Faded Relics
As many traumatized DMs already know, keeping a party balanced can be... difficult once they've been given only a few magic items. This issue goes triple for legendary items, but as we all know, legendary items are super cool. Caught between these two truths, what are we to do?
One possible answer is our offering for today; magic items that grow over time. Each of these items has charges, but instead of spending them to use the item's powers, the item slowly gains charges, and grows in potency at certain thresholds. The items are designed to strengthen in tandem with your players, so that you can give them a strange, interesting item at a relatively low level, and let them build up to a legendary artifact, rather than suffer the rebalancing nightmare of a fighter suddenly having a vorpal sword.
For this first batch, we've included a weapon and two different wondrous items, and while each build charges, they do so in different ways. While some of these may be best as a new sub-leveling system, like the penitent blade of thorns, others may be more fun as a puzzle in and of themselves. A party with an unidentified hungry coin pouch might get very paranoid as their gold starts disappearing, or, if they're wealthy and unlucky enough, they might accidentally make the pouch jump up a tier before they even know how to use it!
These three are to some degree a proof of concept, so we hope they get you thinking. If you think of anything especially juicy, we'd love to hear about it here, or on Patreon! If we get more ideas, you'll definitely see more of these soon. Enjoy!
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Faded Relics
Some magic items are quite powerful, but over centuries of gathering dust in a dungeon, begin to lose magical potency. These magic items can attain their former glory, however in order to do so they must rebuild their power with methods that are as variable as the faded relics themselves.
When you grant a player a faded relic, you choose how many charges it begins with, which in turn decides the rarity and power level of the item. From that point, the relic can gain charges when a specific goal is met, as specified in the item’s description. As the relic gains charges, it can upgrade in rarity when it reaches certain thresholds, which in turn grants the item higher powers. Some relics are more difficult to upgrade than others, and their rewards scale in turn.
Blade of Thorns
Weapon (any sword), uncommon - legendary (requires attunement)
The hilt of this iron blade is carved with pained effigies and thorny vines. The blade feeds on the sins of its wielder. When you reduce a humanoid to 0 hit points using this sword, it gains a charge. As it gains charges, the thorns begin to grow, slowly puncturing the wielder's hands.
Power Levels
Uncommon (0-19 charges). You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made while wielding this sword.
Rare (20-49 charges). You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made while wielding this sword. When you make an attack with the sword, you can choose to grip it firmly, puncturing your hands on the hilt. You take 1d4 piercing damage. If the attack hits, you deal an additional 2d4 necrotic damage as your life essence powers the blade.
Very Rare (50-99 charges). You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made while wielding this sword. When you make an attack with the sword, you can choose to grip it firmly, puncturing your hands on the hilt. You take 1d6 piercing damage. If the attack hits, you deal an additional 2d6 necrotic damage as your life essence powers the blade.
Legendary (100+ charges, legendary). You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made while wielding this sword. When you make an attack with the sword, you can choose to grip it firmly, puncturing your hands on the hilt. You take 1d8 piercing damage. If the attack hits, you deal an additional 2d8 necrotic damage as your life essence powers the blade.
Additionally, as an action, you can make an arcing swing with the sword, gripping it tightly with both hands. You take 2d8 piercing damage. The blade then releases an arc of withering energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature within the cone must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3d8 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful save.
Hungry Coin Purse
Wondrous item, common - very rare (requires attunement)
This seemingly bottomless, but otherwise simple coin purse has a zipper with sharp, jagged teeth. The purse has a diameter of 6 inches at the mouth.
The purse can be opened when a creature speaks its command word (no action required). A creature who is not attuned to the purse must succeed on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to force the zipper open.
Curse. Any coins stored in the purse are devoured after 24 hours. For each coin it eats, the purse gains charges equal to the coins’ value in gold pieces. If it eats coins worth less than 1 gp, it gains no charges. If anything that is not a coin is put into the purse, it spits it out after 1 minute.
Power Levels
Common (0-9 charges). A creature that succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check while handling the purse detects a slight tremble accompanied by the sound of a rumbling stomach.
Uncommon (10-999 charges). The purse begins to more actively animate and grows slightly larger. As an action, an attuned creature can speak the purse’s command word to have it attempt to bite a creature within 5 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 piercing damage and become clinched by the purse. A clinched creature takes 1d4 piercing damage at the end of its turn until it successfully uses an action to make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to pull the purse off. After the purse has attempted to bite a creature, it becomes tired and can’t do so again until after the next dawn.
Rare (1,000-9,999 charges). The purse becomes Small and begins regularly grumbling and gnashing its teeth. As an action, an attuned creature can speak the purse’s command word to have it attempt to bite a creature within 10 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 piercing damage and become clinched by the purse. A clinched creature takes 1d6 piercing damage at the end of its turn until it successfully uses an action to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to pull the purse off. After the purse has attempted to bite a creature twice, it becomes tired and can’t do so again until after the next dawn.
Very rare (10,000+ charges). The purse becomes Medium, sometimes moves on its own, and regularly leaks a smelly, clear fluid. As an action, an attuned creature can speak the purse’s command word to have it attempt to bite a creature within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d8 piercing damage and become clinched by the purse. A clinched creature is restrained so long as it is Medium or smaller, and takes 2d8 piercing damage at the end of its turn until it successfully uses an action to make a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check to separate itself from the purse. After the purse has attempted to bite a creature three times, it becomes tired and can’t do so again until the next dawn.
Figurines of Wondrous Power
The Rhinestone Dragon is a new template for a pre-existing item, the Figurine of Wondrous Power. See DMG pg. 169 or SRD pg. 221 for a complete description of Figurines of Wondrous Power.
Rhinestone Dragon
Wondrous item (Figurine of Wondrous Power), uncommon - legendary
This carved rhinestone dragon is perched upon a finely cut stone. When you issue a command to the transformed statuette, you must succeed on a contested Charisma (Persuasion) check with the dragon, or it ignores your wishes until the start of your next turn. You can sacrifice a gemstone worth at least 10 gp to the dragon, and if you do, it gains a charge. The dragon’s visage increases in both size and age as it feeds upon gemstones.
Power Levels
Uncommon (0-99 charges). The statuette can become a dragon wyrmling with the statistics of a particular color of dragon, as shown on the Rhinestone Dragon Colors table, for up to 1 minute. Once it has been used, the statuette can’t be used again until 7 days have passed.
Rare (100-499 charges). The statuette can become a young dragon with the statistics of a particular color of dragon, as shown on the Rhinestone Dragon Colors table, for up to 10 minutes. Once it has been used, the statuette can’t be used again until 7 days have passed.
Very Rare (500-2,499 charges). The statuette can become an adult dragon with the statistics of a particular color of dragon, as shown on the Rhinestone Dragon Colors table, for up to 1 hour. Once it has been used, the statuette can’t be used again until 7 days have passed.
Legendary (2,500+ charges). The statuette can become an ancient dragon with the statistics of a particular color of dragon, as shown on the Rhinestone Dragon Colors table, for up to 8 hours. It loses its Change Shape action, but otherwise retains its regular statistics. Once it has been used, the statuette can’t be used again until 7 days have passed.
Rhinestone Dragon Colors
Dragon Gemstone
Black Onyx
Blue Sapphire
Green Emerald
Red Ruby
White Diamond