12 Uncommon Magic Items (and costs) in 5e That ANYONE Can Use

Last Updated on January 22, 2023

Face it, there are loads of magic items out there in the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse, but because of D&D 5E’s attunement rules, they are not always available to our favorite characters.

Where can we even start to find what works?

Guess what? The good folks here at Black Citadel have put together a list of 12 of the most useful Uncommon Magic Items that either do not require attunement or can be attuned by any character class or race. 

These items were picked for their utility, versatility, and potential for more “creative” uses that will probably drive your DM up the wall. 

#1 The Bag of Tricks

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This ordinary bag, made from gray, rust, or tan cloth, appears empty. Reaching inside the bag, however, reveals the presence of a small, fuzzy object. The bag weighs 1/2 pound.

You can use an action to pull the fuzzy object from the bag and throw it up to 20 feet. When the object lands, it transforms into a creature you determine by rolling a d8 and consulting the table that corresponds to the bag’s color.

See the Monsters Listing for the creature’s statistics. The creature vanishes at the next dawn or when it is reduced to 0 hit points.

The creature is friendly to you and your companions, and it acts on your turn.

You can use a bonus action to command how the creature moves and what action it takes on its next turn or to give it general orders, such as to attack your enemies.

In the absence of such orders, the creature acts in a fashion appropriate to its nature.

Once three fuzzy objects have been pulled from the bag, the bag can’t be used again until the next dawn.

Item Tags: SUMMONING UTILITY

Basic Rules , pg. 154

The Bag of Tricks is a perfect way to gain all the benefits of summoning without having to actually summon anything.

Adding minions and companions is fairly difficult in D&D 5E, and outside of a handy animate dead spell or one of the newer summoning spells from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, it is nearly impossible to get a viable minion on the board. 

Plus, there aren’t many problems that can’t be fixed with a surprise brown bear.

#2 Barrier Tattoo

Wondrous Item, varies (requires attunement)

Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo depicts protective imagery and uses ink that resembles liquid metal.

Tattoo Attunement

To attune to this item, you hold the needle to your skin where you want the tattoo to appear, pressing the needle there throughout the attunement process.

When the attunement is complete, the needle turns into the ink that becomes the tattoo, which appears on the skin.

If your attunement to the tattoo ends, the tattoo vanishes, and the needle reappears in your space.

Protection

While you aren’t wearing armor, the tattoo grants you an Armor Class depending on the tattoo’s rarity, as shown below. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Notes: Set: Unarmored Armor Class

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything , pg. 122

Armor is not always practical, face it. Not to mention that players and DM’s alike tend to act like everyone just walks around in their armor all day.

Does your camp get attacked at night while you sleep, yet you respond with deadly force in your half-plate?

Or is this like a King Arthur movie from the early 1980’s and everyone eats, sleeps, who knows what else while wrapped up as shiny as leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Besides, tattoos just look cool. 

#3 Decanter of Endless Water

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This stoppered flask sloshes when shaken, as if it contains water. The decanter weighs 2 pounds.

You can use an action to remove the stopper and speak one of three command words, whereupon an amount of fresh water or salt water (your choice) pours out of the flask.

The water stops pouring out at the start of your next turn. Choose from the following options:

• “Stream” produces 1 gallon of water.
• “Fountain” produces 5 gallons of water.
• “Geyser” produces 30 gallons of water that gushes forth in a geyser 30 feet long and 1 foot wide.

As a bonus action while holding the decanter, you can aim the geyser at a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or take 1d4 bludgeoning damage and fall prone.

Instead of a creature, you can target an object that isn’t being worn or carried and that weighs no more than 200 pounds. The object is either knocked over or pushed up to 15 feet away from you.

Notes: Creation, Utility

Item Tags: CREATION UTILITY

Basic Rules , pg. 161

Not only is this a great survival tool, but aside from the obvious battlefield implications of the “geyser” function, an item like this can cause serious economic and ecological changes. 

