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

Bards are equipped with a lot of skills and are masters of magical utility and buffs/debuffs.

Most of their items revolve around helping their team, buffing themselves to get more utility onto the battlefield, or using items that bolster their magical abilities.

Best Magic Items for the Bard in 5e

15. Rhythm-maker’s Drum

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

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Holding the drum gives you a bonus to spell attack rolls and saving throw DCs of your Bard spells. The drum’s rarity determines the bonus.

Using an action lets you play the drum in order to regain one use of your Bardic Inspiration. You can only use this property again after the next dawn.

Explanation

Rhythm-Maker’s Drum is a lot like the Instrument of the Bards, but only weaker.

Though, Bards focusing on offense will enjoy the +(rarity dependant) bonus to save DCs and spell attacks.

14. Eyes of the Eagle

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing these crystal lenses gives you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight. 

In conditions where you have clear visibility, you can make out details of very distant objects and creatures as small as 2 feet across.

Explanation

If you’re tired of enemies sneaking up on you, then Eyes of the Eagle is perfect.

Having this item forces enemies to use magic if they want to get to you undetected, which most enemies don’t have anyway.

13. Wand of Detection

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Wand

Description

Wand of Detect has 3 charges. While holding the want, you can expend 1 charge as an action and cast Detect Magic from it. 

The wand will regain 1d3 expended charges each day at dawn.

Explanation

Wand of Detection acts both as a spell focus and an easy way to cast the Detect Magic spell without having to learn it or use a spell slot.

It’s not recommended that you learn Detect Magic on its own, as it doesn’t provide nearly enough utility for you to justify learning it.

12. Elven Chain

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Armor (chain shirt)

Description

Gain a +1 to AC while wearing this armor. You’re considered proficient with this armor even if you don’t have proficiency with medium armor.

Explanation

Gaining a +1 bonus to your AC, especially as a Bard, makes Elven Chain a very reliable defensive item.

If your game has a lot of magical items, definitely consider Elven Chain if you ever come across it.

11. Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone)

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

While on your person, you have a +1 bonus to ability checks and saving throws.

Explanation

Almost any character can use the Stone of Good Luck to their benefit.

Characters who are mostly reliant on ability checks and skills will find Stone of Good Luck as a perfect default item.

10. Instrument of the Bards

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

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

The table below shows each Instrument of the Bards you can find, showing their rarities, names, and available spells. 

Be warned, trying to play an instrument while not attuned will force you to succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom save or take 2d4 Psychic damage.

Using an action lets you play the instrument and cast one of its spells. An instrument cannot cast a spell it’s already cast that day, only being available again at the next dawn. The spells will use your spellcasting modifier and DC.

The instrument can be played while casting a spell causing any of its targets to be charmed if they fail a save, imposing disadvantage on that save. This effect only applies if the spell uses a Somatic or Material component.

Explanation

Instruments of the Bards allow you to cast certain spells (all of them let you cast Fly, Invisibility, Levitate, and Protection from Good and Evil), meaning you have access to a lot more spells than usual.

The only problem is that you can only cast them once per day, but luckily, they all use Charisma for their spellcasting.

9. Ring of Spell Storing

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Ring

Description

Spells cast into the ring are stored (up to 5 levels worth of spells are able to be stored in the ring at one time), holding them until the attuned wearer decides to use them. 

When the ring is found, it can contain 1d6 -1 levels of stored spells (chosen by the DM).

Any creature is able to cast a spell of 1st to 5th level into the ring by simply touching it as the spell is cast. Doing this makes the spell have no effect other than being stored in the ring.

However, if the ring cannot hold the spell, it will be expended without effect. The level of the spell slot used to cast the spell will determine how much space it takes up.

Wearing the ring lets you cast any spell stored within it. The spell will use the slot level, spell attack bonus, spell save DC, and spellcasting ability of the original caster but is otherwise treated as a normal cast spell.

A spell cast from the ring is no longer stored within it, freeing up space in the ring.

Explanation

The Ring of Spell Storing has a lot of uses, but the best way to use it would be to pump it with defensive spells to increase your durability.

Spells like Absorb Elements or Shield work extremely well when put into a Ring of Spell Storing.

8. Reveler’s Concertina

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement by a Bard)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Holding the concertina gives you a +2 bonus to saving throw DC of your Bard spells.

Using an action lets you use the concertina to cast Otto’s Irresistible Dance from it. This property cannot be used again until the next dawn.

Explanation

Since Bards don’t really use attack spells, the +2 to your spell DCs is great.

The fact that Reveler’s Concertina also gives you a powerful spell that needs to be successfully saved, otherwise it affects the target pretty severely, is worth it.

7. Amulet of Health

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Your Constitution score rises to 19 while wearing this amulet. It will have no effect on you if your Constitution is at 19 or higher before wearing it.

Explanation

Amulet of Health is perfect if you either want to set your Constitution to 19 and keep it there or if you want to have a high Constitution so that you can focus on increasing other Ability Scores.

You’re also able to take more Feats since you won’t have to focus on increasing your Constitution so that you don’t die instantly at higher levels.

6. 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.

5. Cloak of Invisibility

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing the cloak lets you pull down its hood over your head and become invisible. While invisible, anything you’re wearing or carrying is also invisible.

When you stop wearing the hood, you become visible, and pulling the hood up or down requires an action.

The cloak’s maximum duration is 2 hours, so deduct the time you’re invisible using increments of 1 minute.

After being used for 2 hours, the cloak stops functioning. If a period of 12 uninterrupted hours passes without the cloak being used, 1 hour of duration is regained.

Explanation

Having invisibility, especially invisibility that doesn’t get canceled after you cast a spell or attack (which Cloak of Invisibility has), is too powerful not to take.

However, it’s not only for attacks, as it can work well if you just want to sneak around or even gather information without being seen.

Note: Combining Cloak of Invisibility with an ability that muffles your footsteps or gives you advantage on Stealth checks makes it even better.

4. Tome of Leadership and Influence

Rarity – Very Rare

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

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

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

Explanation

Getting a permanent increase in your Charisma and Charisma maximum is great, especially if you don’t already have an item that sets your Charisma to a fixed amount.

You can also use Tome of Leadership and Influence to simply increase your Charisma beyond 20.

3. 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.

2. Harp of Gilded Plenty

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous Item

Description

A creature coming within 5 feet of the harp makes it animate, becoming capable of speaking, singing, and playing by itself (the harp is sentient).

Attempting to attune to the harp requires you to make a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check or a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince the harp to resize and suit you.

Stalwart Song – Each time you make a Charisma check while attuned to the harp, any roll of 9 or lower on the die can be seen as a 10.

Feast of Plenty – Spending 10 minutes playing the harp lets you cast the Heroes’ Feast spell from it. The property can only be used until 1d10 + 10 days have passed.

Explanation

Harp of Gilded Plenty has the Stalwart Song ability, which already puts it far above many other items because of all the ability checks and spell checks Bards make.

The bonus spell can be helpful. Just watch out for its casting time and cooldown duration after using it.

1. 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.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty easy to keep a Bard happy, and when we look at their magic items, it becomes pretty clear how.

Bards don’t have a need for fancy armor or gadgets; all they really need are a few ability increases, a cloak, and a new instrument, and they’re good to go!