When planning a game of Dungeons and Dragons, it is important to plan out not only the enemies the players will fight and the stories they will uncover, but also the treasure they will find along the way. While gold and gems are fun to find, the biggest draw for adventurers is magic items.

Magic items range in rarity from common to legendary. At the early levels, players will mostly be finding uncommon items that may require some clever thinking and creative problem solving to make use of. Eventually, however, Dungeon Masters will need to give their players some more powerful items, especially weapons to overcome the resistances that monsters start to have at higher levels.

Updated October 4th, 2020 by Theo Kogod: Dungeons & Dragons has continued to grow in popularity in recent years. In particular, many are playing D&D online with their friends or are enjoying gaming podcasts and YouTube channels like The Adventure Zone, Critical Role, and Dimension 20. As new players delve into the game and others learn to DM for the first time, having magic weapons they can use early in their campaigns makes for an even richer gaming experience.

Updated May 12, 2022 by Declan Lowthian: Magic items are included in almost every supplement added to Dungeons & Dragons, so Dungeon Masters always have new options to give their players at the early levels of a campaign.

20 Alchemy Jugs Provide Endless Liquid

dnd alchemy jug with many corks

The Alchemy Jug weighs 12 pounds at all times and always has a sloshing sound, whether there is liquid in the jug or not. A character can use an action and name a liquid, which the jug will then produce. There are only certain liquids it can make: acid, wine, basic poison, salt or fresh water, oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, beer, and honey. While the Alchemy Jug may seem like a fairly silly item, it is potentially very useful in the hands of a creative party member or in a campaign that highlights fun and weird solutions to problems.

19 The Immovable Rod Is Great For Creative Players

dnd silver rod topped by a horse

The Immovable Rod is one of the coolest—and most underrated—magical items in all of Dungeons & Dragons. When someone holding the rod presses a button, the rod will stay in place and not move from that spot – even if it is floating in the air.

An Immoveable Rod can withstand up to 8,000 pounds of pressure. Otherwise, it will only be moved again when someone presses the button. Like so many early-level magic items in D&D, an Immovable Rod is best suited for a party member who is eager to find fun ways to use it. DMs who include one of these in their game should be prepared to say yes to a lot of fun and weird ideas.

18 A Robe of Useful Items Is Like A Wearable General Store

dnd cloak covered in patches

The Robe of Useful Items appears to be an ordinary robe covered in patches that depict various items. These patches can be removed to conjure one of the items depicted, making it a whole adventuring kit wrapped up in a single robe.

Each Robe of Useful Items comes with some standard items, including daggers, rope, and a lantern, but there is also a list of other, more valuable potential patches. These include up to 1000 gp worth of gemstones, a spell scroll, or even a magical window that can be placed on any vertical surface. DMs looking to include one of these should carefully consider which patches they add, as the players will probably find some uses for even the most mundane items that the DM never saw coming.

17 An Eversmoking Bottle Makes For A Quick Getaway

dnd eversmoking bottle a glass bottle full of gray smoke

As the name suggests, an Eversmoking Bottle can be used to fill the immediate area with thick, choking smoke. When unstoppered, this item immediately fills a 60-foot radius with smoke, more than enough for a stealthy character to make a quick getaway. It can also fill an area up to 240 feet across if left open for longer, so it has even further uses in situations where time is not an immediate concern. Rogues, monks, and other characters who want to be able to make a quick getaway will be able to find lots of ways to use an Eversmoking Bottle to great effect.

16 Even A +1 Weapon Is Very Strong Early Game

dnd characters wielding magic swords

Just when to introduce magic weapons into a game is debated among players and Dungeon Masters. Since 5e is designed with bounded accuracy, even a +1 to attack can drastically alter the flow of a D&D campaign's combat. That being said, every campaign is going to need to get magic weapons eventually.

Even at low levels, D&D has enemies that are resistant or even immune to non-magical damage. Generally, it is best practice to give players enchanted versions of the weapons they already use. However, giving players a magic weapon very early on that is different from their normal weapon can introduce some fun decision-making when faced with enemies only vulnerable to magic weapons.