First, what happens if people in a highly urbanized environment suddenly don’t have to pay for their water or pay extra for clean water?

What happens if a city is suddenly struck with a hefty amount of poison or contaminant in their water?

Think of how many of society’s villains could be defeated if you simply provided people with what they needed to survive instead of allowing those villains to fabricate resource shortages to maximize their profit. 

After all, what’s the best way to defeat a villain? Disrupt the social and environmental systems that allow that villain to prosper.  

Second, with a Decanter of Endless of Water, you could clear out a Mummy’s tomb and throw a pool party for the formerly terrorized local villagers at the pyramid site the very next week. FLEX.

#4 Dust of Disappearance

Wondrous Item, uncommon

Found in a small packet, this powder resembles very fine sand. There is enough of it for one use.

When you use an action to throw the dust into the air, you and each creature and object within 10 feet of you become invisible for 2d4 minutes.

The duration is the same for all subjects, and the dust is consumed when its magic takes effect. If a creature affected by the dust attacks or casts a spell, the invisibility ends for that creature.

Notes: Invisible, Utility, Deception, Consumable

Item Tags: UTILITY DECEPTION CONSUMABLE

Basic Rules , pg. 166

Now, consumables usually don’t make it on to a list of “best of” items; there is simply too little effect for too much cost in a single use item. Dust of Disappearance, however, is an exception. 

Not only is this item more powerful than your party spellcaster’s invisibility spell (at lower levels), but it works for the whole party for up to 8 minutes (provided everyone is willing to get cozy and up in each other’s space for a moment. Just make sure Ragnar wore deodorant under his plate mail… that armor doesn’t breathe very well).

#5 Efficient Quiver

Wondrous Item, uncommon

Each of the quiver’s three compartments connects to an extradimensional space that allows the quiver to hold numerous items while never weighing more than 2 pounds.

The shortest compartment can hold up to 60 arrows, bolts, or similar objects. The midsize compartment holds up to 18 javelins or similar objects.

The longest compartment holds up to six long objects, such as bows, quarterstaffs, or spears.

You can draw any item the quiver contains as if doing so from a regular quiver or scabbard.

Notes: Utility, Container

Item Tags: UTILITY CONTAINER

Basic Rules

Okay, you might be thinking, “Who really needs 18 javelins and six spears?” The person who carries this quiver around will more likely ask, “Why don’t these villagers just defend themselves?” 

Instant villager pike line. What could go wrong?

#6 Cloak of the Manta Ray

Wondrous Item, uncommon

While wearing this cloak with its hood up, you can breathe underwater, and you have a swimming speed of 60 feet. Pulling the hood up or down requires an action.

Notes: Set: Innate Speed (Swimming), Buff, Movement, Outerwear

Item Tags: BUFF MOVEMENT OUTERWEAR

Basic Rules , pg. 159

Never worry about being thrown off the boat again, although this item may be more useful to Dungeon Masters. Just hand out a few of these and take that adventure under the sea.

#7 Deck of Illusions

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This box contains a set of parchment cards. A full deck has 34 cards. A deck found as treasure is usually missing 1d20 − 1 cards.

The magic of the deck functions only if cards are drawn at random (you can use an altered deck of playing cards to simulate the deck).

You can use an action to draw a card at random from the deck and throw it to the ground at a point within 30 feet of you.

An illusion of one or more creatures forms over the thrown card and remains until dispelled.

An illusory creature appears real, of the appropriate size, and behaves as if it were a real creature except that it can do no harm.

While you are within 120 feet of the illusory creature and can see it, you can use an action to move it magically anywhere within 30 feet of its card.

Any physical interaction with the illusory creature reveals it to be an illusion because objects pass through it.

Someone who uses an action to visually inspect the creature identifies it as illusory with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The creature then appears translucent.

The illusion lasts until its card is moved or the illusion is dispelled. When the illusion ends, the image on its card disappears and that card can’t be used again.

