originally made the ring, and their sense of humanoid proportion is off. I also take a lot of inspiration from Destiny 2 and add flavor text to my magic items. It allows me to name drop things from lore before they come up in game, so the players can learn about the world through showing instead of telling.
And don't get me started on weapons that level with the characters. Those are really fun to give out. I really like Ancestral Weapons from the DMsGuild because they also have sidequests before you can advance to the next tier of power in the weapon.
for party-wide items, if I can't find something really good, I try to give them something infinite but not game breaking. infinite identify doesn't hurt anyone, but when players want to interact with your world but are struggling to roll high on their insights and arcanas, go for it. players with the spell will be glad to use the slot for something else.
I made a homebrew item I called the "artificers arrow" which is an arrow that can have a level 3 spell imbued onto it. I'm interested to see how the players use it.
I'm still worried about the Build Magic Item rules in the new DMG are just too easy 200gp and a week for a Uncommon item and that item can be Armor that can cast the Shield spell 6 times a day?!? CRAZY!!! Also, that sheet is made for a group of 4 but it doesn't say that those 6 items are items or charges (like 6 charges of Shield spell) or does that include the 4 healing potions you got from the mayor at the beginning of the day?
This was excellent practical advice on a difficult subject based on experience. Thanks again! Excellent Video.
The problem with the DMs items by rarities is that consumables are in no way in the same tier of a reward as other items. Lvs 1-4 here are your 6 common potions of healing, 4 potions of resistance and 1 potion of mind reading... and your players are going to be pretty ticked at that. When alternatively each player could get a +1 implement/weapon, and maybe one person finds something cool like a flametongue.
I had no idea that each table was catered to a different group of classes. Is that explained in the DMG? Never understood the purpose of each table.
Yeah the new DMG explains it but it is easy to miss!
Consumables are where it's at, although I disagree with the rarity ranking of these items - most of them should be lowered by one rank at least.
High level casters can do a lot. However, martial characters need magic items to balance utility.
Be cautious with constant Flying and Wands/Staff/Rods. Flying trivializes many challenges, and Wands and the like don't run out if you are smart. A simple Wand of Magic Missiles is very powerful.
I like to use Treasure Generators, like the one on Donjon. Generate multiple results and pick one you like. Saves lots of time.
Great Video!
Cursed items are fun if you have that one guy in the party who loves to cast Identify on everything. XD
Very helpful video. Thank you. 😃
or if you doing a norse campagin a fold away ship.
I feel like I give magic items pretty liberally, but man, that list puts me to shame! I had seen it in the past, numerically, but when you spell it out like that it's a whole lot of magic!
Great video! Thank you.
EVIL LAUGHTER. EVIL DM LAUGHTER. Crying in pain another dm did this. Never randomly roll for items. Especially thirty seconds after the group has open the chest.
1: 59 NO. NO. Do not give out free bags. Turn on encumbrance and make the monk and barbarian move only 20 feet due to being over loaded.
5:39 decanter of endless water. I create a short adventure in 1E around this. Dungeon was flooding. Some where some time ago left one running and the water finally broke through into a working dungeon. In 3e I forget which module had it used as fire truck. In 5e Radial Citadel has one. I do suggest changing some of the outputs.
You forgot the Cartoon Portable Hole. Creates a 10-foot pit in the floor or wall of the dungeon. Good for getting around medium big bad monsters.
6:57 BEWARE the MAGIC EIGHT BALL of Death. The 1E version not the wimpy 5E version. I do not suggest you use in your out house.
10:36 A Deck of Many things should be use to end a campaign. Some of the cards are very interesting. How many different producers are selling their version of the cards?
11:29 On Pets. I just make most of them immortal. If I kill them during a session, they back the next session. This is more of book keeping solution than a story solution.
13:08 Creating a magic item. No magic missile machine guns. Hey Talon is suing you for stealing his IP. Lawyer Lee Horsley will be in touch.
14:55 Wise cracking magic swords can become a big bother for both the DM and Group. I think one my creations got dipped into a sphere of annihilation when it got uppity.
Always make your homebrew magic item to have patch notes.
If they are crafting magic items. Those count against the list. Evil Dm Laughter.
So many items damn
Who cares if the players don't get the items they want? Giving out player specific magic items is how you destroy game balance. The fighter should feel very lucky to get a flame tongue. He shouldn't feel entitled to it.
I agree with a lot of this, but I believe you should have diversity in your party so they can have their moments for what they're built for. Not everyone needs a pet or a familiar for example.
Morning!
third comment