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I have created a magical entropic spear that I plan to give to the party when they reach roughly 10th level. Is this balanced?

Entropic Spear

Weapon (spear), rare

This is a +2 magical weapon. On a critical hit, this spear does an extra 2d6 damage of a random type. Roll a d10 on the table below to determine the type:

  1. Acid
  2. Cold
  3. Fire
  4. Force
  5. Lightning
  6. Necrotic
  7. Poison
  8. Psychic
  9. Radiant
  10. Thunder

This spear has 5 charges, regaining 1d4+1 charges at dawn. As a reaction, when an attack hits you, you can expend 1 or more charges to reduce the damage by 1d6 per charge spent. You can only reduce damage of a type that appears on the above table. If you use the last charge, roll a d20 after applying the effects of the item. On a 1, the spear crumbles into dust and cannot be repaired.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Let us continue this discussion in chat. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 16:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ I would suggest changing "This is a +2 magical weapon." to "This magic spear has a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it." \$\endgroup\$
    – User 23415
    Commented Mar 13 at 17:55

2 Answers 2

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It is balanced

Its magical properties are a bit better than a vanilla +2 rare weapon, but this can only be a spear.
Most characters would do higher DPR with a +2 Longsword, so I do not think it is too strong.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ would requiring attunement make this any more or less balanced? In my game, I allowed a maximum of 3 attuned items. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 13:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ less balanced, it is near perfect now, but will get weaker with attunement \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 13:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks! I think I'll leave it as it is and maybe just make it hard to find instead of essentially handing it to the party. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 14:05
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It's balanced, but you could make it very rare

Most characters by 10th level will have a +7 or +8 bonus to hit with regular weapons. Given that this spear gives an additional +2, it would give them a good hike on the bonus to hit, making it so that most creatures they confront would be hit 55-60% of the time. You also add the equivalent of a greatsword hit in damage die, but at least the type is random. It's properties are, I think, well offset by the limited number of charges.

Overall I think this is a balanced item, but you may want to make it very rare instead of rare.

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    \$\begingroup\$ a very rare competes against a +3 item, and this is very far behind that \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 16:14
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    \$\begingroup\$ A vanilla +3 item is very rare, and I'd say this competes with that. \$\endgroup\$
    – QuantumDM
    Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 17:10

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