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Yes, most of the items from the DMG will be available, except ones specific to a certain setting (Hand of Vecna etc.) I'm going to go through your items today but I like what I see so far. Some of these will likely make a future update. I'll message you.
Might be a good idea to have a separate list in the magic item section, actually specifying which setting specific ones can't be converted. It will be such a short list that I doubt it will take up much room. Just a thought.
These are a few other ideas I had, less epic, meant more for "casual" finding, or at least not legendary items.
Part of why I'm making so many is that between the Lich in Farland who I'm hoping you approve and his needs, Galdien the mad mage and his magic item obsession, and my parties and their settings, I keep seeing things that would be extremely useful and practical.
That, and I also think it's a blast to make magic items, both balanced and OP (though for purposes here, I am trying to stick with balanced as much as possible)
(I have 2 groups playing in Farland right now, ones in Zealand with an end goal of slaying the Lord of Greed, the other in Farland doing a Charisma and stealth based campaign with an end goal to slay the Rakshasha Hope Crusher.)
These large, intricate shields were used by the royal guards of the ancient human kingdom of Kassius. You can use this +1 shield to cast Wall of Force. You cannot use the shield to cast Wall of Force again until the next sunset. Additional Shields of Kassius can be to create conjoined, larger Walls of Force: using another shield of Kassius to cast Wall of Force on an existing Wall of Force cast by a Shield of Kassius increases the size of the first Wall of Force by the amount provided by the second Wall of Force. If the Wall of Force cast by one of the Shields subsequently ends, the area of effect of the other Wall returns to its normal size. Any number of Shields of Kassius can be used in conjunction to create larger and larger Walls of Force. Alternately, the Wall of Force effect from a Shield of Kassius can be used to end an existing Wall of Force cast by another Shield of Kassius as if a Disintegrate spell had been cast on the existing Wall.
Here is my proposed changes to the Shield of Kassius. Thoughts?
OH! I forgot about talking about the Lich's obsession. :P
Lichs tend to be covetous of magic items, and often create their own. Since the Lich (Mr. Mage) in Farland is also the head of the Dark Cadre (with your approval), he has extra resources and ability to do so. At some point he hears about a rumor of Beholders and the power they wield, so he sneaks down to the lower cavers with some of his undead minions, probably including Sir Mattias, and slayed a few on the outskirts of the Beholder's territory to do some experiments.
Here is a list for ideas of the things he created to satisfy his fetish.
Magic canceling ward
Set in a mount, the eye cancels and prevents all magic in a cone in the direction it is faced. Anything in its field is immune to magic attacks and effects, including doors which it is looking at (affects both sides of the door, and is not detectable by magic finders, though a really good check may notice the lack of ANY kind of magical energy).
Curudak (Staff)
A Beholder eye fitted in the top of a staff, it is semi-sentient and is lawful neutral. It has a habit of staring at people when the staff is at rest. It has no readable thought, but it feels emotions which it’s wielder can feel. The wielder may use any of the Beholder's ray attacks from it, but may only use up to 3 until the wielder has taken a short or long rest. It also adds 1 to the attack and damage rolls of any other magic cast by the wielder.
Thalakuu (Crystal Ball)
This sentient crystallized Beholder eye is chaotic evil. It maintains and magnifies the paranoia of the Beholder it came from, as it can see many things happening regardless of distance, and even to other dimensions if it isn't specifically blocked by a powerful being. It only sees what is currently happening, but it can locate any individual with relative ease if it has a good enough description or if it personally knows them. It can telepathically transmit what it sees to anyone within 5 feet of it. Someone wielding it may request (persuade) it to show them something specific, however, it takes much glee in showing its owner flashes of the thing they fear or detest most (especially when they are asleep).
All Seer (Telescope)
This complex device was actually designed by Gnomes. They tried enchanting it to do much more than see vast distances, but it was too impractical and costly for most situations. However, when it was obtained later, and a Beholder eye was placed in it (and many more enchantments added), the telescope became much more useful. It could not only see farther than any other telescope (distance?), but with some adjustments, it could see through solid materials. The more it has to see through, the less distance it can see (ratio of thickness to distance?).
