RINGS

Bard's Ring*
Blue Ring of Cameth Brin
Ring of Agility
Ring of Awareness
Ring of Clear Thought
Ring of Coolness
Ring of the Desert Evening
Ring of Displacement
Ring of Gnomekind
Ring of Holiness*
Ring of Holy Warding
Ring of the Nine Council
Ring of Para-Elemental Command (smoke)*
Ring of Quasi-Elemental Command (ash)*
Ring of the Rat*
Ring of Shooting Stars*
Ring of the Sorcerer-Kings
Ring of Spellbattle*

* This item appears in Encyclopedia Magica and/or other sources, but is 
reprinted here in a modified form (as detailed for my campaign use).

Bard's Ring:
  This ring of silver is carved about with ivy, intertwined through three 
engraved harps.  It functions as a ring of protection +2 for any character that 
wears it.  In the hands of a bard, however, its true powers become manifest.  
First of all, it acts as a ring of protection +2 to armor class, +4 to saving 
throws for a bard wearing it.  Additionally, it doubles the beneficial effects 
of barding singing and poetry in terms of rallying allies to battle, etc.  It 
further adds a +10% bonus to the bard's charm percentage and legend lore 
percentage.  The bard is also able to read languages (as a thief) with a +10% 
bonus or as a thief of a level equal to his or her bard level, whichever is 
better.  Finally, the bard can attempt to read magical writings with this 
ability as well, though at only half the normal chance of success.  Finally, all 
spells cast by a bard wearing a bard's ring take effect at one level higher than 
normal in all respects.

Blue Ring of Cameth Brin:
  This blue-tinged adamantite ring is not set with a stone, but it is 
intricately carved with a design of interlocking picks and hammers.  It is a 
minor dwarven relic sacred to Dumathoin.  The blue ring of Cameth Brin is 
sentient, with Intelligence 16 and Ego 20, and it has a true neutral alignment, 
with lawful and good tendencies.  It can speak Eredan (modern dwarvish) and 
Hylar (ancient dwarvish).  If worn by a creature to whom it is agreeable, the 
ring will allow its powers to be used, enabling the wearer to detect gems or 
precious metals in a 30' radius at will.  The wearer can also unerringly detect 
sloping passages, depth and direction of travel underground, and traps or secret 
doors involving stonework within 10' by concentrating for one round.  The wearer 
is also provided with 60' infravision.  The wearer can also invoke certain 
earth-related spell powers.  Once per day, the wearer can cast one of the 
following spells as a 20th level caster:  stone shape, shatter, passwall, dig, 
or glassee.  Once per week, the wearer can cast either stone tell or move earth.  
The wearer of this ring suffers a -3 penalty to save vs. petrification.

If the blue ring of Cameth Brin is worn for more than a week continuously, the 
wearer will begin to gradually to grow shorter and stockier and will begin 
growing a beard (even if female).  He or she will also gain one point of 
Constitution and lose one point of Charisma (except to dwarves, who will regard 
the wearer as if he or she had gained a point of Charisma).  The wearer will 
also gain a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. poison and magic for every 3-1/2 
points of Constitution (as a dwarf would).  Magical items other than weapons, 
armor, tools, earth-related items, and the blue ring of Cameth Brin  itself will 
also have a 20% chance of not functioning each time the wearer tries to use 
them.  This transformation will continue even if the ring is taken off and not 
worn again, and after one month the wearer will turn into a dwarf in all 
respects.  Only a remove curse followed by a limited wish or wish will restore 
the wearer to his or her original form.

