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The Ring of Temporal Salvation says (emphasis mine):

If you die while wearing this gray crystal ring, you vanish and reappear in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the space you left (or the nearest unoccupied space). You have a number of hit points equal to 3d6 + your Constitution modifier. If your hit point maximum is lower than the number of hit points you regain, your hit point maximum rises to a similar amount. If you have any levels of exhaustion, reduce your level of exhaustion by 1. Once the ring is used, it turns to dust and is destroyed.

If used by a 1st level character, 3d6+CON can easily total more than your maximum hit points. Is this increase to hit point maximum permanent?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The description of the ring's effect being to raise your hp max to a "similar" amount, rather than the same or equal amount, begs the question of what 'similar' means. If the result of the roll is more than the hp max, can the DM rule that the new hp max is less than the roll, with both numbers being 'similar' in that they are positive integers? \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 16:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Kirt The "amount" is similar, not the number, so I don't think the positive integer argument would work, but I see your point. That being said, you can't have more hit points than your hit point maximum so I'd wager that the intention is to increase the maximum to contain all of the hit points you now have. \$\endgroup\$
    – David Coffron
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 16:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ @DavidCoffron I agree with RevenantBacon below that the intent was that if you were killed by undead or other effect that lowered your hp max to zero / near zero, the ring would work so that you didn't rez and then immediately die again. But I don't get why it says 'similar' rather than 'same'. It's an odd choice of words. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kirt
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 17:50
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Kirt It's from the Wildemount book which isn't known for its polish, to be sure. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 17:51
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Thomas Tossing on more to the "this feature has weird wording" is that it just states "You have X hit points" it never actually mentions regaining them until later \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 18:33

1 Answer 1

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It appears so

Nothing in the description of the magic item specifies an expiration to this increase. Your Hit Point Maximum will be set to the higher amount, and any further increases will not reset the improvement.

That being said, having access to a rare magic item at level 1 is fairly unlikely, and this is much less effective at higher levels when you start getting access to rare magic items.

Instead, his clause is likely intended to be useful for when a hit point maximum is reduced by certain kinds of undead, such as a mummy:

The cursed target can't regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. 

... in these cases, greater restoration is the best way to get back to normal since it can end:

One effect reducing the target's hit point maximum

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    \$\begingroup\$ I suspect that the increase to your maximum HP is generally intended to counter the reduction to max HP that can be inflicted by certain kinds of undead. \$\endgroup\$
    – RevanantBacon
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 16:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ @RevenantBacon good point. I added it in \$\endgroup\$
    – David Coffron
    Commented Nov 18, 2020 at 17:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ @RevanantBacon If so, the phrasing seems problematic; since some stuff can reduce maxHP to near 0, yet it doesn't look farther back than the maxHP at time of casting... If they wanted it to end effects which reduce the target's maxHP, they should have included phrasing like the Greater Restoration effect. As written, if you're reduced to 0 or 1 or 30 maxHP, the spell sets your HP to 3d6+Con, with maxHP rising "a similar amount"... The item's phrasing does not explicitly "end" reduced maxHP; it just sets current HP & any gain exceeding your maxHP, raises your maxHP by an amount similar to HP \$\endgroup\$
    – ProphetZarquon
    Commented Nov 14, 2022 at 14:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ So, am I interpreting this right? If a wearer with 30 maxHP is killed, they reappear nearby with 3d6+ConMod HP, & 30 maxHP... If a wearer dies at 0 maxHP, they reappear with 3d6+ConMod HP, & ~3d6+ConMod maxHP... If a wearer with 9 maxHP is killed, & rolls >9 on the 3d6, they reappear with 3d6+ConMod HP, & ~9+3d6+ConMod maxHP... I feel like this would be an awful last resort, if I had 15 or 20 maxHP. Wouldn't a Lifewell Tattoo be better in most foreseeable circumstances??? (Very Rare: Necrotic resistance, & if reduced to 0 HP, you have 1 hit point instead, once per day.) \$\endgroup\$
    – ProphetZarquon
    Commented Nov 14, 2022 at 14:25

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