15 Glamerweave Makes For Fun Roleplaying Opportunities

a magic cloak in dnd with stars across it

There are lots of wondrous materials and garments available in Dungeons & Dragons, but Glamerweave is something special. Any Glamerweave clothes can feature incredible illusory effects that alter their appearance, perhaps making them seem wreathed in flame or as though patterns on the cloth moved. Beyond this, Glamerweave garments allow the wearer to improve a Persuasion or Performance check once per day.

Glamerweave is the perfect example of an extremely low-stakes item that can be introduced almost right away in a campaign. Its ability is useful, but far from game-breaking, and it will contribute a fun avenue for roleplaying and description.

14 A Wand Of Magic Missiles Is The Perfect Ranged Option

dnd characters fighting a green dragon

Magic Missile is one of the most popular low-level spells available in D&D. It is an incredible ranged damage spell that never misses. The Wand of Magic Missiles allows a player to cast the spell regardless of whether they can otherwise cast spells. A Wand of Magic Missiles is an incredibly potent way to give a strong ranged option to a character who otherwise would be only useful in melee like a barbarian or monk. Creative DMs might consider introducing one of these items in the hands of a non-spellcasting enemy to really drive home the fact that the firepower comes from the wand, not its wielder.

13 A Nature's Mantle Helps Druids And Rangers

DnD Ranger Tracking

Introduced in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the Nature's Mantle is only usable by rangers and druids. This cloak can function as a spellcasting focus for these classes, a feature particularly useful to rangers who want to keep their hands free for weapons. It also allows the user to hide as a bonus action even when they are being directly observed, potentially opening a whole new avenue of strategy. The best low-level D&D magic items offer a tangible benefit while not being overpowering, and the Nature's Mantle fits the bill perfectly.

12 Winged Boots Allow Three Dimensional Thinking

dnd winged boots leather boots with wings on the heels

The Winged Boots are one of the most fun magic items D&D players can get ahold of early on. Whoever wears these boots are able to have a flying speed equal to their walking speed. Though they technically have a limited flight time, they will almost never run out as long as they're not being used for extended, overland flight.

Giving a player the ability to fly will drastically alter a D&D campaign, so DMs should be absolutely sure before introducing these into their campaign. That being said, there is little more fun as a player than being able to take to the skies and problem-solve in three dimensions.

11 Bracers Of Archery Are Perfect For Bow Wielders

dnd bracers of archery

The Bracers of Archery are an uncommon item that bestows proficiency with shortbows and longbows, though they are probably best used by someone already focusing on archery thanks to their second ability. In addition to the proficiency, these bracers grant a +2 bonus to damage rolls on ranged attacks with bows.

D&D magic items that confer a straight-up damage bonus are exceedingly rare at low levels, making the Bracers of Archery one of the most coveted items for low-level adventurers. Any ranger, rogue, or even fighter or monk who specialize in archery will be very happy to find these at the end of a dungeon.

10 Pipes Of The Sewers Provide Animal Allies

dnd pipes of the sewers

Some D&D magic items enhance what a character can already do, while others give them a fun new power to play with. The Pipes of the Sewers are a great example of the second, allowing the user to summon swarms of rats to fight alongside them. Swarms of rats are not exceptionally powerful and will quickly become outclassed at later levels, so it's best to give a player this item very early on and let them get plenty of use out of it.

a dnd lantern of revealing with an eye for a focus

A Lantern of Revealing can burn up to 6 hours with a pint of oil in it, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius. While in this area, any invisible creatures or objects are rendered visible. A lantern is a good choice for characters that do not have darkvision and do not want to carry torches around all the time, and the added bonus of revealing invisible creatures is potentially very useful. Using a Lantern of Revealing as part of a puzzle involving invisible walls or platforms could be a perfect obstacle for low-level adventurers.

8 A Brooch Of Shielding Can Close The Gap

a golden brooch of shielding from dnd

While a character wears the Brooch of Shielding, they have resistance to force damage and are completely immune to the spell Magic Missile. Force isn't the most common damage type in D&D, but it is also a very tough type to gain resistance to, especially at low levels. Even a character with an extremely high Armor Class or great saving throws is vulnerable to Magic Missile, so a Brooch of Shielding can be help to fully round out the defenses of a character dedicated to being the party's tank.

