D&D 5E Make a Flawed Magic Item

[Rossbert]

Pincushion

A named shield peppered with holes -- enough to be a a sieve.
Identify reveals it to be a +2 shield with advantage on saves against all spells that target the wielder.

Against any mundane or enchanted arrow, it negates all armor and magical defense bonuses for the wielder, and its own bonus becomes a negative.

AC = 10 - 2 (Pincushion) + DEX bonus + nonmagical (race/class) bonuses

If an enchanted arrow strikes the wielder and releases a spell, the wielder still gets advantage on the save. The shield's just terrible about arrows themselves.

Special note:
If the wielder is in the area of effect of Conjure Barrage, they take triple damage, no saving throw.

I had a simpler more mundane version of that idea.

Shield of Dynamic Deflection - This +1 shield gives advantage on Dex saving throws against area effects. All projectile attacks that pass within 10 feet of the bearer target them instead of their original target.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Arkelehze’s Ramients: these fine clothes add a magical bonus to any Charisma-based check against targets more than 10’ radius away from the wearer. They magically subtract the same amount for those within that radius, due to a strong smell of urine.

 

[pukunui]

This is one that I came up with for a previous campaign:

Gnomish Clockwork Shield
Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)
Despite looking worn, this round steel shield is sturdy and free of rust. A mithril sprocket embedded in the shield's face rotates slowly clockwise, making one full rotation every hour.
While holding the shield, you can use a bonus action to call upon the shield's magic to affect time. Roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, the sprocket spins faster, and you gain the effects of the haste spell (no concentration required) for 1 minute. On a 2 to 4, nothing happens. On a 1, the sprocket slows down, and you suffer the effects of the slow spell for up to 1 minute.
After the slow effect is triggered for the third time, the shield's mechanism breaks, and it becomes a nonmagical shield once the slow effect ends.


The player who got it loved it!

 

[Blue]

I had a simpler more mundane version of that idea.

Shield of Dynamic Deflection - This +1 shield gives advantage on Dex saving throws against area effects. All projectile attacks that pass within 10 feet of the bearer target them instead of their original target.

I seem to remember an earlier edition having an "Arrow Attractor" shield that worked like this, changing the target to you. Could be used to protect your friend the wizard back when you could disrupt a spell by taking damage while casting).

 

[pukunui]

I seem to remember an earlier edition having an "Arrow Attractor" shield that worked like this, changing the target to you. Could be used to protect your friend the wizard back when you could disrupt a spell by taking damage while casting).

Sounds a lot like the shield of missile attraction in the DMG. You have resistance to damage from ranged weapon attacks, but whenever someone makes a ranged attack within 10 feet of you, you become the target.

 

[merwins]

Emmelem's Pouch (rare, requires attunement)

This unassuming leather pouch identifies as being associated with conjuration and transmutation magic.

It will hold an unlimited amount of coinage in any currency. It adds no appreciable encumbrance to the wielder.

20% of any coinage (round up, of course) put into the pouch is instantly lost.

You can withdraw handfuls of coinage from the pouch in any currency you choose. The pouch will conveniently convert between denominations or types of currency, as needed -- for a 10% fee per conversion. Fees stack, thankyouverymuch.

The pouch must must be emptied or filled by hand. Upending it will not release the contents.

Rumors abound of a legendary Master Pouch that contains all the "lost" coinage from every conventional Emmelem Pouch.

 

[StormbringerAUS]

I had a player who believed (others felt he did as well) rolled alot of ones when doing damage.

His latest character found a Ring of Soul Fire (Very Rare and Attuned) whenever he rolled damage of type fire, any roll of one would be rerolled (even if a one was rolled again) - however on each reroll he had to make a wisdom save (DC13) on a failure he took 1d4 damage if he rolled a one on his save he lost one hit permanently.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ring of Sustenance (prototype): wearer is magically provided with nutrition (but not water) as long as it is worn. However, during this period, the wearer also smells strongly of food or seasoning, 15’ radius. The particular smell varies daily.

Roll 1d10:

1 Smelly cheese
2 Curry
3 Cumin
4 Cooked onions
5 Raw onions
6 Garlic
7 Cooked cabbage
8 Old cooking oil
9 Burnt bread
10 Roll again twice; do not ignore additional roll results of 10. Any duplicate result doubles the radius of odor

 

[Nevvur]

Indecider (melee weapon, any): You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

Once per turn, when you target a creature for attack using this magic weapon while another creature who is hostile to you is within your reach, roll 1d6. On a result of 1 or 2, you must attack the other creature instead. For each additional creature within your reach, increase the range by 1, to a maximum of 5. For example, if 3 creatures are in your reach, including the original target, you attack one of the other creatures on a result of 1, 2, or 3.

 

[merwins]

Oil of Sharpness (cursed)

For all intents and purposes, it acts and identifies as Oil of Sharpness.

It's flaw is that it remains *slippery*, even after sharpening, for the duration of the enchantment.

Every time (beginning of each round) the sharpened weapon or ammunition is handled, you must make a saving throw of 16+.
On a failure, you take 3 points of damage and drop the enchanted item. On a critical failure (1), you roll damage normally against yourself and drop the enchanted item.

You can add your strength or dexterity bonus for a better grip, of course. In that case, if you fail your saving throw be sure to add your attribute bonus to your self-inflicted damage.




For those complaining that this makes no sense for a sword or dagger, where you sharpen the blade and not the handle: this stuff is persistent, pervasive, and *slippery*. Drops of it get on your gloves, your hands, you fumble, and that blade keeps going in directions it's not supposed to.

For those of you still complaining, MAGIC, dammit!