Interesting Original Magic Items you have invented/come across

satasha

Explorer
Hi. I am going to be running a 1st/2nd edition game soon after a long hiatus. I thought it would be neat to throw a few really original magic items into the mix rather than just the old standbys.

I figured I would ask here (and elsewhere) if anyone knows some interesting, original ones. It is the idea that is important, not necessarily the edition specific mechanics. Also power levels can usually be scaled.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Have you looked at the 5e playtest materials? there are some really great ideas on how to make even a +1 sword truly interesting and unique.
 

1. Regarding poison damage -- the "Hat of Dose" as per this exchange:
- "How did you know the poison was going to become ineffective then?"
- "My Hat of d0Se know Limit!"

2. "Trousers of Diversion" -- taking up no body item slot, the plain woolen Trousers of Diversion conceal three spells; costs are per 3.5E rules*:
• Nystul's Magic Aura (continuous) @ 2000 GP;
• Ghost Sound (5/day) @ 750 GP;
• Open/Close (5/day) @ 500 GP.
That's 10 castable spells per day, and the guards aren't going to suspect magical trousers if they take you captive, because that's not a body item slot.

* Costs: "I think." (I may have miscalculated.)
 


I always tried to create unique items..Gloves of rapid attack allow an extra attack per round at -1 to hit, if dual wielding adds 2 extra attacks per round at -2.
 

Over the Shoulder Boulder Holder

A Magic bag that you can pull rocks from! No limit to number of rocks held! No weight if held over the shoulder Throw rocks at enemies!
 

I made this item up inspired by a similar one on Icewind Dale II.

It was a broken bag of holding. It had one hundred different items (mostly mundane stuff) and you could take only one of them out of it every 24 hours. You rolled a d20 and checked on table I had made. Higher numbers gave better items. The best one (number 99) was a pair of boots of sprinting and striding, while the worst one (00) was a piece of paper with Sepia Snake Sigil cast on it.

Once all 100 of them were taken out, the bag then proceeded to function as a simple bag of holding. This item had the added benefit of working as a great way to count the passage of time on the campaign.
 

All my magic items are unique. I try to avoid as much as possible +1 swords and the like. These are typical items.


Ever Living Branch
Appears to be a fresh cut branch of Alder wood ending in a gnarled knot. It smells faintly of sap and when touched gives a warm sensation that evokes the memory of green leaves and growing things.

Baton +1
Can deliver shaman touch spells
+1 to hit when making ranged touch attacks
+1 caster level with spells on the Plant and Healing domain list
Hardness 10, 7 hit points, regenerates 1 hit point per day. Vunerable to fire, all other saves at +2. Reduced to zero or less hit point and its powers cease to function, but branch always regrows within a week unless consumed by fire.

Touched to a plant, allows speak with plants, 1 per day.

The item radiates magic and chaos.

Ancient Monkey Skull
Appears to be the skull of a primate about 6” in diameter, it has been covered in a thin paint perhaps a preservative and various runes and signs are drawn on it suggestive of a Mokoheen origin. It appears to have been created by someone with knowledge of both arcane and shaman magic. Although its creator is unknown, the object appears to be not less than 2400 years old. When touched, it feels slightly slimy however cleaned and evokes vague feelings of hunger.

Three times per day, as a standard action requiring a command word, when held in the hand the owner may cast eyes of the necromancer.

Hardness 5; H.P. 3; All saves at +6

The item radiates magic and evil.

Cutlass of the Ancient Mariner King

This weapon is broad-bladed cutlass made of slightly patinaed bronze in an ancient mode that gives it a scythe like appearance. A piece of amber containing a honeybee is set into the pommel, and the curved handguard is inscribed with archaic runes in the Tumeesi dialect.

Treat as a +1 Cutlass for weapon purposes. When held, grants a +3 bonus on Navigation skill checks.

Hardness 12, h.p. 17, saves at +2
 

A single, small silver coin. If you throw it in front of someone, it arrests that creature's movement for one round, even if it being moved against its will.

A sword +1, +3 vs. women and children.

A helm that grants limited psionic ability (stats vary completely depending on what edition you're running).

A blindfold that grants blindsight.

If you're running 2e, incense of the spheres- each block is tied to a specific priest sphere; a priest who burns it when preparing spells gains access to the incense's sphere of magic for that spell preparation period.
 

Remove ads

Top