Single-Use Substances and Spelljunk (Part I)

Now it is finally time to finish out my custom world of magic items with the disposable, one-time use magic items. I am going to be returning to a 10 item-per-post format to try to get myself to blog more regularly without worrying about finding enough time to work on long posts (like those Art of Being a Monster posts that have been getting longer and longer).

I am also working on this series because I need to brush up on my giant lore to come up with better giant-specific advice. Coming up with 20 solid pieces of advice for giants has been nearly impossible, I just do not know enough about cliche giant behavior. Please comment below if you've got a cool giant story or folk-tale you remember.

Envisioned Eldritch Equipment

Worn and Weaponized Witchcraft

Thaumaturgy, Trinkets, and Tools

Aberrant Powder 900

A nice mix of purple and green-yellow powders squirm inside a small ceramic pot or leather bag. When throw, the powder explodes into a 5 foot sphere of smoke for 1 round. Any object or creature that begins their turn inside the smoke must make a Wisdom save (DC 15) or be polymorphed. Objects only save if held or magical and are randomly polymorphed into another object of similar size while creatures are transformed into either a random animal, a random magical creature, or a random creature of their own category (demi-human, humanoid, demon, etc). This effect lasts for 2d6 rounds. A willing participant instead must make the save to choose which category their polymorph is chosen from.

Acid 25

This fluorescent green bottle holds a potent acid made from distilled stomach acid from various breeds of monsters. When thrown, the glass jar will smash open into a 5 foot burst of acid for 2d8 damage and, on the following round, evaporate into a 10 foot cloud of droplets dealing 1 acid damage to any creature that starts its turn in the cloud. Rubbed on a weapon along with some paste from under the lid, the acid deals 1d6 damage on each hit it makes and it also damages the weapon at the beginning of each round. The acid lasts until it is wiped off or deals a 5 total d6’s of acid damage (this includes the damage done to the weapon).

Alchemist’s Fire 50

Alchemist’s Fire is a heady, oily mix of pitch and carefully guarded powders typically stored in a ceramic urn split into two parts. When the container is broken or the parts mixed, the pitch will catch fire. Smashed or dropped, the Alchemist’s Fire will spread into a flaming pool 10 feet across, dealing 1d6 fire damage each round to any creature that begins its turn in the fire. Smearing the pitch on a weapon before igniting it will add 1d6 fire damage to the weapon’s attacks. The weapon also takes 1d6 damage each round. The fire lasts until extinguished or it has dealt 6 d6’s of fire damage (including the damage dealt to the weapon).

Ambrosia 250

Thick, golden nectar swirls inside this crystal vial. Downing this sweet honey heals the imbiber for 2d8 hit points, removes two levels of fatigue, and offers an additional save against a single ongoing mental effect.

Anchor Token 50

Snapping this thin, ironwood, doll-sized anchor in half will cause it to rapidly grow in size and weight, turning into a real iron anchor with a 100 foot iron chain. The anchor weighs 50 pounds and is approximately four feet tall.

Antitoxin 50

The thick, curdled milk-like liquid in this brown ceramic jug will help protect against poisoning. Downing the chunky white liquid requires an easy Constitution save (DC 10) to avoid vomiting up the other contents of one's stomach. Regardless of whether the user vomits or not, the potion lines the stomach to grant advantage against any ingested poisons for the next six hours. Additionally, the neutralizing agent it contains grants a +2 bonus on all other types of poison the drinker is exposed to for the next 3 hours.

Appearing Dust 750

Fool’s gold dust mixed with pixie dust reveals any corporeal, invisible object it is dusted on. Tossed in a pouch, it will explode into a cloud of dust that will coat everything in a 10 foot burst. Objects coated in Appearing Dust are both made visible to the naked eye and also given a slightly phosphorescent outline, like the Faerie Fire spell.

Armory in a Bottle 3000

An Armory in a Bottle holds a pile of miniature weapons, shields, weapon racks, and tools. Smashing this bottle causes it to explode open, as the innumerable glass shards coalesce into a mess of scattered swords, shields, spears, javelins, bows, armors, tools, etc sitting neatly upon appropriate racks and shelves. These will form non magical equipment of whatever type and distribution the smasher has in mind. If nothing in particular is chosen the equipment will be random. The Armory in a Bottle can only create 1500 SP worth of equipment. The bottle will always generate the appropriate tools and scrap materials for sharpening, maintaining, and resizing the equipment created.

Balding Ointment 75

Applied to the hair of a creature, this oily gel causes hair to fall out. The ointment has an overpowering juniper-mint smell. The skin the ointment is applied to will not regrow any hair for 1d3 weeks. Each jar can make a small creature completely hairless or enough for 4 medium sized heads of hair.

Battlefield Caltrop 65

Battlefield Caltrops, when inactive, are 4 inch spheres of iron. With the command word, ‘Defend’, the sphere will be ready to deploy when dropped. Upon hitting the ground when active, six, four-inch blades spring from the sphere and it waits on the ground for a creature to move next to it. If any creature other than the activator steps within 5 feet of a Battlefield Caltrop, the caltrop spins to life and jumps at the enemy. The caltrop makes a reaction attack with a +5 bonus for 2d4+2 damage. Battlefield caltrops deal double damage and attack with advantage against a creature that has moved more than half its movement speed. After sitting idle for 1 minute without making an attack, the blades withdraw, the magic spent.

Part II.