?Here now, what's this?? Grimble
stopped shoving armfuls of gold coins into
his magical bag. ?It?s a ring! ? He bent
down to pick the tiny object out of the
mound of treasure before him.

Dimwall hurried over. ?Ye gods! Perhaps
it?s a protector, or a fire resistor. What else
do you think it could be?? He pulled out a
yellowed scrap of paper that he had torn
from an arcane volume. Then he began to
read aloud. ?Table III. C, Rings. Contrariness,
Delusion, Djinni Summoning . . .?
 

Sound familiar? Adventurers can get
pretty tired of finding the same old magic
rings in a treasure hoard, especially if the
players have read the Dungeon Masters
Guide treasure charts from front to back.
Once in a while, then, the DM can surprise
everyone with something new to keep the
players ? and their characters ? guessing.

Below are a baker?s dozen of rings that
AD&D players have sent in to
DRAGON® magazine as suggestions for
new magic items. They have not been previously
published, and are offered here for
your gaming entertainment. Unless otherwise
stated, all magic rings have the same
appearance, are usable by characters of any
class, and will radiate magic if a detect
magic is performed.

1. Ring of Liquid Identification
by Craig Stenseth
If the wearer passes this ring within 1' of
a liquid, the ring's rock crystal will CHANGE
hue, identifying the liquid. At least 4 oz. of
liquid must be present. The stone turns to <all magick rings look the same, qv. DMG.x> <I use the 1 Ring as a kind of default: a ring of gold, maybe with a command word revealed by fire>
1 of 9 hues; see the chart below for the
meaning of each. If no liquid is nearby, or
the fluid in range is not included on the
chart below, the crystal remains colorless.
 

Color	Liquid:
red	poison, potion, or magical oil
orange	oil or other flammable liquid
yellow	contamined water <WSG: effects of drinking tainted water>
green	acid or other strong corrosive
blue	pure water
indigo	brine
violet	wine, ale, beer, or other alcoholic drink
white	holy water
black	unholy water

XP value: 750
GP value: 4,000

2. Ring of Infravision
by Thomas Zarbock
    This ring bestows infravision upon the
wearer, as per the spell of the same name,
out to a 60' radius. A few rings of this type
(10%) allow the wearer to use ultravision as
well; in this case, the user can concentrate
on only one type of vision per round. Ultravision
enables a character to see radiation
in the ultraviolet spectrum. At night,
ultravision extends out to 100 yards, as
clear in quality as vision during the day.
Shadowy, less clear ultravision extends to
300 yards. Cloudy nights reduce ultravision
by 50%. Underground (in caves and dungeons),
the wearer will only have clear
ultravision within a 3? radius. Any sort of
light, including that given off by magic
items, will tend to spoil ultravision, blinding
the character to dimmer items. Ultravision
works as the spell; for more information, <link>
see <UA> DRAGON issue #67, p. 58.
    XP value: 1,000 (1,500 w/ultravision)
    GP value: 5,000 (7,500 w/ultravision)
 

3. Ring of Awareness
by Thomas Zarbock
    This ring heightens the senses of the
wearer so greatly that he can only be surprised
1 time in 20. However, for every
consecutive hour this ring is worn, there is a
cumulative 1% chance that the wearer will
become temporarily afflicted with paranoia,
as per the Dungeon Masters Guide. This
paranoia will persist for a number of rounds
equal to the number of hours the ring was
worn (unless cured by magical means), and
cannot be negated by removing the ring
after the paranoia has taken effect. If the
wearer is not already afflicted, the cumulative
chance of paranoia drops to zero when
the ring is removed and begins again at 1%
when it is put back on, even if the removal
only lasts for a moment.
    XP value: 1,200
    GP value: 6,000

4. Ring of Light
by Thomas Zarbock
    This ring allows the wearer to cast a
continual light spell three times per day;
this light cannot be dispelled except by a
cleric of 9th level or higher. In addition, the
ring automatically dispels all darkness spells
within 60' of the wearer as if the wearer
were a 9th-level cleric.
    XP value: 1,000
    GP value: 5,000

5. Ring of Icebolts
by Charles C. Craig
    When a special command is spoken, this
ring will fire a bolt of solid ice at any TARGET
within 100'. The wearer chooses the TARGET.
The icebolt causes 2-12 points of damage to
the TARGET, 1/2 that if a SAVE vs.
wands is made. Creatures or beings who
use fire or are fiery in nature (salamanders,
fire giants, red dragons, etc.) save at -4
against this effect; creatures who are cold-
users or cold-resistant (frost giants, white
dragons, etc.) save at +4. Each ring possesses
3-30 charges when found, and cannot
be recharged.
    XP value: 2,000
    GP value: 7,500

