D&D 5E Cool things to do with books

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El Gallo Negro

First Post

• Mar 17, 2016

• #1

So, a 5th level Wizard in my game just came across a cool book. He was hanging out in a shop and took a gander at the bookshelf. I figured this would be a good time to allow a roll just for giggles. Well, a natural 20 told me that I had to come up with something. I didn't want to use a book from the DMG, not because I don't like them, but because I'm a fan of original items. Also, many of the books listed are a bit beyond the current player level.

I know this might sound like a mistake, making things up on the fly like this, but it's something I really like doing. It keeps my brain engaged and always keeps the players interested because they're not always going to get generic magic items that lack individual flavor.

The wizard began to read the book, to which I gave the title A Hint of Dragon Scale. The title is meant to suggest enchantment or transmutation. I am intending to make it so that this book helps the wizard learn to create staffs, wands, and/or scrolls. Perhaps the wizard learns how to better identify magical items or even craft his own. This would be something the player and the character would love (he's a Forest Gnome Wizard who deals in trading exotic goods).

I just figured I should throw this out there and see if anybody has some cool ideas regarding where I can go with this book.

Thanks and cheers!

 

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77IM

Explorer!!!

Supporter

• Mar 17, 2016

• #2

So the DMG has this nifty section on crafting magic items, and talks about magic item "recipes." So you could put some recipes in there. Maybe each recipe requires a different monster part -- and all of the monsters are draconic or reptilian in nature. The end result is that when the party fights one of these monsters, the harvested body parts serve as a sort of additional or alternate reward. Like, maybe it doesn't make sense for that basilisk to have much treasure; but if you cut out the eyes they can be used to make a staff that sells for 5,000 gp!

 

Ancalagon

Dusty Dragon

• Mar 17, 2016

• #3

A magical recipe could be a serious reward. A book with a few of those is a momentous find!

What the recipes are is of course up to you. Obviously dragon scale mail... but perhaps *too* obvious. It could be all potions - a bit of scale of red dragon for a potion of fire breathing, black dragon scale for water breathing, gold dragon scale for longevity, bronze dragon for heroism...

 

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Jediking

Explorer

• Mar 17, 2016

• #4

El Gallo Negro said:

I know this might sound like a mistake, making things up on the fly like this, but it's something I really like doing. It keeps my brain engaged and always keeps the players interested because they're not always going to get generic magic items that lack individual flavor.

Click to expand...

Good. Great. Fantastic! Don't ever think it sounds like a mistake. If you like it, and it if your players like it, it works.

Books like Mating Habits of Bulettes or 1001 Ways Through the Foggy Woods can give a player a very specific version of Stonecunning or Favoured Terrain traits. Even if it only ever comes up once, letting them write down some random ability for finding something cool is a win.

And when you both forget and they get into some big jam and are perusing their character sheet out of desperation, they say "wait, I read once in The Maw of Death, by Draco Facio and his many 'assistants'. that Copper Dragons have ticklish tongues" and do something random with it, then it's worth it.

 

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ghostofchristmaspast

Guest

• Mar 17, 2016

• #5

Make it a book describing the exact procedure for wooing dragons. Just saying.

 

NotActuallyTim

First Post

• Mar 17, 2016

• #6

Obviously it's a copy of Atlas Shrugged with a new cover and it enchants the PC, making them build an underwater city full of mutants.

 

The Grassy Gnoll

Explorer

• Mar 17, 2016

• #7

I immediately thought of this. I know, I'm a bad person...



Yes these are actually a real thing.

Not much of a stretch from dinos to dragons... Wooed by the Wyvern...Fifty Shades of Platinum...

 

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FormerlyHemlock

Hero

• Mar 18, 2016

• #8

El Gallo Negro said:

So, a 5th level Wizard in my game just came across a cool book. He was hanging out in a shop and took a gander at the bookshelf. I figured this would be a good time to allow a roll just for giggles. Well, a natural 20 told me that I had to come up with something. I didn't want to use a book from the DMG, not because I don't like them, but because I'm a fan of original items. Also, many of the books listed are a bit beyond the current player level.

Click to expand...

You might find this table interesting: http://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2015/01/d100-minor-magical-items.html

For example:

Party Book. This book creates audible illusions imitating a party. The state of the party depends on the page the book is opened to. If the book is turned to page 1, you'll hear a couple people setting up silverware. Middle of the book, raucous carousing. Near the end, mostly snores and a few people taking shots.

Click to expand...

 

ChrisCarlson

First Post

• Mar 18, 2016

• #9

Adult-ish warning:


So back in 4e my gruff dwarf was rummaging around in a musty ol' library while the other PCs were doing some research. The DM advised me that I had managed to uncover a rather risque book of elven carnal knowledge, replete with illustrations (he described it as the elf version of the Kama Sutra). Probably assuming it would gross him out or some such, what with him being a dwarf and all. But instead I enthusiastically pocketed the tome and ended up keeping it throughout the rest of the campaign as one of my prized possessions. When asked what my character saw in such a book, I would always comment something like, "Its a book chock fulla purdy gals. Cuz with elves, even the guys are gals. What ain't there to like?"

 

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ChelseaNH

First Post

• Mar 18, 2016

• #10

The warlock in my current game decided that he was reading something he found in some old ruins which seemed to be a treatise and turned out to cast a ritual to contact his Great Old One. So there could be a surprise buried in the pages.

Speaking of books: A player in my Lost Mines of Phandelver game had, as part of his background, a secret book of terrible knowledge that he was carrying away to hide somewhere. When the party was playing around with the Forge of Spells, he tried sticking the book in it, and then reading a page. I hadn't spent any time thinking about what the book might contain, let alone how it might be affected by enchantment. So I decided to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table each time he read from it, while the enchantment lasted.