D&D 5E Non-Combat Magic Items

[Savage Wombat]

Inspired by another thread:

What are your favorite magic items (published or home-brewed) for giving non-casters more options outside of the combat pillar? Items that let the fighter say "Instead of just charging in, what if I used my XXXX and solve the problem that way?"

 

[iserith]

The gluttonous PC in our Tomb of Annihilation game loves the alchemy jug. He eats nothing but honey and mayonnaise now both of which have come in handy in exploration and social interaction challenges, plus makes for a tasty dipping sauce for the many beasts we slay and consume on our trek. In particular, we used the honey as a gift to the forest spirits to garner their favor. Then one time we greased up the plus-sized PC with mayo to get him through a tight tunnel which would have otherwise been too small for him to get through.

 

[g4m3kn1ght]

Have not played that adventure but you gave me bad mind pictures with that post.

 

[Horwath]

Common magic items from XGtE are great.

Cloak of many fashions: it's poor man's Cloak of Elvenkind, in some situations even better.

Pole of Collapsing: Never fear getting stuck in most of the pits.

 

[iserith]

Pole of Collapsing: Never fear getting stuck in most of the pits.

All the world's a stage if you have one of these and can dance.

 

[Krachek]

We received a momifed mind flayer head that was able to mimic a kind of speak with dead spell.
Our Dm was very expressive to describe how the head of the dead body was crushed to extract the information we ask.

 

[Eltab]

1) 4e: Divinely blessed Basket of Everlasting Provisions.
Not only do "you get a full meal", but you can describe it a little and create a fact for the world you play in.
- Basket produces food that is easily grown in -Deity's- Holy Land
- On holy days, you get a meal with ceremonial significance (Easter eggs)
- Punishment rations might be bread and milk. You committed a grievous sin and must atone. Guess what you are served until you take care of unfinished business?
- Provides fish on Fridays during Lent. Even if you are in the desert.

2) "Fire extinguisher" - lets anybody cast Ray of Cold but covers an entire square and does only 1 HP damage. Puts out fires too.

3) Arrow of Unerring Aim - for when you just have to channel your inner Legolas. Treat an arrow as a one-shot Magic Missile instead.

4) Magically-enhanced cone of rolled-up paper that acts as a megaphone. Don't give it to the Bard, or to anybody who can cast Thunderwave.

5) Message with a focus lends itself to a pair of walkie-talkies (for us grognards) or an email app on cell phones (for the young whippersnappers).

Any other cantrip with a focus, and the irony / whimsy displayed by the Material Components list, can lead to a fun magic item that people remember for years to come.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I have loved the immovable rod since it first appeared in 3e. The 5e cloak of the montebank is also just great.

 

[Mad_Jack]

I have loved the immovable rod since it first appeared in 3e.

Ye gods... I love the Immovable Rod. But never give a party two of those things - there are shenanigans in there if you're clever with it, lol.

I haven't read the DMG yet - have they redone Daern's Instant Fortress for 5E? That was always one of my favorites in the past.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Ye gods... I love the Immovable Rod. But never give a party two of those things - there are shenanigans in there if you're clever with it, lol.I haven't read the DMG yet - have they redone Daern's Instant Fortress for 5E? That was always one of my favorites in the past.

I always liked a set of three immovable rods myself.

You don't even need the DMG; Instant Fortress (no IP specific proper names allowed) is in the SRD, and a digital version if it can be found online here.

P.S. where the hell did the advance edit features and HTML tags go?

EDIT: Found 'em. I wonder how I switched out of edit mode?