D&D 5E Most annoying / awesome magic items

[Arial Black]

Well, it depends on whether you view more work as more bookkeeping, I suppose.*

A. Wand has 20 charges, no recharge. Every time you use it, you lose a charge. When done, you're done.

B. Wand has 20 charges, recharging at 5-8 charges per day**, unless it goes to 0, when it might explode 5% of the time. So, you keep track of the charges you use. If the number ends at >0, roll the number of recharges and add back. If it is 0, then roll chance to explode, then roll recharge. Repeat to infinity (AND BEYOND!).


*I suppose it also depends on such things as the definition of "is," and the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow, but that's neither here nor there.

**All numbers are approximate and for example only. Also? Math.

In 3E, a wand has 50 charges. On your character sheet you write, 'Wand of CLW, charges: 50'. When you use, say, 3 charges after a skirmish you must erase '50' and write '47'. Each time you use charges you must erase one number and write another, until you use all the charges, get another wand, or both.

In 5E a wand has, say, 20 charges. On your character sheet you write 'Wand of MM, charges: 20'. Each time you use charges you must erase one number and write another. No difference so far.

In 5E, there is the long rest, after which there is bookkeeping. To all that bookkeeping, simply rolling a die and getting some charges back for your wand is hardly arduous.

 

[Azurewraith]

Pipes of the Sewers hands down come on who dont want a swarm of rats! that wall in your way swarm of rats, body need eating swarm of rats, need an excuse to get into the lady changing room swarm of rats and they come to you! so on and so forth

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[seebs]

I would like to submit the wand of wonder/rod of wonder as an example of both categories.

In one game, my standard threat for people who were really pissing me off was that I would take our low-wisdom bard to their kingdom, give her a rod of wonder, and tell her that she'd get the hang of it with practice.

 

[Istbor]

Well, in fairness, if you were playing BECMI or 1e- did you really want to have the DM make yet another completely original backstory for the 12th +1 longsword that the party recovered that day?

"And this is the illustrious Sword of Fanukrin, used by the Kings of Neert, once wielded by the Great Paladin Gesundheit, to bar the Bridge of Nonesuch against the rampaging Orc Hordes of Lord ..."

"Is it +1?"

"Yep."

"Okay, we toss it in the bag of holding and go north."

Well that is what I am saying. I hate +X items. Even if it did come with that cool backstory, it is just a +1. Give it some property besides a numerical advantage. Allow it to do something special. That is what I mean by flavor, not just some fluff attached to a sword that works mechanically identical to any other +1.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Lanefan]

LIKE:

Sign me up for the Wand of Wonder and Deck of Many Things (or variants of each), never a dull moment; and in my DMing career I've thus far got a full adventure and two mini-dungeons just out of parties using Bags of Beans.

Also pass me a Bag of Holding while you're at it; never was an item more useful.

And I don't mind Rings of Sustenance if only because having one means a character can go on crazy-long treks through unknown wilderness and not have to worry about dying of thirst or starvation. (or, as happened in my game once, get trapped on a barren dead world for a few years and survive - at least physically)

DISLIKE / ANNOYING:

Most devices of enemy or treasure detection. Takes too much of the fun and suspense out of exploration.

"Anything" items from 1e's Unearthed Arcana.

Most multi-function items e.g. 1e Wand of Fire or Wand of Illumination - both as DM and player I never remember all the different functions.

Lan-"who never met a magic longsword he didn't try to wander off with; current ownership notwithstanding"-efan

 

[Galendril]

My players enjoyed the bag of beans they got earlier in the campaign. I plan on introducing both the deck of many things and a wand of wonder at some point. Randomness for the win!

Add a bag of tricks too!

 

[the Jester]

DISLIKE / ANNOYING:

..."Anything" items from 1e's Unearthed Arcana.

Oh God. This. Anything items were one of the only categories I didn't even have to consider whether I was converting or not when I was doing my massive magic item conversion project.

 

[pukunui]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are "'anything' items"?