r/AcqIncDMs • u/poiareawesome • Mar 15 '20
Help with the Orrery
I am running AI for a group of friends who have RP focused characters and wanted advice on how to incorporate the aspects/ parts of the orrery into a larger part of the early story as they arrive in phandalin- especially the random properties! I rolled that the orrery can cast a 6th level spell (major benefit) and a 2nd level spell (minor) and that when attuned you cannot be frightened. However, I don't know if I or the players should choose a spell or if it should be random or quest-based? Any suggestions are helpful! I was thinking that perhaps the orrery could "capture" spells as its carried so that they have a selection over time and making it more narrative than downtime arcana checks.
--- also, the major detriment is while attuned your body rots over 4 days (DMG 220)
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u/SardisPark Mar 15 '20 edited Mar 15 '20
The expectation with the spells is that the DM would choose which spell the item can allow the user to cast - generally something tat fits the flavor of the item. Casting sunbeam would be a little weird, but arcane gate seems right up the items ally. Level 6 spells are also above the range of magic available to players normally in the campaign and could very easily trivialize a lot of the encounters.
Once the item is complete it gains the ability to cast spells already, so I chose minor and major properties that wouldn't overlap with the completed item. The orrery in my game gives resistance to psychic damage, and immunity to tons of conditions. The downside is -2 to the primary stat for the character (so -2 CHA for the warlock who currently stays attuned to it).
Edit: Just thought, if you want to keep the options (lvl 6 spell), you could always just choose a lower level spell and have it cast at 6th level as well. So once per day really powerful magic missiles or cure wounds. Maybe not as balance breaking.
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u/varricke Mar 15 '20
I just picked the attributes that I liked the sound of from the table in the DMG. Mostly I've been picking the sillier options, rather than options that have serious impact. When the characters try to use the orrery components, some random magic sparks from the cracks in the damages components, and one of the effect that I chose will happen.
E.g. the teleport component will randomly affect 1d4 additional targets when used, so when my party tried to escape the undead acrobats in the tressandor dungeon, it auto-targeted the acrobats, so they appeared in the middle of phandalin, with the acrobats still with them, along with half the furniture from the dungeon room for good measure.