Cursed Magic Items

Flawed Magic Items Players May Want to Use!

Creator: Erik A. Hawley

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Cursed magic items have been a part of As you can see, the player may decide
Dungeons and Dragons since 1st edition. having the extra armor is worth the
The original cursed items were either occasional extra critical hit. This is far more
whimsical or brutal. For example, interesting choice then choosing to be
strangled to death (I suggest you choose
Horn of Bubbles – Sounds a note and
not to be strangled to death if ever given
completely surrounds, and blinds, the
individual with a mass of bubbles for 2-20 the choice).
minutes.
So how do items become cursed/flawed?
Necklace of Strangulation – When worn, Something went wrong during the item
this item begins to strangle wearer, who creation process. Not every magic item
takes 6 hit points damage per round. Can
comes out perfect, and if a wizard spent six
only be removed by an alter reality, wish, or
limited wish. months creating an item, a flawed item is
usually still superior to its non-magical
While those cursed items were interesting, equivalent.
and would definitely change the course of a
combat or campaign, I find flawed magical
items to be far more interesting than a
simple cursed magic item.

In 5th edition, a cursed item tends to be an

annoyance until the character finds a
remove curse spell. A flawed item, on the
other hand, forces a character to make a
decision which can have an ongoing impact
on the campaign. Do they discard the item,
or do they accept the flaw to gain whatever
positive bonus the item provides?

A good example is the Armor of Pain:

Armor of Pain
Armor (Any), common (+1), uncommon
(+2), rare (+3)

This magical armor can be any armor type

and varies from +1 to +3. It gives all the
protection of a set of magical armor but
creatures attacking you will critically hit on
a die roll of 19 or 20.

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Armor of Pain
Armor (Any), common (+1), uncommon Belt of the Glutton
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement) Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

This magical armor can be any armor type Your daily food intake requirements are
and varies from +1 to +3. It gives all the doubled while wearing this belt. Failure to
protection of a set of magical armor but eat sufficient amounts of food can lead to
creatures attacking you will critically hit on starvation/exhaustion (PHB p 185 and
a die roll of 19 or 20. PHB p 291). You add 2 hit dice to the
maximum number of hit dice you may use
to recover lost hit points at the end of a
Arrowbreak Bow short rest.
Weapon (any bow), common (+1),
uncommon (+2), rare (+3) (requires
attunement)

Any ammunition shot from this weapon

becomes broken and is unable to be
reused.

Amulet of Truthful Glibness

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires
attunement)

This magical amulet grants advantage on

Intimidation or Persuasion checks, but if
you utter a lie, your ears and face become
bright red and you reroll the check with
disadvantage.
Bikini Armor
Bated Blade Armor (Any), common (+1), uncommon
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement)
Weapon (any slashing), common (+1),
uncommon (+2), rare (+3) (requires
This magical armor is in the form of a
attunement)
skimpy bikini. The armor still offers all the
protective bonus according to armor type
This magical weapon has a magically dulled
and magical bonus. This armor may only
blade and uses the next smaller die type
be worn by males.
when rolling damage. For example, a +2
Bated Longsword would deal 1d6+2
damage instead of 1d8+2.

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Bloodthirsty Weapon Corset of Strength
Weapon (any), common (+1), uncommon Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement) attunement)

Once drawn, this magical weapon must While wearing this corset, your strength
successfully cause at least one hit point of score becomes 18. Your gender changes
damage within 10 minutes or it will inflict to the opposite gender so long as the belt
1d6 necrotic damage to the wielder. is worn.

