Billed as '25 New and Amazing Magical Weapons for Your D&D 5e Game' this little product has a lot packed into its 12 pages. As the introduction states, they want to recreate the sort of wonder that magical items kindled in the hearts and minds of players reading Dungeons & Dragons for the first time. If you've been around since fantasy role-playing burst onto the scene 40 years ago, by now you will be more likely to assess an item for its usefulness - what bonus does it give? What normally invulnerable monsters can I hit with it? - rather than just stand all amazed at the idea of a sword that bursts into flame or has a mind of its own. One way to rekindle the wonder is, of course, to invent new items that are magical in more senses than the conventional ones, and this is what has been attempted here.

One way is by introducing little quirks. Perhaps YOUR magical sword, whilst on paper is the same as any other one with the same stats, looks different or has some unique characteristics or preferences. Maybe that ring only works if placed on the fourth finger of your right hand, and sulks if you wear it anywhere else (look, they've got me doing it now, that was a Megan original spawned as I typed...). It may even be a slight flaw, not severe enough to be a curse but which perhaps means you'll be a bit more likely to sell or give away the item to some unsuspecting fellow.

So each of the 25 weapons in this collection is provided with a name, weapon type (that Arcane Reaver might not be a sword like the picture, maybe it's a great big halberd!), an indication of how rare it is and why, and a paragraph or two explaining what it does. Then you get several optional quirks and flaws uniquely suited to the weapon in question. Imagine for instance a magic blowgun that automatically coats darts from an inexhaustible supply of acid, but which makes its user crave spicy food! Just to add to the amusement, the text is spattered with pithy quotes, usually from someone watching the weapon in question being used - how about "It was horrifying watching Brogan beat that enemy soldier to death. But towards the end of their fight I found myself tapping my foot in rhythm with his strikes..." - what sort of an image does that conjure up?

They are altogether rather fun, and well worth introducing to your campaign. None are so powerful as to unbalance your game, but they could make good items of loot in a dungeon or removed from the body of a fallen foe (especially after the party has had the 'pleasure' of being on the receiving end of the item during the brawl...). Definitely worth a look!

Return to Weapons Cache Vol.1 page.

Reviewed: 7 April 2016