Miscellaneous Adventuring Gear
The many essentials that make adventuring into the unknown possible:
Acid. You can use an action to splash the contents of this vial onto a target within 5 feet of you, or throw the vial up to 20 feet where it shatters on impact. In either case, make a ranged weapon attack against the target, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 ongoing acid damage. This damage persists for 3 rounds. A creature ends all ongoing damage from mundane acid by using its action to wipe away the corrosive liquid.
Alchemist's Fire. This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. You can use an action to throw this flask up to 20 feet where it shatters on impact. Make a ranged weapon attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 ongoing fire damage. This damage persists for 1 minute. A creature can end all ongoing damage being dealt by alchemist’s fires by using its action to either make a DC 14 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames or by dousing the target with at least 1 gallon of water.
Ball Bearings. You can use an action to spill these tiny metal balls from their pouch and cover a level, square area that is 10 feet on each side. A creature moving across the covered area makes a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or falls prone . A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn't need to make the save.
Black Powder Charge. A pound of black powder inside a wooden shell with a fuse can make a simple but potent explosive. You can use an action to set and light one or more black powder charges which explode at the beginning of your next turn. Any creatures or objects within 10 feet of the exploding charge must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw , taking 1d6 force damage and 1d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Increase the explosion’s damage by 1d6 force and 1d6 fire for each doubling of the number of charges set beyond the first. For example, 4 black powder charges deal 3d6 force and 3d6 fire damage, 8 black powder charges deal 4d6 force and 4d6 fire damage, 32 black powder charges deal 6d6 force damage and 6d6 fire damage, and so on.
For each charge beyond the first, the area increases as follows: 2 charges—20-foot radius, 4 charges—30-foot radius, 8 charges—40-foot radius, 16 charges—50-foot radius, 32 charges—60-foot radius.
Black powder charges become useless and are destroyed when submerged in water or left exposed to rain.
Block and Tackle. A set of pulleys with a cable threaded through them and a hook to attach to objects, a block and tackle along with a length of rope allows you to hoist up to four times the weight you can normally lift.
Book. A book might contain poetry, historical accounts, information pertaining to a particular field of lore, diagrams and notes on gnomish contraptions, or just about anything else that can be represented using text or pictures. A book of spells is a spellbook (described later in this section). Any book of masterwork quality covers in detail one specialty (see Specialties in Chapter 6: Using Ability Scores). You gain an expertise die on checks made regarding the specialty detailed in the last masterwork book you’ve read.
Cage. This metal cage can comfortably contain a creature of the size it is designed to hold. The cage has a simple door held with a latch that requires an Intelligence score of 5 or more to open.
Medium: The cage (AC 16, 25 hit points) can be burst open with a DC 22 Strength check.
Large: The cage (AC 17, 40 hit points) can be burst open with a DC 24 Strength check.
Huge: The cage (AC 18, 55 hit points) can be burst open with a DC 26 Strength check.
Caltrops. You can use an action to spread a bag of caltrops that covers a square area 5 feet on a side. Any creature that enters the area makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or it stops moving this turn and takes 1d4 piercing damage. Taking this damage reduces the creature's base Speed by 10 feet until it regains at least 1 hit point. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn't need to make the save.
Candle. A lit candle sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet for up to 1 hour.
Chain. A chain (AC 16, 10 hit points) can be burst with a DC 20 Strength check.
Clothes (Any). Clothes of varying styles can be appropriate to any number of cultures or social situations and can be worn over light armor. A DC 14 Perception check is required to notice light armor hidden underneath clothes.
Component Pouch. A component pouch is a small, watertight leather belt pouch that has compartments to hold all the material components and other special items you need to cast your spells, except for those components that have a specific cost (as indicated in a spell's description).
Crowbar. You gain advantage on Strength checks when you are able to apply leverage with this hooked metal bar.
