Following on from our article on homebrewing items, here are a couple of unique items for mid-game characters levels 8+, available as both text and item cards!

Ederic’s Sword

Once belonging to a powerful wizard, this longsword of black metal exudes a discomforting sensation that discourages all but its wielder from approaching. Its guard and pommel appear forged from bronze, while the grip is made from sturdy leather, making it remarkably simple as far as weapons go.

martial weapon, melee weapon, very rare (requires attunement)

1d8 slashing – versatile (1d10)

You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.

Pit of Souls. The soul of a creature killed by this blade is pulled into the space left by the demons purged from it. As an action, the wielder may enter the blade itself. While they are inside it in this way, they do not have it in their possession, and it remains in the world outside, though they are still attuned to it.

Inside the blade, there is an endless plane of darkness and black fog, in which can be encountered any creature struck down. The creatures are no more friendly than they were in life, and may attack the wielder, and even kill them. If the wielder is slain within the blade, their soul is added to the collection, their attunement ends, and they may be encountered there.

The Firestarter

A simple gold bracer with a dull red gem embedded in its core. Hints of light sparkle in the ruby’s centre, but it otherwise seems dead, and somehow empty.

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

A bracer that fits around one’s arm. It has 0 charges. While it has 0 charges, when a creature attuned to the bracer takes fire damage, it may use its reaction to take no damage from the attack. Instead, all fire damage received from a single source is then captured in the gem on the bracer and it gains 1 charge. The user is then able to use an action and 1 charge to launch a ball of fire at a point within 150 feet that they can see. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw of DC 14. Each creature takes damage equal to the amount absorbed on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The user is also able to attempt to use their reaction to absorb lightning in the same way, but it is unclear what will happen if they do, and it may be dangerous.

Hidden Feature: If the user instead tries to capture lightning, the ruby has a 5/20 chance of shattering. If this happens, the wearer is stuck by the initial damage, and three additional bolts leap out to strike the nearest creatures within 30 feet, hitting each target no more than once. A target must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking the same damage as the wearer on a failure or half on a success.

If the gem doesn’t shatter, the lightning is instead stored in the gem, which glows and sparks blue, looking and feeling unstable. It cannot hold it for long, and the next weapon or spell attack the user makes deals additional lightning damage equivalent to what they would have taken. If they take a long rest while the gem is storing lightning, it shatters as above.