AD&D- Overpowered Magic Items

[Rabulias]

10. Horn of Blasting. Surprised. Expected the Staff of the Arch Magi? Well, this is powerful and fun. And? It's a HORN.

A horn? Careful, that might attract bards....

Iron Bands of Bilarro -- An item that wouldn't be out of place in a Dr. Strange story. But who is Bilarro and why are their iron bands so damn strong? And do they watch every time you use it?

According to 3.5's Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, Bilarro was an alternate universe version of Robilar (note the anagram).

 

[James Gasik]

Lyre of Building, Spade of Colossal Excavation, Mattock of the Titans. I've never had any of these, never seen them in play, not sure what you're meant to do with the Spade or the Mattock really (take apart dungeons at the seams?) but if being able to build things is important to your game, the Lyre is completely busted!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I thought it was Daern's Instant Fortress?

Yes it is! Thanks for the correction!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

....and you know that every time it happened, the player shouted, "SNICKER SNACK!"

You’re not yourself when you’re hungry. Time for a Snickers.

Still not yourself afterwards? Time for a SNICKER SNACK!

 

[the Jester]

Has anyone mentioned the 1e incarnation of the cube of force yet?

 

[James Gasik]

Has anyone mentioned the 1e incarnation of the cube of force yet?

I did, but maybe I need to explain exactly how bonkers it is!

Ok, so you have 36 charges and you can choose your level of protection. "Keeps out non-living matter" protects you from most weapons you'll be attacked with, and "Keeps out living matter" will protect you from most creatures. Sure, some attacks are going to cost extra (I'd be annoyed spending 4 charges to ward myself from magic only to have to spend another 4 to stop a lousy lightning bolt), but there's still a lot of uses for this item! Not to mention that while the listed spells cannot be cast into or out of the cube, other spells can be, and this is the only time the Cube mentions that the barrier works both ways- though I'm sure most DM's will insist on that point the first time your party Wizard makes themselves unassailable and starts going nuts with cone of cold!

 

[Lanefan]

Lyre of Building, Spade of Colossal Excavation, Mattock of the Titans. I've never had any of these, never seen them in play, not sure what you're meant to do with the Spade or the Mattock really (take apart dungeons at the seams?) but if being able to build things is important to your game, the Lyre is completely busted!

A character in my game has a Spade of Colossal Excavation.

If nothing else, it sure comes in handy during downtime if-when he goes back to his pre-adventuring profession for a bit of practice - he's a gravedigger.

It's come in handy in the field a few times as well.

 

[Lanefan]

Ok, so you have 36 charges and you can choose your level of protection. "Keeps out non-living matter" protects you from most weapons you'll be attacked with, and "Keeps out living matter" will protect you from most creatures. Sure, some attacks are going to cost extra (I'd be annoyed spending 4 charges to ward myself from magic only to have to spend another 4 to stop a lousy lightning bolt),

Why be chintzy with the charges? You get 'em all back tomorrow morning.

 

[Mannahnin]

In the updated wilderness encounter tables in Eldritch Wizardry, they're included under the "UNDEAD-TYPES" category. (Along with skeletons, zombies, ghouls, wights, wraiths, mummies, spectres, vampires, shadows, ghosts, liches, and will o'wisps.)

That doesn't make them undead, though, any more than Goblins or Elves or Gnomes being on the Giant Types table makes them species of Giant. Same with Cockatrices or Balrogs being on the Dragon Types table.

Those encounter tables are rough thematic groupings which sometimes have unrelated creatures thrown in to round out the table.

 

[the Jester]

Those encounter tables are rough thematic groupings which sometimes have unrelated creatures thrown in to round out the table.

Right- "creature type" isn't a thing until 3e.