Eyepatch. Eyepatches can be used to prepare one eye for lower light vision, especially for working on deck and in the relative darkness of a ship. When you are wearing an eyepatch and enter an area of darkness or dim light from a brightly lit area, you can use a bonus action to swap it from one eye to the other to gain an expertise die on Perception checks until you enter an area of bright light or for the next 10 minutes.
Fishing Tackle. This includes a wooden rod, silken line, corkwood bobbers, steel hooks, lead sinkers, velvet lures, and narrow netting.
Flash Bomb. You can use an action to throw this glass bauble, making a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 20 feet and treating the flash bomb as an improvised weapon. The target makes a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or it is blinded until the end of your next turn.
Hook Hand. Prosthetic hook hands are common replacements for missing hands. You cannot gain advantage or expertise dice on Sleight of Hand checks made with a hook hand. In addition, a hook is a natural weapon which you can use to make unarmed strikes that deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier.
Holy Water. You can use an action to splash the contents of this flask on an adjacent creature. Alternatively, you can throw it up to 20 feet where it shatters on impact. Make a ranged weapon attack against a target creature, treating the holy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 2d6 radiant damage and becomes
slowed
until the end of your next turn.
A cleric or herald can create holy water by performing a special ritual that takes 1 hour to perform, uses 25 gp worth of powdered silver, and requires the caster to expend a 1st-level spell slot.
Lantern. Once lit, a lantern burns for 6 hours on a flask of oil (1 pint).
Standard: Casts bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Bullseye: Casts bright light in a 60-foot cone and dim light for an additional 60 feet.
Hooded: Casts bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. As an action, you can lower the hood, reducing the light to dim light in a 5-foot radius.
Lock. A key is provided with the lock. Without the key, a DC 15 thieves’ tools check can pick this lock. At the Narrator’s discretion, there may be better locks available for higher prices.
Magnifying Glass. This lens allows a closer look at small objects. When you use a magnifying glass to appraise or inspect an item that is Tiny or highly detailed, you gain an expertise die . A magnifying glass is also useful for starting fires. Lighting a fire with a magnifying glass requires light as bright as sunlight to focus, tinder to ignite, and 5 minutes of remaining stationary.
Manacles. These metal restraints (AC 16, 20 hit points) can restrain a Small or Medium creature. You can restrain an unwilling creature which requires an action, and for the creature to be either restrained, or both grappled and prone . Escaping the manacles requires a DC 20 Dexterity check, and breaking them requires a DC 20 Strength check. Each set of manacles comes with one key. Without the key, a DC 15 thieves’ tools check can pick this lock.
Merchant's Scale. A scale includes a small balance, pans, and a suitable assortment of weights up to 2 pounds. You can use a scale to measure the exact weight of Tiny objects, such as raw precious metals or trade goods, to help determine their worth.
Mess Tin. This tin box contains a cup and simple cutlery. The box clamps together, and one side can be used as a cooking pan while the other is used as a plate or shallow bowl.
Oil. Oil usually comes in a clay flask that holds 1 pint. As an action, you can splash the oil in this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged weapon attack against a target creature or object, treating the oil as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target is covered in oil. If the target takes any fire damage before the oil dries (after 1 minute) it takes an additional 5 fire damage from the burning oil. You can also pour a flask of oil on the ground to cover a 5-foot-square level area. When lit, the oil burns for 2 rounds and deals 5 fire damage to any creature that enters the area or ends its turn in the area. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.
Paint Pot. This small clay pot contains about a pint of a single color of paint, enough to cover 50 square feet. Alternatively, as an action, you can splash the contents of this pot up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within 20 feet, treating the paint pot as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target is covered in bright paint. The paint can only be removed with at least 1 minute of vigorous scrubbing. While covered in paint, a creature has disadvantage on Stealth checks.
Portable Ram. You can use a portable ram to break down doors. When doing so, you gain a +4 bonus on the Strength check. When another creature helps you use the ram, you gain an expertise die (as well as advantage , as normal).
Prosthetic. Prosthetics are usually metal and custom made to replace whatever portion of a limb has been lost.
