Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Unlikely Enchanted Objects

The following is a list of twenty everyday objects most likely to be overlooked by magic-hungry adventurers. While most jewelry, boots, cloaks, hats, books, rugs, and even brooms are regularly scanned with a detect magic spell, these common items might slip past the party’s “spell-dar,” making them suitable for enchantment by a devious referee. Two suggestion for possible magical powers of the item follow each entry.

1: Washboard – turns normal clothes into temporary armor; parts/lowers water
2: Boot-scraper – temporary enchants boots with speed/water-walking/levitation/other; teleports user
3: Andirons – causes fire to burn without consuming fuel; screams if intruders try to climb down the chimney
4: Chamber pot – summons otyugh; cures disease
5: Hoof knife – heals horses; hastes mounts
6: Candle snuffer – extinguishes all fire in local area; inflicts damage against fire-based creatures
7: Hoe – commands burrowing animals; creates circle of protection against anhkhegs & bulettes
8: Bed warmer – grants bonus to saves vs. cold the following day; causes enchanted slumber
9: Knitting needles – entangles opponents; grants physical protection if worn in hair
10: Wheelbarrow – carries enormous weights with ease; self-propelled and sentient
11: Ink horn – creates magic/invisible ink; produces ink cloud like an octopus’
12: Ball of yarn – grants infallible direction sense; charms cats of all sizes
13: Hay rake – turns straw to gold once per month; grants the power to walk up vertical surfaces
14: Colander – neutralizes poisonous foodstuffs; serves as magical helmet if worn
15: Wicker basket – summons magical house cat that acts as an arcane eye; produces one meal’s worth of raw food per day
16: Apron – Bonus to saving throws vs. area of effect spells/hazards; acts as potion of super-heroism if worn by a Normal Man
17: Shears – magical weapon against incorporeal undead; slices through steel and lesser metals
18: Burr mill – grind gems into truth powder; produces a stinking cloud
19: Draughts set – grants human control as potion; summons cadre of 1st level fighters
20: Bucket – traps oozes & slimes; creates well when placed on bare earth

11 comments:

Joseph said...

Another power I thought of when I saw the hay rake; drop it on the ground to slow or foil pursuit (a la Tom and Jerry).

Vanadorn said...

Wait a minute - no coat rack?

Jeff Rients said...

Awesome list!

Rusty said...

Yes, great list. It is amazing how many items like this my players have left behind. Thanks!

BigFella said...

Ooh. I like the hoe. Just the idea of a rural wizard hastily digging out a protective circle with it.

P_Armstrong said...

The colander magical helmet is great! I can just picture the looks the PC would get walking into the tavern.

Anonymous said...

I include small-time magic items (the magic item equivalent of the Cantrip) all the time. The item just performs much better than its nonmagical counterpart.

Chamber Pot: Purifies contents automatically once per hour.

Horseshoe: If thrown off it will animate and run along behind the horse shouting not to be left behind.

Hot Rocks: Heat up in increments of 20 degrees (C) when tapped sequentially, reverting to "off" on the tap following 100 degrees. Hums when on.

Chessboard: Anything one ounce or less, but larger than coarse sand, will stick to the board with a pound of resistance.

Broom: Gathers objects the size of coarse sand and smaller, adhering them to the broom. Tapping the handle on something made of iron releases all the dust in a puff out from the end.

I like items like this because they're quirky, don't have combat modifiers, and require a little bit of DM adjudication. But most importantly they inspire player creativity. I'd love for someone to figure out a way to weaponize the Hot Rock. It's not like it'll do a ton of damage even at 100 degrees, anyway. Maybe +1 heat damage to unarmored folk on a hit. But the chamber pot could be tossed into a pond and gradually purify it.

E.G.Palmer said...

Excellent work, Mike. You should quit smoking more often!

Gothridge Manor said...

Great list! I could use a few of those around the house.

Mister Scratch said...

I would think that magic items, especially cantrip level items, would be found in most middle-class homes in fantasy settings. In many ways they would take the place of modern technology with a few quirks in the same mode as Harry Potter's owl mail system taking the place of cellphones. The lady of the house would be expected an enchanted set of dishes for her thirteenth anniversary (the magic one) and the gentleman of the house may be in possession of Slippers of Warming. That being said:

Plain flannel sheets: Give resistance to dream control/Always look occupied in half light of a darkened bedroom.

Jayson said...

Liking it/taking it.