Why you need magic items in D&D

Hello, everyone! Welcome back home, to Rivervale! This is Garlic and today we’ll look at why magic items are absolutely necessary in D&D.

Magic items have been an integral part of the game for decades, and at this point, it’s hard to imagine the game without them. Not just because we’re so used to them, or because the do cool stuff, but because the balance of the game depends on them.

Magic items will help us:

Close the Martial vs Caster Divide, and
Prevent needless multiclassing

Let’s break this down.

Closing the Martial vs Caster divide

To fully understand why magic items help us close the Martial vs Caster divide, we first need to understand why Martials make a better use out of magic items than casters.

Why do Martial Characters make a better use our of magic items than casters?

Martial characters make a better use out of magic items for 3 main reasons.

1) Stacking damage bonuses

Imagine a wizard with a magic wand that adds a +1 bonus to their spell attacks and spell save DC, This bonus will be used when the wizard is casting a spell that is directly affecting an enemy, like Chromatic Orb, or Hold Person. However, that is not all that a Wizard might do in a fight. They might want to cast a support spell that buffs their allies, like Haste, or a spell that controls the battlefield, like Vortex Warp, which is not always targeting enemies. So that +1 bonus is not used all of the time. Even if they cast a spell that does require a save, there are spell like Fireball, that still do damage on a successful save, so the importance of success or failure on that save is often diminished.

Compare that to a Fighter with a +1 sword. That Fighter will be taking the Attack Action almost every round, and their attacks normally don’t do anything on a miss. Moreover, the Fighter will also get a +1 bonus to their damage roll with that weapon, and they will often attack more than once on their turn. This means that a +1 weapon will often give more than a +1 to their total damage for the turn.

2) Better AC and taking more attacks

The way attack bonuses and AC work, the game can easily reach the point, where if you have a low AC, enemies will be able to hit you even if they roll a 2 on the die. So gaining a +1 to AC when your AC is 10, doesn’t really have any impact. Getting that same +1 bonus if your AC is 20 though, means a lot more. Besides, Martial characters will often be right in the thick of combat, getting targeted by attacks way more often than casters and this is exactl;y what they want. Casters on the other hand, will often prefer to saty in the back not being targeted by attacks at all, if possible. This means that MArtial characters will get tobenefit from that +1 to AC way more often than Casters in general.

3) Accessibility

Magic items, can provide many useful bonuses, even to casters. Casters, however, will often already have access to those bonuses. An items that allows you to cast Misty Step once per long rest, is useful for anyone, but if a wizards already has that spell, the only thing that this item does for them, is give them 1 more use. Imagine that same item on your Fighter, who would otherwise not have a way to teleport. That same item, allows them to do something that they couldn’t do before, therefore granting them access to new options.

Ok, now that we’ve got all that out of the way, let’s ask ourselves

What do Martial Characters actually need out of a magic item?

Once again, they primarily need 3 things.

1) More damage at higher levels

D&D is notorious for having Casters outpace Martial characters even in terms of damage, at higher levels. Magic items will help us mitigate that.

2) More Mobility (Jumping, Flying, Teleportation)

A very common problem that Martial and specifically melee characters face, is reach. Being able to get up on that cliff to attack the enemy archer, being able to handle flying foes, getting over difficult terrain or that fissure in the middle of the battlefield. They often spend their entire turn moving around, wasting their Action to Dash. That means that not only have they not contributed to the fight, but the player will have to wait for quite a few minutes until they are actually able to do something, which can lead to a very bad player experience.

Having a way to jump higher, get over obstacles an ledges, move faster, teleport or fly, will allow the player to enjoy their early turns in a fight, which is something that their character was built to do anyway.

3) Out of combat utility

Spells are not just about combat. They offer phenomenal out of combat utility as well, often rendering skills, or even an entire skill encounter obsolete. An since we can’t simply remove spells that solve problems, we can at least make sure that everyone has some access to them.

Because the issue is often not power. It’s accessibility.

Every time, a druid casts Speak With Animals, they not only do something useful. They also get to lead a roleplaying scene centered around them. And that is amazing for the Druid, but when the Druid is communicating with the wildlife, the cleric is speaking with the dead and the Wizard is locating the object that the party is looking for, your Monk can potentially feel left out, or even outright useless

So give your Martials magic items, and no, a simple +1 Weapon will NOT do.

It’s barely magical, and even though it balances out the game a bit, it brings nothing interesting to the table, and it doesn’t address the larger issue.

