(Magic Items) Objects of Flight

 

This post includes several magical items I've worked on involving the concept of flight for 5e. There is already magical cloak such as the 'Wings of Flying.' But let's look at a few other items that your adventurers might find that help them lift off to new heights.

Icarian Wings of Wax

Wondrous item, uncommon (consumable)

These fragile wings are made of feathers bound to a light wooden frame with enchanted wax. When worn, they cling to the bearer’s shoulders and hum with warm air.

Activation

While wearing the wings, you can speak their command word as a bonus action. For the duration, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet.

Wax Melt

The wings last for 1 minute, after which the wax softens and the wings crumble into useless fragments.

If you are airborne when the wings end, you begin falling immediately, as normal. If you hit the ground, you take falling damage as normal.

Once the wings melt, they are destroyed.

Heat Hazard

If you take fire damage, or you end your turn within 10 feet of a large open flame (such as a bonfire, lava, or a creature wreathed in fire), roll a d20. On a 1–9, the wings melt immediately and are destroyed.

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Daedalian Wings of Wax

Wondrous item, rare (consumable)

These wings are formed from layered feathers, a light wooden frame, and alchemical wax inscribed with minute runes of lift and balance. When unfurled, they carry the wearer on steady currents of enchanted air—so long as the wax holds.

Activation

While wearing the wings, you can speak their command word as a bonus action to unfurl them. For the duration, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet.

The wings last for 10 minutes, until you dismiss them (no action required) or they melt.

Wax Melt

When the duration ends, the wings crumble into useless fragments and are destroyed.

If you are airborne when the wings melt, you begin falling immediately, as normal. If you hit the ground, you take falling damage as normal.

Heat Hazard

If you take fire damage, or you end your turn within 10 feet of a large open flame (such as a bonfire, lava, or a creature wreathed in fire), roll a d20. On a 1–5, the wings melt immediately and are destroyed.

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Ornithopter of Kwalish

Wondrous item (vehicle), rare

This strange flying machine resembles a small, enclosed cockpit of brass and lacquered wood fitted with folding wings of silk-canvas and rune-etched struts. Its wingbeats are powered by a combination of arcane lift, clever gearing, and frantic lever-work.

The ornithopter is Large and can carry one Medium creature (or two Small creatures) in its cockpit. While inside, the pilot is considered to have three-quarters cover.

Armor Class

15

Hit Points

60

Damage Immunities

poison, psychic

Speed

Fly 40 ft.

Controls

The ornithopter has four primary levers. A creature inside the cockpit can use an action to pull one lever, producing the associated effect. A lever can be pulled only once per round.

If no creature is piloting the ornithopter, it hovers in place until the start of the pilot’s next turn, then begins to descend at a rate of 30 feet per round.

Lever Effects

1) Wingbeat Surge

The ornithopter moves up to its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

2) Ascend / Dive

The ornithopter gains or loses up to 30 feet of altitude (pilot’s choice) without changing its horizontal position.

3) Featherfall Rudder (Recharge 5–6)

Until the start of the pilot’s next turn, the ornithopter’s descent is slowed and it can’t fall faster than 60 feet per round. If the ornithopter would hit the ground during this time, it lands safely and takes no falling damage.

4) Arcane Gust Projector

A 15-foot cone of force blasts outward from the ornithopter. Each creature in the cone must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone. On a success, a creature isn’t pushed or knocked prone.

Unstable Marvel

The ornithopter is temperamental. Whenever the pilot takes lightning damage or the ornithopter is struck by a critical hit, roll a d20. On a 1, the ornithopter stalls and immediately descends 60 feet (or as far as it can) without provoking opportunity attacks.

Repairs

If the ornithopter is reduced to 0 hit points, it falls and is destroyed. It can be repaired over 8 hours using tinker’s tools and 50 gp in materials, restoring it to full hit points.

Ornithopter of Kwalish — Mishap Table (d12)

When to Roll:
Roll on this table when the ornithopter suffers a critical hit, takes lightning damage, fails a risky maneuver, or whenever the DM wants maximum chaos.

d12 Mishap

1. Catastrophic Stall
   The ornithopter immediately drops 60 feet. If it hits the ground, it takes falling damage as normal.
   
   

2. Wing Lock
   One wing seizes. The ornithopter’s fly speed becomes 20 ft. and it can’t Dash until repaired (DC 14 Tinker’s Tools check as an action).
   
   

3. Spiral Dip
   The ornithopter descends 30 feet and the pilot must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone inside the cockpit.
   
   

4. Throttle Jam
   The ornithopter lurches forward uncontrollably. It must move its full fly speed in a straight line (pilot chooses direction). If it hits a solid object, it takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
   
   

5. Featherfall Rudder Misfire
   The rudder deploys at the wrong angle. Until the start of the pilot’s next turn, the ornithopter’s speed is 0, but it does not fall.
   
   

6. Arcane Backwash
   A burst of static arcs through the cockpit. The pilot takes 1d6 lightning damage and can’t take reactions until the start of their next turn.
   
   

7. Canvas Tear
   A wing membrane rips. The ornithopter loses 10 hit points, and its fly speed is reduced by 10 ft. until repaired (DC 14 Tinker’s Tools check as an action).
   
   

8. Smoke & Screaming Gears
   Thick smoke billows out. The cockpit becomes lightly obscured until the end of the pilot’s next turn, and the pilot has disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.
   
