Custom Magic items?

[Demons_eye]

Some people use Custom Magic items in games as plot hooks or just uses them to make the players seem more special so I thought I would too. Only thing is that I would try to make a list of some so show the player's so they could pick some and get one's they might like.

My party found a magic sword in one game that absorbed fire and other things it would also not let me let go of it, the game ended pretty soon but I heard that it could shoot things it absorbed back out.


So as DM/Players what Custom Magic items have you guys have given/got?

[Cyrion]

As a DM I once had a series of animated gem/precious metal items that got inflicted on the party:

Quicksilver Monkey- Great at getting into places because it could turn into a pool of mercury and move as an ooze. Led the party rogue to progressively more valuable- and progressively more dangerous- treasures. Once it decided the rogue needed a treasure, it wouldn't take no for an answer and ways of "encouraging" her.

Obsidian Shrike- Its touch would give a premonition of the target's death (or at least a possible one- different every time). Game effect was save or be stunned. You couldn't turn it off though, so you had to be careful with it.

Ruby Scorpion- Could generate a scorching ray, but got red hot itself, so it posed a transportation problem.

The context for these was a relatively low magic world where magic in general, but magic items in particular, had a price to pay for use.

[woodenbandman]

Back in "the day," before I actually bothered to do the rules aspect of games, I made tons of custom magic items. One was a magic d8 that added an element to your attack. I can't really remember the others though.

[Master_Rahl22]

My favorite custom item that I actually received was a Barrel of Monkeys. It was similar to a Bag of Tricks in that multiple critters were inside, but these were all monkeys. The user would designate a target and say "Monkeys, attack!" and a monkey would pop out and attempt to grapple with the target. There was a 30% chance that any monkey had TNT strapped to him, and after successfully grappling would then push the big red button on his chest to detonate for 5d10 damage. :)

My favorite custom item that we never saw (and I was very glad we didn't) was an intelligent spear that was left behind by a race called the Dragonlords, so named because even the lowliest among their society routinely used adult dragons as mounts. They were able to do this not because they were especially friendly with dragons, but because they were just that badass that the dragons who said no got killed. Anywho, this spear had some insane ability scores and thus had a huge chance to dominate the user. It was something like +5 Returning Piercing Shocking Burst Spear, and would drain Con from the user every day until they were Undead. If it dominated, which like I said was almost sure to happen, it gave the user Special Purpose: Kill Living. :)

[jseah]

I created a pretty large list of custom items in 3.5 as a DM.

From little things like daylight candles (daylight) and tables that set themselves (create food and water), to a fountain that healed everything under it (regeneration) and a weather-control spire (control weather), to an invisible helper around the house (unseen servant). There was a library every book in the world in it (legend lore) as well.

Was quite fun creating semi-useless items that gave flavour to a common-magic setting.

[Telonius]

One (sadly never-completed) adventure I set up had a set of three custom-made Artifacts. The idea was for the players to eventually take on Asmodeus (as statted in BoVD) as the BBEG. The group had to find these MacGuffins in order to do it, but they were pretty powerful in and of themselves.

The Bell
Dealt a nasty sonic attack several times per day. Lots of damage, deafening, and so on. Also allowed Freedom of Movement several times per day.

The Book
Intelligent Blessed Book (enhanced). Had access to every nonepic spell ever written, as per a scroll. Player can't scribe new spells into it, so use it once and it's gone. Also granted a +20 on each type knowledge check once per day.

The Candle
Emits light as an Everburning Torch. Functions as a Candle of Invocation 1/day and a Candle of Truth at will. Becomes a Vorpal Brilliant Energy Holy Avenger in the hands of a Paladin.

Use all three of them at once, and it creates resonance that will eternally banish any devil or demon within a five mile radius; but doing so destroys the items. Plot item: Asmo found a way to get around it. He wants the party to show up and banish his competition, Lucifer, so he could truly be the undisputed top devil for all time. He didn't realize that the three artifacts will retain their power for just enough time to defeat him, before fading away into nothingness.

[Ent]

I had PCs find 4 cursed rings fairly early on (lvl 3). There were warning signs and everything but when one PC put one on, they all did... it was pretty priceless.

The Skeleton Ring, granted DR 5/- for an amount equal to the max Hp of the creature that put it on. After that the finger it was worn on shrivels to bone and falls off. Was worn by the Warlock, bumping his DR from 1 to 5.

The Harvest Ring, 3/day would heal 1d8+1 Hp or a full nights rest worth to a target, whichever was higher, but would age the wearer of the ring. Was worn by the venerable Gnome Wizard...

The Heart Pin, possibly the most useful, made weapon attacks to overcome any type of DR but inflicted the damage overcome to the user as well. 12 damage to something with DR 10/- would deal 12 to the target, and 10 to the ring bearer. Was worn by the Rogue, was very nervous about the unknown effects as the fluff of the ring made his heart race.

The Dark Pearl, possibly the worst curse, granted visions that were almost always false, bringing -4 initiative and a DC 15 + char lvl Will save or Dazed for 1 round when confronted with a stressful situation (the first round of combat, Ride or Balance checks to avoid falling, etc.). The Paladin got this one and he thought his was the most beneficial.

The players all loved it. The campaign didn't run long enough for them to come up very much, but they all still laugh about the curses, and the Rp that came from them.

[SSGoW]

A player in a dungeon crawler i will be DM'ing is a monk and will be able to drop kick oponents and mentioned "falcon kick" so i made a pair of boots that work like a wand with burning hands in them (50 charges and rechargable) and can be released like a weapon of spell storing.

[Nohwl]

i give all spellcasters one custom magic item. its exactly like a spell component pouch, but you can put gold into it, and you get whatever material component you want. if a party member died, you stick in 5000 gold, and you get enough diamonds to cast raise dead. i think i took the idea from someone here.

[Starbuck_II]

I had PCs find 4 cursed rings fairly early on (lvl 3). There were warning signs and everything but when one PC put one on, they all did... it was pretty priceless.

The Skeleton Ring, granted DR 5/- for an amount equal to the max Hp of the creature that put it on. After that the finger it was worn on shrivels to bone and falls off. Was worn by the Warlock, bumping his DR from 1 to 5.

The Harvest Ring, 3/day would heal 1d8+1 Hp or a full nights rest worth to a target, whichever was higher, but would age the wearer of the ring. Was worn by the venerable Gnome Wizard...

The Heart Pin, possibly the most useful, made weapon attacks to overcome any type of DR but inflicted the damage overcome to the user as well. 12 damage to something with DR 10/- would deal 12 to the target, and 10 to the ring bearer. Was worn by the Rogue, was very nervous about the unknown effects as the fluff of the ring made his heart race.

The Dark Pearl, possibly the worst curse, granted visions that were almost always false, bringing -4 initiative and a DC 15 + char lvl Will save or Dazed for 1 round when confronted with a stressful situation (the first round of combat, Ride or Balance checks to avoid falling, etc.). The Paladin got this one and he thought his was the most beneficial.

The players all loved it. The campaign didn't run long enough for them to come up very much, but they all still laugh about the curses, and the Rp that came from them.

What I like about those curses are they are good items with a curse not just crappy cursed stuff.

[Ent]

What I like about those curses are they are good items with a curse not just crappy cursed stuff.

'cept maybe the Dark Pearl ring. It was a nice way to move plot along, revealing secret doors and the "right" path when the party was stuck.

The downside to custom items, especially when their effects are not fully known to the party, is keeping track of it all. It's easier on the flow of the game when an item is just a flat bonus.