Dungeons and Dragons' players love getting their hands on valuable magic items, and artifacts are at the peak of potential for this type of loot. These unique trinkets, each deeply intertwined with the lore ofDungeons and Dragons' many worlds, hold incredible arcane power and fantastic narrative potential, making them more than just filler for a dragon’s hoard.
Magic items are at the heart ofD&D, with the loot-driven gameplay of older editions revolving around the acquisition of powerful gear. The highest tier of magic item is the artifact, a one-of-a-kind trinket with deep roots inD&Dlore. These don’t appear in typical treasure troves; artifacts are written with plot hooks in mind, holding power and prestige on the level of The One Ring or Excalibur. That’s why most artifacts have rules for destroying them, as well as random detrimental properties (determined using a table in theDungeon Master’s Guide). The following list will feature every official 5e artifact, as determined by D&DBeyond.
• Mask of the Dragon Queen
• Axe of the Dwarvish Lords
• Crown of Lies
• Baba Yaga’s Mortar and Pestle
• Ring of Winter
• Dekella, Bident of Thassa
• Daoud’s Wondrous Lanthorn
Mostartifacts inD&D 5ehave a series of random properties, both detrimental and beneficial. These top-tier artifacts, for the most part, either have only a single minor detrimental property or none at all. More than that, they’re often exceptionally powerful; especially in the case of the Mask of the Dragon Queen, which grants multiple damage resistances (which can even become immunities), a number of potent draconic abilities, and five uses of Legendary Resistance. Other trends here include weapons like Akmon, the Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, and Dekella: magical weapons with major damage and property bonuses, giving them the potential to easily cleave through just about anything.
• Adze of Annam
• Sword of Kas
• Staff of the Forgotten One
• Blade of Avernus
• Ephixis, Bow of Nylea
A-tier follows many similar trends to the above, with some ofD&D5e’s strongest artifactsamong them. Some are either less powerful iterations of S-Tier items, such as the Adze of Annam, or exceptionally powerful items with some notable drawbacks—including the Sword of Kas, which has a malign sentience of some potency.
• Teeth of Dahlver-Nar
• Orrery of the Wanderer
• Sword of Zariel
• Crook of Rao
• Demonomicon of Iggwilv
• Wand of Orcus
B-Tier is where downsides really start kicking in, including major detrimental properties—which have a chance to more-or-less destroy a character. This is the case for the Demonomicon of Iggwilv and the Wand of Orcus, though other items (like the Crook of Rao and the Teeth of Dahlver-Nar) have their own specific downsides, which can actually be fixed in the former’s case. Regardless, this tier still housessome ofD&D’s best magic items.
• Eye and Hand of Vecna
• Orb of Dragonkind
• Stone of Golorr
Seeing the signature items ofD&D’s lich god Vecnathis far down may be a surprise, but its adverse qualities outweigh its benefits. The Book of Vile Darkness, another Vecna staple, is a similar case.
D-Tier
• Ruinstone
This item is something of an odd one out, as it’s written with the clear intention of being used by a villain rather than a player. Its features are nothing extraordinary, but it can have some of the worst side effects inD&D, with a 20% chance of instantly killing a player without reprieve.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