Notes: Utility, Deception, Consumable

Tags: UTILITY DECEPTION CONSUMABLE

Basic Rules

Much like the Bag of Tricks above, this is a great way to abruptly change the situation you are dealing with.

One minute you are negotiating the price of tea, and the next minute there is a Red Dragon who has something to say about the matter! With a good Deception check, a lot of mischief can be managed. 

#8 Headband of Intellect

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)

Your Intelligence score is 19 while you wear this headband. It has no effect on you if your Intelligence is 19 or higher without it.

Notes: Set: Intelligence Score, Buff, Headwear

Item Tags: BUFF HEADWEAR

Basic Rules , pg. 173

While at first glance this item seems to benefit spellcasters the most, it is actually a great tool for a character with a low intelligence to have at their disposal.

Suddenly they wont be at the mercy of a failed history or Investigation check. 

The Smacka Brothers, a feared Orcish gang, is reputed to have one of these at their disposal, and the leader is whoever happens to be wearing it at the time.

Normally, they don’t have more brain cells than fists between the lot of them, but things changed when this headband entered the equation. 

#9 Immovable Rod

Rod, uncommon

This flat iron rod has a button on one end. You can use an action to press the button, which causes the rod to become magically fixed in place.

Until you or another creature uses an action to push the button again, the rod doesn’t move, even if it is defying gravity. The rod can hold up to 8,000 pounds of weight. More weight causes the rod to deactivate and fall.

A creature can use an action to make a DC 30 Strength check, moving the fixed rod up to 10 feet on a success.

Notes: Utility

Tags: UTILITY

Basic Rules

This item seems pretty simple at first. You could use it to hold a door shut, at least. 

But with a fair Acrobatics check and a couple of these, you have an instant ladder. With a levitate spell and one of these, you can paddle yourself through the air like a floating canoe. 

The most nefarious use ever recorded was in Eberron by the great airship captain Zoar d’Lyrandar.

While being pursued by a Cult of the Dragon Below, she once opened her hatch and released a load of these after casting fog could on the bunch.

The pursuer plowed right into them, leaving a hundred holes in their ship and lodging it in the air. 

#10 Restorative Ointment

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This glass jar, 3 inches in diameter, contains 1d4 + 1 doses of a thick mixture that smells faintly of aloe. The jar and its contents weigh 1/2 pound.

As an action, one dose of the ointment can be swallowed or applied to the skin. The creature that receives it regains 2d8 + 2 hit points, ceases to be poisoned, and is cured of any disease.

Notes: Bonus: Hit Points, Ceases Poison, Cures Diseases, Healing, Consumable

Item Tags: HEALING CONSUMABLE

Basic Rules

While consumable, this jar can replace a cleric. Sorry, Brother Bean. 

#11 Periapt of Wound Closure

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)

While you wear this pendant, you stabilize whenever you are dying at the start of your turn. In addition, whenever you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, you double the number of hit points it restores.

Notes: Healing, Warding, Jewelry

Item Tags: HEALING WARDING JEWELRY

Basic Rules , pg. 184

Much like the Restorative Ointment, the Periapt of Wound Closure will allow your cleric to focus on more important things than healing, like… uh… oh, wow, this is embarrassing. Turning Undead, maybe?

#12 Winged Boots

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)

While you wear these boots, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can use the boots to fly for up to 4 hours, all at once or in several shorter flights, each one using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration.

If you are flying when the duration expires, you descend at a rate of 30 feet per round until you land.

The boots regain 2 hours of flying capability for every 12 hours they aren’t in use.

Notes: Set: Innate Speed (Flying), Movement, Footwear

Item Tags: MOVEMENT FOOTWEAR

Basic Rules , pg. 214

While this isn’t quite the same as being able to cast fly at will, these boots will keep you airborn in emergency situations and for short distances.

Perfect footwear for jaunts across the continent on an airship or for dungeoneering in underground caverns full of drop offs and steep inclines.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas and help you discover some favorite magic items that can you can use for any of your characters.

Why let the spellcasters have all the fun?