No good official magical ranged weapons of rare or lower quality?

[Spacehamster]

Is there no bow´s, x-bows at all that are worthwhile in any official material?
Checked through the DMG and it only has the very rare oathbow while it has several
decent/good melee weapons of rare or lower quality.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I think you're expected to give out magical ammunition at lower levels, so magical launchers are more of a high-level toy...

But a longbow +1 is still uncommon. That's good enough, isn't it?

[xanderh]

I think you're expected to give out magical ammunition at lower levels, so magical launchers are more of a high-level toy...

But a longbow +1 is still uncommon. That's good enough, isn't it?

I think what Spacehamster was referring to was interesting magical items. The +x weapons and ammunition is pretty boring, even though they can be nice/exciting for people who enjoy having high bonuses to hit and damage, and who like looking at the statistics. The magical ammo that isn't +x fits the bill, but they only have one use, unlike melee weapons that you can just keep using.

[Kane0]

I've been using this (http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/) in conjunction with the DMG tables for ages now, it's not official but might be helpful.

[Eric Diaz]

I've been using this (http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/) in conjunction with the DMG tables for ages now, it's not official but might be helpful.

This is awesome, thank you!

[Laundry55]

X-wing of creation, uncommon magic item
When a player is attuned to this item, their DM may create whatever magic items they wish to include in their game. Additionally, the DM is unable to use any monster stat blocks from official WOTC publications.

Oh **** this was for a different ttrpg.

Oh **** it's meant to be X-box of creation.

Oh **** I mean X-bow of creation.

This might work for DnD though.

Here's one specifically for DnD:

Longbow of convention breaking, rare magic item
+1 to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Attack rolls made against sacred cows are automatic critical hits. This item allows the player to see design flaws in 5e.

[Requilac]

If you are looking to create an interesting magical weapon that does not have the +X property, why don’t you just give an average weapon some of the properties from page 142-143 of the DMG? That can give them some interesting characteristics that are even okay to give to low level parties. It has been massive use to me in the past.

If you are interested, than I actually created a magical heavy crossbow for one of my parties that they seemed to like. It was given a rather setting dependent name though, so you may have to change this, but my party called it “The falcon of Drakath”. Perhaps you may find use for it.


Weapon (heavy crossbow), rare (requires attunement)

Once you become attuned to this item and then every time you complete a long rest roll a D10 and a D4. The number you roll on the die will determine which properties the weapon has for that day. Whenever you complete a long rest the previous properties the weapon had will be replaced by whatever random properties you roll when you wake up. When you roll the D10 reference the “magical property” table below and the weapon will have the feature which corresponds to the number you rolled. When you roll the D4 reference the “psychological effect” table below and the weapon will have the feature which corresponds to the number you rolled.

Magical properties
1) Beacon: you can use a bonus action to cause the item to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet, or to extinguish the light.

2) Compass: you can use an action to determine which way is north.

3) Delver: while underground, you always knows the item’s depth below the surface and the direction to the nearest path leading upwards.

4) Language: you can speak and understand a language of your choice while the item is on the bearer’s person

5) Sentinel: choose a type of creature that cannot be humanoid, or two races of humanoids of your choice. This item glows faintly when such creatures are within 120 feet of it.

6) Temperate: you suffer no harm in temperatures as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit or as warm as 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

7) War leader: you can use an action to cause your voice to carry clearly for up to 300 feet until the end of your current turn.

8) Waterborne: this item floats on water and other liquids. You have advantage on ability checks made to swim.

9) guardian: the item whispers warnings to its bearer, granting you a +2 bonus to initiative checks

10) agonizing: attack rolls made with this weapon receive a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls

Psychological effect

1) Choleric: while wielding this item, you can feel yourself become more aggressive and confident
-your strength or charisma ability score increases by 1.
-your attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. If you already had this feature, than your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20. If you already had that feature, than your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 17-20.

2) Melancholic: while wielding this item, you feel more anxious and paranoid about the events around you.
-your dexterity or wisdom ability score increases by 1
-You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already had this feature, than your dark-vision radius is extended by 30 feet.

3) Phlegmatic: while wielding this weapon, you feel more capable of clear thought in dire situations.
-your dexterity or intelligence ability score increases by 1
-you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened and charmed and other effects which you would be immune to if you had immunity to either of those conditions.

4) Sanguine: while wielding this weapon, you feel more optimistic about the future and hopeful that you will succeed.
-your constitution or charisma ability score increases by 1
-When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. If you already had this feature, than this feature applies to damage rolls not on the D20 also.

