The D&D Cartoon Weapons are Magic Items Now (and Surprisingly Powerful)
Ever wonder what the D&D Cartoon characters’ magic items do? Wonder no more! From energy bows to cloaks of invisibility, here they are.
The D&D Cartoon characters are a canonical part of D&D now. And they play a big role in the first two adventures using the 5.5E ruleset. First there was the search for Uni the Unicorn’s Horn. Now there’s the Scions of Elemental Evil.
In this new adventure, which features grown up versions of the D&D cartoon characters, we get to see their signature magic items. From Bobby’s Thunderous Greatclub to Sheila’s Cloak of Invisibility, we look at what they do.
D&D Cartoon Character Magic Items in the New DMG – Bobby the Barbarian’s Club
There’s seven different characters, the six original cartoon characters – all plucky kids and teens pulled from Earth into the Realms of D&D. Plus a seventh, Niko, a new character whose background is much the same. She, likewise, has her own special magic weapon that would look cool on an action figure.
First up, Bobby the Barbarian and his Thunderous Greatclub. And looking at what it does, it’s no wonder that Bobby was able to hold his own against the likes of Venger.
For starters, it sets your strength to 20, unless you happen to be stronger. already. On top of that, it deals an extra 1d8 Thunder damage to any creature it hits, or 3d8 Thunder damage to unattended objects. And that’s just the base stats.
The Thunderous Greatclub also has two magical abilities. As a Magic action, its bearer can slam thewe apon down, creating a 30-foot cone of thunder that knocks targets who fail a save prone and damages unattended objects. Or, as a different Magic action, its bearer can, once per dawn, create an Earthquake in a 50-foot-radius circle. That deals 50 Bludgeoning damage to structures touching the circle, and it knocks creatures prone with a much higher DC that might break Concentration. The bearer can also cause 30 foot deep fissures to open in the ground that might swallow up structures or creatures.
Diana the Monk And Her Quarterstaff of the Acrobat
Diana is a Monk with a powerful Quarterstaff. Like the Thunderous Greatclub, the Quarterstaff of the Acrobat isa Very Rare magic weapon. Unlike the Thunderous Greatclub it also counts as a +2 magic weapon. While holding it, the bearer can make it emit green Dim Light out to 10 feet, just like in the cartoon.
As a Bonus Action, it can be changed into either a 6-inch rod, a 10-foot pole, or return to a Quarterstaff. Why would you want to change it? Sometimes a 10-foot-pole is handy. Either way, it grants its bearer Advantage on Acrobatics checks. But there’s more.
It also gives its earer a special Reaction. When they would otherwise be hit by an attack, they can instead twirl the Quarterstaff, gaining +5 AC (effectively a Shield spell) but only against the triggering attack. This can only be used once per rest.
Finally, it can be thrown with a range of 30/120, and it returns to the user’s hand immediately after making a ranged attack. A powerful boon for any Monk or polearm wielding character.
Eric’s Shield of the Cavalier
Eric was the stickler of the D&D cartoon characters, but his magic item is a Shield and it, like the disgruntled Cavalier, can save the party if need be.
It’s another Very Rare item that requires attunement. All of them are. The Shield of the Cavalier is a +2 Shield to start with. But then it ramps up from there. It can be used to make a Forceful Bash when taking the Attack action, allowing the bearer to swap in one of their normal attack rolls to one with the shield. This deals 2d6 + 2 + Strength Mod to anyone it hits and can push a creature of any size up to 10 feet away, knocking them prone if they’re the basher’s size or smaller.
It also generates a protective magical field as a Reaction. This lets the wielder protect themselves or an ally within 5 feet from an attack or a saving throw by creating a 5-foot emanation. Within the Emanation, the triggering attack or area of effect has no effect. And once created, nothing can pass into or out of the Emanation, giving the wielder and a friend a shield bubble for up to one minute.
Hank the Ranger’s Energy Bow
Hank the Ranger is the Fred of the bunch, both in terms of appearance and attitude. Plus he bwields a magical Energy Bow that creates its own arrows.
This +1 Bow creates an arrow any time its wielder fires it. These magic arrows deal Force damage and radiate bright light out to 20 feet while they exist.
But the bow can also produce three different special magic arrows. The first is an arrow of restraining that ensnares targets instead of damaging them. The neat thing about this is that it can be part of the attack action. So a wielder could restrain a target and then follow up with advantage.
As a Magic action, the bow can unleash an arrow of transport. This arrow allows the archer to teleport a willing Medium or smaller creature to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of them. And finally it can create an arrow ladder, also as a Magic action. This creates a ladder up to 60 feet high that lasts for up to a minute.
Niko the Cleric’s Mace
Niko the Cleric is a new character. She didn’t appear in the original cartoon, but was added in the D&D Essentials Starter Kit as part of the Dragons of Stormwreck Isle adventure. Niko is a Cleric and her magic item is the unimaginatively named Niko’s Mace.
But that’s okay, because Niko’s Mace is powerful enough in its own right. It has 6 charges and allows its wielder to cast Summon Celestial, a 5th Level Spell that calls forth a celestial ally with a +9 spell attack bonus.
Each casting lasts up to 6 hours, so a completely full Mace can support up to 6 hours of Celestial Companionship. Extremely powerful on a 4th-level character.
Presto the Wizard’s Hat of Many Spells
The Hat of Many Spells has appeared as a magic item before. It was originally a sneaky nod to the cartoon, but now it’s specifically a direct link to Presto the Wizard.
And in 5.5E, it has a sizable boost from its previous iteration. Now the Hat of Many Spells can be used to try to cast any level 1+ spell its wielder doesn’t know. It has to be on the Wizard spell list, and the spellcaster has to spend one of their own spell slots. But it can be a powerful boon in a pinch.
Simply make an Arcana check and cast the spell. Or fail the check and roll on a special table of random magical mishaps.
Sheila the Thief’s Cloak of Invisibility
What could be better for a thief than the ability to vanish from sight at a moment’s notice. Sheila’s magical Cloak of Invisibility has 3 charges. Each charge can be spent to gain the Invisible condition. This is potent, because it’s the condition, not the spell, which has certain interactions with things like Counterspell or Dispel Magic.
And that’s all of them. Each of these items can be yours in the new DMG or in Scions of Elemental Evil, available now on D&D Beyond.
Happy adventuring!
