15 Best Rare Magic Items in 5e – You Should Definitely Consider Using THESE

Last Updated on January 22, 2023

There are a lot of magical items in D&D. From Bags of Holdings to Vorpal Swords, there are a lot of interesting artifacts, weapons, and various items to grab up on your quests.

There are so many in fact, that it can be a bit overwhelming figuring out which ones to involve in your campaign. 

In this article, we’re going to be honing in a bit on rare magical items specifically.

Looking at just this one rarity level, we’re going to be talking about 15 of the coolest, most powerful, and most interesting items in 5e.

Best 15 Rare Magic Items

The following items are in no particular order. When it comes to ranking magic items, each is good for their own reason.

Since it doesn’t quite make sense to compare a weapon with a piece of armor or a wand with a cape, this list is just a group of stellar items.

Sun Blade

Weapon (longsword), rare (requires attunement)

The Sun Blade is a long sword hilt that spawns a blade of pure radiant energy when you will the blade to do so as a bonus action. It is a +2 magical longsword with the finesse property.

That alone is pretty fantastic, but this blade also deals radiant damage instead of slashing and an extra 1d8 of that if it’s attacking an undead.

The ability to shed bright light for anywhere from 10 to 30 feet and dim light for another 10 to 30 feet is pretty impressive as well, but it comes nowhere close to the combat bonuses this has.

Having a magical weapon is amazing, and radiant damage makes this even better. There will be few creatures out there resisting the impressive damage you dish out from this bad boy.

Not to mention, this sword can be used by just about anyone who uses weapons. If you have proficiency in shortswords or longswords, then you’re proficient with this finesse weapon. 

The versatility and impressive damage output of this weapon makes it an easy choice for one of the best rare magic items.

Flame Tongue

Weapon (any sword), rare (requires attunement)

This weapon might not be as versatile as the sunblade, but it is incredibly strong and deserving of a place on this list.

The weapon is any sword, but when you speak its command word as a bonus action, it ignites, shrouding the blade in flame.

This magical weapon deals out an extra 2d6 fire damage to any target. Even targets resistant to fire damage are going to be taking some extra damage, making it far better than an average sword. 

Again, this weapon can be used by just about anyone with a sword proficiency. The only thing that makes this slightly less impressive than a Sun Blade is that it’s not a finesse weapon.

Rogues can get around this by finding a Flame Tongue rapier, but if your DM doesn’t think to do this, you won’t be able to deal extra sneak damage and fire damage with this gorgeous magical weapon.

Ring of Spell Storing

Ring, Rare (requires attunement)

If you haven’t had the pleasure of interacting with spell-storing rings, I hope that changes soon.

These items can hold up to 5 levels of spells inside of them, which can then be cast by the wearer at any time.

This allows for some very interesting strategic plays and can be just as important to some campaigns as a Bag of Holding.

The way this works is by a spellcaster casting a spell of 1st through 5th level while holding the ring.

The “up to five levels” bit works with simple math. Two 1st-level spells and a 3rd-level equals five levels of spells and so on. 

When the spell is cast, the wearer is treated as the caster, but the stats of the person who originally stored the spell are used for the actual casting.

What this means is that you can give a ring with Hold Monster to the fighter with an incredibly high constitution and allow them to cast it on the big bad.

The save will be against whomever in your party cast it, but the fighter gets to make all the concentration saves along the way. 

So on and so forth. Even just simply giving martial combatants access to healing or utility spells is an amazing bonus.

Truly, this is one of the most powerful magical items out there. It’s a good thing that the maximum level of spells is 5, otherwise this would likely be the most broken item in all of 5e.

Potion of Maximum Power

Potion, rare

This might seem like an interesting choice for one of the best magic items. It’s a potion, which does mean it’s going to be a one-time use item. Fortunately, it’s powerful enough to make that one time really worth it.

After you drink this potion, the first damage-dealing spell of 4th level or lower that you cast deals the maximum possible amount of damage. With a 4th-level fireball, that’s 54 damage per target. 

If you grab this weapon up, use it wisely, and you’re sure to see why it was chosen for this list of items.

Necklace of Fireballs

Wondrous Item, rare

A Necklace of Fireballs has anywhere from three to nine beads on it.

When you pull these beads off of the necklace and throw them, they detonate as a 3rd-level Fireball with a save DC of 15. That alone is extremely impressive. 