Ring of Gnomekind:
  This type of magical ring is typically gold, set with garnet, and it bestows 
upon the wearer many aspects of the gnomish race.  The wearer of a ring of 
gnomekind immediately gains somewhat heightened senses, granting a +1 bonus to 
avoid surprise (+2 in rural/wilderness settings), and he or she also becomes 
resistant to magic, gaining a +2 bonus to all saves vs. magic, except that a +4 
bonus is gained vs. illusion magic and no bonus is gained vs. enchantment/charm 
magic.  The wearer is also empowered to be able to speak and understand (though 
not read) all gnomish tongues (including that of deep gnomes), as well as the 
speech of size S or T mammals native to hill and forest environments, and any 
creatures with whom the ring provides communication ability will tend to be 
disposed in friendly fashion toward the wearer, with a +2 bonus to reaction 
rolls.  However, the wearer suffers a -4 reaction penalty with kobolds and 
goblins and gains a +1 bonus to hit them in combat, as some of the gnomish 
racial enmity for these creatures is also bestowed upon the wearer.  Finally, if 
a ring of gnomekind is worn for a full month by any creature, he or she will 
gain one point of Intelligence and Dexterity while losing one point of Strength 
and Wisdom.  These alterations vanish if the ring is taken off for more than 24 
hours, and a full month must be spent reattuning the wearer to the ring in order 
to gain these ability modifications again.

Ring of Agility:
  This ring adds to the wearer's dexterity, adding four points if his or her 
dexterity score is 6 or less, two points if it is between 7 and 13, and one 
point if it is 14 or greater.

In addition to this primary function, the great agility provided by the ring's 
power enables the wearer to dodge incoming missile attacks (including magical 
missile weapons and missiles generated by spells, such as Melf's acid arrow or 
chromatic orb, but not missiles which automatically hit, such as magic missile) 
with a successful save vs. petrification, counting only the wearer's dexterity 
defensive adjustment (for his or her adjusted dexterity while wearing the ring) 
as a positive modifier to the save.  Such dodging does not interfere any other 
action during the round except for spellcasting, in which case a spellcasting 
wearer must make a primary stat check (intelligence for magic-users, wisdom for 
clerics; a 20 automatically fails) for each missile dodged or have his or her 
spell disrupted.  The attempt to dodge is made for every missile directed at the 
wearer, prior to a 'to hit' roll being made against him or her.  This dodging is 
fully effective against grenade-like missiles, giant-hurled boulders, missiles 
launched by siege engines, and other similar unusual missiles.  The wearer also 
is able to make a similar saving throw anytime that he or she normally would 
have fallen, lost his or her balance, or been knocked down, with success on this 
saving throw indicating that he or she has kept his or her balance or footing.

Besides being able to dodge missiles, the agility granted by the ring also 
enables the wearer to better dodge area-effect spells and similar attacks that 
it is possible to dodge (e.g., this would apply against dragon breath, but not 
against a hold person spell, nor would this function against a fireball spell 
cast into a tightly confined space), or to avoid falling damage from heights of 
60' or less.  The ring grants a percentage chance equal to the wearer's 
dexterity score, adding his or her defensive adjustment as a positive bonus.  If 
this number or below is rolled on percentile dice, then the wearer will take no 
damage if he or she successfully saves vs. petrification, counting only his or 
her dexterity defensive adjustment, rather than making the normal save versus 
such an attack, and will take only half damage even if the save is failed. 

If in the wearer is in melee and has initiative against an opponent, he or she 
may also attempt a like percentile roll to attempt to dodge the first melee 
attack of each round that is made against him or her, with this percentile roll 
made before any to hit determination is made for that attack.  If fighting 
creatures with multiple attack routines (e.g., a dragon's claw/claw/bite), one 
attack from this sequence at random can potentially be dodged.  If this dodge 
roll is successful and the attack successfully hits, then the wearer should make 
save vs. petrification, modified only by his or her dexterity defensive 
adjustment; if successful, no damage is sustained from that attack, and only 
half damage will be suffered even if this save is failed.