   

9. Unplanned Autopilot
   The ornithopter “remembers” a prior route. It moves 30 feet in a random direction (roll 1d8 like a scatter die). The pilot can still take actions normally.
   
   

10. Lever Reversal
    The next lever the pilot pulls produces the opposite effect (DM adjudicates reasonably). Then the system resets.
    
    

11. Loose Payload Hatch
    A compartment pops open. One unsecured item in the cockpit (DM’s choice) falls out. If it was important, it lands somewhere dramatically inconvenient.
    
    

Kwalish’s Triumph (Actually Helpful)
The ornithopter stabilizes perfectly. Until the end of the pilot’s next turn, the ornithopter gains +10 ft. fly speed and the pilot has advantage on checks to control it.

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Whirlygig of Kwalish

Wondrous item (vehicle), rare

This bizarre contraption resembles a circular platform of brass and hardwood with a central mast wrapped in a spiraling sail of lacquered canvas—the famous “aerial screw.” Arcane gyros and chattering gears whine as it spins, generating lift through a mix of magic and questionable physics.

The whirlygig is a Large vehicle that can carry up to two Medium creatures (or four Small creatures) standing on its platform. Creatures riding it have half cover from attacks originating below it.

Armor Class

14

Hit Points

55

Damage Immunities

poison, psychic

Speed

Fly 30 ft. (hover)

Operating the Whirlygig

The whirlygig requires at least one creature to operate it. While aboard, a creature can use an action to operate one of its controls. Only one control can be used per round.

If no creature operates the whirlygig on a round, it remains hovering in place until the end of that round, then begins to descend 20 feet per round until controlled again.

Controls

1) Ascend / Descend

The whirlygig rises or lowers up to 30 feet (pilot’s choice) without moving horizontally.

2) Drift

The whirlygig moves up to 30 feet horizontally in a direction the operator chooses.

3) Spin-Up Burst (Recharge 5–6)

The whirlygig surges. It moves up to 60 feet, split between vertical and horizontal movement as the operator chooses.

4) Downwash

A blast of turbulent air erupts downward in a 10-foot radius beneath the whirlygig. Creatures in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from the center and knocked prone. On a success, a creature isn’t pushed or knocked prone.

Loose objects (papers, dust, small debris) are violently scattered.

Unstable Lift

The whirlygig is difficult to keep steady in combat. If the whirlygig takes 10 or more damage from a single source, the operator must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence check (tinker’s tools proficiency applies) or the whirlygig wobbles dangerously until the start of the operator’s next turn. While wobbling, the whirlygig’s speed becomes 0, and creatures aboard have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Noisy Marvel

The whirlygig is extremely loud. It can be heard from up to 300 feet away in open terrain (farther in quiet environments), and it has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Repairs

If reduced to 0 hit points, the whirlygig crashes and is wrecked. It can be repaired over 8 hours with tinker’s tools and 50 gp of materials, restoring it to full hit points.

Whirlygig of Kwalish — Mishap Table (d12)

When to Roll:
Roll when the whirlygig suffers a critical hit, takes lightning damage, drops below half hit points, attempts a risky maneuver, or whenever the DM wants the machine to remind everyone it was built by Kwalish.

d12 Mishap

1. Sudden Drop
   The whirlygig immediately descends 40 feet (or as far as it can). If it hits the ground, it takes falling damage as normal.
   
   

2. Violent Wobble
   The platform bucks and tilts. Each creature aboard must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Until the end of the next round, the whirlygig’s speed is 0.
   
   

3. Gyro Slip
   The whirlygig begins drifting sideways. It moves 20 feet in a random horizontal direction (roll 1d8 for direction). This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.
   
   

4. Over-Spin
   The aerial screw spins too fast. Creatures aboard have disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks until the start of the operator’s next turn, and the whirlygig can’t use Downwash during that time.
   
   

5. Under-Spin
   The screw loses torque. The whirlygig can’t hover and begins descending 20 feet per round until a creature uses an action to stabilize it with a DC 14 Intelligence (Tinker’s Tools) check.
   
   

6. Downwash Blowback
   The whirlygig’s Downwash vents upward instead. Each creature aboard must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet toward the platform’s edge (DM chooses direction if needed).
   
   

7. Loose Plank
   A section of the platform cracks open. One creature aboard (random) must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or drop one held item. The item falls straight down.
   
   

8. Arcane Static
   A crackle of energy crawls across the brass frame. The operator takes 1d6 lightning damage and has disadvantage on the next check made to control the whirlygig before the end of their next turn.
   
   

9. Emergency Brake
   The whirlygig abruptly stops. Any creature aboard that moved this round must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
   
   

10. Screw Shear
    The canvas spiral tears. The whirlygig loses 10 hit points, and its fly speed is reduced by 10 feet until repaired (DC 14 Tinker’s Tools check as an action).
    
    

11. Uncommanded Lift
    The whirlygig surges upward uncontrollably, rising 30 feet. If it collides with a ceiling or overhead structure, it takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
    
    

Kwalish Calibration (Miraculously Perfect)
The machine purrs like it was made yesterday. Until the end of the operator’s next turn, the whirlygig gains +10 ft. fly speed, and the operator has advantage on checks made to control it.

Optional Rule: “Save the Ride!”

If a mishap would cause the whirlygig to crash or drop, the operator can use their reaction to attempt a DC 14 Intelligence (Tinker’s Tools) check. On a success, reduce the drop distance by 30 feet (minimum 0).