Magic Economy

9 min readNov 18, 2023

Blog #4
5E Behind the screen.

Magic Items

This is the real reward for adventure (besides the adventure itself), this is why your players will risk life and limb.

Stuff.

You love it, I love it, it’s great. Let the players earn it, taunt and tease them with promises of riches. They’ll do the whole, let’s fight evil things, but what they really want is a magic sword or amulet.

Give it to them.

Tables [pg. 137 DMG]

Since I’ll be doing gold and loot as XP, I’ll be using the hoard tables more often than just “boss fight” type encounters. This will throw more magic items into the player’s hands, which is a good thing.

Donjon can also do the treasure tables and they seem to be pretty accurate, but rolling is fun, so either works.
Here: I rolled up on the Treasure Hoard: Challenge 0–4 Table
I rolled a 39 on the table which qualifies for 1d6 magic items on table A, I got 5.
The items I got:

1x 2nd level spell scroll
1x cantrip spell scroll
1x potion of healing
1x 1st level spell scroll
1x potion of greater healing

I also rolled up this much wealth:

3x 10 gp gems
1500 copper
1100 silver
80 gold

Which totals 665 gp worth of stuff if they were to sell it all. They’d probably get pretty close to that which would also convert to XP split amongst the party. They would also have to move the coins out if they wanted them all out.

Attunement [pg. 136 DMG]

I’ve used this briefly long ago, but the limit (3 items) never came into play for any of my groups that I ran or played in. Of course, most of the basic items do not require attunement, stuff like +1, consumables, etc.
It will, of course, be used for this game.

Attunement will be required for extra abilities. If there is an inherent + bonus to it, the player will get that by default. To access the other aspects, it will need to be attuned (and identified). Some items from the DMG already do this, like the Belt of Dwarvenkind [pg. 155 DMG].

Special Features [pg. 141–143 DMG]

Not all magic items will have these, but I’ll roll for them. There are 4 categories listed that can add a little extra to a magic item, I’ll likely roll 1d4 to see how many of those are included. These seem like they’ll be very fun and add a bit of flavor. It could definitely be overused, though, and lose its charm. So maybe a 1d20 (5%) roll on magic items to see if they have a special feature.

Identify

This spell, in some capacity, will be needed for many magical items. The spell itself requires a pearl worth 100 gp, so either that will be necessary or seeking out someone who can.
The spell will work as described giving the players the properties, trigger words, etc. However, it will not grant the lore or history of the item, so some air of mystery can be maintained around the item.

Consult your local wizard about weird stuff you find.

Cursed Items

They exist. The only details [pg. 138 DMG], besides specific ones, are that they appear to be normal magic items. So, you don’t really know if it’s cursed until you try it. They’re sort of like mimics in that way, I may allow a way to determine if an item is cursed before attuning it, but we’ll see.

Now, I haven’t seen any way to work them in besides the specific cursed items. That is, there is no static chance for an item being cursed besides rolling one on a table. There’s like a 1% chance on Table D for Bag of Devouring. Maybe we keep that, but I’m thinking I might have each item have a 1 in 20 chance (5%) of being cursed.

Formulas [pg. 141 DMG]

This has the potential to be very cool and open up new game threads. Players find a formula to make a cool item, maybe they don’t have anyone capable of crafting it. So, they seek out a local wizard and may have to barter with this fellow to get the item crafted. Many possibilities!

Side note: I will probably replace the bag of holding and similar items on the tables with formulas or even lore stuff that points to where more powerful items are held. Treasure maps, it’s paper adventure, your players will love it.

Components

Any casters won’t need all the components listed as long as they have a spell focus. They will need the components that cost money. The pearl for Identify and the diamond for chromatic sphere.

The Economy

I won’t have stores or vendors. Best you’ll get are mysterious wagons with strange people selling stranger things in the middle of the woods. Buyer beware.
Now, the players will be able to sell their magic stuff to whoever will buy it. Few may know the actual value and may not trust the player’s word. Wizards and other practitioners may buy their magical stuff, but prices offered may vary.
Selling or distributing in a village will eventually draw attention and their may be laws about it in larger cities.

Adventure Avoidance Magics

Magic items or spells that negate the possibility of adventure or creative interaction. The magic items are harder to choose from for removal as many of them can be used creatively. Bag of holding will have to go simply because of how much it negates encumbrance.

As for the spells, I’ve got a list below of ones that I’ll be removing from play.

The list is not exhaustive.

Food and Water

Goodberry: Creates berries that provide sustenance for a day.
Create Food and Water: Produces enough food and water to sustain several people.

Shelter and Comfort

Leomund’s Tiny Hut: Creates a dome of force that can protect and shelter a small group.
Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion: Conjures a luxurious, extradimensional dwelling.
Rope Trick: Creates an extradimensional space atop a rope where you can rest.

Navigation and Exploration

Find the Path: Shows the most direct, physical route to a specific location.
Locate Animals or Plants: Locates a kind of animal or plant in a nearby area.
Pass Without Trace: Makes a group harder to track and more stealthy.

Why?