Ring of Awareness:
  This ring, often made of polished iron or steel and set with ornamental stones 
such as jasper, heightens the senses and reflexes of the wearer, reducing the 
chance of the wearer being surprised to only 1 out of 10 (though this can be 
adjusted by creatures with great stealth).  In addition, the wearer of this ring 
becomes a very light sleeper and develops a very fast reaction time and sense of 
imminent danger, equivalent to having the Awareness non-weapon proficiency 
(described in the Al-Qadim:  Arabian Adventures book).

Ring of Clear Thought:
  Similar in some ways to a ring of free action, this item diminishes the chance 
for others to gain mental control over the wearer or to confuse his or her 
perceptions or thought processes.  The wearer becomes immune to confusion, 
emotion, chaos, feeblemind, and any form of insanity- or rage-producing magical 
or psionic effect (e.g., scarab of enraging enemies, id insinuation) or magical 
or psionic powers that internally distort the wearer's perceptions (e.g., 
psionic invisibility, false sensory input, inflict pain), including any 
illusions broadcast directly into the wearer's mind, such as blindness or 
phantasmal killer, though it grants no immunity to external illusions (e.g., 
phantasmal force, audible glamer, magical invisibility).  The wearer gains a +2 
bonus to saving throws vs. all other forms of magical or psionic mental attack.  
Finally, for as long as the ring of clear thought is worn, the wearer gains a +1 
bonus to his or her Intelligence score (maximum 18).

Ring of Coolness:
  This type of magical ring, typically made of green or white jade, is very 
similar in function to a ring of warmth, but with the opposite effect.  It 
protects its wearer from the effects of heat, even in tropical desert or jungle 
climes and even when wearing heavy armor.  When the wearer is subjected to 
magical heat-based attacks, it allows him or her to ignore the first 10 points 
of damage from such attacks (determined before saving throws are rolled) and 
provides a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. heat-based attacks that exceed this 
damage total.  Further, heat-based damage is regenerated at a rate of 1 hit 
point per turn, so long as the wearer is not killed.

Ring of the Desert Evening:
  This ring bestows upon the wearer the benefits of a continuous endure heat 
spell, and in addition renders him or her immune to the effects of natural 
mirages, glare blindness, and sunstroke.  The wearer also gains a +4 bonus to 
saves vs. magical attacks based on bright light, visual illusions, or heat.  
Finally, the wearer is also empowered to see outdoors at night as if in full 
daylight.  

Ring of Displacement:
  This magical ring functions as a cloak of displacement (q.v.), save that when 
any of its other powers are being used the displacement is negated for the 
duration of their use and for a like number of rounds thereafter.  Whenever 
desired, the wearer of a ring of displacement can jump (as the spell, one leap 
only), which negates the displacement power of the ring for the round in which 
the leap is made and the round thereafter.  Once per turn, a ring of 
displacement can be used to temporarily negate (not dispel) wizard locks or hold 
portal spells and similar magic by touch, causing the guarded opening to glow 
with a faint white radiance for 1d4 rounds and allowing free passage to any 
creatures through the warded area, negating displacement for this 1d4 round 
period and for four rounds thereafter.  This does not affect spells such as 
avoidance, forbiddance, or repulsion.  Finally, once per day, the wearer of the 
ring can repel fluids or gases in a manner similar to a part water spell, 
pushing water or other similar fluid away in a 5' radius sphere from the ring 
and providing breathable air within that sphere.  This can be maintained for as 
long as desired, provided that the character concentrates on maintaining the 
fluid or gaseous displacement.  This precludes spellcasting or the use of 
psionics or magical items, though not physical combat or normal movement.  This 
function negates displacement for as long as it is maintained and for one full 
turn thereafter.