6. Ring of Jolting
by Charles C. Craig
At a word of command, the wearer of this
ring can cast a beam of energy out to 100',
at any single TARGET. This energy beam does
no HP damage, but will stun the target
for 3-12 rounds. When stunned, a target
can only defend himself and will not gain
initiative to perform any action. No psionic
or magical powers may be used by the
stunned character or creature during this
time. If a saving throw vs. paralyzation is
made, the victim will only be stunned for
1-4 rounds.
    XP value: 1,000
    GP value: 5,000

7. Ring of Bladeturning
by Charles C. Craig
    This ring can deflect attacks made with
metallic weapons. The wearer can deflect
1 such attack per round, provided he is
defending himself and NOT simply aiding
someone else. To USE the ring, the wearer
declares that he {wishes} to deflect an attack,
and which attack he wants to TURN back, IF
more than 1 opponent is involved |or| IF an
opponent has more than 1 attack per
round. The wearer must declare his intent
before the opponent's "to hit" roll is made.
The attack, whether it would have hit |or|
NOT, is immediately turned aside. Each of
these rings has 3-30 charges when found,
and cannot be recharged. Note that the ring
cannot deflect an attack if a "to hit" roll has
already been made by the opponent; IF the
attack hits, damage must be taken, and one
of the ring?s charges is used anyway, even if
it misses.
    XP value: 1,500
    GP value: 7,000

8. Ring of Invisibility Negation
by Richard Lucas
Some years ago, a wizard invented this
ring because he disliked invisible surprises.
When it is worn, the ring continually generates
a powerful magical field 60? in diameter
that negates invisibility within its
confines. Any creature with natural or
induced invisibility will immediately become
visible upon entering this field and
will remain so until leaving it. Furthermore,
the creature will become outlined with an
eerie faerie fire, a green luminous light that
gives opponents a +2 chance to hit. The
effects of potions of invisibility, dust of
disappearance, and spells of invisibility will
be negated and dispelled as soon as the
creature using them enters the magic field.
Potions, dust, or spells possessed but not
being used will not be affected.

The normal form of this ring is called the
?clarifier.? In addition to this, there are two
variations. The first, the ?killer,? does 2-5
(1d4+1) hit points of damage per round (no
saving throw) to creatures in the magic field
whose invisibility was affected. The second
variation is the ?destroyer.? It drains the
magical properties of any invisibility-related
device that remains in the magic field for
more than one round at one time. The
magic item in question is allowed a saving
throw vs. disintegration at +5 to avoid being
de-magicked.

For random selection of one of the three
rings, roll percentile dice:
 

Roll	Ring	XP value	GP value
01-80	clarifier	1,000	12,000
81-95	killer	1,800	20,000
96-00	destroyer	1,300	7,000

9. Jhessail's Silver Ring
by Ed Greenwood
This ring confers upon the wearer protection
from mental attack. No control magick
will <verk> upon the wearer, and all successful
charm spells will work upon the caster
instead of the wearer.

For example: A magic-user attempts to
charm the ring wearer, and the wearer fails
his saving throw. Then the charm is turned
upon the magic-user ? who gets no initial
saving throw ? placing him under the
control of the ring wearer. Any being thus
charmed gets a saving throw to break the
charm once every 7 turns, and is instantly
freed if the ring is taken off or destroyed. If
the ring wearer makes his saving throw vs.
the initial attack, the spell merely fails, and
the ring has no effect. Note that this property
extends to gaze charm attacks, and is a
magical property rather than a physical
?reflection.?

The ring wearer also gains a +4 saving
throw bonus against stunning, confusion,
and feeblemind. In addition, the wearer
gains +4 on rolls to disbelieve illusions. The
ring acts as a Tower of Iron Will (defense
strength of 77 points, no attack strength)
against psionic attack.

XP value: 3,000
GP value: 11,000

10. Ring of Lore
by Ed
    This appears identical to other rings, but
when worn it can be commanded to exercise
various powers IF the correct command
words are known.

    The ring can act as a lejend lore through
mental visions to its wearer. This power can
be called for only once per week, and the
visions require the wearer?s total concentration
over a period of 4 turns after the ring
was commanded. If concentration is not
maintained, all visions will be lost. The ring
must be touched to an item, or a name of a
person or place must be spoken over it as
the command is given; otherwise, the
visions will be random, having no common
focus or theme.

The ring will also act as a stone tell once
per week, upon being touched to stone
while the command ?Speak!? is uttered.

Upon the command ?Shine forth!,? the
ring will cause any symbols, hidden runes,
or powerful dweomers within 1? to glow
visibly. This power will only work once per
day.

The ring can also endow the wearer with
a power identical in effect to psionic sensitivity
to psychic impressions once per week.
This power is not infallible; there is only a
40% chance it will be effective. Even if the
attempt fails, the ring will still not operate
this way again for a week. The psychic
power is activated silently, by will, and it
requires the wearer?s complete concentration
to work.

