Disposable magic items

[LordFluffy]

I'm working on a world where I want there to be lots of low level disposable items (scrolls, potions, one shot items) but not very many permanent magic items.

Aside from potions of healing and the other common & uncommon items in the DMG, can you help me think of other things that make sense in this regard?

[Joe the Rat]

A few ideas:
Item Patches/Tokens: A small object decorated with or styled like a specific item, which when activated turns into that item. A minitature ladder turns into a 10' Ladder, for example. Think of the more mundane options from the Robe of Useful Items, sold separately. Note that more expensive items (or money in patch form) will cost as much as the item itself, plus a bit for the magical storage.

Spell Tiles: A variation on scrolls. A small ceramic token or tile (or engraved pencil-sized stick). When a command word is spoken and the object broken (or otherwise used), the spell is released. Besides being a more waterproof mode of storage, the idea here is that anybody can activate this spell. Ease of access means that these are more expensive (and harder to find) than a scroll of equivalent level.

Sunrods/Cold Torches From 3/3.5. A metal rod that when activated produces light for 6-hours. Or you could have a light oil that makes treated objects glow - like breaking open a glowstick on your battleaxe.

On the subject of 3.5, alchemicals like tanglefoot bags and thunderstones would work nicely.

Elemental Oils Alchemcial concoctions that can be applied to weapons to change the damage type - half of the inflicted damage is fire/lightning/acid/etc. More expensive versions can add 1d6/2d6 of elemental damage to the weapon. You can treat these like poisons (good to the first hit), or have it last for a certain amount of time.

Floaters. objects (small disks or rods) that once activated will levitate 2-3' off the ground for a limited amount of time (top end, 8 hours). Can support a couple hundred pounds of weight, but be easily moved about. Essentially a magic pack pony.

Jug of Plentiful Liquid An earthenware jug (or a flask, or a waterskin - any container, really) which contains liquid enchanted to take up far less room within a container. Liquids poured from the container are no longer enchanted. Note that it is the liquid, not the container, which has the magic. After use the jug is just a jug.

Wind BagA bag with a strong gust of wind inside. Useful for clearing the air, or carefully released for a steady stream of breathable air.

[FightStyles]

I like potions or scrolls with random effects. Usually 1d6 different effects. They can be all bad or all good or some that require a constitution save for good or bad on a fail. You can do a bunch of different things with randomized potion effects like increased potency and such.

Two examples of potions below:


This potion has both the smell of death and life, decay and freshness. The solution looks like a mixture of pure darkness and utter brightness, and the two seem to be fighting within the flask.
When consumed, the creature that drank the potion must make a constitution saving throw of DC 11.
Then the player must roll 1d6 to determine it's effect, taking the positive on a success and the negative on a fail.
1) +/- 1d4+CON health regained or lost
2) +/- 1d6+CON health regained or lost
3) +/- 1d8+CON health regained or lost
4) +/- 2d4+CON health regained or lost
5) +/- 2d6+CON health regained or lost
6) +/- 2d8+CON health regained or lost


This potion rapidly changes colors between a deep red, a sky blue, a forest green, a bright purple, a pale yellow, and a vibrant orange. Each color gives the smell of an fruit of the same color.
When consumed, the the player must roll 1d6 to determine it's effect which last for 1 hour.
1) The player can throw a fruit farther, their Strength score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.
2) The player can dodge a fruit faster, their Dexterity score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.
3) The player can eat a rotted fruit, their Constitution score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.
4) The player knows what the fruit is called, their Intelligence score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.
5) The player knows to cook the fruit first, their Wisdom score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.
6) The player can sell the fruit as a vegetable, their Charisma score increases by 2 up to a maximum of 22.

[Mellack]

You might also consider wands using the old charges method. Once the charges are used up, the item no longer functions.

[tieren]

I'm working on a world where I want there to be lots of low level disposable items (scrolls, potions, one shot items) but not very many permanent magic items.

Aside from potions of healing and the other common & uncommon items in the DMG, can you help me think of other things that make sense in this regard?

And don't forget ammunition, if you're not going to give a +x bow, giving out some +x arrows can be special, makes the archer really think when it is worthwhile to use them.

[RickAllison]

And don't forget ammunition, if you're not going to give a +x bow, giving out some +x arrows can be special, makes the archer really think when it is worthwhile to use them.

On that note, a Polishing Oil of +X would give melee-people a similar item that gives a temporary boost.

[LordFluffy]

Thanks! These are all pretty awesome suggestions.

[Baptor]

I'm actually in the process of coming up with trinkets (cyphers) and artifacts (artifacts) in the vein of Monte Cook's Numenera setting.

So far we've done a little bit of it and the players love it.

Here's Monte's talk on how it works: http://www.numenera.com/cyphers-oddities-artifacts-and-discoveries/