Ring of Holiness:
  This ring is usable only by a priest or druid.  Note that, despite the name, 
its use is not restricted to good or neutral characters; an evil priest would 
simply call it a ring of unholiness.  If it is worn when spells are being 
acquired by meditation, the priest gains one extra spell of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 
level (assuming, of course, that the priest is of sufficient level to gain such 
spells).  If the ring of holiness is removed, these bonus spells are forgotten.  
A priest also gains a +3 bonus to rolls to turn undead (including rolls to 
determine number of undead affected by turning).  The wearer also gains a +1 
bonus to all saving throws.  Finally, the effects of bless, aid, chant, and 
prayer spells are increased to +2 bonuses with respect to any creatures of the 
wearer's religion within the area of effect; note that an aid spell will always 
grant maximum hit points when used on a fellow worshiper if cast while wearing 
one of these rings.  A ring of holiness affects any creature who touches or is 
touched by it as a direct hit from a vial of holy or unholy water.  For most 
creatures, this has no effect, but its merest touch will burn an undead creature 
(if worn by a good or neutral wearer) or paladin (if worn by a neutral or evil 
wearer).  A ring of holiness may be used by the wearer as a holy symbol of his 
or her faith.

Ring of Holy Warding:
  This ring is usable only by clerics of good alignment who worship deities of 
good alignment or by paladins.  The ring causes any normal robes worn by the 
wearer to become equivalent to armor, similarly to a magical vestment spell, 
based on the level of the caster, provided that those robes have emblazoned 
somewhere upon them the holy symbol of the wearer's deity.  These robes will 
always be at least the equal of chain mail (AC 5) in protective quality, and 
will gain a +1 magical bonus if the wearer is 8th to 10th level, +2 if 11th to 
13th, +3 if 14th to 16th, +4 if 17th to 19th, and +5 if 20th or above.  This 
bonus applies to the wearer's armor class as well as to saving throws normally 
affected by magical armor (including electrical attacks, since the robes to be 
affected are considered non-metal armor).  If this ring is used with robes that 
are worn over armor, this power will not function if the armor already worn 
provides a better armor class than would be provided by this power.

In addition to this power, the ring also generates a continuous negative plane 
protection effect, granting the wearer an unmodified save vs. death magic to 
avoid any type of strength or level drain and inflicting 2d6 points of damage on 
any undead creature that touches the caster, regardless of whether this save is 
made.

In addition to the above, the ring can be used to cast the following spells, all 
taking effect at 12th level:  bless, protection from evil (self only), remove 
fear, and sanctuary at will, dispel magic, remove curse, protection from evil 
10' radius, and dispel evil 1/day, and word of recall 1/week.  Note that the 
ring has a limited degree of sentience and can cast these spells upon the wearer 
even if he or she is incapacitated (e.g., one round after the wearer is struck 
by a confusion spell, the ring may attempt a dispel magic centered on the 
wearer, or it may cast remove curse on the wearer if he or she puts on a ring of 
contrariness or other cursed item, or cast word of recall if the wearer is 
knocked to negative hit points or even killed, to be restored at his or her 
sanctuary).

Ring of the Nine Council:
  This type of magical ring was manufactured in the days of the Second 
Restoration of Netheril for the use of special envoys of the Nine Council.  It 
was inscribed with the nine-spoked wheel that was their emblem, and the bearer 
of such a ring was accorded all due respect as the high minions of Netheril.  
Anyone wearing such a ring becomes immune to the effects of natural or magical 
heat or fire and needs to consume only half the normal amount of water.  In 
addition, he or she becomes imbued with infravision out to a range of 60'.  The 
ring does have a side effect, however, in that any member of the Nine Council 
will always be able to know the exact location and identity of the wearer at any 
time.

Ring of Para-Elemental Command (smoke):
  This gold ring is set with a smoky quartz.  It functions as a ring of 
elemental command with respect to creatures from that para-elemental plane, and 
with half its normal efficacy against creatures from the Elemental Planes of 
Fire and Air (it does not completely ward out such elementals nor allow the 
wearer to charm them, but it does grant half-strength protective bonuses against 
them).