Instead, you can treat +1, +2 or +3 weapons, armors and shields as Non Magical Good Quality Weapons, where a +1 weapon is fine weapon, a +2 weapon is an exquisite weapon and a +3 weapon is a masterwork weapon.

So What can we actually do?

Many things actually.

1) Don’t be afraid of adding damage dice to weapons.

Adding extra damage dice will prevent your Martial characters feel that they are underwhelming, especially at higher levels. Heck, even at lower levels, giving them some extra damage will make them feel that they truly fulfil their role.

Here’s a simple example.

Volcanic Axe

Volcanic Axe Battleaxe, uncommon You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefits. ~ As a bonus action you can cause the axe’s head to burst into flames, casting Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 20 feet. ~ While the flames persist, attacks made with this weapon deal an extra 1d4 fire damage. ~ Additionally, while the flames persist, as a reaction when you take cold damage, you can gain resistance to the damage. The flames persist indefinitely, until you use a bonus action to put out the flames or until you sheathe the weapon.

2) Create weapons that grant mobility, control or extra choices in combat.

Offering items that will provide extra mobility, especially new types of movement, will often save the character’s turns, by enabling them to get right into the action. Here are two examples of such items.

Blink Sword

Bramble Longsword, rare You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. This weapon uses the Topple mastery property instead of Sap. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefits. ~ Vine Lash: When you or an ally within 20 ft of you is falling, you can use a Reaction to catch your ally, or latch on to solid ground. ~ Bramble Whip: You can make a melee attack with this weapon against a creature within 20 ft of you. If the attack succeeds, you deal +1d6 extra piercing damage, and the target must roll a Str save. On a failed save, you can pull the target up to 20 ft, adjacent to you, or you can pull yourself up to 20 ft, adjacent to the target. On a successful save, you can still pull yourself adjacent to the target. ~ Entangling Roots: When an enemy fails their save against your Topple Mastery from an attack that you made as part of the Attack Action, you can immediately use your bonus action to cause the target to also become restrained until the start of your next turn. You can use Bramble Whip or Entangling Roots once per short rest. If you’ve already used any of those effects, you must spend 1 Hit Die to use them again. ~ Communion: Once per long rest, you can cast Speak With Plants.

Cape of the Dragonhunter

Cape of the Dragonhunter Cloak, uncommon Requires Attunement While attuned to this item, you have resistance to fire, cold, lightning, acid or poison damage, chosen at the cape’s creation. During your turn, you have a flying speed equal to your normal speed. If at the end of your turn, you are mid-air, you fall (using normal falling rules).

3) Incorporate wondrous effects or spells into combat items.

Non-casters are starved for some unique and interesting things that they could do outside of combat. However, if your Barbarian has to choose between that, or a +1 weapon, they will almost always choose the weapon, because they feel that this will help them fulfil their role better. So, don’t make them choose. Give them both.

Soul-binding dagger

Soul-binding dagger Shortsword, uncommon You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefit. ~ When you take the Attack action on your turn, before making your attacks, you can teleport up to 30 ft adjacent to your target. After the Attack Action resolves, if you are mid-air, you can land safely without taking any damage. You can use this effect once per short rest, unless you spend 1 Hit Die to use it again.

I’ll offer a last example of a magic item, that covers all of the bases. Extra damage, more control, more interesting combat, and some out of combat utility,

Bramble

Preventing needless multiclassing

Multiclassing is an integral part of the game, allowing us to explore a character’s growth, or to materialize some more complex character concepts.

The issue arises when players multiclass not because of a narrative shift in the character, but out of necessity, when they feel that their character is not performing well on a particular aspect of the game.

In these cases, the new class might not fit the character’s concept entirely, and this is what we’re trying to avoid.

So that brings us to the question.

What are players usually looking for when they go into multiclassing, for mechanical reasons?

Our solution depends on what the reason was.

1) More damage

If a player is looking for more damage, then we simply give them a weapon with extra dice on damage, or some area effect.

Maul of Earthquakes

Maul of Earthquakes Maul, uncommon You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefit. Ground Pound: As an Action, you can make a melee attack against all enemies within 5 feet of you. The area within 10 feet of you becomes difficult terrain when you use this effect.

Lightning Spear

Lightning Spear Spear, rare You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefits. Your attacks with this weapon deal and extra 1d6 lightning damage on a hit. If you throw the spear, it returns to your hand after the attack resolves. As an Action, you can cast Lightning Bolt as a level 5 spell, once per long rest.

2) Better survivability

If a player is looking for survivability, then we can give them armors that don’t require proficiency to use, items that increase their defenses, or items that cast defensive spells.

