Monday, April 6, 2015

Conversion: Wand of a Wonder

It's a slow week for me so it's time I did something easy yet useful like a 5E magic item conversion! One of the best part of old school modules was the appendices at the end of each book. This is where we used to find some of the best new setting material, monsters and nifty magic items. T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil is high among those resources. Here, along with backgrounds on Iuz, Zuggtmoy and the famous sword Fragarach is a lesser known version of the iconic Wand of Wonder called the Wand of a Wonder. For those who aren't familiar with this AD&D era item it's exactly what you would expect, simply now in 5E game terms:

WAND OF A WONDER
Wand, very rare (requires attunement)

   Quite similar to its cousin, the ever-popular wand of wonder, this item produces strange and unpredictable results for users of any class. This wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 of its charges and choose a target within 120 feet of you. The target can be a creature or object. Roll d100 and consult the following table to discover what happens.
   If the effect causes you to cast a spell from the wand, the spell's save DC is 15. If an effect covers an area, you must center the spell on and include the target. If an effect has multiple possible subjects, the DM randomly determines which ones are affected. The wand regains 1d6+1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand crumbles into dust and is destroyed.

d100     Effect

01-02     The target temporarily loses all hair, fur or feathers.
03-07     A pit 10 foot deep (any necessary width) opens under the target's feet.
08-09     The target gains advantage on all rolls for the next 3 rounds.
10-11     100 small bats appear, swarm around the wielder's head for 1 round causing disadvantage, then flit away.
12-13     The target grows useless wings, arms or tentacles (1 hour).
14-15     A cage of heavy iron bars (10 foot cube) surrounds the wielder.
16-17     Each piece of non-magical headgear within 20 feet (including helmets) changes to a skullcap topped by a bladed device, the blades turning in any breeze.
18-22     The target’s color turns to hot pink for 1d10 days.
23-25     All gold within 10 feet of the wielder permanently turns to lead.
26-29     The target is covered with a thick layer of honey. This causes disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws until removed.
30-32     In each of the next 5 rounds, 2d4 sp shoot from forth from the wielder’s ears.
33-34     The target is garbed in a beautiful, well-tailored, embroidered silk coat (2000 gp value but it is magical and can be dispelled).
35-39    You cast polymorph. Target must make a Wisdom saving throw or turn into a giant rabbit.
40-41    The target grows a large moustache in 1 round (possibly with goatee).
42-43    Thousands of horseflies fill the area within 30 feet of the wielder, causing disadvantage and interfering with concentration of spells. They remain for 5d4 rounds but will not leave the area except to follow honey.
44-48    You cast Otto's irresistible dance. Target gets no saving throw and is affected for 3 rounds.
49-52    A stream of acid shoots out to 10' range inflicting 4d6 damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw or half as much on a successful one.
53-55    Band instruments appear between the wielder and the target. They play loudly and march back and forth for 1d4+2 rounds, as if used by invisible musicians, then vanish. Anyone trying to interfere takes 2d6 damage and is knocked prone.
56-57    A tree grows under the wielder, lifting to the ceiling or 50 feet height, whichever is less.
58-62    100 dead and putrid fish rain down within 30 feet of the wielder.
63-68    You cast faerie fire on the target (no saving throw) for 5 rounds, and then the wielder vanishes (greater invisibility) for 1d4+1 rounds.
69-70    The sound of bells ring forth from the wand, drowning out all noise and speech (deafened with no save) for 1d4+1 rounds.
71-75    You cast dispel magic on everything within 20 feet of the wand.
76-77    You polymorph yourself into a mule-centaur (no saving throw).
78-84    You cast conjure minor elementals.
85-86    The target gains 1d4+9 hit points (as the spell false life) which last for 1 hour.
87-90    You cast levitate on yourself (no saving throw), hovering 20 feet up for 1d4+2 rounds before suddenly dropping.
91-95    Eight fiery spheres of different hues shoot forth one at a time from the wand, striking the target and seemingly causing great amounts of damage (actually 1 hp damage from each).
96-99    All non-magical weapons held in hand within 30 feet of the wand turn into bunches of flowers.
00         You cast disintegrate at the target (60 foot range).

2 comments:

Raging Owlbear said...

Holy $#!t... Now this brings back memories.

I had a magic-user with a Wand of Wonder back in the 1e days... I used it every chance I could because it was effing awesome and always lead to lots of laughs or some other crazy gaming story.

Good times.

Mike Bridges said...

I hear ya Marty. Those Wonder wands always reminded me of Presto's hat on the D&D cartoon. So unpredictable.