TOPIC: Latest 2009 Ultra Rares

Ok, since I have not DM'd, take my POV with a grain of salt.  So the Mage walks up and says I am transforming my Blob of Acid spell (1/3) to Fire in the middle of combat.  (Option1) Does the DM go, show me Hades and Void and if you get both you get max damage and its Fire, fail either and its 1 point of Acid Damage?  Or (option 2) does the DM go, show me Hades to do the damage.  Then after that show me Void to transform (now the DM has had to keep an eye on a challenge twice)?  Or (option 3) does the DM go show me Hades for Damage and Void for Transformation and the Mage has to reveal both in that order thus requiring the DM's attention until both are choosen?  Or is it entirely possible that thru pure luck (though bad as it is) the Mage picks them in the wrong order, which would definately impact option 2, but may not be detected via option 3.<br /><br />Or if we want to stick to the KISS principle, its all decided in the one test and its an all or nothing kind of thing.<br /><br />Now throw in the high consumable party and in the first round players are burning potions via the Belt of retrieval, can the DM who is now getting inundated with tokens keep track of the mage on two challenges without taking time away?  If so, then no problem, and we as a party will need to learn not to pause while the mage is doing stuff but keep after the DM so as to multi-thread combat, since in the past we let the DM focus on the Mage to ensure the right plane is picked in the challenge.

Changes and clarifications made to list.<br /><br />Indeed, with Circlet of Elemental Mastery there is only one test -- the normal one, but now it determines two things:  1)extra damage 2)ability to change energy.  There is no need to announce the use of the Circlet before the test.  If you do it right, you can change it there on the spot as you are "tapping" the plane you really want instead of the one that is standard with the spell.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Once per an adventure items are a bad idea.  Sorry!  It is too easy to cheat!<br /><br />---<br /><br />Regarding the Charm of Pure Luck...I think it will be interesting to see how this shakes out.  I do think some gamers will try to game the system -- that is what gamers do, but as far as I can see it should not be too big of a problem for the DM or combat.  It might actually make it more fun -- and I suspect some Wizards are going to learn a lesson the hard way about tempting fate.

<br />I am assuming the Circlet of Elemental Mastery is for wizards only. I would love it if bards were included in that though because it is one of the few pieces of headgear that I would really like to have. <br /><br />When I first went through the list yesterday I wasn't too keen on anything and now looking over it there are at least five items I want, maybe more. hehehe aah greed what fools doth you make of us all! Hmm that would make a cool poem....<br /><br />Don't worry Henwy I'll post it in the poetry section!<br /><br />Lady Myke <br />

<br /><br />The problem is it only works for Spells on the character card, and Bard have no offensive energy spells, so it is totally useless for bards unless the wording changes to include scrolls.

There's always a choice to make. If you think it'll be a time constraint, maybe it's just not worth using the circlet then. Everything is a cost/benefit analysis in the end.

Thanks for clarifying the circlet, Jeff!

The Charm is a no-brainer since it does not cost a slot...if you have one - you use one.  Do you drop your AC to get hit...or do other things - maybe.<br /><br />Does setting off the Chest trap count as damage that would trigger the charms benefit?  Could be gamed for sure!<br />

I wouldn't count a trap as "hostile damage."

You haven't been hit by enough traps then. Trust me. They're hostile.

<br />NEW! Circlet of Elemental Mastery:  Wizard can change energy type of spell (not scroll or wand) to one of these - provided he successfully completes the one wizard test he does to see if he does more damage :  1)cold  2)fire  3)shock  4)sonic (same damage just different energy type)  This might come in handy against a fire-based monster so that the Scorching Ray would go from non-effective to very useful.  Should allow for some creative use of spells. <br />

<br /><br />Any thoughts on making some one-shot Rare scrolls of this?  The Circlet is a great idea in my not so humble opinion and I think it would be cool to see it in scroll form and thus make it more likely that non-serious token buyers would get it.  Or, if not scroll form, some form of consumable.

Traps will work to trigger the effect.  Basically, any damage not caused by your team-mate or you doing something stupid like dropping an anvil on your foot.  The idea is that Warren's character Questor always managed to almost get killed and then come out smelling like roses in the end with an awesome treasure roll. 

Then you really can get five draws with the horn of plenty and this thing? You may need some treasure box refills.

<br />Now why would anyone want the +2 Dagger of Venom over the +2 Sling of Doom.  <br />

 For one not all purples are acquired via the Pick Your Purple program.  Over half of my purples have not been acquired in that manner.  They've been in random token purchases (I have pulled two purples in single packs of tokens purchased at GenCon over the years) or acquired in the dungeon.  But, if you draw a dagger of venom and don't want it I'll gladly take it!   =D