D&D 5E Randomized bag of holding contents

[pukunui]

Hi folks,

I came up with the idea of a bag of holding that has "random" contents. That is, when you go to pull something out, you don't know whether it's going to be a smelly old sock or a potion of healing. The trouble is, I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. For one thing, I don't know if I want it to be an endless resource or finite. For another, what if you put something in it - should you be able to get that thing back when you want it, or should it just get added to the list of random things?

Anyone got any suggestions? Is there anything like this out there in ether somewhere already?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Jonathan

 

[kalil]

"Bag of Many Things". I suggets making a random table. When something is removed from the bag that item is removed from the list. When something is put in the bag it is added to the random table. Include AT LEAST one intellect devourer and one magic greatsword +2 (or better) in there along with the socks and potions

 

[pukunui]

Yes, essentially a bag of many things!

The idea is that the bag once belonged to an old, quirky ex-adventurer, so there's all sorts of random stuff in there.

I thought maybe if the PCs put something in it, they can get it out again if they're thinking of that thing. It's just that if they just stick their hand in there and try to take whatever they feel first out, it'll be some random thing. Or if they turn the bag upside down and shake it, some random things will fall out.

 

[DJCupboard]

I like this idea. I might let lucky characters have advantage on the roll, or "randomly" have them pull something situationally useful from time to time.

 

[DJCupboard]

Would it be too nerfing if they had to make an easy DC cha or wis check to pull out something they had put in, with a fail being the random roll?

 

[Voort]

I had a similar system back in the 5E playtest with the Kender pockets ability. The PCs would declare what they wanted to pull out of their pocket and roll a d4. On a 4, they successfully pulled the correct item. When they failed, they drew from a deck of index cards i had prepped with random items ranging from the valuable (bottle of alchemist's fire) to the useless (a handful of yellow feathers). Funny thing is, they got more combat utility out of the random crap than anything they deliberately pulled.

 

[pukunui]

Would it be too nerfing if they had to make an easy DC cha or wis check to pull out something they had put in, with a fail being the random roll?

No, that could work.

I had a similar system back in the 5E playtest with the Kender pockets ability. The PCs would declare what they wanted to pull out of their pocket and roll a d4. On a 4, they successfully pulled the correct item. When they failed, they drew from a deck of index cards i had prepped with random items ranging from the valuable (bottle of alchemist's fire) to the useless (a handful of yellow feathers). Funny thing is, they got more combat utility out of the random crap than anything they deliberately pulled.

I like the sound of using index cards. That would make it easier to remove stuff once it's been pulled. Otherwise I'll have to cross off options on a list.

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'd personally make liberal use of the Trinkets table.

 

[pukunui]

I'd personally make liberal use of the Trinkets table.

Yes.

 

[JackOfAllTirades]

I'd suggest including 1d3 items from every table (if applicable) in the equipment chapter. Some tables can and should be combined.

This will give you:

Armor & Weapons
Adventuring Gear
Tools (and musical instruments)
Mounts, Animals, Tack, Harness and Vehicles (inc. water vehicles)
Trade Goods, Food & Drink
Trinkets

So, the average bag will have a dozen items in it, from a piece of chalk to a sailing ship.