The 15 Best Magic Items For Barbarians in D&D 5e [Ranked]

Barbarians aren’t too fussy about items, caring mainly about dealing damage and surviving to deal more damage.

Even so, they prefer physical weapons or items that provide them with the necessary ability scores to focus on what Barbarians do best.

Some Barbarians even use items that make up for their shortcomings, a prime example being the Lantern of Revealing, which you’ll learn about shortly.

Best Magic Items for the Barbarian in 5e

15. Lantern of Revealing

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

A hooded lantern burning for 6 hours on 1 pint of oil, shedding a 30-foot radius of bright light and an additional 30-foot radius of dim light. 

Invisible objects and creatures within the bright light are visible. Using an action lowers the hood, reducing its light to dim light for a 5-foot radius.

Explanation

Barbarians don’t have a way to deal with invisible enemies reliably, and Lantern of Revealing is a much better option than using a Feat or multiclassing.

Though it’s quite useful compared to other options on this list, it just can’t keep up.

14. Moon-Touched Sword

Rarity – Common

Item Type – Weapon (any sword)

Description

While in darkness, the unsheathed blade will shed moonlight, casting bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15-foot radius.

Explanation

The Moon-Touched Sword is an easy way for melee martial characters to see in the dark and be ready for attack since the sword will be unsheathed.

It also makes it easier for characters to overcome early weapon resistances (Slashing and Piercing), as it counts as a magic weapon.

13. Cloak of Protection

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Gain +1 bonus to AC and saving throws while wearing the cloak.

Explanation

The +1 AC from Cloak of Protection is good on almost any character. Just know that you’ll have to attune to the cloak to use it.

Many people also regard the Cloak of Protection as “boring,” so they opt in for more interesting items.

12. Periapt of Proof Against Poison

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

You have immunity to the poisoned condition and immunity to poison damage while wearing this pendant.

Explanation

Poison damage is one of the most common damage types in all of D&D, so having the Periapt of Proof Against Poison can go a long way to increase your durability.

Immunity to Poison isn’t just useful at lower levels but throughout all levels in D&D due to its strong presence in many spells and abilities.

11. Periapt of Wound Closure

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

You stabilize when you are dying at the start of your turn while wearing this pendant.

It also doubles the HP you gain whenever you roll Hit Die.

Explanation

Barbarians often charge into battle without any care, and with the Periapt of Wound Closure, it becomes even easier to do so without exhausting your party’s resources.

The doubling of your Hit Die is also incredible and makes it so much easier to regain HP after a long battle. You also get a lot more out of rests!

10. Luck Blade

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Weapon (any sword)

Description

Gain a +1 bonus to damage and attack rolls with the attuned weapon. If the sword is on your person, you will also gain a +1 bonus to saving throws.

Luck – If on your person, use luck to reroll one saving throw, ability check, or attack roll. Use the second roll, and the property can’t be used until the next dawn.

Wish – Sword has 1d4 -1 charges. While holding it, use an action and expend 1 action to cast the Wish spell. It can’t be used again until dawn, and if the sword has no charges, it loses this property.

Explanation

The Luck Blade is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful items on this list, but the reason it’s ranked so low is that you’re not 100% guaranteed the Wish spell.

So, if you have the Luck Blade and you get to cast Wish, it’ll shoot up to the top 3, but if not, then it stays in this spot.

9. Armor, +1 OR +2 OR +3

Rarity – Rare (+1), Very Rare (+2), Legendary (+3)

Item Type – Armor (light, medium, or heavy)

Description

Gain a bonus to AC while wearing this armor.

Explanation

You don’t need attunement, and you can get up to a +3 bonus to AC with Armor +3. That’s incredibly powerful, especially for a Barbarian.

While Armor +1, +2, +3 might be a bit difficult to obtain depending on level, it’s definitely one of the best ways to boost defense without much thought or sacrifice.

8. Weapon, +1, +2 or +3

Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3)

Item Type – Weapon (any)

Description

Gain bonus attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Explanation

Weapon +1, +2, +3 is a lot like its Armor counterpart, but only for weapons. 

The reason it scores higher than Armor is because a Barbarian’s primary focus is to deal damage, and having higher attack and damage rolls is so powerful that almost any Barbarian should take it.

7. Vorpal Sword

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Weapon (any sword dealing Slashing damage)

Description

Gain a +3 bonus to damage and attack rolls with this weapon. The weapon also ignores resistance to Slashing damage.

Attacking a creature with at least one head lets you cut one of its heads off if you roll a 20 on the attack roll. The creature will die if it can’t survive without its lost head.

