System Reference Document 5.2.1
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Magic Items
Magic items are gleaned from the hoards of felled 
monsters or discovered in long-lost vaults. Such 
items grant capabilities a character could rarely 
have otherwise, or they complement their owner’s 
capabilities in wondrous ways.
Magic Item Categories
Every magic item belongs to a category. The Magic 
Item Categories table lists the nine categories and 
provides examples. Rules for the categories appear 
after the table.
Magic Item Categories
Category Examples
Armor +1 Leather Armor, +1 Shield
Potions Potion of Healing
Rings Ring of Invisibility
Rods Immovable Rod
Scrolls Spell Scroll
Staffs Staff of Striking
Wands Wand of Fireballs
Weapons +1 Ammunition, +1 Longsword
Wondrous Items Bag of Holding, Boots of Elvenkind
Armor
An item in the Armor category is typically a magical 
version of armor from “Equipment.” Unless an ar -
mor’s description notes otherwise, the armor must 
be worn for its magic to function.
 Some suits of magic armor specify the type of ar -
mor they are, such as Chain Mail or Plate Armor. If 
no type is specified, choose the type or determine it 
randomly.
Potions
An item in the Potion category might be a magical 
brew that must be imbibed or an oil that must be 
applied to a creature or an object. A typical potion 
consists of 1 ounce of liquid in a vial.
 Using a Potion. Potions are consumable items. 
Drinking a potion or administering it to another 
creature requires a Bonus Action. Applying an oil 
might take longer as specified in its description. 
Once used, a potion takes effect immediately, and it 
is used up.
 Mixing Potions. A character might drink one po -
tion while still under the effects of another or pour 
several potions into a single container. The strange 
ingredients used in creating potions can result in 
unpredictable interactions.
 When a character mixes two potions together, roll 
on the Potion Miscibility table. If more than two are 
combined, roll again for each subsequent potion, 
combining the results. Unless the effects are imme -
diately obvious, reveal them only when they become 
evident.
Potion Miscibility
1d100 Result
01 Both potions lose their effects, and the 
mixture creates a magical explosion in a 
5-foot-radius Sphere centered on itself. 
Each creature in that area takes 4d10 Force 
damage.
02–08 Both potions lose their effects, and the mix -
ture becomes an ingested poison of your 
choice (see “Poison” in “Gameplay Toolbox”).
09–15 Both potions lose their effects.
16–25 One potion loses its effect.
26–35 Both potions work, but with their numerical 
effects and durations halved. If a potion has 
no numerical effect and no duration, it instead 
loses its effect.
36–90 Both potions work normally.
91–99 Both potions work, but the numerical effects 
and duration of one potion are doubled. If nei -
ther potion has anything to double in this way, 
they work normally.
00 Only one potion works, but its effects are 
permanent. Choose the simplest effect to 
make permanent or the one that seems the 
most fun. For example, a Potion of Healing 
might increase the drinker’s Hit Point maxi -
mum by 2d4 + 2, or a Potion of Invisibility  might 
give the drinker the Invisible condition indefi -
nitely. At your discretion, a Dispel Magic  spell 
or similar magic might end this lasting effect.
Rings
For its magic to function, an item in the Ring cate -
gory must be worn on a finger or a similar digit un -
less its description notes otherwise.
Rods
An item in the Rod category is a scepter usually 
made of metal, wood, or bone. A typical rod weighs 
2 to 5 pounds.
 Unless its description notes otherwise, a rod can 
be used as an Arcane Focus.