D&D 5E Most annoying / awesome magic items

[RobotElder]

+1 Flaming Sword! Nothing's cooler than a flaming sword. You get to kill something with a blade and WITH FIRE!

Years ago I used to have a -1 Cursed Dagger which I loved. I refused to get rid of it. Why you ask? Because I wanted to prove that my Assassin character could still kill despite the curse, and the dark evil blade appealed to my teenage angst. Ah, to be young again ...

I used cursed weapons to great effect back in AD&D days, because they typically were cursed so you couldn't get rid of them. So basically you couldn't be disarmed. Captured and all your gear taken? Somehow that cursed longsword makes it way into your prison cell. -1 to hit and damage is way better than just using your hands (especially in the days when there were hardly any rules for non-monkish unarmed combat). Of course, creative DMs would make sure that the curse really was a curse, but my DM just said "the cursed sword just appears in your hand".

 

[Croesus]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are "'anything' items"?

Anything Item: A magic item of this sort appears to be any one of the small, rather weak miscellaneous magic items which are more frequently found - typically one with a limited number of usages, although this is not always true. If the possessor commands, the item will suddenly alter itself to become any other miscellaneous magic item except an artifact or relic. This enables the possessor to command the item to become some form of Horn of Valhalla, for instance.

The limitations on the item are these: No form can ever be repeated. If the item commanded into being is normally destroyed in usage, the anything item will likewise be destroyed after that use. If the item duplicated has a short-term, single-usage effect (such as a horn or drums), then the anything item will return to its original form after one use of that power. If the item has a long-term effect (such as a helm of underwater action), the dweomer of the anything item will last for one day (24 hours). In any case, the item will disappear after three uses.

 

[pukunui]

Ah. That's pretty bizarre.

 

[Ravenmore]

I like the sunblade....cause light sabers man! In 3rd edition I had a barbarian who used a cursed bezerker weapon to great affect. Played many a dwarf as well, and I have to say there's nothing more satisfying than when you get your first dwarven thrower with a dwarf character. As you may be able to tell, my weapons drive character stuff for me. : )

 

[Lanefan]

Anything Item: A magic item of this sort appears to be any one of the small, rather weak miscellaneous magic items which are more frequently found - typically one with a limited number of usages, although this is not always true. If the possessor commands, the item will suddenly alter itself to become any other miscellaneous magic item except an artifact or relic. This enables the possessor to command the item to become some form of Horn of Valhalla, for instance.

The limitations on the item are these: No form can ever be repeated. If the item commanded into being is normally destroyed in usage, the anything item will likewise be destroyed after that use. If the item duplicated has a short-term, single-usage effect (such as a horn or drums), then the anything item will return to its original form after one use of that power. If the item has a long-term effect (such as a helm of underwater action), the dweomer of the anything item will last for one day (24 hours). In any case, the item will disappear after three uses.

There was also, if memory serves, Armour of Anything and some sort of Anything Weapon; again these could change to whatever you needed at the time but I think they only worked a few times each then became either disenchanted or bland +1's.

Lan-"feeling too lazy right now to go check my 1e UA"-efan

 

[dmnqwk]

My hatred of Magical items is probably limited to +1 weapons.

I mean, if the game never had magical +1 weapons it never would've had the stupid +1/5 damage reduction system, or the requirement to have magical weapons to hit things. I much prefer 5th edition's take on it wherein they prefer having a Venomous Blade which drips poison once per day, or a Flaming Longsword which doesn't have to be +1 it's allowed to be magical and just add +1d6 fire damage on a hit instead.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I have more thoughts****, but I just wanted to start the ideas. Also, some more thoughts on the 5e magic items?

I love the Decanter of Endless Water and always have. Unlimited anything is awesome.

I hate the Talisman of Pure Good/Ultimate Evil. I'm not sure why--it just bores me for some reason.

Also, the powergamer in me loves the Goggles of Night. Free advantage against most anything between 61' and 120'? Yes, please.

 

[Nebulous]

I haven't tried out the 5e versions in play yet, but I was a fan of the original Deck of Many Things and Wand of Wonder. A little chance and risk to go along with the magic is fun.

Oh God yes, the Deck of Many Things! Best magic item ever.

 

[Celtavian]

I've been writing custom magic items for 5E. I like that 5E encourages the creation of custom magic items that last a character's entire adventuring career.

 

[Sacrosanct]

In my last long running 1e campaign (that ended right before the playtest started), we had a paladin in our group, and yes, he wanted a holy avenger. We were running T1-4, and one of the arch villains was a half ogre wielding Blackrazor (long story). After finally beating Zuggtmoy and that half ogre, the paladin got a vision that he'd have to take the evil sword, have a white dragon breath on it, and then smash it with Whelm. Only then could he take it to a high church of St Cuthbert and have it reforged into a holy avenger. So naturally it was a pretty significant quest item

As far as worst magic items I've seen in 5e so far? Hezeron (sp) from HotDQ. A greatsword that inflicts an extra 2d6 damage above and beyond normal was like giving a cheat code to the fighter, largely because it is found at such a low relative level. I've never been one to really care if another PC did more damage on average, but that sort of goes above and beyond.