More Items with unique recharge abilities
Made a post before about this and have since done some testing to some good success. These are items that, as the title suggests, have unique recharge requirements. They require different tasks or have specific conditions in which they gain additional charges. The goal of these items are two-fold.
First is to enable items so they can actually be used in combat. One of my pet peeves with DnD is that it encourages the hoarding of abilities and resources until the last possible moment. This is commonly seen in every person ever who plays an rpg and hoardes all there consumables until the last boss then doesn't even use them. That's not fun. While item charges are not quite as dramatic as that it is fairly frequent I have players who don't use all their charges by the end of the day. So I want to create items that actually get used.
Second is to create a little more movement and alternative thinking in combat. This is primarily inspired from strategy games/card games in which some strategies will have a secondary objective which enables the primary one. In DnD I would hope to invoke situations where the barbarian doesn't run directly at the the dragon to whack but rather runs to the far end of the cavern and desperately tries to read a language they don't understand in order to "learn something" to enable their "mind axe" so they can deal more psychic damage. Again, an over dramatized example but it gets the point across.
Any feedback on these at all would be appreciated. Primarily looking at the recharge mechanic part but general balance is always appreciated too. A lot of these need number tweeks.
So with that here are a few more items I've been designing with unique recharge abilities. They are not fully balanced yet but they should be close.
- Rising Roc
Weapon (any bow or crossbow), rare (requires attunement)
This ivory bone bow is decorated with the feathers of a great bird. The arrow rest is made from obsidian talons. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
This weapon has 3 charges. When you make an attack with this weapon you may spend any number of charges and add that number to your attack roll. Additionally add that many d4 of thunder damage to the damage roll. This weapon regains all charges after completing a long rest. Alternatively, when the wielder ascends 10ft they may regain one charge.
This is a good example item for the concept. I've been bouncing back and forth on a few things with this weapon. I'm between having it have 3 or 4 charges and recharging after rising 10ft or 15ft. Regardless, in my testing it's had my rogue actually moving around trying to find things to climb or ways to get tossed up. It's been one of my favorite to see used and achieves what I'm looking for in this kind of item.
- Cloud Craft Masterwork
Any Armor or Shield, rare (requires attunement)
A beautiful piece of artistry hand crafted by Cloud Giant rune smiths. Light as a wisp but sturdy as steel.
This item has one charge. When an attack is made on allied creature within 30ft of you, you may use your reaction to spend one charge of the Masterwork in order to swap places with your ally. The attack is made on you instead. This item regains all charges at the end of a long rest. Alternatively, when you would make an attack at advantage you can instead forgoe that advantage and regain one charge of your Masterwork.
I have found tank items are the easiest to make these kind of items for. This one is one of my favorites. Initially I was hesitant to make items like this one change but through testing I've found it actually works really well. It really promotes the player to use their ability so that they have their charge empty and available to be recharged. There are countless times in testing I've had players express disappointment in "damn I knew I should have used my ability last turn. I would have been able to recharge it."
I'm mixed on the recharge requirement for this as, mechanically it's felt good but, flavor wise it's a bit off base. I've tried a few things but this is the one that has mechanically resulted in the most thought from the player in balancing "oh, do I want to attack with advantage or get my charge back." I've also tried having it read "When an enemy makes an attack at you with disadvantage you may allow them a normal roll and recharge one charge." I like that better in feel but mechanically it was really rare for an enemy to be attacking my fighter and Paladin with disadvantage. This made the item a lot less usable. I'm sure there are other classes that could force the disadvantage more often such as monk but a monk doesn't really want to be taking hits like this.
- Words of the World
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
A carved amulet said to be made of a shard of a tower of great knowledge destroyed by the gods long ago.
This amulet has one charge. When you cast a leveled spell you may spend one charge to cast command at first level without using a spell slot as a bonus action. This charge recharges at the end of a long rest. Alternatively, you may decrease a mental stat by one until your next long rest. If you do so regain one charge.
Conversely to tanks I've found casters are really hard to make these kind of items for. Primarily because of balance. I have others that are weaker and easier to make but are more supplementary to casters goals such as helping with cantrips or getting out of dodge rather than actual casting. I wanted to show this one because it's an example of a piwerful item that I want to make reuseable but not spammable. I want help making the recharge costly but not debilitating.
I've had other ideas for this item that I may use for other items but this is the one I landed on mechanically and thematically. But if there are any better ideas please, I need help.
Other ideas I've had for recharging this item: Use a reaction when you take damage from a spell. This works mechanically but thematically has nothing to do with the item. I will use it elsewhere though. Use a reaction to consume a spell scroll. This was just too easy. I also don't like it in general because it doesn't really create interesting situations in combat. Use your reaction to kneel down and learn something new. I'd word this different but the thought process is you'd go prone to read a book or tomb potentially opening yourself up to attack. It was thematic and kind of worked but it promoted a very still play style which was kind of boring. Another one I'll use elsewhere with tweaks. Finally, use your reaction when you cast a spell you haven't today. Again thematic but too easy. Will probably use elsewhere.
- Treat bag
Wondrous item, uncommon
A small bag full of treats for any and all animals.
This item can hold up to 10 charges. While you are within 5ft of a beast with a CR of 1/2 or less you may use an Action to make a DC 14 animal handling check. If you are successful that beast becomes your familiar for an amount of hours equal to the amount of charges you spent. Additionally you can communicate with it as if you cast Speak With Animals. Your bond ends with the best if you end it as a bonus action or if the beast is reduced to 0 hit points. Unlike a normal familiar it's body remains after being reduced to 0 hp. If you have the beast dismissed to a pocket dimension when the effect ends it appears in the nearest unoccupied space to you.
This item gains a charge whenever you pet the belly of a new beast.
Probably my favorite item thematically. Also an example of an out of combat item. One that doesn't recharge any charges unless you complete it's requirements. Some notes, as a familiar, the beast cannot attack so even if you get a black bear it is still only able to take the help action. Though it is still an intimidating bear that can body block. I also allow the animal to die because I'm an evil DM who likes crushing what my players love the most (muahahaha). But if you use this item and don't like that you could just have it poof to it's home and/or run away. Also, for the recharge, this is unique animals individually. So not horse, cat, dog, etc.. but individual horses, cats, or dogs. So if your party has some horses pulling the cart you can pet their bellies once and gain charges but never again (although you can pet their bellies again you just won't get charges). You would gain charges though if you pet the bellies of new individual horses.
Yes this is the item on this list with the most text it's very important.
Any feedback would be great! I really like this concept and want to continue expanding it but I am running into road blocks in a few areas. So any ideas right now are good ones!