What makes this even more deadly is that you can throw multiple at the same time, increasing the level of the spell by 1 for each bead after the first.

Realistically, you’re going to deal a lot more damage throwing these individually (and you’ll be able to save the necklace for more than one encounter), but sometimes you’ll just want to throw the necklace to cast a 9th-level fireball that exceeds anything your party could dish out for the next 10 levels of play.

Yeah, this is a dangerous item – not for the faint of heart.

Daern’s Instant Fortress

Wondrous Item, rare

You know what, I think it’s insane that I haven’t seen this on any other lists.

Daern’s Instant Fortress is a 1-inch metal cube that you can throw down and utter a command word to create a 30-foot-high square fortress with 20-foot sides.

The fortress has two floors, arrow slits, and a battlement on top, the whole nine. 

What’s not to love?

Well, if you’re the enemy, the fact that this deals 10d10 bludgeoning damage to anyone that fails their dex save and was unfortunate enough to be inside of this fortress’s space when it was created might be one thing to dislike. 

This fortress is really cool, and a great way to create a tactical advantage, but it’s also a really quick, spell-slot-free way to deal a ridiculous amount of damage with an action. 

Helm of the Gods

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

This is a helm that allows you to know the location of any celestials or fiends within 30 feet of you.

That’s not a huge bonus, but the real ticket is that it gives you access to a different spell each day, one that you can cast up to three times.

The gods listed for this are all from Theros since this is an item out of Theros, but if you’re playing in the Forgotten Realms or any other campaign setting, you can easily switch the gods out for their counterparts in other pantheons.

The spells are all pretty fantastic, and considering that you don’t need spellcasting, they make a great addition to any non- or half-caster looking for a magical upgrade.

Dragon Wing Bow

Weapon (any bow), rare (requires attunement)

This has to be one of my favorite new weapons from 2021. This is a magical bow that deals an extra 1d6 of the bow’s specified damage types.

Those damage types are associated with a chromatic, metallic, or gem dragon and can be anything: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder.

That’s everything but piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing!

This is great, and the best choice is clearly force damage, but that might change for your campaign. But wait! There’s more!

If you don’t have any ammunition, don’t worry! You can pull back the bowstring and the bow will just create a magical piece of ammunition just for you. There’s no limit on that either, so you can do this as much as you want.

Figurine of Wondrous Power

Okay, there are a lot of these, so I’ll try to contain myself. These figurines are tiny animal statues that you can speak a command word to summon up an animal.

Each figurine summons a different animal, and each animal functions a little bit differently. There are only two of these that aren’t rare (one very rare and one uncommon).

Short and sweet, these items can do a lot of very cool things.

From a giant owl you can fly on to summoning up three giant goats, one of which frightens creatures around it, you can make a lot of situations in and out of combat go exactly the way you want.

Cloak of Displacement

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

The Cloak of Displacement is a very simple item that is extremely powerful. It gives any opponent disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

The way it does this is by projecting an illusion that makes it appear as if you’re standing in a place near your actual location.

I would say this is an item that’s perfect for any character that doesn’t want to get hit, but that’s pretty much everyone. So there you have it.

Cube of Force

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

The full text for this item is pretty long, so I’ll do my best to summarize.

This cube has 36 charges which you can use to create one of five effects by pressing on one of its sides (the sixth side deactivates the cube). Sides one through five all create a 15-foot cube barrier of force centered on you.

Each different effect costs a number of charges (1-5) with the least effective barrier costing 1 charge and the most effective costing 5. 

It gets a bit more complicated, but that’s the gist. This cube allows you to essentially cast a different version of Wall of Force several times a day.

Since this doesn’t require concentration, it might even be better than Wall of Force in a lot of scenarios. 

It’s versatility also allows you to use it efficiently. A cheap expenditure of charges will block gasses, while 5 charges will stop absolutely anything from passing through.

Bracers of Defense

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

I was going to put this in a class-specific section, but there’s more than one class that can benefit from unarmored bonuses.

These bracers give you +2 to your AC when you aren’t wearing armor or carrying a shield. Monks, barbarians, wizards, and some other casters are all going to see huge benefits from this. 

This might even be a nice play for races like the tortle with natural armor. No matter how these bracers find themselves in your possession, they’re going to give you a huge AC boost.

