Summary
One of the best aspects ofDungeons & Dragonsis the creativity and power that comes with the magic. Being able to strategically utilize spells and items is satisfying and challenging.D&Dcan be a complex game, however, and magic often doesn’t reach its potential until players have leveled up their characters a bit and unlocked new abilities.
Early on, players often work with a semi-limited move-set, streamlining theircreativity and desire for chaos. Luckily, some unique items can be dished out relatively early in a campaign that will excite players and show them how magical the world they inhabit is. These items will allow them to begin incorporating magic, without making them overpowered too early.
Updated on June 28th, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose:Most players in D&D start at level one, and early table-top campaigns can have a lot of both heroic and devastating stories about level 1 characters learning the hard way what it takes to survive a lengthy story. A DM can choose certain items to make this learning process more productive than destructive, keeping in mind that certain objects are better suited to some campaigns, classes, and settings than others. With that in mind, this list has been updated with more early-game magic items that are ideal for DMs to give to low-level characters.
12Bag Of Beans
D&D Player’s Handbook
These beans can be a great item for a low-level party to use periodically if they need AoE powers or a distraction in a crowd.If dumped onto the ground, they can work as an explosive, causing substantial damage to any character in range, including the player and their teammates. A player has to roll a d100 to determine the exact effect.
Should the beans be planted and watered, many things can happendepending on what the DM rolls. It’s worth limiting the number handed out, or players may plant repeatedly, just to see more results from the random table.
11The Wand Of Secrets
As the name implies, this wand is used to reveal what’s hidden, so it’s very useful in dungeons, mansions, castles, or prisons. By itself, this item would probably be overpowered, but this is why it has a limited number of charges.
How many is up to the DM, but the wand can only be used three or four times, and unlike some other magical items, it doesn’t recharge at dawn. Not only does this item teach a fledgling adventuring party how to use a magical item, but also how to use one wisely.
10Charlatan’s Dice
Xanathar’s Guide To Everything
This simple item is a magic six-sided die. While it would be more useful in the hands of the literal player, this item can still help out in-game. Cheating at gamblingor tricking anyone willing to put faith in a die is an easy success.
This item is perfect fordishing out early in a campaignbecause it is a low-stakes item that won’t offer any game-breaking advantages. Additionally, the player who has it will likely need to carry it for some time before they find the opportunity to use it.
9Shield Of Expression
This magic shield doesn’t offer an immense boost to defense, but it does offer pure absurdity. The shield has a face on it, which can be used to intimidate or distract enemies, and the wielder can change the expression on the shield as a bonus action.
Coming up with different expressions is a fun way to intimidate foes, communicate with party members, or just nail a comedic moment. The player that gets this item early on will be sad when they eventually get their hands on a better defensive item at a higher level.
8Talking Doll
This itemcan be used carefully and strategically, or it can just be used to scare the pants off of nearly any normal NPC. A magic doll that looks, however, as the DM describes the first time the players encounter it, this doll can be set to talk or move based on extraneous circumstances.
Players can give it a phrase or action to watch for and have it say whatever they’ve ordered when that event sets it off. With some stealth, hiding the doll and waiting can lead to some chaotic situations.
7Immovable Rod
Dungeon Master’s Guide
This item is great for a low-level party because it takes some real thinking to use to great effect and doesn’t offer a clear boost. The rod has a button the player can press to lock it into place. Once this is done, it can’t be moved, even if it was in the air when the button was pressed.
Players can find some truly memorable ways to use the rod or use it as an emergency save when falling from a great height. This item is just specific enough to make it the perfect superfluous item to let a party have — and likely forget about until the perfect moment.
6Hat Of Vermin
This hat has three charges that do exactly what its title advertises: Summon Vermin.The wearer can summon rats, frogs, or bats, all of which come out of the hat and then do their best to scurry away. What makes this item so chaotic is that the animals are not inherently friendly and will act naturally.
Players can use the hat to cause a panic in a populated area, check for floor or motion-based traps, distract a hungry creature that loves tasty vermin, or in a true last-ditch effort during combat.
5Prosthetic Limb
Tasha’s Cauldron Of Everything
This magical item is one that most players hope they don’t need. A magic limb that attaches itself to a character in place of any arm, leg, hand, or foot, and then functions like the real thing. Plus, even though the wearer can take it off, it can’t be pulled off by an enemy.
Knowing this item exists allows DMs to get a touch crueler in any combat encounter. Giving one to their players early on is odd, and interesting, and guarantees they’ll be okayif the unthinkable happens.
4Robe Of Useful Items
This robe looks ordinary, except for patches all over it that look like items. The wearer can rip off the patches and throw them to summon the pictured item. Typically, the robe has useful tools like a ladder or common dagger, but the DM can customize it however they see fit.
What makes this item great to find early on is that it has a finite number of items. The longer the player has it, the more they have to think through their resource allocation. If players go through it quickly, it’s no more impressive than an adventurer’s kit, but if kept, every item can become a massive problem solver.
3Glamerweave
Eberron: Rising From The Last War
This item is a magical fabric that can be used to create clothes, such as a robe. The clothing is imbued with harmless illusory magic that allows the wearer to change the exterior visually. Players can choose what pattern they want to show, make colorful imagery flow across it, or even use it as a wearable map.
This item is great for early on because it doesn’t offer a player any advantages unless they get extremely creative. It does, however, offer aton of fun roleplay optionsand will excite a player who finds it.