All of the ring?s powers have durations
identical to the spells or effects they resemble.
Any and all of them may be used in
quick succession (but not simultaneously);
the use of one has no effect on the others.

Every time the ring is used, there is a 5%
chance it will vanish forever from the wearer
?s finger without operating as desired.
    XP value: 3,500
    GP value: 23,500

11. Rings of Lycanthropy
by Jerome Mayard
Each of these rings features the head of
some were-creature, engraved in bas-relief.
With the utterance of the proper command
word, the wearer is transformed into the
were-creature engraved on the ring. This
transformation is possible only once per
day, and the duration of the change is only
1 turn. To discover the command word, the
bearer of the ring must wear it under a full
moon, at which point the word will come to
mind. The command can also be discovered
if a cleric blesses the ring before an identify
spell is cast upon it.

The wearer, while transformed, gains the
hit points and abilities of the were-creature
but retains his original alignment.
Lycanthrope-form hit points are considered
separately from the wearer?s usual hit
points; if the were-creature?s hit points are
reduced to zero, the character is instantly
transformed back into his previous form,
and his normal number of hit points is
retained. There is a 1% cumulative chance
per use that the wearer will be permanently
transformed into the were-creature (including
its alignment), and not even a wish will
negate this change.

These rings are found in the following
proportions: 50% wolf, 25% rat, 10% bear,
10% boar, and 5% tiger.
XP value: 2,500
GP value: 7,500
-
Not the same thing
-
Dear Dragon:
If a character is doing battle with someone
wearing a ring of lycanthropy ("Rings that do
weird things," #82) and takes over half damage,
can he become a lycanthrope?

Robbie Pennell
Jenkins, Ky.
(Dragon #86)
 

I'd say no, even if the wearer of the ring had
been permanently changed into a lycanthrope by
the ring. The ring's powers come from a form of
shape change or polymorph spell, not from the
sort of disease/infection that's the actual cause of
someone becoming a lycanthrope. 

-- KM
(Dragon #86)
 

12. Ring of Spell Holding
by Jeff Abbott

This ring, usable only by those able to
cast spells, has the ability to indefinitely
increase the duration of any spell cast upon
the wearer by himself, until the effect is
ended by removal of the ring or the casting
of dispel magic. In order to take advantage
of its powers, the ring must be removed;
then the desired spell is cast upon the
wearer, and then the wearer must replace
the ring before the spell?s duration is exhausted.
The removal of the ring afterward
will end the spell immediately. Only one
spell at a time may be continued in this
manner, since the ring must be taken off
before the new spell to be continued is cast.
Note: The ring cannot continue an invisibility
spell during an attack. It does not work
on spells with a duration of ?permanent?;
for instance, a cure disease spell cannot be
continued to give the ring wearer eternal
immunity. And, as noted above, it only
works on spells that can be cast by the ring
wearer upon his person.

13. Wizzo's Ring of Compulsions
by Bill Birdsall

This type of ring, when worn, may compel
the wearer to perform certain unexplained
actions. It can be removed easily at
any time ? but the wearer will not want to
remove the ring for any reason. Anyone
wearing one of these rings will become
extremely possessive of it and will not voluntarily
allow anyone else to touch it. Anyone
who wants to see the ring will be
suspected of wanting to steal it, and the
wearer will either attack that character or
attempt to flee, depending on the circumstances.
(Assign a 50% chance for either
outcome if random determination is desired.)
A remove curse spell halts the compulsion
long enough for the wearer to
remove the ring or allow it to be removed.

There is a 5% chance per waking hour
that the ring will compel its wearer to do
something. Listed below are the compulsions
that the ring may cause (roll d10).

    1. Sleep for 1-6 turns.
    2. Act intoxicated for 1-6 turns.
    3. Act in an amorous fashion toward the
nearest character of the opposite sex, or the
next such one encountered, for 1-4 turns.
    4. Fight for 1-6 rounds against the nearest
character.
    5. Wander about, looking at the scenery
for 1-6 rounds.
    6. Take a bath.
    7. Cook and eat a good meal.
    8. TALK for 1-6 rounds.
    9. Change clothes.
    10. Find and insult the nearest monster
over 3 HD (the search, and the compulsion,
will last for no more than 10 minutes).

While under compulsion, the ring wearer
will not do anything except try to fulfill the
compulsion. If interrupted, the wearer will
become very hostile.

These rings function primarily as other
commonly found rings, e.g. free action,
protection, water walking, etc. That is, the
compulsions provide an unusual variation
for otherwise common magic rings. Experience
point and gold piece values are the
same as those for the common rings.

FEBRUARY 1984