Cape of the Mountebank

Wondrous Item, rare 

You might notice that this item doesn’t require attunement. That’s the first thing I want you to pay attention to.

Most of the items we’ve discussed have to be attuned, limiting them to the use of one player. Instead, this can jump around the party to whomever needs it.

Onto what this actually does…

This cape allows its user to cast Dimension Door, a spell that allows you and up to one willing creature to teleport up to 500 feet to any location. This can be done once a day, and it refreshes at dawn. 

Teleportation is huge in all of the pillars of D&D. It’s an ability that you basically can’t use wrong; you’re going to see value 90% of the time that you trigger this cape’s action.

Armor of Resistance

Armor (light, medium, or heavy), rare (requires attunement)

This armor gives you resistance to one of any of the nonphysical damage types.

I like to have a catalogue of these at the Armorer’s Shop in a bustling city, giving players the option to choose which resistance they really want to have.

Different resistances are useful in different campaigns, so how you use this is entirely dependent on the game you’re playing.

One thing’s for sure, you can never go wrong with a damage resistance.

Bag of Beans

Wondrous Item, rare

Who would I be if I didn’t include a chaotic item in my ranking list.

A bag of beans may not be incredibly powerful, but with 3d4 beans and a randomized table with 12 different effects, you’re sure to introduce some really exciting elements to your game. 

Best doesn’t necessarily mean most powerful, and this one little magic bag can be the catalyst for entire adventures.

I mean, you can literally make a beanstalk that extends into another plane of existence. Do you know how many stories are based on the simple archetype of Jack and the Beanstalk? It’s a lot. 

Here are some of my favorite bag of beans effects from both official 5e and homebrew tables:

• An animate, immobile stone statue in your likeness rises. It makes verbal threats against you. If you leave it and others come near, it describes you as the most heinous of villains and directs the newcomers to find and attack you. If you are on the same plane of existence as the statue, it knows where you are. The statue becomes inanimate after 24 hours.
• A pyramid with a 60-foot-square base bursts upward. Inside is a sarcophagus containing a mummy lord (see the Monster Manual for statistics). The pyramid is treated as the mummy lord’s lair, and its sarcophagus contains treasure of the DM’s choice.
• A minute after being planted in the ground, a clone of the planter comes into existence. The motivation of the clone is up to the DM’s discretion.