This ring grants the wearer a +4 bonus vs. all types of gas attacks, reducing 
damage from such attacks by half.  Further, it empowers the wearer to see 
through any form of fog, mist, smoke, sleet, clouds, or similar obscuration, and 
smoke or mist of any sort will never cause choking, blindness, or blurred vision 
to the wearer of this ring.  The wearer does become more vulnerable in certain 
ways, however, suffering a -2 penalty to saving throws vs. any non-gaseous 
breath weapon and versus any wind- or air-based attacks.

In addition to the above, the wearer of this ring can invoke the following spell 
effects as a 12th level caster:  wall of fog (smoke) 2/day, levitate 2/day, 
pyrotechnics 2/day, stinking cloud (in the form of a cloud of choking black 
smoke) 1/day, wind walk (in the form of black, smoky mist) 2/week, and death fog 
(smoke) 1/week.

Ring of Quasi-Elemental Command (ash):
  This platinum ring is set with rough-cut jet.  It functions as a ring of 
elemental command with respect to creatures from the Quasi-Elemental plane of 
Ash, and with half its normal efficacy against creatures from the Elemental 
Plane of Fire (it does not completely ward out such elementals nor allow the 
wearer to charm them, but it does grant half-strength protective bonuses against 
them).

This ring grants the wearer a +4 bonus vs. cold, reducing damage from such 
attacks by half.  It also makes the wearer immune to natural extremes of heat 
and cold.  The wearer does suffer a -2 penalty to saving throws vs. negative 
energy or necromantic effects.

In addition to the above, the wearer of this ring can invoke the following spell 
effects as a 12th level caster:  ashendust (as glitterdust, but failed save 
results in enfeeblement, rather than blinding) 1/hour, drain heat (effects as a 
wand of flame extinguishing, but acts as a double-strength chill touch if 
directed at a non-fire-based creature) 1/hour, negative plane protection 1/day, 
and control temperature 10' r. 1/day.

Ring of the Rat:
  These magical rings are simple iron bands, sometimes adorned with chipped 
stones, such as turquoise, jade, or quartz.  Individuals who place the ring on a 
finger instantly become aware of the ring's powers.  Their teeth become sharp 
and pointed and their fingernails long and edged, while their hair becomes lank 
and wiry, resulting in a 3 point decrease in Charisma.  The wearer does gain the 
ability to make a claw/claw/bite attack sequence, inflicting 1d4/1d4/1d4 points 
of damage with successful hits.  In addition, creatures bitten must save vs. 
poison or contract a debilitating disease (cf. cause disease).  In addition to 
these powers, once each day the wearer can magically summon 2d10 normal rats or 
1d6 giant rats to serve him or her for three turns, after which they will 
disappear.  Once a ring of the rat is donned, it can be removed only through the 
use of a remove curse, limited wish, or wish spell.  This type of ring will 
magically enlarge or shrink to fit any size wearer from size T to size G.

Ring of Shooting Stars (revised):
  This type of ring has several powers that can be used either outdoors at night 
and several others that may be used indoors.  All ring functions take effect at 
12th level unless otherwise specified, and activation time is 5.

Underground, the following powers may be used:  starshine 1/hour, werelight 
1/day, faerie fire 1/day, and spark shower 1/day.  The spark shower takes the 
form of a swirling cloud of sizzling purple sparks, appearing anywhere within 
30' of the ring-wearer and affecting all targets within a 10' diameter circle.  
All creatures within this area suffer 4d4 points of damage, save that creatures 
in metal armor or holding a metal weapon suffer 4d4+4.  Note that this damage is 
combined electrical and heat damage, and a creature resistant to one form of 
attack but not both suffers full damage.  The visual effect of the spark shower 
is also quite dazzling, forcing those within it to save vs. spells or be blinded 
for the round that the spark shower takes place and dazzled for 1d4 rounds 
thereafter, suffering a -2 penalty to hit and Armor Class.  A successful saving 
throw reduces the effects to dazzling for the round of the spark shower and the 
subsequent round.  It is also possible to cause the spark shower to extend 
outwards in a fan shape from the ring, in which case it will affect a plane 20' 
long and 10' wide at its terminus.