Communicators (6)
A set of Beholder eyes, enchanted and petrified, can now be used to freely communicate with each other over any distance. Anyone touching an eye may see in their mind and talk with any other person touching an eye. If the eyes are in different dimensions, the people communicating sound distant and muffled and appear blurry or faint. Excessive use of these eyes will cause the users to begin having illusions, conversations with imaginary people or perhaps imaginary conversations with the usual people.
By grinding up a dried Beholder eye, mixing it with different ingredients, and then fusing the mixes to wands, the wand can gain extra capabilities. One ground eye can be used for a few wands.
Wand of telekinesis
May use the “greater telekinesis ray” up to 3 times until taking a short rest. The ray may move objects or creatures (DC 16 strength). It can move anything either weighing 600 pounds or less up to 30 feet, or weighing 300 pounds or less up to 60 feet.
Trick wand
May use “charm ray”, “paralyzing ray”, “fear ray”, “slowing ray”, or “sleep ray”. May not use the same ray until 2 other rays have been used.
Glare wand
May use the “enervation ray”, “disintegration ray”, or “death ray”. May not use the same ray twice in a row. If the ray is used more than 3 times before a long rest it begins to tremble. After every use starting with the 4th use, roll the die (DC is # of uses). If a success, nothing happens. If failed, the wielder takes 1d4 force damage and the wand stops working until after a long rest.
Wand of the Beholder
May use each of the Beholder's 10 ray attacks once each day (long rest). (All DCs are 12 instead of 16)
One batch of eye jelly can be used to make 5 potions.
Beholder potion
Consuming this allows a creature to levitate and shoot a random ray attack from its eyes every turn, and as a reaction after being attacked. (Made from Beholder blood and eye jelly) when making this, it makes 3 doses.
Magic canceler
Consuming this makes a creature completely immune to all magic, and cancels any magical effects within 5 feet of it. It may not use magic in any way. If it is a magical creature (life is sustained by magic), it dies after consuming the potion. (Made from Beholder eye jelly) when making this, it makes 3 doses.
Insanity draft/antidote
Consuming this or breathing it in as a mist causes a creature to go insane (how to represent this in gameplay?). An antidote can be made out of an insanity draft, or the effects can be reversed using (spells). (Made from Beholder eye jelly) when making this, it makes 20 doses.
Greater insanity draft
Consuming this causes a creature to go insane (how to represent this in gameplay?). The effects can be reversed using (strong spell) at disadvantage and -2. (Made from dried Beholder brain powder mixed in eye jelly) when making this, it makes 5 doses
Floating Eyes
A concoction made primarily from Beholder blood was infused into glass spheres about 1 inch in diameter (size of a golf ball). When attuned to the spheres, they act as extra eyes which can float around the owner, giving a bonus to perception and investigation checks. As an extra action they can be sent up to 30 feet on one direction, or as an action can be specifically directed through and around corners or obstacles. Placing/Sending them into a bag or container turns them off until retrieved/summoned out again (may send/summon all attuned eyes into/from a bag or container as an extra action). Someone may attune 1 eye for every 3 levels above level 10 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma individually, and can attune a 10th if all three stats are level 20. (Thus someone with 13 Int, 15 Wis, and 12 Cha, could attune to 2 eyes because Int and Wis are at least at level 13, but not to 16 yet.) If your stats go higher than 20, you may continue attuning more eyes for every the levels in a stat. Each eye has AC 12 with 5 HP (can restore damaged eyes with greater repair spell). If an eye is destroyed, it causes 3d4 psychic damage to the owner, and they are blinded for 1 minute. If the owner dies or is incapacitated, the eyes fall and take 1 damage. If moved farther than 30 feet, the owner feels a tug in the direction of the eye, they take 1d4 damage, and the eye falls and takes 1 damage. The eyes glow faintly, so cause disadvantage to stealth involving sight when they're out, but they have darkvision.
