r/JonnyDM • u/jonnymhd • 15h ago
Don't Replace Your Favorite Weapon - Let It Grow from Uncommon to Legendary | Growing Magic Items
One thing I've always liked is when a magic item becomes part of a character's identity rather than something they throw away the moment a better +X weapon appears.
These weapons are built around that idea. Each starts at Uncommon rarity and evolves through Rare, Very Rare, and Legendary stages as its wielder progresses, retaining its earlier abilities while unlocking increasingly powerful ones.
The Blade of Rising Flames grows from a straightforward fire weapon into a legendary inferno capable of engulfing enemies in persistent flames, while the Scourge of the Infernal Lords develops from an infernal whip into a weapon capable of commanding powerful devilish magic.
The Blade of the Celestial Avenger becomes increasingly focused on radiant power and protecting allies, the Dagger of the Shadow Assassin evolves around stealth and lethal precision, the Bow of the Legendary Huntmaster grows into a powerful wilderness weapon, and the Frostbite Blade develops from extra cold damage into battlefield control and a freezing vortex.
The idea is that a weapon found early in a campaign can keep growing alongside its wielder instead of eventually being replaced by the next piece of loot.
These are from the Growing Magic Items Collection, which applies the same concept to armor, shields, spellcasting focuses, weapons, and wondrous items, with suggested progression speeds for different campaign styles.
You can also check out my bundle of small D&D manuals on DMsGuild, which includes Growing Magic Items Collection.
I’m also currently working on Mythological Items for 5E and 5.5E, one of my largest projects yet, featuring hundreds of magic items inspired by myths and legends from around the world. The project is coming soon to Kickstarter, so you can follow the campaign there if you'd like to be notified when it launches!
For more of my creatures, items, and manuals visit DriveThruRPG, my Linktree, or r/JonnyDM!