D&D 5E +1 Shield and Table p. 142-143 of the DMG

[Mhyr]

I'm currently running the LMoP starter and the PCs so far have found Talon and and Staff of Defense.
What's amazing is that with just a few rolls, the items can be so completely different. For instance for Talon (which you named "Claw" above) I let my player roll for the Minor Property and she got that it can amplify her voice and make it carry out to 300 ft. I didn't let her know what the minor property was, but just after a battle with the Redbrands (who got desperate and attacked them in broad daylight) she held the sword high in triumph and yelled out "This is what will become of all Redbrands!" This then carried throughout pretty much the entire town. Needless to say the PCs (and players) where a bit confused but delighted with the conclusion of that scene.

That sounds super nice!! To be honest I used the table not rolling on but picking from and adding my own ideas. And of course: it is Talon. That error came from translating back and forth from English to German (the language we play in) to English! Just edited my original post.

 

[phantomK9]

To begin with I have to admit that I really looove the table on the pages 142-143 of the 5E-DMG!

Yep, that is definitely one of my favorite parts of the DMG. When I first got it, I was fiddling around with the tables
and had my wife just give me some random numbers and applied the results to a simple +1 longsword.

Created By: a Fiend
The item is made of black iron or horn inscribed with runes, and any cloth or leather components are crafted from the hide of fiends. It is warm to the touch and features leering faces or vile runes engraved on its surface. Celestials find it repulsive.

History: Prophecy
The item features in a prophecy: its bearer is destined to play a key role in future events. Someone else who wants to play that role might try to steal the item, or someone who wants to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled might try to kill the items' bearer.

Minor Property: Key
The item is used to unlock a container, chamber, vault, or other entryway.

Quirk: Possessive
The item demands attunement when first wielded or worn, and it doesn't allow its bearer to attune to other items.

So with just a couple of rolls I now have a sword, crafted by a fiend, that a prophesy says that it will most likely be the key to opening a portal to some hellish realm, most likely allowing the Fiends armies to come through and destroy the land.

The adventure practically just writes itself. And this was just for a simple +1 sword.

That being said, a dwarven cleric in my game got a +1 shield and giving most of the "non-wondrous items magic items" of my campaign some special features, I have the following thought concerning this very +1 shield: Are these features a bit over the top?

Minor Property: Shadowbane. The bearer of this shield has necrotic damage resistance, while protecting oneself with it (shield bonus adding to AC).
Quirk: Truthspeaker. The bearer of this shield cannot lie (as if under the effect of the spell Zone of Truth), while protecting oneself with it (shield bonus adding to AC).

Any critique, help or comment appreciated! Thanks, Mhyr.

I think those features are just fine. Nothing too crazy about them.

 

[Zaran]

I would call the property Shadowguard and not Shadowbane. Also I would make the Quirk always affect the holder of the shield and not just when they wield it in combat.

 

[Scorpio616]

I'd REQUIRE attunement and have the quirk apply while attuned.

 

[Mistwell]

Resistance can be a lot on a +1 shield.

It should probably be "you ignore the first three points of necrotic damage you take each round".

 

[Scorpio616]

It should probably be "you ignore the first three points of necrotic damage you take each round".

Right, thats a minor boon that adds some flavor.

 

[Mistwell]

Right, thats a minor boon that adds some flavor.

And it has some precedent. Heavy Armor Master feat says, "While you are wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from non magical weapons is reduced by 3". Reducing by 3 seems to be a fair way to represent a 'Lesser Resistance' trait.

And it's got the right flavor - this item is likely invented by someone travelling to a plane or demi-plane which deals a small sum of necrotic damage each round, and the item holds back that constant oppressive necrotism, though does not grant true immunity to more powerful forms of necrotic damage. It's like an oxygen tank for underwater travel - you can now go underwater with that tank and still breath, but the tank doesn't prevent more powerful negative effects of underwater travel, like getting the bends from pressure changes.

The truth telling also tells a story. I can imagine this shield was sent along with an invitation from a denizen of that plane or demi-plane that causes a small amount of negative damage each round, to someone important from our prime material plane. Sort of a gift to a visiting emissary - this shield will allow you to travel in my territory unharmed, but accepting it means you will be forced to always speak truthfully to my subjects and to me, during your visit.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

You could have the resistance only apply at night, but also require that it be exposed to the sun during the day. The protection is provided by the captured sunlight.

 

[Mhyr]

So many great suggestions!!! Definitely renaming the shield Shadowguard. Thanks, Zaran!

Before reading from you, I made up the follwoing:

Minor Property: Shadowguard. The bearer of this shield has necrotic damage resistance, as long as he stays out of sunlight.
Quirk: Truthspeaker. The bearer of this shield cannot lie (as if under the effect of the spell Zone of Truth).

Now I have to reconsider... I haven't had the time to check by comparing to other items, wether attunement would be appropriate, although it would surely rule Truthspeaker tremendously:

Quirk: Truthspeaker. As long as the bearer of this shield is attuned to it she cannot lie (as if under the effect of the spell Zone of Truth).

And I really like the connection to other rulings in "ignoring the first 3 points of necrotic damage". Especially the hook one could provide with an item like this, you described so well, Mistwell! Great!! (Did I mention I love page 142 and 143 of the new DMG?)
But this would not be what I was aiming for. I envisioned a shield for a minor vampire hunter. perhaps vampire fighter would be even better.
Therefore I came up the "necrotic damage resistance, as long as he stays out of sunlight." part. But of course this would be way more powerful and one can expect to fight critters using necrotic damage not in the bright sunlight of high noon.

The idea to "load" the shield in sunlight, like it has to be exposed to sunlight for the time of a long rest ist kind of nice, too. But I guess it would make things game play-wise a bit complex.

I really have to give this some thought. Thank you everybody! Great, great suggestions!!

And I would love to hear more of your item stories!

 

[Quartz]

I like the idea of multi-level abilities. In the case of this shield, anyone who picks it up gets the +1 AC, but to get the major power - Resistance to Necrotic damage, you have to Attune to it, at which point you get the Quirk too. You might want to give it extra powers too, like giving Advantage on Shield Bash attacks vs Undead if the wielder has the feat.