D&D 5E Help with tier 1 magic items

[TheSword]

If there’s one thing I really hate as a DM it’s having to pick magic items for the players for 5e. I feel I always go too powerful, too generic or too weak.

Could anyone help for suggested items for three characters to find tier 1-5. There is an artificer, a rogue, and a Paladin/sorcer

 

[commandercrud]

Don't pick magic items for the players. Pick magic items for your bad guys to use.

 

[jmartkdr2]

No idea for the artificer.

For the rogue, I'd go with a skill-boosting item like gloves of thievery or boots of elvenkind. If you want to be nice, pick a skill the rogue uses often to give a boost to.

For the sorcadin, I'd say a basic magic weapon is good, but try to give it a bonus other than +1 to hit. I like the sword of wounding for this, even though technically it's weak when it lands it's a lot of fun. You could also invent another, similar small boost to damage based on their sorcerer origin.

 

[TheSword]

Don't pick magic items for the players. Pick magic items for your bad guys to use.

That is a good principal and to be clear, all the items will be used by bad guys and not found in a vault.

However I do think some thought is advisable to actually pick interesting items for the players as this will be a major part of their reward.

 

[TheSword]

How many do people think? I find the guide in Xananthars’s... lacking.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Add-on: if the rogue is an assassin, you might want to give them an item that boosts initiative or otherwise makes getting to use the Assassinate feature more likely.

 

[TheSword]

Any characterful items that are particularly good for a level 1-5 party?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Any characterful items that are particularly good for a level 1-5 party?

Bag of Holding at low levels is great for most parties IMO.

A Superior Healing potion is also nice because it gives low level PCs a chance to "top off" in the middle of a fight, which could make the difference.

Immovable Rods can also be handy.

I would look mostly for items that enhance utility over combat.

 

[jmartkdr2]

How many do people think? I find the guide in Xananthars’s... lacking.

1 "major" item - maybe something that could be a signature item for the character - for each by level 5. If you go this route, you may even want to start thinking about how to improve those items over time (both mechanially and how it will happen in the narrative). Definitely have the bad guy use these first.

Then a bunch of consumables. The best part of a consumable is that no matter how crazy it is, it'll only break one encounter. But make sure these items are better than what the players can do with daily spells or they'll never get used. Potions of Giant Strength, powerful scrolls, runes that cast good spells but don't require concentration - stuff like that.

Then throw in some random magical non-adventuring gear for funsies.

That's my typical approach, and most player of mine who become dm's immediately steal the ideas (especially the signature items.)

 

[TheSword]

So to summarize

- One ‘major’ item per character maybe per tier - that directly ties to their abilities.

- lots of meaty consumables

- Utility items like immovable rods, bags of holding.

Where do people stand on protective items? The rings and cloaks of protection, Magic armour etc. these are good for everyone.