All Rare Magical Items in 5e

*Updated as of 1/22/2022

• Acheron Blade
• Alchemical Compendium
• All-Purpose Tool
• Ammunition, +2
• Amulet of Health
• Amulet of Protection From Turning
• Amulet of the Devout
• Arcane Grimoire
• Armor of Resistance
• Armor of Vulnerability
• Armor, +1
• Arrow-Catching Shield
• Astral Shard
• Astromancy Archive
• Atlas of Endless Horizons
• Badge of the Watch
• Bag of Beans
• Banner of the Krig Rune
• Barrier Tattoo
• Battering Shield
• Bead of Force
• Bell Branch
• Belt of Dwarvenkind
• Belt of Giant Strength
• Berserker Axe
• Blod Stone
• Bloodwell Vial
• Bonecounter
• Boomerang, +2
• Boots of Levitation
• Boots of Speed
• Bowl of Commanding Water Elementals
• Bracer of Flying Daggers
• Bracer of Defense
• Brazier of Commanding Fire Elementals
• Bridle of Capturing
• Butcher’s Bib
• Cape of the Mountebank
• Cauldron of Plenty
• Censer of Controlling Air Elementals
• Charm of Plant Command
• Chime of Opening
• Chromatic Rose
• Claw of the Wyrm Rune
• Claws of the Umber Hulk
• Cloak of Displacement
• Cloak of the Bat
• Concertina
• Corpse Slayer
• Crystal Blade
• Cube of Force
• Daern’s Instant Fortress
• Dagger of Blindsight
• Dagger of Venom
• Devotee’s Censer
• Dimensional Shackles
• Docent
• Dodecahedron of Doom
• Dragon Slayer
• Dragon Vessel
• Dragon Wing Bow
• Dragon’s Wrath Weapon
• Dragonguard
• Dragonhide Belt
• Dragontooth Dagger
• Dragon-Touched Focus
• Duplicitous Manuscript
• Eagle Whistle
• Elemental Essence Shard 
• Elixir of Health
• Elven Chain
• Failed Experiment Wand
• Far Realm Shard
• Feather of Diatryma Summoning
• Feather Token
• Figurine of Wondrous Power
• Flame Tongue
• Flying Chariot
• Folding Boat
• Fulminating Treatise
• Galder’s Bubble Pipe
• Gambler’s Blade
• Gauntlet of Flaming Fury
• Gavel of the Venn Rune
• Gem of Seeing
• Ghost Lantern
• Giant Slayer
• Glamour Studded Leather
• Guild Keyrune
• Gulthias Staff
• Handy Haversack
• Heart Weaver’s Primer
• Hell Hound Cloak
• Helm of Teleportation
• Helm of the Gods
• Heward’s Handy Haversack
• Hook of Fisher’s Delight
• Horn of Blasting
• Horn of the Endless Maze 
• Horn of Valhalla
• Horseshoes of Speed
• Instant Fortress
• Instruments of the Bards (Variety)
• Ioun Stone (Variety)
• Iron Bands of Bilarro
• Iron Bands of Binding
• Knave’s Eye Patch
• Leather Golem Armor
• Libram of Souls and Flesh
• Loadstone
• Lyre of Building
• Mace of Disruption
• Mace of Smiting 
• Mace of Terror
• Mantle of Spell Resistance
• Master’s Amulet
• Mind Blade
• Mind Lash
• Mirror of the Past
• Mithral Half Plate, +1
• Mizzium Armor
• Mizzium Mortar
• Molten Bronze Skin
• Moon Sickle
• Necklace of Fireballs
• Necklace of Prayer Beads
• Needle of Mending
• Oil of Etherealness
• Opal of the Ild Rune
• Orb of the Stein Rune
• Outer Essence Shard
• Pariah’s Shield
• Periapt of Proof Against Poison
• Piercer
• Piwafwi of Fire Resistance
• Planecaller’s Codex
• Portable Hole
• Potion of Aqueous Form
• Potion of Clairvoyance
• Potion of Diminution
• Potion of Gaseous Form
• Potion of Giant Strength
• Potion of Healing
• Potion of Heroism
• Potion of Invulnerability
• Potion of Maximum Power
• Potion of Mind Control
• Potion of Mind Reading
• Professor Orb
• Professor Skant
• Protective Verses
• Quaal’s Feather Token
• Reveler’s Concertina
• Rhythm Maker’s Drum
• Ring of Animal Influence
• Ring of Evasion
• Ring of Feather Falling
• Ring of Free Action
• Ring of Protection
• Ring of Resistance
• Ring of Spell Storing
• Ring of Temporal Salvation
• Ring of the Ram
• Ring of X-Ray Vision
• Robe of Eyes
• Robe of Summer
• Rod of Rulership
• Rod of the Pact Keeper
• Rod of the Vodindod
• Rope of Entanglement
• Saint Markovia’s Thighbone
• Scaled Ornament
• Scissors of Shadow Snipping
• Scorpion Armor
• Scroll of Protection
• Serpent’s Fang
• Shadowfell Brand Tattoo
• Shadowfell Shard
• Shield Guardian Amulet
• Shield of Far Sight
• Shield of Missile Attraction
• Shield +2
• Siren Song Lyre
• Spell Gem (Bloodstone)
• Spell Gem (Quartz)
• Spell Scroll
• Spellwrought Tattoo
• Spider Staff
• Staff of Charming
• Staff of Defense
• Staff of Healing
• Staff of Swarming Insects
• Staff of the Ivory Claw
• Staff of the Woodlands
• Staff of Withering
• Stone of Controlling Earth Elementals
• Stonespeaker Crystal
• Sun Blade
• Sunforger
• Sword of Life Stealing
• Sword of Wounding
• Tentacle Rod
• Two-Birds Sling
• Ventilating Lungs
• Vicious Rapier, +1
• Vicious Weapon
• Wand of Binding
• Wand of Enemy detection
• Wand of Fear
• Wand of Fireballs
• Wand of Lightning Bolts
• Wand of Paralysis
• Wand of the War Mage
• Wand of the Viscid Globs
• Wand of Winter
• Wand of Wonder
• Weapon of Certain Death
• Weapon, +2
• Weird Tank
• Wings of Flying
• Woodcutter’s Axe
• Yklwa, +2