10 Best Common Magic Items In 2024 DM’s Guide

The Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide includes a ton of magic items, many of which are incredibly powerful and complex. The focus of the player base often gets drawn to these big-ticket items, but the more mundane gear on the list deserves some attention, too. After all, common magic items can show up all across a campaign, and often bring some fun flavor to the player’s equipment.

Out of the hundreds of items in the DMG, around 50 are classified as common (though a few of those are potions or one-time consumables). Some have returned from previous source books, while others are entirely new to the game. These 10 items are among the best and most interesting within the common tier, and could be great options for a piece of starting gear to make players feel a little more magical right away.

10 The Dark Shard Amulet And Hat Of Wizardry Are Fun Foci For Certain Classes

Give Your Players A Unique Way To Cast Their Spells

Both the Dark Shard Amulet and Hat of Wizardry are somewhat distinct among common magic items, since both require attunement in order to use. But it makes sense that they do; they are, after all, arcane foci for players to cast their spells from. The amulet works for warlocks, while the hat works for wizards, and both provide a hands-free way of holding on to one’s focus.

More importantly, both come with a special feature concerning their associated class’s cantrip list. The user of these foci can take a magic action to try to cast one cantrip from their list that they don’t yet know, making an arcana check to try and cast the spell. Whether it works or fails, the ability can only be used once per day. It’s not too powerful, but common magic items aren’t supposed to be strong. Rather, they provide interesting choices for creative DnD players, and these items provide a lot of early versatility.

9 The Candle Of The Deep Is Good For Underwater Exploration

A Niche But Potentially Essential Item

The Candle of the Deep is a simple item that may not be useful to every party, but it certainly helps out when it matters. It essentially functions like an underwater light source, the flame able to burn and provide heat and light even while submerged. There are many ways for players to expand their vision, whether it be through having darkvision, casting light, or equipping gear that glows. But this candle is a cheap way to help party members that lack any of those things to find their way underwater.

The candle could also be useful when weather conditions make carrying torches difficult, like during a rain or hail storm.

Of course, that case relies on the assumption that the party needs to be underwater for a prolonged period of time. This isn’t going to be a great item for everyone, but DMs and players should keep it in mind when an aquatic setting comes up. If nothing else, it’s good for set dressing an underwater temple or dungeon while players move through it.

8 The Horn of Silent Alarm Is A Nice Item For Lookouts

Alert Your Friends While Staying Hidden

The Horn of Silent Alarm functions as a way to alert others from a distance. What sets this horn apart from non-magical variants is that it can hide its sound from all but one person, allowing scouts and lookouts to keep their friends informed without their enemies knowing. It’s great as both an offensive and defensive tool, since in either case, the party is better off if the enemy does not know they are aware of their presence, despite the new Player’s Handbook nerfing surprise rules.

The horn starts with four charges, and regains 1d4 each day, meaning it should usually have enough power to be used when it becomes necessary. It also functions up to a range of 600 feet, allowing the party to be quite spread out and for it to still work. Items like this can be really helpful methods of communication, subbing in for similar spells like message or sending.

A Good Tool For Monster Hunters

It used to be that silvering a weapon only mattered in that it allowed it to affect some types of monsters, who were typically immune to physical damage. Werewolves and other shape-shifters required these kinds of weapons in order to be hunted down, but beyond that gimmick, there was little reason to use them. Now, though, silvered weapons have a little more going for them mechanically.

Silvered weapons now deal extra damage on a critical hit against shape-shifted creatures. That can mean things like doppelgangers, but also creatures under the effects of spells like polymorph and alter self, or even Wild Shape. That change in wording makes this kind of weapon much more valuable, and player characters who want to be monster hunters might benefit from seeking one out.

6 The Cloak Of Many Fashions Is Great For Blending In

Quickly change your Appearance With This Piece Of Apparel

This cloak is not quite as powerful as some higher-tier magic items like the Robe of Useful Items when it comes to disguises, but it certainly works in a pinch. The Cloak of Many Fashions is able to change its hue, pattern, and quality on command, enabling the wearer to quickly change what they look like. They could go from a purple-draped noble to a beggar in a rotting wool cape in seconds, or even replicate the appearance of other magical cloaks.

