Last Updated on November 15, 2023
The bag of beans produces a random magical effect whenever you plant a bean. It could be a buff, a bane, or even a summoning.
There is no telling, and the effects will definitely change the direction of your D&D adventure.
Bag of Beans
Wondrous Item, rare
Inside this heavy cloth bag are 3d4 dry beans. The bag weighs 1/2 pound plus 1/4 pound for each bean it contains.
If you dump the bag’s contents out on the ground, they explode in a 10-foot radius, extending from the beans.
Each creature in the area, including you, must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d4 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
If you remove a bean from the bag, plant it in dirt or sand, and then water it, the bean produces an effect 1 minute later from the ground where it was planted. The GM can choose an effect from the following table, determine it randomly, or create an effect.
Giving Bags of Beans as Rewards
DMs, there is much you can do with a Bag of Beans. If you feel like you can roll with the changes that such a random generator can do to a session, then an item like the Bag of Beans can ease up your preparation requirements for a week.
Also, if you make your own chart or otherwise create a situation where you and not the players make the roll for the random effect, you can always hide your dice and simply decide what happens.
Do your characters need to plane shift? Do they need to find an old NPC? Do they need a random effect generator in order to distract their enemies? A Bag of Beans can do any of these things for you. Do not be afraid to hand this item out.
Rich is an avid D&D player and DM. He has been playing since the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st and 2nd editions. He has run campaigns of various editions with family and friends for over 20 years. Playing DnD 5th Edition in person at local game stores and online with VTT’s over the past 10 years has provided a consistent connection to how the game has grown. He strongly believes in understanding the source material, but catering the games to your individual players. Feel free to ask anything in the comments or drop him an email: [email protected].
“To help the DM determine if your fruit is magical, roll a d20. If you roll a prime number (1,2,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17, or 19), you have picked a magical fruit. Now roll a 1d10. On a 1-8, it is a random potion. On a 9, it is a poison. On a 10, reroll. To determine the potion, use this link: Random Potion Generator (5thdnd.com)”
9 & 15 are not prime. Did you mean “if you roll an odd number”, and to leave 2 off your list?