Above ground, a ring of shooting stars can produce the following effects:  
werelight 1/hour, faerie fire 1/night, flare 1/night, and meteors, shooting 
star, or ball lightning 1/night.

Ring of the Sorcerer-Kings:
  This special type of magical ring was manufactured by the Netherese sorcerer-
kings for their own use and for the use of their favored minions.  The ring has 
powerful defensive abilities, granting a +1 bonus to Armor Class and saving 
throws as well as the effects of a ring of spell turning.  In addition, the 
wearer can use the ring to store magical spells in a manner similar to a ring of 
spell storing.  However, the spells to be stored in the ring need not be set at 
the time of creation and can be altered by the wearer at any time.  A ring of 
the sorcerer-kings allows the owner to store a total number of spell levels 
equal to his or her experience level plus one.  Such spells can be called forth 
by any creature wearing the ring, even if he or she is not a member of a 
spellcasting class, taking effect at 12th level when cast and having an 
activation initiative modifier of +5, regardless of the normal casting time of 
the spell.  It is important to know that any Netherese sorcerer-king could 
always negate any power of one of these rings, and in addition they could always 
determine the whereabouts and identity of any creature wearing one of these 
rings.  It is unknown whether the Nine Council was able to exercise similar 
power over these rings.

Ring of Spellbattle:
  This ring grants the wearer the ability to dispel certain magical spells.  Any 
character wearing it is automatically made aware of any magical discharge or 
psionic power use within a 120' spherical radius of the ring of spellbattle.  
The general effects of all such power releases (for example, fiery attacking 
spell, shape transforming psychometabolic power, illusionary magic) are 
identified to the ring-wearer.

Once per round, the wearer can invoke the ring's power to dispel or alter any 
one spell within range.  This power has no effect on psionics or magical item 
discharges, though it does affect innate powers that duplicate spellcasting 
(e.g., a dragon's breath would not be affected, though a baatezu's innate wall 
of fire power could be).  It can affect triggered spells, such as symbols, fire 
traps, explosive runes, or glyphs of warding, as well as spells activated by a 
contingency spell.  The ring cannot affect an already-existing spell; only 
spells being triggered or activated while the ring-wearer is within 120' can be 
affected.

If the attempt is made to dispel, the spellcaster gains a save vs. spell at -2 
to avoid having his or her spell disrupted.  If the spell is redirected, the new 
target gains a save at -2 to avoid having the spell redirected at him or her.  
If this save is successful, the spell affects its original target.  Using a ring 
of spellbattle to affect another spell precludes spellcasting or other magic 
item activation in the same round, though the wearer may still move normally and 
engage in physical combat, though with a +3 initiative penalty.


***DISCLAIMER*** 

As with all postings by me of classes or races, it should be noted that portions 
of the information contained herein were inspired by or derived from information 
in published works of TSR, Inc., and may contain references to those works, 
quotations or passages of text (especially in the area of 'Character 
Description', where applicable sections from TSR works were often carried over 
more or less intact into my campaign world), or particular powers or abilities 
invented by TSR staff writers.  No relationship with TSR, Inc., is to be implied 
by this use, nor is any attempt being made to solicit profit or remuneration of 
any kind.  I have read the TSR Online Policy document, and have tried to 
accommodate the stipulations contained therein. 

In instances where I have lifted an essentially complete class or race without 
significant alteration, I have not included these in my postings but instead 
have inserted a reference to the appropriate D&D sourcebook for those curious in 
including it in their campaign.  Only variations that include a significant 
component of original work, alteration, or reformulation (including the 
compositing elements from various TSR sources into new combinations) of have 
been included in this set of postings. 

<a href="mail to:tjaden@u.washington.edu">Jason Eric Nelson </a> < tjaden@u.washington.edu >