A common instance here, is players going out if their way to get access to the Shield spell. I say, just give it to them in the form of the Shield Gauntlet below, or if you’re playing in a low magic campaign, maybe use the something like the Parrying Gauntlet instead. Attunement to a “non-magical” item can still be a thing, as in practicing with the item to get a feel for how you would use it properly.

Shield Gauntlet

Shield Gauntlet Gauntlet (uncommon) Requires attunement While attuned to this item, you can cast the Shield spell, once per short rest.

Parrying Gauntlet

Parrying Gauntlet Parrying Gauntlet Gauntlet, rare When wearing this gauntlet, you gain a +1 bonus to AC, if you’re not using a shield. You can attune to this item. While attuned, when you are hit by a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC against that attack.

3) Some support options

If a player is looking for some support options, then we can give them an item that allows them to heal or buff when they are doing whatever they would normally be doing without it.

Book of Life

Book of Life Wondrous item, rare Requires attunement While attuned to this item, you gain the following benefit. When you cast a single target spell of 1st level or higher, using a spell slot and the spell’s target is yourself or an ally, the target of the spell regains hp equal to the 1+ the level of the spell.

Armor of Redistribution

Armor of Redistribution Any Armor, rare You have a +1 bonus to AC when wearing this armor. You can attune to this item. While attuned, you gain the following benefit. When you take damage, you can use your Reaction to have an ally within 30 ft of you regain hp equal to half the damage you took. You can use this effect once per short rest, unless you spend 1 Hit Die to use it again.

4) More interesting combat

If a player is looking for more interesting combat, we would give them a weapon that offers them extra things to do or consider when they fight.

Living Wood Bow

Living Wood Bow Shortbow or Longbow, uncommon) You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefits. When you make an attack with this weapon, you can immediately use your bonus action to have roots appear under your feet, lifting you 15 feet up until the end of your next turn. If you are already lifted by the roots when you make your attack, you can grant yourself advantage on the attack roll, and the roots bring you back on ground level. The roots have an AC of 10 and 10 hp. If the roots are destroyed, you descend safely back to ground level.

5) More out of combat utility

If a player is looking for more out of combat utility, then we give them an item (weapon or otherwise) that they would want to use anyway, that also has some spell or wondrous effect.

Lantern Maul

Lantern Maul Maul, uncommon You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. The head of this maul is a lantern. You can attune to this weapon While attuned, you gain the following benefits. You can use a bonus action to cause this item to light up. It creates bright light in a 30 feet area around you and dim light in an additional 30 feet. Enemies you hit with this weapon, cannot benefit from invisibility until the end of your next turn. Once per long rest, while the lantern is lit, you can cause the area of bright light to also dispel magical darkness and reveal invisible creatures for 1 minute.

Low Magic Campaigns

Even in a low magic setting, we can still use what are normally considered a magical items in the core game and turn them into non-magical variants.

Of course, the prime example of this is +1, +2 and +3 equipment, like we mentioned earlier. Just treat them as non-magical high quality equipment, with +1 being fine, +2 being exquisite and +3 being masterwork.

We can also use items like the Parrying Gauntlet that we mentioned above.

The last thing we can do, is use Blessings or Boons.

A Blessing or Boon functions like a magic item that requires attunement, except it doesn’t have a physical form and is always considered to be “on” the character, even when they are not attuned to it. They cannot be shared, transferred or stolen.

Let’s see a couple of examples.

Friend of the Fae

Friend of the Fae Blessing, rare You can attune to this blessing. While attuned, you gain the following benefits. You have advantage on saves to avoid or end the Charmed condition. Your thoughts cannot be read unless you allow it. You have resistance to psychic damage. You have 1 Luck Point that refreshes on a long rest.

King’s Favor

King’s Favor Boon, uncommon You can attune to this boon. While attuned, you gain the following benefits. You have advantage on Charisma checks against all subjects of the king. Once per long rest, you can cast the Charm Person, or Suggestion spell on one of the subjects of the king, ignoring all somatic and material components. The verbal components of the spell require you simply to declare the favor that has been placed upon you.

Conclusion

To wrap this up, we conclude that magic items are not just extra rewards. They are one of the ways to make 5e actually work better.

They help close the martial-caster divide, they give martial characters more things to do and they reduce the pressure to multiclass for purely mechanical reasons.

Even in a low-magic campaign, they still work. You just need to change the flavor.

Because D&D does not just benefit from magic items. It needs them.

That’s all for this article, it has been my pleasure to share my thoughts with you! Seen you on the next one!

~ Garlic or Rivervale