Help creating weird/wacky D&D magic items?

[Infimoid]

Would anyone be willing to help me with a magic item I wanted to make for a specific character? I wanted to make it a ring that had the power of mad magic, similar to wild magic but fueled by the mind of some planar being that is quite insane. I want the item to scale with the character so I was thinking for level one that it would let the character, being a wizard "cast" wild surges in addition to his spells in an equal amount so 1 surge per spell level but after that I am drawing up blanks any ideas?

[A.T.]

Which edition?

3.5 had prestos hat, a non-slot item that could be taken as a ring (though don't adjust the cost - it was cheap to begin with).

The item could be used to create a temporary spell component (up to 1000gp in value), to empower a spell, or to cast a spell from their spellbook replacing one they have memorised. However each time one of these abilities was used the player had to roll a D100 :
1 - 35 : the spell is wasted but a rod of wonder effect occurs
36 - 65 : the spell takes effect but a rod of wonder effect occurs as well
66 - 100 : the spell takes effect as desired

25,000gp. Very very powerful right up until you try to dimension door away from an angry dragon and instead blind yourself with a cloud of butterflies.

[Badbones777]

I don't play D&D (BRP GM here!) so don't know how mechanically it would work but I have used the following I cooked up with some success.

Parasite Blade (or other weapon) Not specifically a curse (though it could be if you preferred). Likely to be found either in the temple of some cult or demon, or possibly amidst the remaining debris and detritus of some long forgotten battlefield.

It's a fairly typical weapon of it's type, (though would notably be of quite old design/style for anyone with weapon smithing skills etc). In good repair despite that and if tested by whatever means (if any) exist in your setting would be detected as magical or otherwise special in some faint, barely noticeable and indefinable way. Anyone using the weapon will at first feel (and indeed will be) more potent in combat (precise details up to GM-I went with more skilled). Continued use will gradually give way to a feeling of near euphoria in combat and increased potency. This in turn gives way to an addiction to killing only sated (for a few days) following taking a life with the weapon (this last may be the only clue as to what is going on).


The weapon is actually infested with a sort of psychic parasite that bonds with the host upon first being picked up. The parasite is basically dormant at this stage having been lying undiscovered for so long. Upon taking a life it is revivified and craves more, becomming increasingly more powerful until the will of the wielder is completely subsumed by the parasite and their identity erased. At this point the weapon controls the body which is little more than a shell and pursues it's own, unknowable agenda. Should the hijacked body be slain (or simply decompose to the point of collapse with no one else about) the weapon enters a dormant state to conserve it's essence and will only stir when a sentitent creature capable of wielding it comes nar. At this point the weapon sends out subtle telepathic prompts to the potential victim who will feel drawn to examine the weapon.


Exactly what the parasite is, where it came from and how it got in the weapon (assuming it was not always so) are entirely down to you as GM - if it serves your purposes one could easily weave a story around it. On the other hand it could simply be one of those things that is never known.

Assume the Parasite can process and navigate whatever social mores and conventions it's host would, though without necessarily understanding them. Anyone who knew the victim at total control stage would know something was wrong, that the person was seemingly withdrawn and distracted and lives and acts in a very functional manner.

Price/Value: Pretty much whatever the typical going rate is for an antique weapoon of it's type (in good nick). Though this is unlikely to ever come up as anyone wielding it would be unlikely to want to sell it (unless of course the parasite had reached the stage of full control over it's host and wanted to be sold on for some reason, which could be fun, though you would need to work out what happens to a host who is "vacated" in this manner)

[Danforth]

D&D be damned, the Black Dagger and the Bag O' Sharing, with a suitable tech-level sheen, are a shoe-in for the next time I run Paranoia

In fact it might be worth OP's while looking through some old Paranoia supplements for inspiration...