Chapter Three: MAGIC ITEMS Magic Items From the DMG

Chapter Three 63

Magic Items

Magic items fuel excitement in the game.They provide players with interesting options they might not otherwise possess and serve as rewards for accomplishing great tasks.

Magic items also give a setting a very specific feel. The kinds ofitems that exist in a world,the kinds ofartifacts that have woven themselves into its history,help define the world.This chapter provides new items and artifacts for the Diamond Throne setting,as well as suggestions for items you can adapt from other sources.

Ifa magic item described in this chapter allows use ofa spell,it does not allow use ofthe heightened or diminished version ofthat spell,unless otherwise noted.

Magic Items From the DMG

Most items from Chapter Eight in the DMG are available in the lands ofthe Diamond Throne,with only a few exceptions based on some simple guidelines.The following items are not appropriate: 1. Any item based on alignment (items that detect alignment or have effects based on the alignment ofthe wielder or a foe). 2. Any item based on creatures that do not exist in the

Diamond Throne setting (orcs,gnolls,eye tyrants,and so on). 3. Any item whose main feature revolves around a class that does not appear in Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed. 4. Any item that is made out ofmithral,a material that does not exist in the Diamond Throne setting. 5. Any item whose main feature is an effect that does not appear in Arcana Unearthed in any way,or that appears in a different version(haste, resurrection, charm person).The easiest thing to do is to convert these effects to Arcana

Unearthed effects:use speed burst rather than haste, raise the dead rather than resurrection, and charm rather than charm person.Some effects,like barbarian rage or wish, do not appear in Arcana Unearthed, but you could incorporate them into the game as special magic-item-only properties.

Some specific examples ofexcluded items include: • Boc’s blessed book • boots ofspeed • druid’s vestment • dwarven thrower • elven chain • holy avenger • horn ofgood/evil • phylactery offaithfulness

Other items are fine,including but not limited to the following: • +1 keen short sword • bag ofholding • bracers ofarmor • cloak ofdisplacement • gauntlets ofogre power • gem ofbrightness • lyre ofbuilding • ring ofevasion • rod ofsecurity

DMG Item Prerequisites

Some perfectly allowable DMG items have as their prerequisites spells not found in Monte Cook’sArcana Unearthed. Simply replace them with similar spells ofthe same level. Some items may have prerequisites for which Arcana Unearthed actually has a better spell prerequisite,such as energy blade for the brilliant energy weapon special ability.

Determining Treasure

Use all the rules and guidelines in the DMG for determining the treasure possessed by a creature or associated with an encounter.Likewise,ifyou wish,use the tables for generating magic items in Chapter Eight ofthe DMG;when you generate an inappropriate item,use one from this chapter instead.However,you may wish to consider,when using Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed,forgoing random treasure assignment altogether.It is easier for a DM to maintain control ofa campaign when she assigns specific treasures ofher choosing.Doing so allows her to decide whether a treasure should be a great boon to the characters or just a simple reward.She can also occasionally tailor the treasure found to the PCs involved.Perhaps most importantly,she can tailor the treasure to the NPCs involved,creating more logical treasure hoards.

Purchasing Magic Items

It is slightly more difficult to buy non-single-use magic items in the lands ofthe Diamond Throne than implied in the core rules.Most such items spellcasters ofthe realm create for their own use and do not intend to sell (at least not originally);people ofthis setting have slightly less wealth than implied in the core rules—although not so much that the DM should change the PC wealth by level charts or the