Float Swords
Light yet strong, Beholder teeth make great weapons. They are enchanted to be able to float in a specific location when the wielder wills it to. These swords can hold up to 300 pounds suspended where it sticks, or can slow the fall of up to 600 pounds (can choose to slow the fall of less than 300 pounds). Or if underwater, it can shoot to the surface of the water, pulling up to 300 pounds at 30 feet per round, or up to 600 pounds at 10 feet per round. Using two of them would allow twice the weight. (Using them to climb air would require one sword to not be active in order to move it higher.) There are 2 sizes, longsword and shortsword. Both are light finesse weapons, in addition to the longswords’ versatile.
Float powder
Crushed from Beholder bones, this fine powder is enchanted to make anything it is sprinkled on float for 1 hour. (Basically it’s pixie dust)
Beholder steak
Raw, Beholder meat is poisonous, giving 2d4 to anyone attempting to eat it. But once cooked, it has regenerative properties. Consuming a slab of Beholder steak will restore 2d6 HP, and will cure any physical conditions. If a part of the body was recently lost (the past month or so), a cooked Beholder stake with any healing spell cast on it will restore the missing body part. The creature falls unconscious after consuming the steak for a full 24 hours, during which time the body regrows the missing part(s). If it restores any more than a whole limb, the creature is ravenously hungry until it eats (disadvantage on everything), and suffers 2 stages of exhaustion and takes 1d4 psychic damage upon waking until it's next long rest, or until eating another Beholder steak.
Beholder Pieces
Enchanted pieces of a Beholder meat. If eaten, the creature turns into a Beholder for 1 hour, gaining all of the abilities and stats of a Beholder. Anything on the creature before transforming melds into the Beholder upon transforming. Upon transforming, the creature rolls to see if it maintains its consciousness (DC 15 wisdom). If a success, the creature is fully aware of everything it knew before, and has the same mental state as it did before transforming. If fails by 5 or less, then the creature loses its sanity to a degree (DM takes over and treats it like a regular Beholder), and rolls again at the end of each turn to attempt regaining it's sanity (other creatures may assist in either regaining or solidifying the sanity/insanity). If fails by more than 5, the creature is completely insane, and is completely out of control until the end of the hour. All effects end after the hour is up, though the creature is down one exhaustion level, or down three levels if it was insane when it ended. If killed, the Beholder immediately reverts back to its original form. (The pieces also act as an all around healing device, both when transforming into the Beholder, and when changing back.) Attempting to eat another Beholder Piece before a long rest will cause 3d4 poison damage, and cause the creature to retch violently (prone several rounds), no other effects happen.
Poison Lick
Consisting of the tongue and 8 to 20 teeth of a Beholder, this non-sentient item is capable of memorizing individuals so as not to attack them. Those it does not recognize within 30 feet, it attacks by shooting the teeth at the intruders. The teeth act as Dancing Swords controlled by the tongue. (+5 attack bonus. Damage 1d6+1 and poison of DM’s choice.) The tongue and teeth rest protruding from a tub of poisonous liquid, giving them the appearance of being the lower jaw of the Beholder, one that endlessly licks its teeth coating them in the standing pool of poison. When attacking, a tooth must return to the Poison Lick to be re-coated after a successful strike or after four rounds, otherwise it will crumble to dust.
Crown of Eyes
A crown only in name, this is a cap made from thick Beholder leather with 13 gems set in it spread evenly across the surface. It fits snuggly over the top half of the head (stretching to fit the head of a medium or small creature) covering the eyes, stopping on the bridge of the nose and just above the ears. The leather has been infused with beholder blood and brain tissue among other things, and the gems infused with a concoction made primarily from beholder blood. When attuned to the crown, the wearer can see through all of the gems as individual eyes. The crown is not sentient, but prolonged use of it will eventually cause the wearer to slip into madness. Even if the wearer is already insane, wearing the crown too long will also cause disorientation making it hard for the wearer to tell what direction they are facing, and create a sense of disconnect from the wearer’s body in general as though the body is the item being worn rather than the crown. (Eventually, the wearer will decide that it is time to take it off, and will remove the body from their head.)