Arm or Hand: You cannot gain advantage or expertise dice on Sleight of Hand checks made with this prosthetic. However, prosthetics can provide an unexpected block, and when you use it defensively you gain a +1 bonus to your AC as if you were wielding a hands-free light shield with the prosthetic. Prosthetics used defensively in this way cannot wield weapons.
Leg or Foot: While you are standing on your prosthetic, you cannot gain advantage or expertise dice on saving throws made to resist being knocked prone, and you take half damage from caltrops, spikes, and difficult terrain that deals damage. Depending on how your prosthetic is constructed, you can use it to store up to one concealed Tiny item (DC 15 Investigation or Perception check to notice).
Rope. Rope, whether made of hemp or silk, has an AC of 10, 2 hit points, and can be burst with a DC 17 Strength check.
Smoke Bomb. This metal sphere’s casing is pockmarked with holes and capped with a thick fuse. When lit, it spews suffocating black smoke that heavily obscures a 10-foot cube for 1 minute. Air-breathing creatures within the smoke must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw , or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls , and saving throws made while breathing the fumes. A wind of moderate or greater speed suppresses the smoke effect for 1 round.
Spellbook. Essential for wizards, a spellbook is a leather bound tome with 100 blank vellum pages suitable for recording spells.
Spyglass. Objects viewed through a spyglass are magnified to twice their size. You can use a spyglass to make Perception checks on areas you can see that are more than a quarter mile away.
Tanglefoot Bag. Unguents and adhesives fill this airtight sack. You can use an action to throw this bag at a target within 20 feet, treating it as a ranged weapon attack with an improvised weapon. On a hit, rapidly hardening sap covers the target and it makes a DC 13 Strength check or becomes grappled . At the start of each of its turns, the target repeats the check, ending the effect on itself on a success. The sap can also be destroyed (AC 13, 6 hit points).
Tinderbox. This small container holds flint, fire steel, and tinder (usually dry cloth soaked in light oil) used to kindle a fire. Using it to light a torch—or anything else with abundant, exposed fuel—takes an action. Lighting any other fire takes 1 minute.
Travel Enclosure. This fine wire mesh bag is reinforced with metal beams, making a durable but flexible enclosure. Creatures of an appropriate size can comfortably reside within the enclosure if provided with some appropriate substrate (soft bedding for rodents, loamy soil for toads, and so on).
Tiny: A single Tiny creature residing within the enclosure has total cover while inside it and automatically succeeds on saving throws to resist area effects.
Small: Up to 3 Tiny creatures or a single Small creature residing with the enclosure have total cover while inside it and automatically succeed on saving throws to resist area effects.
Unstable Arcanum (Vial). This small vial of unstable magical waste can make for a powerful explosive. You can set and light one or more vials of unstable arcanum as an action, causing each to explode at the start of your next turn. Any creatures or objects within 10 feet of the exploding charge make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw , taking 2d10 force damage on a failure, or half damage on a success. Increase this damage by 2d10 for each charge set beyond the first. Whenever a creature carrying unstable arcanum takes damage from a spell or cantrip, it must roll a d4. On a result of a 1 the unstable arcanum instantly explodes as if set and lit.
Wheelchair. This durable device provides tactical mobility without requiring use of the legs. While mounted on a wheelchair you are considered to be wearing the wheelchair as a piece of gear. The wheelchair is mechanically complex, and can ascend stairs and ramps slowly, or provide a boost of speed on the descent. You have a movement speed of 30 feet while mounted on a wheelchair and treat inclines and stairs as difficult terrain, but while moving down slopes, stairs, or other significant declines you may take the Dash action as a bonus action. At the Narrator's discretion, more advanced and tactical wheelchairs may be available.