Boots of Meandering
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

While wearing these boots, you are unable

to take the Move action. You still receive
your normal move each round, you are
simply unable to ‘double move’. Once per
day, as a bonus action, you may activate the
boots and become affected by the haste
Crossbow of Recoil
Heavy Crossbow, common (+1),
spell (PHB p 250). The effect lasts for one
uncommon (+2), rare (+3) (requires
minute and no concentration is required to
attunement)
maintain the haste effect. You are able to
take the Move action with the extra action,
When you fire this heavy crossbow, you are
granted by haste.
pushed 5 feet in the direction opposite the
target.
Circlet of Broadcast Telepathy
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires
attunement)
Elven Longbow of Lasolegs
Longbow, common (+1), uncommon (+2),
rare (+3) (requires attunement)
This circlet allows you to telepathically
communicate as per the telepathy spell
Each time you fire this magical bow, you
(PHB p 281). Any creature within 300 feet
shoot four arrows instead of one. Only one
of you, or the recipient, also receives all
arrow has a chance to strike the target and
information transferred via telepathy, but is
is rolled normally. The other three arrows
unable to participate in the exchange.
land harmlessly. Hence, ammunition is
Creatures within 300 feet receive this
used at four times the normal rate, but
information regardless of whether or not
ammunition may be recovered as normal
you and they are aware of each other.
(PHB p 146).

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Glitchy Wand of Magic Missiles Manual of Golems (Wooden)
Wand, common Wondrous Item, very rare

This wand acts as a normal Wand of Magic This tome contains the information and
Missiles (DMG p 211) but anytime it is incantations necessary to make a wooden
activated, there is a 25% chance it will fail golem. To decipher and use the manual,
to work. Charges are used whether the you must be a spellcaster with at least two
wand works or not. 3rd level spell slots or be proficient in
carpenter’s tools.

Gnomish Goggles To create the golem you must spend 7

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
These peculiar looking goggles grant
darkvision 60’. If they are removed, you
are blind until a long rest is completed.
days working without interruption with the
manual at hand and resting no more than 8
hours per day. You must also spend 100
gp.
Once you finish creating the golem, the
book in consumed in eldritch flames. The
golem becomes animated at dawn the next
day.

Goblet of Intoxication
Wondrous Item, uncommon

When you drink from this goblet, you gain

the poisoned condition for one hour. You
also gain resistance to piercing, slashing,
and bludgeoning damage for one hour.
This effect may be used once per day and
recharges at dusk.

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Wooden Golem
Tiny construct, unaligned
AC 12 (natural armor)
HP 22 (5d4 )
Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT
10(+0) 12 (+0) 10 (+0) 12(+1) 8 (-1)
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Senses passive Perception 9
Languages Any one language known by the
summoner
Help. The wooden golem may take the help
action (PHB p 192).
The wooden golem will generally lament about
how it wanted to be a flesh golem.
Mask of the Daredevil
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
Upon donning this crimson mask you are
blinded (PHB p 290). You gain advantage
on all checks involving listening and gain
blindsight 120’ radius. If you remove the
mask, you regain your sight after
completing a long rest.
Mirror of Dwarven Comelinesss
Wondrous Item, rare
Any creature, male or female, gazing into
this mirror will sprout a bushy beard. The
beard may be removed normally by cutting
and shaving.
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Figurine of Wondrous Power (Onyx
Bloodhounds)
Wondrous Item, rare
WIS CHA
Same as a normal Figurine of Wondrous
8 (-1)
Power (DMG p 169) but is of the following
type:
Onyx Bloodhounds. This onyx statue can
become a pair of bloodhounds for 6 hours
(Use mastiff template, MM p 332). The
bloodhounds are affected by the Locate
Creature spell (PHB p 256) and will track a
creature that you name or describe that is
familiar to you. The entire time they are
tracking this creature, they will bark and
bay very loudly.
Really Heavy Weapon
Weapon (any), common (+1), uncommon
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement)
This weapon is really heavy. Tiny and Small
creatures are unable to wield this weapon.
Medium creatures may wield it with
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disadvantage unless it is normally a one- normally. For example, your comrades
handed weapon which they are wielding could tie a rope around your waist and lead
two-handed. If the weapon has the you around like a big balloon, or pull you to
versatile property, the base damage is still the ground. This ring is only removable by
the one-handed damage, even though it is way of a remove curse spell.
wielded two-handed. This weapon does an
extra 1d4 damage upon a successfully
melee attack.
Ring of Nagging
Ring, rare (requires attunement)

