Clutch Wooden Rock Ring

From Blaseball Wiki

The Clutch Wooden Rock Ring is a non-legendary item. It is notable for (by the end of the Expansion Era) being stolen by players on four separate occasions, duplicated four times, traded once, and the duplicates being stolen a further four times and traded once.

Bearers

Original ring:

Duplicates (with date of acquisition):

Former bearers (with date(s) of acquisition)

Characteristics

The Clutch Wooden Rock Ring is a versatile item with a range of appealing qualities, which is postulated by some[who?] to increase its appeal as a target of theft. Firstly, it sports a respectable durability level of 5, due to its three attributes (one of which is the additionally durability-increasing attribute, Rock). This provides wearer with an appreciable protective buffer against Consumer attacks. Secondly, while Rings would be optimally worn by players in a team's rotation, the Clutch Wooden Rock Ring's Wooden attribute significantly improves batting performance - by approximately 0.8 stars - with only minor penalties to baserunning and defense. Finally, the ring gives its wearer the  High Pressure modification.


History

Genesis and thefts

The original ring was first observed on Season β17, Day 94, when LA Unlimited Tacos player Mcdowell Mason received the item from a community chest drop. Mason was in possession of the ring for over two and a half seasons, until the league-wide Ratification of the stadium modification Tunnels. From the Season β20 Latesiesta onward, this allowed pitchers to steal items from other teams, culminating in Chicago Firefighters player Conrad Twelve stealing the ring from Mason on Season β20, Day 75.

Twelve was to possess the ring for only two days, however, when it was subsequently stolen by Sixpack Santiago of the Miami Dale on Day 77, who was then stolen from by Hellmouth Sunbeams pitcher Sigmund Castillo on day 83. Castillo held the ring until Season β21, Day 12, when it was stolen by Curry Aliciakeyes of the Yellowstone Magic.

As of the end of Season β22, the original Clutch Wooden Rock Ring is in the possession of New Megan Ito III, who traded it with Aliciakeyes on Day 74 for a Hearty Smooth Necklace (which Ito III had previously gleaned from Rigby Friedrich).


Duplication

Since the introduction of the Gift Shop in Season β18, items which had been dropped by players would be added to a pool, from which teams could receive an item at random to give to an eligible player via the Bargain Bin gift option. Under this system, the recirculation of items with more attributes would be prioritised.

For reasons unknown, any instances of item theft would add a copy of the stolen item into the Bargain Bin, all of which shared their Durability value in a case comparable quantum entanglement. As a consequence, during the Season β21 Latesiesta - when the Philly Pies, Houston Spies, Core Mechanics and Dallas Steaks were all gifted an item from the Bargain Bin - Ruslan Greatness, Bennett Bluesky, Cannonball Sports, and Liquid Friend III all gained Clutch Wooden Rock Rings.

At the end of the Expansion Era, only two duplicate rings remain in the hands of players, both in the Vault after their owners at the time faded to Dust - the ring of Liquid Friend III, as well as the one pulled from the Bargain Bin by Bluesky - whose ring is now in the possession of New Megan Ito V.

Further thefts, and a return

Core Mechanics batter Sports was the first to have their ring stolen, on Season 21, day 105 by LA Unlimited Tacos pitcher Yummy Elliott. Come the Season β21 Elections, Tacos fans spent a Will to steal Elliott's ring and give it to McDowell Mason, who then lost the ring to Lorcan Smaht on Season 23, Day 24. Smaht dropped the duplicate ring on Season 23, Day 64 when they stole Uncle Plasma XIV's Sharp Gravity Holey Glove.

Bluesky's ring was Traded to New Megan Ito V of the Ohio Worms on Season 22, Day 81, who has remained in possession of its since. Greatness' ring was stolen by Mexico City Wild Wings pitcher Beans McBlase, on Season 22, Day 83. McBlase later dropped the ring on Season 23, Day 19, replacing it with Paula Mason's Slimy Hot Skate Helmet.