Five Sentient Items in D&D – Magic Items With Personality
In D&D, sometimes your magic items can have a lot of personality. We look at some of D&D’s sentient items.
Dungeons & Dragons is a game, at its heart, about friends banding together to kill things and take their stuff. Which is even easier to do when your friends are magic weapons. Because in D&D, sentient items are not just a thing. They’re an iconic part of the game.
The earliest days of D&D had magic items with personality. These sentient items would lay in wait for hapless D&D characters.
And then, they might psychically take them over, compelling them to certain courses of action. Now, almost 50 years later, sentient items are still a fun part of D&D, though they’re as much allies as they are puppet masters. Here are some of our favorites.
Azuredge
This magical battleaxe was forged by a civic-minded archwizard, who wanted to ensure that its wielder would protect the city of Waterdeep.
Now, while that does sound like a drawback, because really, who wants to hang out with an axe cop past, like, 2015 or so? Azuredge manages to stand out for a couple of reasons.
For one, it can punch through the shield spell, unhindered. That alone means the weapon can overcome one of the best spells in the game, no questions asked.
And secondly, the weapon can throw a fit that makes it extremely fun in-game. Because Azuredge can communicate telepathically. And on top of that, it can become ten times heavier than normal (like a toddler going boneless). If that’s not enough, Azuredge can also adhere magically to any Medium or larger object or surface it comes into contact with. Until it decides to end the effect it’s immovable (except by Wish), so you’ll have to trick it into releasing it by making it think you’re going to defend Waterdeep.
Waythe
Waythe, on the other hand, is a magic greatsword that’s less about laws, and more about being cool. As a sentient weapon of neutral good alignment, Waythe is already a better friend than most weapons.
It’s already aligned with the ideals of most adventurers. This is great because this sword can also detect enemies (specifically enemies hostile to whoever is holding it). But you might want to be careful because Waythe believes in freedom.
And Waythe believes in allowing others to live as they see fit. But Wyathe is also courageous to the point of foolhardiness. And it can talk. Which means Waythe can start a fight on your behalf.
The Ring of Winter
This magical ring is extremely dangerous. It is sentient, charismatic, and more importantly, it is utterly evil. This chaotic evil ring is driven to cause wanton destruction and cruelty.
So much so, that if it gets a chance to take over its wielder, it will compel them to cause undue harm to everyone and everything around it, hoping that those actions will incur the wrath of enemies, ensuring its bearer’s doom.
Why put up with all of this? Because the Ring of Winter is extremely powerful as well. While wearing it, you don’t age, you can’t be located by magic, including the most powerful divination spells. And you’re immune to colds.
On top of all that, you have a number of powerful spells you can cast, all cold-themed. And you can create anything you need out of thin, cold air.
Professor Orb
Look it’s a holocron but in D&D. Each Professor Orb has its own personality, and extensive knowledge of four narrow academic subjects, which can range from local history to secret combat techniques.
Everything a Jedi PC could want.
Wave
First, let’s all take a moment to remember Google Wave. But in D&D, Wave is among the rarest of D&D weapons: a trident. Which makes it infinitely cooler than any of the magic swords featured here.
Wave, on the surface, wants to convert mortals to the worship of gods of the sea. And it gets along great with anyone who already does that. It can speak with its wielder and with aquatic animals. And it’s homesick!
Wave feels a nostalgic attachment to the place where it was forged. Wave grew up on a distant island called Thunderforge, where a group of storm giants forged Wave either in devotion to or rebellion against the sea god that imprisoned them.
Filled with worry that it’s the latter, Wave harbors secret doubt about its own purpose, which is why Wave just wants a friend.
Happy Adventuring!
