D&D: Five Weird Magic Items, Perfect For Filling Out A Treasure Table
Finding a weird magic item in the middle of a monster’s treasure is an iconic D&D experience. Here are a few handy ideas so you can see why.
Magic items are part and parcel with D&D. And while it can be nice to lust after that perfect item that will complete your character (or in some cases, enable the whole build), one of the more savory joys in D&D is when you find a magic item that does something weird. Especially if you find it after a challenging fight, or while clearing out the rooms in a dungeon.
And it’s not just the random nature of it. It’s the curiosity that a weird and/or out of place magic item invites. Curiosity about why the monster had this magic item. Or better yet, coming up with…interesting ways to use it. So here, for you, are five great magic items perfect for filling out that random magic item space on any treasure table.
Folding Boat
A Folding Boat is about as D&D of a magic item as you can get. It’s been around since the earliest days of D&D and has endured multiple editions for a reason. People love an item like this. It goes from a humble wooden box into a big long ship with a cabin, oars, and all that kind of thing.
Nobody often spends too much time thinking about how they’re going to get from one place to another until it’s time to leave the safe confines of town. And then decision becomes impossible. But with an item like a folding boat, you’re already squared away.
Pipes of Haunting
Pipes of Haunting are a fun little magic item. Because whoever expects to find a magical set of pipes? And it’s not even specified which kind of pipes these are. These could be panpipes. They could be bagpipes. It’s whatever delights your little DM heart when looking at the treasure tables.
These pipes can play a haunting melody that can frighten targets who hear it. Hostile creatures have to make a save and if they fail, they’re Frightened for the next little while, enabling players to turn the tide whatever battle caused them to break out the haunting pipes.
Javelin of Lightning
This is another classic D&D item from the elder days of the game. A javelin of lightning is an iconic magic item that transforms from a hule throwing weapon into a 120 foot long bolt of lightning. There was once a time when the lightning bounced off of walls and could stri, ke multiple people. But those days are gone. Instead you get a free lightning bolt attack that you can carry around in your quiver. Handy.
Jug of Alchemy
This humble jug can produce up to 2 gallons of mayonnaise per day. Which is a frightening fact. Especially considering that its not necessarily been refrigeratde or anytiing like that. It can produce lager volumes of more liquid, like beer and fresh water. But it’s things like the the mayonnaise that really get the old brain cells cooking. Because what can’t you do with 2 gallons of mayonnaise and just a little bit of creativity.
Lyre of Building
The scond musical instrument on this list, the Lyre of Building allows you to cast many spells that could be useful in any sort of construction endeavor. While attuned to it, you can play the lyre and use it to cast Fabricate, Move Earth, Passwall, or Summon Construct, each once per day. All of which are great.
But what really makes this a fun item to have is that it can also e played to keep structures from taking damage. Which means that a single, ambitious Bard with a Lyre of Building could protect an entire town from the ravages of a hungry Tarrasque. And that ‘s the kind f stuff that weird magic items are made of.
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