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Spacehamster
2018-01-14, 03:23 AM
When starting at 8 and getting to choose 1 Rare magic item and 1 uncommon just dump CON and
pick a 19 CON item as your uncommon pick? Cheesy as **** but could roleplay it as either an
older PC or a sick one that bought/found a magic item as a crutch?

hymer
2018-01-14, 04:02 AM
When starting at 8 and getting to choose 1 Rare magic item and 1 uncommon just dump CON and
pick a 19 CON item as your uncommon pick? Cheesy as **** but could roleplay it as either an
older PC or a sick one that bought/found a magic item as a crutch?

It could be worth it. I mean, if you're playing something particularly MAD and you can really make use of those points, then it could be worth it.
On the other hand, drop a 14 in con and as much as you can in your main stat, and you'll probably be just fine for most builds.

DeTess
2018-01-14, 04:03 AM
If this campaign will go on to high levels then you might regret it. The item takes up an atunement slot that at some point you might want to fill with something else, but if you've dumped con you can't replace this one as your life depends on it.

Quoz
2018-01-14, 04:52 AM
On one hand, this is the definition of a Munchkin move. On the other hand, it brings to mind the barbarians from Discworld, the Silver Hoard. Fear the old guy in a profession where men die young.

Zilong
2018-01-14, 04:58 AM
A similar concept was done in one of R.A. Salvatore's (that guy who writes D&D novels which D&D fans love or love to hate) book series. In the Saga of the First King the protagonist has a neurological disorder of some sort and doesn't have very good control of his limbs. That gets solved by a magic item (kind of sort of) which made him much more coordinated. Effectively, the guy dumped dex but had a magic item which set it to 19.

If I was DM and a player came up with this character I'd probably be fine with it as long as the player realized there would be time when they might lose the item and be vulnerable and/or have some other flaws.

nickl_2000
2018-01-14, 09:14 AM
When starting at 8 and getting to choose 1 Rare magic item and 1 uncommon just dump CON and
pick a 19 CON item as your uncommon pick? Cheesy as **** but could roleplay it as either an
older PC or a sick one that bought/found a magic item as a crutch?

From a role play perspective, this magical idea could be part of his back story. He was always a sickly child, and his family saved their money and sold their farm to buy this item for him.

Now due to the item, he has set out as an adventurer to make his name and his fortune to pay his family back for the sacrifice that they made for him.

It explains it, gives you a reason to be out adventuring, and gives you something to do with your cash at high levels (but them a castle!)

RakiReborn
2018-01-14, 09:21 AM
I have done this in AL with DM rewards for my bladesinger/rogue with a headband of intellect.
The stat spread was mad, especially with the multiclass, as I wanted him to be a frontliner that acts as a tank. I started with 8-16-14-13(19)-8-12, half elf. This way I could AC-tank and minor control with a combination of booming blade, radish audacity and sentinel feat.

I see no problem in doing this, as long as you don't need the attunement later in your career. My char doesn't need it, so it was fine, but if you go into high levels you might really like a different item.

Asmotherion
2018-01-14, 09:34 AM
To be honest, as a DM I tend to be stingy with permanent Magical Items. In your case, I would make it your Rare pick, best case scenario, if you were commited to the idea, and let you roll with it.

Be aware that in case you loose the item, you loose all the bonus HP you got from it at once, so it's literaly a Win-Lose situation; Loosing actual HP will Hurt you, RP wise, both figurativelly and literally.

If anyone becomes aware of your possetion, they will probably try to take it from you, one way or an other. It will effectivelly become your most valuable possetion, as your life literally depends on it. Dm freebies come at an RP cost, and high quality ones come at a higher cost. Just some things to remember if you decide to go through with it.

Ganders
2018-01-14, 10:52 AM
In my DMG the Amulet of Health is rare, even though the Headband of Intellect is uncommon.

I did create a character with 9 CON to take advantage of this, but haven't really seen how it plays out yet. It's a really powerful move at low level, but I worry greatly about losing it. I wouldn't put it past the DM to give us bonus magic items as a ploy (only to have them taken and we quest to get them back from the BBEG). Anti-magic fields could be a problem too.

Lonely Tylenol
2018-01-14, 09:18 PM
I had a similar request from my players, when I started a game at level 6 with two uncommon magical items, for the Gauntlets of Ogre Strength. I told him, prepare your character on a level-by-level basis. If it makes sense for your character at level 1 to organically seek compensation for their poor Strength, such as a Paladin with 14 Strength who focused on leadership and personality, but wanted to shore up that weakness down the line, then sure, pick up the Gauntlets. But if the character doesn’t make any sense at all without them, such as a Paladin with 8 or 10 Strength who also dumped Dex and then suddenly becomes a viable adventurer because they got pre-arranged Gauntlets at some point in their backstory, then no way, Jose.

I’m glad Jose listened, mind, because the campaign later reverted to level 1 and I used the starting magic items they gave me to create a wish list of what to incorporate in the first five levels. :smalltongue:

the secret fire
2018-01-14, 09:39 PM
If your DM wanted to hand out magical candy, he should have at least had you guys make your characters first. The idea of dumping a stat and propping it up by way of magic item is extremely...ahem...unlikely. I mean, how was your character supposed to have survived before he found the item?

I'll avoid other pejorative terms, and simply suggest that such a character design is obviously gaming the system, and probably not what your DM intended if he has any sense. This is a very 3.5 move: integrating magic items as a necessary part of one's "build". I, for one, do not miss those days, but maybe you do. To each, his own.

Honest Tiefling
2018-01-14, 09:42 PM
I'd ask. Yeah, it's kinda cheesy, but for all we know, the DM is expecting this and wants a more munchkiny game. No harm in asking, right?

suplee215
2018-01-14, 09:50 PM
I see nothing too big. Yea, it's a bit munchkinly but I don't see it any more than going fighter and getting a +2 magic. You are kind of picking your poison as well as an anti magic field will be extremely fearful. Also just to throw gasoline on the fire, that item for con as your uncommon will look nice alongside your Belt of Hill Giant Strength.

Jerrykhor
2018-01-14, 10:02 PM
Like most people said, its kind of munchkiny, but if your DM is the type that likes to strip the players of all their gear once in a while, or use Anti-Magic fields, then you might regret it.

PeteNutButter
2018-01-15, 01:28 PM
It's not a horrible choice. People above have pointed out the potential downsides (item lost/stolen, anti-magic field, attunement), but I'd like to point out the opportunity cost. What is your character concept? Most martial characters could use a +2 weapon far more than a couple more points in con, or more points to put into dump stats. I'm partial to the Sunblade for a rare item as it is a +2 weapon that also does extra stuff like light and extra damage to undead.

Unless you're playing a MAD multiclass, I'd forgo the dump a stat, item boost it strategy. Depending on your class you might be able to easily point buy a 16 con and get the same benefit of the amulet with a Belt of Dwarvenkind, except the belt also gives poison resist and doesn't turn you into a paper tiger if it's taken off.

Point buying a 14 con and a Cloak of Displacement will probably be more than enough to keep you alive from attack rolls.

If it were me, I'd probably use my rare item for something offensive, and look to grab an uncommon defensive item like a cloak of protection.

Joe dirt
2018-01-15, 01:29 PM
Nothing wrong with it... specially since it takes up a precious magic item slot, u can only have three that are attuned at any one time also an evil PC that studied u a while either via high enough history check or detect magic would know to steal this item as ur weakness... and then u have a quest to get it back