Ring of Element - How Do They Work?

[ElectricPaladin]

The question's in the title - how do they work? They add to AC, I can see that. In what way do they add to damage (I get the - "you freeze") message. Do they add their rating, or do they just confer the usual "element brand" power?

While I'm at it, how exactly does that power work?

I'm clearly full of questions today.

[Pete Mack]

It grants an elemental brand on your melee weapon. It works by magic.

[ElectricPaladin]

Question 2: Does the elemental brand granted by a ring of X stack with a weapon of Y, or an artifact weapon branded with Y? What about a weapon of X or artifact weapon branded with X? What happens if I wear two of the same ring? Two different rings?

[PowerDiver]

Question 2: Does the elemental brand granted by a ring of X stack with a weapon of Y, or an artifact weapon branded with Y? What about a weapon of X or artifact weapon branded with X? What happens if I wear two of the same ring? Two different rings?

You get the maximum multiplier. No addition, just the best.

[Marble Dice]

Having multiple different slays will allow you to do extra damage to multiple types of enemy without swapping gear. Slays and brands confer a damage multiplier when applicable, but multipliers only increase the damage done by a weapon's base damage dice (+dam bonuses are not included). As mentioned, you only use the highest applicable multiplier for each attack on each enemy. Brands will activate on any enemy that doesn't resist that element.

Slay Animal, Evil = x2
All Brands, Slay Orc, Troll, Giant, Demon, Dragon, Undead = x3
*Slay Demon*, *Dragon*, *Undead* = x5

So if you're fighting a Dracolich (evil, undead, dragon, resists cold and poison) and you've got slay evil, orc, undead, *dragon*, frost brand, and fire brand, the applicable multipliers would be slay evil (x2), undead (x3), *dragon* (x5), and fire brand (x3), but the multiplier used would be the highest x5 from *dragon*. This would only affect the damage from your base weapon dice, so if you're using a dagger (1d4) you'd do an average of 12.5 instead of 2.5, but if you were using an executioner's sword (4d5) you'd do an average of 60 instead of 12. Add your damage bonuses on top of that, and then factor in multiple blows.

Deeper in the dungeon, consider keeping the best weapon you can find with the x5 executes for demons, dragons, and undead. Acid brand is the best multiplier you can get on Sauron, and slay evil is the best for Morgoth. This isn't to say a weapon with those attributes will always be worth using over one that doesn't have them, but there's a good chance it will be.

[azfalt]

wouldn't slay giant work on Morgoth?

[Magnate]

wouldn't slay giant work on Morgoth?

No. He shares their symbol, but lacks the GIANT flag.

[rdanhenry]

Morgoth should not be a 'P'. 'A' should be for 'A'inu, not 'A'ngel and Morgoth should be an 'A'.