Table: Miscellaneous Adventuring Gear
Item |
Cost |
Weight |
Abacus |
2 gp |
2 lbs. |
Acid (vial) |
25 gp |
1 lb. |
Alchemist’s fire (flask) |
35 gp |
1 lb. |
Ball bearings (bag of 1,000) |
1 gp |
2 lbs. |
Bell |
1 gp |
— |
Black powder charge |
35 gp |
1 lb. |
Block and tackle |
1 gp |
5 lbs. |
Book |
25 gp |
5 lbs. |
Cage (Medium) |
5 gp |
25 lbs. |
Cage (Large) |
20 gp |
100 lbs. |
Cage (Huge) |
120 gp |
500 lbs. |
Caltrops (bag of 20) |
1 gp |
2 lbs. |
Candle |
1 cp |
— |
Chain (10 feet) |
5 gp |
10 lbs. |
Chalk (1 piece) |
1 cp |
— |
Clothes (common) |
5 sp |
3 lbs. |
Clothes (costume) |
5 gp |
4 lbs. |
Clothes (fine) |
15 gp |
6 lbs. |
Clothes (traveler's) |
2 gp |
4 lbs. |
Component pouch |
25 gp |
2 lbs. |
Crowbar |
2 gp |
5 lbs. |
Eyepatch |
2 sp |
— |
Fishing tackle |
1 gp |
4 lbs. |
Flash bomb |
50 gp |
3 lbs. |
Grappling hook |
2 gp |
4 lbs. |
Hammer |
1 gp |
3 lbs. |
Hook hand |
15 gp |
1 lb. |
Holy water (flask) |
25 gp |
1 lb. |
Hourglass |
25 gp |
1 lb. |
Ink (1 ounce bottle) |
10 gp |
— |
Ink pen |
2 cp |
— |
Incense (block) |
5 gp |
½ lb. |
Ladder (10 foot) |
1 sp |
25 lbs. |
Lantern (standard) |
5 sp |
1 lb. |
Lantern (bullseye) |
10 gp |
2 lbs. |
Lantern (hooded) |
5 gp |
2 lbs. |
Lock |
10 gp |
1 lb. |
Magnifying glass |
25 gp |
— |
Manacles |
2 gp |
6 lbs. |
Merchant’s scale |
5 gp |
3 lbs. |
Mess tin |
2 sp |
1 lb. |
Mirror, steel |
5 gp |
1/2 lb. |
Oil (flask) |
1 sp |
1 lb. |
Paint pot |
1 gp |
1/4 lb. |
Paper (one sheet) |
2 sp |
— |
Parchment (one sheet) |
1 sp |
— |
Perfume (vial) |
5 gp |
— |
Pick, miner's |
2 gp |
10 lbs. |
Piton |
5 cp |
1/4 lb. |
Pole (10-foot) |
5 cp |
7 lbs. |
Portable ram |
4 gp |
35 lbs. |
Prosthetic (arm/hand) |
125 gp |
4 lbs. (varies) |
Prosthetic (leg/foot) |
75 gp |
8 lbs. (varies) |
Robes |
1 gp |
4 lbs. |
Rope, hempen (50 feet) |
1 gp |
10 lbs. |
Rope, silk (50 feet) |
10 gp |
5 lbs. |
Sand bag |
2 cp |
1 lb. |
Sealing wax |
5 sp |
— |
Shovel |
2 gp |
5 lbs. |
Signal whistle |
5 cp |
— |
Signet ring |
5 gp |
— |
Sledgehammer | 2 gp | 10 lbs. |
Smoke bomb |
50 gp |
3 lbs. |
Soap |
1 cp |
— |
Spellbook |
50 gp |
3 lbs. |
Spikes, iron (10) |
1 gp |
5 lbs. |
Spyglass |
150 gp |
1 lb. |
String (10 feet) |
1 sp |
— |
Tanglefoot bag |
50 gp |
3 lbs. |
Tinderbox |
5 sp |
1 lb. |
Travel enclosure (Tiny) |
10 gp |
2 lbs. |
Travel enclosure (Small) |
35 gp |
15 lbs. |
Unstable arcanum |
120 gp |
— |
Vestments |
1 gp |
4 lbs. |
Wheelchair |
100 gp |
25 lbs. |
Whetstone |
1 cp |
1 lb. |