Now, I know it's a controversial topic to include, but I love to have Magic Shops in my games. In the homebrew worlds I run my games in, magic is commonplace; not only are sorcerers and wizards well known and widespread, but magic items are bought and sold as commodities in every major town and city. Obviously, you can't just start selling every item imaginable, as that would be game-breaking and ridiculous, as would selling the party items that are clearly above their level.
One of the things I like to include is the option to buy fun magic items. The kind of item that could easily have a use, but might require a very specific situation, or maybe just a creative player. One of the first ways I incorporated this into my magic shops was with the "Apprentice Shelves". The Apprentice Shelves were a shelf or two inside most of my (larger) magic shops, which the shopkeep would stock with items bought from, or created by, students at the local magic school/college. These items would invariably be a selection of "Common" magic items from books such as Xanathar's Guide to Everything (p136-140).
These items would always get a good laugh from my players, and a few actually got bought (though usually as joke items that anything else). More recently, however, I wanted to try and incorporate some other way of getting some gag items into my games. My players love to visit markets, and they had just arrived in a city that (historically) had made a name for itself as a hub for trade and commerce in my world. It was the perfect chance to really go to town (as it were).
Eventually, after a few different ideas, I settled on a lucky dip style of shop, at which the party could pay their gold (50 gold pieces), and get something different for their adventures. Obviously, it couldn't all be absolute crap, but I wanted there to be a larger chance of a laugh than something actually helpful. To achieve this goal, I typed up two tables: the Item table, and the Effects table.
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| Roll a d8 to determine what item the player finds. |
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| Roll a d12 to decide what said item will do for them. |
Now, looking at these names, you would think that the players are in for a real treat, right? As if. Below, you can find the actual effects these items hold...
Invisibility:
Once per day, when the command word is spoken (as an action), the item can become invisible for 1 minute, or until the command word is spoken a second time. Once the item has been used this way, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
(can you see where these are going?)
Health (requires attunement):
Once per day, when the command word is spoken (as an action), the wearer can regain up to 2d4+2 hit points (as if they had consumed a healing potion). Once the item has been used this way, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
Laughter:
Once per day, this item can be used to cast the spell Tasha's Hideous Laughter with a spell save DC of 12, without requiring any verbal, somatic or material components. When this spell is cast this way, roll a d4; on an odd roll, the spell is cast at whoever is wearing the item. On an even roll, the target can be anyone within range of the casters choice. Once the item has been used this way, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
Light Music:
Whenever the command word is spoken, faint, ethereal music will accompany the wearer for 1d4 minutes.
The Lightfoot (requires attunement):
Once per day, when the command word is spoken, the wearer gains a +2 to any stealth checks made for 1 minute. Whilst this effect is active, the wearer can also ignore any disadvantages to the stealth checks. Once the item has been used this way, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
Rainbows:
The gems in this item (or threads of the fabric) glisten in the light, and can change colour on cue, to match any outfit this item is worn with..
Turning:
When the command word is spoken, this item suddenly turns in a 360° circle around whatever point it is affixed to the wearer (DM's discretion).
Luck (requires attunement):
Once, when the wearer chooses, this item can be held to influence their luck. The player can choose to replace a single d20 roll with a coin toss; on a heads, the roll is treated as a natural 20, whilst on a tails, it is treated as a natural 1. After this feature has been used, the item becomes mundane, loses this property, and the players attunement to this item ends.
Light:
Once per day, when the command word is spoken, this item lights up, as if affected by the cantrip Light. It stays this way for up to an hour, or until the command word is spoken a second time. Once the item has been used this way, it cannot be used again until the next dawn.
Growing/Shrinking:
Once per day, the wearer can speak the command word to either grow or shrink their height by 1d4 inches. This change in height lasts until they next take a long rest, at which point the item can be used again.
Throwing:
This item can be thrown as a weapon (with the light and thrown properties, and with a range of 20/60 feet), and deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Magic:
This item gives off a powerful magic aura, but doesn't actually do anything with it. As an action, the wearer can choose what school of magic the aura belongs to, but this is all.
So there you have it. 12 magic items you can flavour however you feel for your games, and even a few that might come in handy for them (in the right circumstances).
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