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If you are attuning to a magical ring the DMG magic item categories states:

Magic rings offer an amazing array of powers to those lucky enough to find them. Unless a ring’s description says otherwise, a ring must be worn on a finger, or a similar digit, for the ring’s magic to function.

(emphasis mine)

However, the DMG section Wearing and Wielding Items states

Using a magic item’s properties might mean wearing or wielding it. A magic item meant to be worn must be donned in the intended fashion: boots go on the feet, gloves on the hands, hats, and helmets on the head, and rings on the finger. Magic armor must be donned, a shield strapped to the arm, a cloak fastened about the shoulders. A weapon must be held in hand.

(emphasis mine)

This appears to contradict the previous ruling, so what would qualify as a "finger or a similar digit"?
Further on, it states

In most cases, a magic item that’s meant to be worn can fit a creature regardless of size or build. Many magic garments are made to be easily adjustable, or they magically adjust themselves to the wearer.

That leads to the question, could a toe ring work? We then move toward gifted male* adventurers, pierced horn / tusk / frill / nose / ear, etc

Related question

*male is assuming anyone with traditionally male genitalia

Someone_Evil
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EMTGO
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    I'm giving an upvote here for the effort that went in to researching the question and for providing some good, relevant quotes in the question body. – Thomas Markov Mar 10 '21 at 14:41
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    Thank you, nice edit to the title. DV removed. – KorvinStarmast Mar 10 '21 at 14:42
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    Related: Can I wear as many magic items as I want?, Is there a limit to the number of magic rings a character can wear on one hand? – Thomas Markov Mar 10 '21 at 14:51
  • At your table, does the DM often take away your magic items like this? – NotArch Mar 10 '21 at 16:30
  • @NautArch I have a ring of mind shielding and was being interrogated by the party in a zone of truth (the gm ruled the ring lets you lie in the zone without people knowing) but a character rolled really well on investigation and had detect magic up and took the invisible ring off my hand, now I need to find a more discreet place to hide it, so putting it somewhere unlocatable would be the goal, the next best thing would be a toe or other location a pc wouldn't look for it. I'm going to have someone cast mystic aura on it so it wont pop up on detect magic etc – EMTGO Mar 10 '21 at 16:50
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    The party was interrogating you? If that PvP is party of the table dynamic, you may want to provide that info for future questions. I think a lot of us assume that the party works together. – NotArch Mar 10 '21 at 16:52
  • @NautArch eh, I had it coming, we all out of game agreed that the party is sacred except me, because that was fun and I wanted the party to act in character and not just metagame handwave it. I was playing a lawful evil, devil, warlock from grim hollow and getting people's souls and such! it was some really good role-playing and we all had fun! i had done enough good that the party banished me for a year and we figure out what happens from there – EMTGO Mar 10 '21 at 16:56
  • @NautArch to clarify, it wasn't PVP, the party just wanted answers for my shenanigans and my character was being evasive, and he also consented to the interrogation, it was a whole thing with homebrew magic bullsh*t and my character had a part of his pact that basically was an NDA on the contract itself so he literally had to say "I cannot answer that question" as a way too confirm things for the party, and "i cannot answer that question" was just as good as a yes for some things the pcs wanted to know and my character wanted to communicate! PVP isn't the normal area my questions are in – EMTGO Mar 10 '21 at 17:07
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    Does my answer solve your problem well enough for a green check? – Thomas Markov Mar 15 '21 at 19:13

4 Answers4

22

The DM decides what is an appropriate digit for a ring.

You've quoted all the relevant rules; the PHB rule seems to have a broader scope than the DMG rule. There is really no other answer or way to approach this than "ask your DM".

In my games, this sort of thing isn't really something we are going to worry about. I'd probably say, "just wear your ring, I don't really care about the details", and leave it at that. I usually don't worry about the details of wearing magic items until one of my players tries to do something a bit more silly, like wear two helmets.

Thomas Markov
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    the reason this is relevant is the attempt to avoid a ring of mind shielding being removed from my person or preferably not found, in the first place. should that be a separate question – EMTGO Mar 10 '21 at 14:41
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    @Aydens Asking for the specific case in the first place would have been the better course of action, and yes, you are corret, it is a separate question. – KorvinStarmast Mar 10 '21 at 14:42
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    @Aydens Maybe. Generally it's best to ask a question about the problem youre having rather than the solution your considering. – Thomas Markov Mar 10 '21 at 14:42
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    It is a minor nitpick, and I've already upvoted anyway, but I think this answer might be stronger by directly referencing the links you already included as comments to the original question. – Novak Mar 10 '21 at 17:50
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    "until one of my players tries to do something a bit more silly, like wear eleven rings" – BlueMoon93 Mar 11 '21 at 13:44
4

In the first quote "or a similar digit" is likely there to account for creatures which do not have hand/fingers to provide an option for still wearing a ring as in this answer. While it is unlikely the text as written originally intended a humanoid wearer to be wearing rings in other places (and the later quote backs this up), 5e has gotten rid of the "item slots" concept from earlier editions so there is no longer a hard restriction on how items must be worn to balance the item mechanics. Since it is no longer a mechanics question, most tables likely leave it up to your GM to decide. For me, it doesn't break the game from a mechanical or logical perspective, so I'd probably allow it at my table even though I don't think that is what was intended by the original authors.

Barker
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Given that the Forgoten realms books are a narrative representation of DnD setting, I will reference them. Drizzt do'urden uses speed bracers for his ankles and they still work in a similar faishon (accelerating the limb they are attached to).

In that sense, the DM should consider how to apply the ring efects to the foot instead of the hand.

Sxubach
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I think you already quoted the necessary rule from the DMG:

A magic item meant to be worn must be donned in the intended fashion

However the item was intended to be worn by it's creator, that is how it must be worn. If a ring was intended to be worn on a finger, it must be worn there to benefit from it's magical effects.

Bacon Bits
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