Ring of Abstinence You must retry any verbally based skill

Ring, rare (requires attunement) check with disadvantage, even if you
succeed. You may use the best result of
While wearing this ring, anyone of the the two attempts unless attempting the
opposite gender wishing to interact with second check would have a detrimental
you, or attack you, must first make a DC 12 effect. For example, attempting to woo a
Wisdom saving throw. Once successful, paramour could result in an awkward
the ring will no longer affect the individual situation if you succeed on the first check,
until dawn the next day. Once worn, a but fail the second.
remove curse in necessary to remove this
ring.
Ring of Naked Invisibility
Ring, very rare (requires attunement)
Ring of Cursing
Ring, rare (requires attunement) This ring is identical to the ring of
invisibility (DMG p 191) except this ring
While wearing this ring, you gain advantage will not turn your clothing or belongings
on intimidation checks. You are required invisible.
to utter a profanity in each sentence you
speak or you take 1 hit point of damage
per sentence not containing a profanity.

Ring of Limited Levitation

Ring, rare (requires attunement)

While wearing this ring, you are unable to

move in a downward direction. All
horizontal and upward motion is normal.
For example, if you jump into the air, you
will remain at the apex of the jump.
Outside forces will be able to move you

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Silver Tongue
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
This charm in the shape of a small silver
tongue grants a +1 intelligence bonus but
you are required to speak in rhyme. If you
fail to speak in rhyme, you become unable
to speak for 10 minutes.
Voodoo Pin
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
As a bonus action, you may stick this pin
into your own body causing 1 point of
piercing damage. If you do so, you gain a
+1 bonus on your next missile attack roll.

Staff of Wild Magic

Staff, rare(requires attunement)

This staff may be wielded as a magic

quarterstaff that grants a +1 bonus to
attack and damage rolls made with it. This
staff has 6 charges and regains 1d3+1
expended charges daily at dawn.

While holding this staff, you may use an

action to activate it. If you do, roll once on
the Wild Magic Surge table (PHB p 104) to
determine the effect.

Vampiric Ring
Ring, very rare (requires attunement)
Weapon of Dueling
This ring can store up to 10 hit points of Weapon (any melee), common (+1),
healing. You may use any, or all, of these uncommon (+2), rare (+3) (requires
hit points to heal yourself as a bonus attunement)
action. Any unused hit points remain
available until used. The ring may only be Once you engage an enemy with this
recharged by drinking the blood of a living, weapon, you must remain engaged until
or recently killed (within 2 rounds) they are defeated or succeed on a DC 13
creature. If the blood is taken from a living Wisdom saving throw to switch targets.
creature, the creature takes 1 necrotic
damage for each point recharged.

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Weapon of Flattery (Imitation is
the sincerest form of flattery)
Weapon (any), common (+1), uncommon
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement)

You acquire one physical characteristic of

the last creature killed with this weapon.
You will only have one foreign
characteristic at a time and the prior one
will fade as a new one appears.

Weapon of the Necromancer

Weapon (any), common (+1), uncommon
(+2), rare (+3) (requires attunement)

Any creature slain with this weapon will

rise as a zombie (MM p 315) one round
after death.

About the Author: Erik Hawley started playing

Dungeons and Dragons in 1979. He has played
every edition since that time and currently DM’s
a campaign set in the World of Greyhawk.
Erik also enjoys other variety of gaming,
including computer games, miniature
wargames, and board games. In the late 90’s
he worked for Cyberlore Studios and was part of
the team that created Mechwarrior 4:
Mercenaries and several other computer games.
In his younger years, he was heavily
involved in living history through the Society for
Creative Anachronism. While in the SCA, Erik
learned fencing, armored combat, archery, and
many medieval skills, most of which are of little
use in our modern world but make a great
knowledge base for a D&D game (or a zombie
apocalypse)!

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