Wearing the crown grants the wearer darkvision, they can never be surprised or be at disadvantage from any sort of flanking, and each gem can also be attuned to up to 7 Floating Eyes (see the description of Floating Eyes) allowing the wearer to also see through each of the Floating Eyes. Their range of control is extended to 100 ft. and can be carried as far as 50 miles before losing contact with the crown. A captured Floating Eye may be attuned to a new wielder, ending the attunement to the crown. The crown helps the wearer manage all the images it sees, and better control the Floating Eyes. Up to 15 bonus actions may be used to directly control eyes (an action being defined as specific direction changes, no more than 3 actions per eye), and all can be sent to a specific location or given a general command (such as spread out) as a single bonus action. Each gem has AC 16 with 10 HP (can restore damaged gems and/or the leather of the crown with greater repair spell). If a gem is destroyed, it causes 2d4 psychic damage plus 1d4 for each Floating Eye attuned to that gem to the owner, and any Floating Eyes attuned the that gem fall, no longer connected to the crown. If the owner dies, is incapacitated, or the crown is removed, the crown maintains control of any Floating Eyes it’s attuned to, gently setting them down where they were until a conscious individual wears the crown again.
Leather (small)
The hide of a Beholder can be tanned into a tough yet flexible leather. It always feels slimy even when it is bone dry, and wearing anything made from it is a little unsettling, but it has its benefits. When wearing anything made from Beholder leather like bracers, give any stat -1, then spread +3 between any of the other 5 stats (you may give 2 or all 3 to a single stat). If you wear multiple items of Beholder leather, you must use the exact same effects (-1str, +1dex, +2wis becomes -2str, +2dex, +4wis. etc.). Removing the leather items for a full day allows you to reset the effects when you put them back on. If you wear 3 or more of these, people can tell there is something… off... about you, and are thus more wary and on edge when you are around. You are at disadvantage when making checks for persuasion, performance, and slight of hand (DM discretion for deception checks), but are at advantage for intimidation checks. Also, people are more likely to remember you in a bad way, will be more likely to betray/less likely to help, and you are extremely likely to draw suspicious attention from guards, soldiers, or any other enforcement groups good or bad.
Example items:
Bracers
Chaps
Gloves
Hood
Boots
Leather (large)
Same as the small leather items, except you give a stat -2, then spread +4 between up to 3 other stats, and chose one of those 3 stats to increase its max by 1. Additionally, people are more wary and on edge when you wear even one of these items.
Example items:
Cloak
Vest
Tabard
Robe
Risen undead Beholder (non-magical)
Simply animating a Beholder skull will give it a skeletal sentience and allow it to hop around with great effort. It can bite, but that's it.
Risen undead Beholder (magical)
Using a special ritual which includes using a Beholder eye will restore some of the Beholder's magic. It can levitate again, and it can use a single ray attack each turn.
It was a great effort not to make a bunch of "eye" jokes (Crystal Ball = Eye Ball; Name something the "Eye of the Beholder", that sort of stuff). :P
Also, a couple more critical items for his plan to eventually overthrow the Lord of Wrath and rule the world himself:
Authority Anchor (or just “anchor”)
Modeled from the Thrall Collar
An enchanted iron ball ¼ in. in diameter. When using a spell that raises the dead (animate undead, create undead, etc…), if the undead already had an anchor embedded somewhere in their skull, the duration of the spell is extended indefinitely.
Liquid Bone (neither bone nor liquid)
A mythril rod, 1 foot long and turned black. When this touches bare bone, the bone reaching 3 inches in every dirrecting along the bone begins to soften. For the first minute, it retains it's shape, but becomes malleable like clay. Another minute of contact makes it start to become a little runny. A third minute will turn it to a gooey liquid. Removing contact of the rod from the bone, the bone will begin solidifying in whatever form it currently is in (about the same amount of time to completely solidify going in reverse order). It has no magical effect if it does not have direct contact with bone (cannot melt bones through skin or muscle).
That looks like a good adjustment to the Shields of Kassius. I was afraid that the explanation I gave for them was a bit too much.
I really like the last bit, using one shield to cancel the effects of another shield. I don't see many cases where that would be used, but what if they could be used to remove ANY shield, like an enemy Wall of Force spell or Shield spell?
PS. The idea behind the spears is more to be able to protrude through that Kassius defensive line rather than to aggressively attack enemy shields.
PPS. A Spear of Kassius could also be what (Mr. Mage) modeled the Spear that Gorgos carries around, though he could find a way to replicate the shield penetration ability.