7 A Character Can Get Attached To A Javelin Of Lightning

dnd lightning javelin

One major issue with magic items in D&D is that fantasy characters often wield an iconic weapon, and it can feel for a character to give up their signature weapon when it gets outpaced by a stronger magic item. The Javelin of Lightning is a great way around this issue. Once per day, it can be used to create a bolt of lightning 120 feet long capable of dealing 4d6 lightning damage to anything struck by it. At the early stages of a D&D campaign, this ability can be extremely powerful, potentially killing a boss monster in a single strike. Even at higher levels, however, this remains a solid attack option in line with other spells and attacks. A character who becomes attached to a Javelin of Lightning early on won't need to worry about it becoming useless for a long, long time.

6 The Potion Of Climbing Is Great For Problem Solving

a pile of dnd potion bottles

Since potions are consumable, they are a good way to introduce a powerful effect into a D&D campaign without risking it destabilizing things in the long term. Potions of Climbing grant a climbing speed, allowing characters to scale any surface regardless of their Athletics score. This can be useful in both urban and wilderness settings, ensuring that every campaign will find some way to use a Potion of Climbing. If a DM decides to include these potions, they should be sure to give the players plenty of opportunity and reason to use them. D&D players are notorious for hoarding consumable items, so they should be encouraged to use them at every opportunity.

5 Sending Stones Help Facilitate Communication

a pair of sending stones from dnd, clay stones with faces on them

Communication is always important, and while the players at the table can always talk with one another, many D&D parties find themselves splitting up at some point. This can make in-character communication difficult, which is where the Sending Stones come in. These paired stones can cast the Sending spell once per day, allowing the holder to send a short message to whoever has the other stone. In addition to facilitating character-to-character communication, a pair of Sending Stones can be used to communicate with important NPCs from long distances while out adventuring.

4 The Iconic Bag Of Holding Helps With Logistics

a dnd bag of holding, a satchel with a face

The Bag of Holding is a bag that is bigger on the inside than the outside. It can hold up to 500 pounds, but never weighs any more than 15. Giving a party a Bag of Holding is a good way to hand-wave the ludicrous amount of treasure most D&D characters end up lugging around with them.

Having an extradimensional space to keep treasure safe is very useful to any D&D party, and the fact that living creatures can even survive inside it for a limited time makes this item even more fun to play with.

3 Every Monk Wants An Eldritch Claw Tattoo

dnd character wielding magic power with tattoos

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything introduced several magic tattoos that confer unique and powerful effects when applied to a character's skin. The Eldritch Claw Tattoo is arguably the strongest of these, especially for monks or other characters relying on unarmed strikes. It makes these attacks count as magical attacks and grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. It also allows the character to enhance their melee reach, armed or unarmed, up to 15 feet for a full minute while also dealing extra force damage. This tattoo is the dream of any monk player, but any melee-focused D&D character would love to get one of these on their skin.

2 A Stone Of Good Luck Is Just As Good As It Sounds

a dnd stone of good luck, a cat's face made of stone with a gem eye

A Stone of Good Luck is not a very flashy item, but it is quite powerful. It grants a flat +1 bonus to all ability checks (including skill checks) and saving throws. This just generally spruces up a character's ability to overcome obstacles and resist attacks, so any player will be happy to pick one up.

The best way to use an item this bland is to attach it to some kind of strong story beat, like having the Stone of Good Luck be gifted to the player by someone important to them. D&D is about telling stories, so making sure that the magic items have fun stories behind them is always a good idea.

1 Every Party Needs Potions Of Healing

dnd character sipping a bright red potion of healing from a glass bottle

The number one magical item a Dungeon Master should give their players early on is, of course, the ever-so-famous Potion of Healing. Healing can be difficult, especially for parties without a dedicated support character, so these potions can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

5th Edition D&D is notoriously difficult at first level, so characters need all the help they can get if they're going to make it to the middle of a campaign. Potions of Healing are not exceptionally fun or engaging, but the party will always be excited to find another batch at the end of a difficult encounter.