A creature is immune to this effect if it doesn’t have or need a head, is immune to Slashing damage, has legendary actions, or the DM decides the creature is too big for its head to be cut off by the weapon you’re using.

Note: A creature deemed too big by the DM will instead take an extra 6d8 Slashing damage.

Explanation

Though the Vorpal Sword is mainly used as a +3 weapon (which already makes it incredible), the ability to behead enemies makes it even better.

You should also take into consideration that it’s basically perfect for a Barbarian, as Reckless Attack will have you roll a ton of 20s.

6. Manual of Bodily Health

Rarity – Very Rare

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Spend 48 hours over a period of 6 days or less studying this book, increasing your Constitution score by 2, as well as your maximum for it.

After this, the manual will lose its magic, only regaining it in a century.

Explanation

Raising your Constitution score, as well as its maximum, makes it easier for you to focus on other Ability Scores, gain HP, or just raise your Constitution score and Constitution maximum.

So, if you don’t have an item that raises your Constitution and you don’t want to use it anyway, then Manual of Bodily Health is perfect for you.

5. Manual of Gainful Exercise

Rarity – Very Rare

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Spend 48 hours over a period of 6 days or less studying this book, increasing your Strength score by 2, as well as your maximum for it.

After this, the manual will lose its magic, only regaining it in a century.

Explanation

The Manual of Gainful Exercise is just like the Manual of Bodily Health but for Strength.

I would recommend using it to further increase Strength, but only if you don’t have the Giant Belt or you don’t want it (I don’t know why you wouldn’t want it).

4. Ioun Stone (Mastery)

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Your Proficiency bonus increases by 1 while this pale green prism is orbiting your head.

Explanation

Your Proficiency bonus applies to a lot of rolls made in D&D, so having it increase by 1 increases all rolls made with Proficiency by 1.

The Ioun Stone (Mastery) might be difficult to find, but if you can find it, you should definitely look at attuning to it.

3. Blood Fury Tattoo

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item (tattoo)

Description

The magic tattoo is produced using a special needle.

Tattoo Attunement – Hold the needle to your skin where you want the tattoo, pressing it to the spot throughout the entire attunement process.

When completed, the needle will become the ink that becomes the tattoo, then appear on the skin.

Ending your attunement will make the tattoo vanish, and the needle will reappear in your space.

Bloodthirsty Strikes – The tattoo holds 10 charges, regaining all expended charges each day at dawn. You gain the following benefits with the tattoo on your skin:

• Hitting a creature with a weapon attack lets you expend a charge and deal an extra 4d6 Necrotic damage to the creature, regaining HP equal to the Necrotic damage dealt.
• Being damaged by a visible creature lets you expend a charge and use your reaction to perform a melee attack against the creature with advantage on your attack roll.

Explanation

The Blood Fury Tattoo is probably one of the best tattoos for any weapon-wielding character in D&D.

It not only lets you deal a ton more damage (Necrotic, which has a low resistance count), but it also heals you for the damage done, letting you continue the fight for longer.

The ability where you can use your Reaction to punish creatures who damage you is also a great addition.

2. Cloak of Displacement

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing this cloak projects an illusion that makes it look like you’re standing in a place close to your actual location, giving creatures disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

Taking damage will stop this function until the start of your next turn. This property is also suppressed while you are restrained, incapacitated, or unable to move.

Explanation

The Cloak of Displacement is considered to be one of the best defensive items for any character in D&D.

Giving creatures who want to attack you disadvantage is amazing, but try to take care of enemies who can damage you without having to expend an attack roll.

1. Belt of Giant Strength (Hill OR Frost, Stone, Fire OR Cloud, Storm)

Rarity – Rare, Very Rare, or Legendary (all requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing the belt changes your Strength score with that granted by the belt. Having Strength equal to or greater than that of the belt mitigates any effects of the belt.

Six varieties of the belt exist, corresponding with and having rarity according to the six kinds of true giants.

Explanation

As long as the Belt of Giant Strength exists, there’s no reason to raise your Strength stat.

Strength-based characters will get the most benefit from this, but those who want to get a little creative might also enjoy the crazy Strength increase they get from it.

Final Thoughts

It’s quite obvious what Barbarians want when they look at items, so when you see an item that either gives damage or durability, it’s not a mystery to think that a Barbarian will like it.

Barbarians even enjoy being poked with needles or simply slapping a +1 onto their item because that’s the only math they’re capable of doing before short-circuiting!