Though the cloak cannot change the wearer’s form or stature, this could be the perfect item to use in conjunction with something like
alter self
, or even a changeling’s species features.

This cloak has tons of utility, and no limit on the number of times it can change or be used. It’s a standout hit among the low-level apparel in this book, and any rogue or bard would be happy to have this early in the game. Especially when paired with other methods of disguise, this cloak can help characters to fully evade their enemies.

5 The Moon-Touched Sword Is Good For Lighting Dark Caverns

Never Hold On To A Torch Again

The Moon-Touched Sword, which comes in a number of different weapon types, is useful for navigating dark areas without a torch. That’s because the blade of this weapon glows with silver moonlight while in darkness, allowing its wielder to see the area around them while remaining armed. It’s a convenient way to avoid having to sacrifice a hand to hold a lighting device, and allows characters without darkvision to fight in dimly lit areas.

The one downside to this sword that might make something like the light cantrip more appealing is that it can’t stop glowing. When the sword is unsheathed and in the dark, it will glow, potentially giving away the party’s position. It’s still a nice way to have a permanent light source, but it won’t be best for every party, especially if all of its members already have darkvision.

4 The Perfume Of Bewitching Provides A Brief But Powerful Charisma Boost

Make Anyone The Party Face For A Few Moments

Most consumables are excluded from this list, since something like the potion of healing would easily come out on top, especially after the Player’s Handbook changed potion rules. But the Perfume of Bewitching deserves a spot, since it has some important changes from its original appearance in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. The perfume is single use, takes an action to apply, and lasts for one hour. During that period, the user has advantage on persuasion and deception checks made against creatures within five feet of them.

This is much better than the old version, which was limited to affecting creatures of CR1 or lower. This functions like a much-improved version of the friends cantrip, lasting longer and without any negative effects later on. It’s a good item to pick up in order to buff the party’s face; or, in the event that the party has no face, it can give players a chance of actually succeeding while speaking to someone.

3 The Wand Of Pyrotechnics Is Ideal For Signals – And Distractions

Shooting Fireworks Off Into The Sky

The Wand of Pyrotechnics may shoot balls of fire, but it can’t be used to deal any damage. Rather, this is a tool for sending up signals into the sky, creating exploding fireworks that can be seen and heard for hundreds of feet around. It functions much like a flare gun, sending up a signal to either draw in aid from allies or lure in enemies.

The wand starts off with seven charges, using one each time that it shoots off fireworks, and regaining a hearty amount each day. As an emergency tool for letting others know where you are, it functions very well, and is a convenient item to keep on hand while adventuring outdoors.

2 Sylvan Talons Are A Fun Weapon Variant With A Fey Theme

A Touch Of Magic To Make Things More Interesting

The Sylvan Talon is a new item in the 2024 DMG, and it has some fascinating uses. It can function just like any other light weapon, in addition to having magic that connects it to DnD‘s Feywild plane. Wielding it lets creatures understand and speak to Fey creatures without needing to actually speak Sylvan. On top of that, the weapon can be used to cast message once per day.

Just like the Dark Shard amulet, the Sylvan Talon does require attunement, which may mean that players will cast it aside at higher levels. But it provides some neat utility if the party is frequently interacting with Fey. And gaining an extra cantrip is always nice, even if it can only be cast once a day.

1 The Ruby Of The War Mage Can Be Essential For Spellblade Builds

Make Any Weapon Your Arcane Focus

Finally, the Ruby of the War Mage is a classic common magic item that many spellblades will be familiar with. The gem can be added to any weapon over ten minutes, after which it can be removed with a magic action. While attached to the weapon, that weapon becomes a spellcasting focus for the character attuned to it.

It’s a great way to avoid the somatic components of certain spells being blocked while wielding weapons, a rule that often goes overlooked at tables, but can be detrimental to certain builds. The ruby is a great Dungeons & Dragons item to give to eldritch knights and arcane tricksters early, so they don’t need to choose between their equipment and their magic.

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