[Kane0]

One of my old favourites is a magical self-loading crossbow:

Uncommon ranged weapon (crossbow)
- Magical for the purposes of overcoming damage resistance and immunity
- Lacks the Loading weapon property of regular crossbows
- Loads from an extradimensional space that can hold up to 24 bolts of any kind

Then throw on any additional flavor traits you want

The greater version added the ability to lob small objects like alchemist fire, holy water and thunderstones plus gained an additional +1 to hit and damage for each successive round it was fired at the same target, to a maximum of +3 after 3 rounds.

[Ninja_Prawn]

One of my old favourites is a magical self-loading crossbow:

Light Crossbow of Speed (http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/The_Army_Scythe)!

If homebrew is okay, there's a Longbow of Marksmanship in here (http://mfov.magehandpress.com/2017/01/simple-magic-items.html) that I rated as uncommon. It's basically a Longbow +2 without the damage bonus, though, so not exactly interesting. There's also an uncommon Redcap Sling in here (https://www.dropbox.com/s/s3crmpfdbc5u5x5/Fey%20Creatures%20Complete.pdf?dl=0) (page 48). I can write more, if you want them! It might be interesting to do a collection of unusual ranged weapons.

[Jama7301]

I've been using this (http://www.lordbyng.net/inspiration/) in conjunction with the DMG tables for ages now, it's not official but might be helpful.
I am forever thankful to whoever introduced me to this site a few months back. I forget the thread, but it's such a delightful tool.

[Squiddish]

X-wing of creation, uncommon magic item
When a player is attuned to this item, their DM may create whatever magic items they wish to include in their game. Additionally, the DM is unable to use any monster stat blocks from official WOTC publications.

Oh **** this was for a different ttrpg.

Oh **** it's meant to be X-box of creation.

Oh **** I mean X-bow of creation.

This might work for DnD though.

Here's one specifically for DnD:

Longbow of convention breaking, rare magic item
+1 to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Attack rolls made against sacred cows are automatic critical hits. This item allows the player to see design flaws in 5e.

So are you going to contribute or just dash in, shout that 5e is bad, and dash out?

I have to agree with the crossbow of reloading from above. I'm doing a campaign with firearms and I have something similar planned.

Another idea, bow that can be used as a spell focus.

[Laundry55]

So are you going to contribute or just dash in, shout that 5e is bad, and dash out?

The point of my ****post is that you can make whatever you want up, such as this:

Longbow of Booming Voices
This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances. When attuned to this item, you can cast the Thaumatology cantrip at will. When making attacks with this weapon, you may choose to deal thunder damage instead of piercing damage.

[Kane0]

Well, except for AL.

[Laundry55]

Well, except for AL.

For uncommon, you can use Weapon of Warning (dmg 213), for rare you can use Vicious weapon (dmg 209). There are also +1 or +2 weapons, not sure if OP would count any of these as "worthwhile".

If these are not suitable, why not make a bow version of other items. Berserker Axe (dmg 155), why not Berserker Bow? Mace of Disruption (dmg 179), why not Short Bow of Disruption?

I guess that would be frowned upon by AL though. Would you be arrested by AL police if you gave a player a magic item with a minor property from dmg 143?

Looking into it, there is no clear answer. ALDMG FAQ says "House rules, that is to say rules that you create that aren't in the official materials such as critical fails, new races, new classes, etc., aren't permitted for use in play; the Adventurer's League uses the rules as presented in the PHB."

This is unclear to me, because all the "official" magic items are in the DMG, and magic items are not rules.

If OP is looking for items for use in AL, probably best to talk to AL officials about options. If it is for a home game, I suggest making whatever seems appropriate for the game.

[Vaz]

Well, except for AL.
What scrub plays AL if they can find a long term DnD group? AL is a scrub game.

[Laundry55]

What scrub plays AL if they can find a long term DnD group? AL is a scrub game.

Yo this is ****posting that doesn't even make a point. If you put my previous post in blue text it would almost be somewhat close to being sort of constructive. This is pure ****posting. Put this in blue text and it's still not contributing anything.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge that this post also contributes nothing to the topic of this thread, so here is another ranged magic weapon I just made up.

Crossbow of Force
This weapon has 5 charges, and regains 1d4 charges upon taking a long rest. When attuned, you can use a charge to fire a bolt of force at creature. The target and each creature within 5 feet must make a DC14 dexterity save, taking 2d8 force damage on a failed save, or half damage on a successful save.

[Gardakan]

I gave a + 1 longbow in the hardcover Hoard of the Dragon Queen (which was the first hardcover released for 5e... being official stuff).

Kinda odd that the first weapon awarded in the whole ''official'' storyline is a + 1 longbow.

It's uncommon.

[Sigreid]

I'm fine of the javelin of lightning.