In D&D, players tend to get focused on when they’re going to get that next level. But sometimes, a magic item is just as good.
One of the hardest things to remember about D&D is that you can gain power in more ways than just increasing your level. It’s true! Despite the sections in the various DMGs throughout the editions that talk about giving out titles, lands, and treasure, for a lot of people, the only way they “progress” through the game is by advancing in level.
Which is why the meme of “D&D party goes from being hot weirdos to punching gods in about a month of in-game time” persists. And yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can gain cool things in D&D by gaining cool things – the right magic item can feel like a jump in power. And while it isn’t a level up, these can often make you feel stronger without having to continue the eventual march to being able to kill demigods without breaking a sweat.
Flame Tongue
This is a classic D&D weapon. Flame-tongue weapons are pretty easy. You turn them on, and the whole weapon becomes engulfed in flames that shed light (great in a dungeon) and also deal extra damage (great no matter where you are).
It basically adds a whole extra Greatsword’s worth of damage to any attack you make. Meaning a Flame Tongue can empower your melee attacks often by a much greater order of magnitude than a simple level up.
Amulet of Health
Another D&D classic. This one’s gone through some changes over the editions. But the latest version of the Amulet of Health is a great way to level up without leveling up. It sets your Constitution to 19, unless it’s already higher, but odds are it isn’t. This gives you extra scads of extra hit points whenever you acquire them. Especially since your Constitution modifier is applied retroactively, so your HP for all previous levels goes up too.
Instrument of the Bards
There are a few different “Instruments of the Bards” but each one empowers your character in basically the same way. You gain a suite of spells that you can cast through the Instrument, depending on which one you get. Theoretically, you might gain something like the ability to cast Fire Storm or Entangle or Cure Wounds, just to name a few handy examples.
Staff of Thunder and Lightning
This one is a boon to any melee character. It gives you three different special attacks (on top of being a +2 weapon), including dealing an extra 2d6 Lightning damage on an attack, forcing someone to save or be Stunned, doing one attack that does both, as well as firing a 9d6 Lightning bolt, or dealing a massive Thunderclap that can deafen creatures and deal 2d6 damage to any within 60 feet of you.
A perfect way to power up your Fighter.
Staff of the Magi
The Staff of the Magi is the ultimate spellcasting item. Not only does it give you the ability to cast 19 different spells (all amazing), including a level 7 Fire Ball or Lightning Bolt, it also can be used to absorb and counter incoming enemy spells, negating them completely without the need for Counterspell, using their power for your own.
However, you have to be careful because it might overload and explode. If it explodes in this way, or if you detonate it on purpose, it deals 6 x its remaining charges to anyone caught nearby (and 16 x that number to you, if it doesn’t transport you to a random plane of existence), and can hold a total of 50 charges. So if it overloads, a 300 damage nuke is pretty great for whatever you’re fighting. Just… try and live.
What magic items make you feel like your character has grown in power?
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