It’s the same reason you don’t give low level players access to teleportation. They’re not actually playing the game if they’re skipping over most of it. It’s the same for survival magic. Why would they need to carefully prepare for a journey if they can just magic up the answer for it and little to no trade off or cost.

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This isn’t for everyone and that’s fine, but it matches what I’m trying to accomplish here so I’m doing it.

What about…

There are feats, classes, backgrounds, etc. that also do survival things that appear to handwave the adventure. These are no spell slots, these are big character choices that aren’t reversible but part of the character going forward. That’s a trade off the player chose.

Not only that, but it’s very gameable as well. The character in question could be incapacitated making an interesting scenario for the party.

A player might be guaranteed to get food and water for the party, but they still have to gather it. This also opens up opportunities for encounters and situations.

If you have magic that simply shuts down these opportunities, you’re missing out on the game itself.

Cool Items

A sentient item I made rolling off the tables [pg. 214 DMG]. Feel free to use this for your games, I encourage you to roll up your own!

The Justicar’s Malice

Type: Sentient Warhammer
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 14

Description:
The Justicar’s Malice is an intimidating warhammer with an anvil-shaped head and a dark leather-wrapped haft, pulsing as if alive. Intricate designs of chains and scales of justice are etched into the metal, exuding an unusual coldness.

Communication:
The warhammer communicates by transmitting emotions to its carrier or wielder. It has hearing and normal vision up to 30 feet.

Characteristics:

Mannerism: Incoherent whispers
Trait: Blustering
Ideals: Honor and Pain
Bonds: Protective of a valuable possession, a fragment of a forbidden spell, which resists mundane destruction methods and cannot be destroyed without causing mass destruction. Additionally, it is drawn to special places, particularly the location of several wizard towers, compelling its wielder towards them.
Flaw: Foolhardy Bravery
Purpose: Bane of Magic

Powers:

Magic Detection: Detects magic within 30 ft, vibrating and whispering when magic is near.
Dispel Magic: Targets hit have disadvantage on concentration checks to maintain spells.
Antimagic: Grants wielder +2 bonus on saves vs magic or magical effects, including +2 AC bonus vs spells.
Spell Turning: Can reflect spells back at the caster if the spell targeting the wielder misses by 5 or more, or if the save exceeds the target by 5 or more.
Magic Siphon: Critical hits against spellcasters or magical creatures drain a spell slot or magical energy, granting a damage bonus of +xd6 on the next successful strike (x equals the level of the drained spell slot). A roll determines which spell slot level is drained.

Curse:
As a bane of magic, it disadvantages its wielder when using other magical items or receiving magical healing. It may refuse to be wielded by those overly reliant on magic, and attempts to dominate its wielder’s will to fulfill its agenda. It prevents sneaking up on opponents, considering it dishonorable.

Bonding:
Forms a bond with its wielder, swaying them to oppose the use of magic and to seek out and destroy powerful artifacts or spellcasters.

Artifact

Here’s an artifact I also rolled up using the tables! [pg. 219 DMG]
I rolled for maximum attributes on it, lots of cool stuff there.

Glimmering Scepter of Taranis

Type: Scepter (Magical Artifact)

Description: The Glimmering Scepter of Taranis is an ornate rod made of a shimmering silver-like metal, adorned with intricate carvings of thunderbolts and clouds. It is said to have been forged by a storm deity and is imbued with the essence of tempests and skies. The scepter is warm to the touch and occasionally emits faint rumbles like distant thunder.

Attunement: Requires attunement by a spellcaster.

Minor Beneficial Properties (4):

Spell Casting: As an action, you can cast “Lightning Bolt” (3rd-level spell) without expending a spell slot. Roll 1d6, on a 1–5 you cannot use this function again until the following dawn.
Resistance: Gain resistance to lightning damage.
Immunity to Charm and Fright: You can’t be charmed or frightened while attuned to this scepter.
Skill Proficiency: Gain proficiency in the Arcana skill.

Major Beneficial Properties (2):

Immunity to Certain Conditions: While attuned, you can’t be blinded, deafened, petrified, or stunned.
Spell Casting: As an action, you can cast “Chain Lightning” (As a 7th-level spell) without expending a spell slot. Roll 1d6, on a 1–5 you cannot use this function again until the following dawn.

Minor Detrimental Properties (4):

Amplified Flaw: If your character is prone to arrogance, this trait becomes significantly more pronounced.
Loss of Smell: While attuned, you lose the ability to smell.
Vulnerability to Magic: Disadvantage on saving throws against spells while attuned.
Flame Extinguisher: Nonmagical flames are extinguished within 30 feet of you.

Major Detrimental Properties (2):

Divine Attention: When you become attuned to the artifact, there is a 10% chance that you attract the attention of a storm god who sends an avatar to retrieve the scepter. The avatar is an empyrean with storm-related powers.
Hostility of Dragons: While attuned, dragon-type creatures (other than humanoid) are always hostile towards you.

To destroy the Glimmering Scepter of Taranis, a unique ritual involving rare magical components and a celestial event at a sacred site is required. The process is risky, with significant consequences for failure.