#wondrous garbage

 Hi! I had a question about magic items, I apologize if this has been answered somewhere or if it was not a type of question you're accepting, and for the run on sentence. I saw some ideas for faulty magic items coming from the 'probably___rpgideas' blogs, one for example being "A crossbow that when not in use becomes a large raven to fly around on its own. It has its own, very specific ideas as to when and where it is in use." 

How could i incorporate that into my campaign? If a player were to find it and attune to it, would they know that this crossbow turns into a raven of its own volition? Should the spell card state that its idea of 'not in use' is whatever it wants it to be? Or can I just leave the players in the dark until one of them goes to use the crossbow and it turns into a raven?

Hmm, I like the idea of faulty magic items.  The raven crossbow sounds interesting.

Now, this question I feel stems from the campaign creator’s decisions on magic item availability.  I could see faulty magic items being more prevalent in settings with wilder and more unpredictable magic, or as mass produced magic items that are churned out as fast as possible.  Either way, the characters you’re dealing with would probably have some knowledge of faulty magic items and unplanned sentience.  However, unless you have a specialist in magic item crafting or a scholar of magic present in the party, it doesn’t need to be apparent until it is needed for the story you’re building.

 If your characters have the skills to study and retain knowledge of such topics, then give them the opportunity to “remember” reading something about identifying faulty items.  Or let them conjecture what the item unintentionally does if you describe it as “having something ‘off’ or unusual”.  And if a character spends time attuning themselves to a specific magic item, perhaps they can “feel out” that the item is sentient or has a secret ability.

You as the writer/Dungeon Master have the choice to either give your characters access to information, or to catch them by surprise.  Think about what the characters need--do they need a bit of downtime and the surprise could be a pleasant distraction from their troubles?  Should the characters discover its powers at a moment where it is most needed?  Or should the item introduce itself and become a component of the characters’ plans from then on?

-10 to armor class verses squirrels

Designed by @garbage-boy-sass-man​!  

“The Sweet Blade! a slender elegant blade with bee and flower designs on it. on the blade hilt, you can open it and pour 1 whole cup of honey from it every 6 hours. a yummy treat for each adventure! maybe heals 1d4?”

I love natural designs in weapons, and can imagine this resembling a furled calla lily or honeysuckle vine, unfurling to bestow a sweet nectar.  The honey could definitely heal minor damage maybe two or three times a day.  If we make it a relic or more powerful item, perhaps when attuned to the wielder it could summon a swarm of honeybees for a few rounds?

Ring of Emotional Reception!  “a magic mood ring that accurately describes OTHERS emotional state when worn, but in a voice to match. angry mood, angry voice, sad mood, sad voice, etc ”

I like this idea for a magical ring.  Mostly because of the chaos it could bring to diplomatic and social interactions with NPCs and antagonists.  Imagine a small ring that looks like a satelite dish, picking up the innermost emotions of whomever you aim it at.

Cloak of Couture! “a fashion cloak. use as a bonus action, will always seem to be the most fashionable worn clothing at every event “

Perhaps when used against nobles or royalty this cloak grants you a bonus to Diplomacy or Intimidation?  It might not actually be the most fashionable in the culture, but perhaps it stands out as such a unique piece that people fear and respect you for wearing it?

“a brooch that tells where the nearest dog is and how much they want to be pet.”

Dear gods this is amazing; I just wish I had a good name for it  This could let dog-obsessed players and characters immerse themselves in the world a bit better.  Also, thinking as a scheming DM, it could be used to sense other “doggos” and if they want to be friends.  E.g. you sense some non-happy doggos coming up the hill, its a pack of hungry wolves.

If anyone has a name for this amazing item, comment or reply to this post!

More Wondrous Garbage below the cut!  We hope you enjoy these items and use them in your own campaigns!  

Want to submit your own ideas for D&D magic items?  Send in your own ideas with #wondrous-garbage!

I really like these!  If anyone else has ideas for wacky and fun magic items, I’d love to reblog it with the “wondrous garbage” tag!