Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos is a Magic: The Gathering. The book introduces several new magic items to D&D, with its five magical primers being some excellent additions to the repertoire of jobbing spellcasters across the multiverse. The Wizards in D&D rely on spellbooks for their magic, but few would take them out during a battle, which is why magical textbooks are such a great idea.
It makes sense for a magical university to have its own unique magic items, as that's the kind of place where they would be made. The different editions of D&D have had different takes on players being able to create magic items, with some allowing it with a hefty cost, and others making it so cumbersome that few players would ever bother. There is a balance issue to consider when letting characters make their own magic items, as players generally know which ones are the most effective, like the stat-boosting accessories, and the DM risks the group becoming too strong. On the flip side, if the DM is the sole arbiter of magic items, then some party are bound to feel left out unless their character's needs are being catered to.
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos adds eight new magic items to D&D, some of which are clearly joke items. The Strixhaven Pennant is just a flag with a weak light spell effect on it, while the Bottle of Endless Coffee would be really useful in keeping warm in Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, but would quickly stop the party from being able to rest. There are some items in the book that stands out from the rest, with the primers being an excellent choice for a DM to give a group that is low on resources.
Witherbloom Primer Is The D&D Survival Guide
Witherbloom is one of the five colleges in Strixhaven. Its students study the source of life and the many causes of death, which is why it attracts many Clerics, Druids, and Wizards, especially those who study necromancy. The Witherbloom Primer is a magical book held by many students of Witherbloom, as it contains information about the natural world. The Witherbloom Primer in D&D's Strixhaven book is an uncommon item that has to be attuned and can only be used by a spellcaster. It carries three charges, with 1d3 charges being restored at dawn. These charges can be spent in order to give the character a 1d4 bonus to an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check. This is extremely helpful to have in the wilderness or in an unfriendly environment, such as the desert or frozen tundra, which are the kinds of locations that adventures often take place.
What makes the Witherbloom Primer so good is the fact that it lets the character prepare one first-level spell from either the Druid or Wizard spell list and cast it once per long rest. It's possible to change the prepared spell while taking a long rest. This makes the Witherbloom Primer even better for exploration, as it gives parties without a Druid or Ranger access to the amazing goodberry spell in D&D, which creates healing berries that completely nourish them for the day. This eliminates the need for food, which is an excellent choice in games where the DM and group want to ignore any resource management. It bears mentioning that the Quandrix Primer also offers a choice from the Druid or Wizard spell list, but it switches out Wisdom (Survival) for Intelligence (Arcana), so characters who aren't quite as concerned about staying out in the wilderness might prefer it more.
A Cuddly Strixhaven Mascot Protects Against Fear In Dungeons & Dragons
It's uncommon to see teddy bears used as magic items, with one of the main exceptions being Lulu in Final Fantasy X and her animated dolls. Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos is giving the plushie fans of the world their own magical teddy bears, in the form of the Cuddly Strixhaven Mascot. This is a Tiny-sized common wonderous item, which is based on one of the mascots of Strixhaven. It's possible to attach the Cuddly Strixhaven Mascot to any part of the body and it will magically stay there for one hour.
It's the Cuddly Strixhaven Mascot's second power that makes it useful. If a character has one on their person, then they can choose to have advantage on one saving throw to avoid the Frightened status effect. Once this power is used, it cannot be used again until the character has taken a long rest. This is useful because the Cuddly Strixhaven Mascot doesn't require attunement, doesn't require an action or reaction to use, recharges after use, and can defend against everything from a dragon's Frightful Presence ability in D&D, to the 8th level antipathy/sympathy spell. The fact that it's a Tiny item means that it won't weigh the player down, and the fact that it's a teddy bear means the player has a reason for why they would have it on their person at night, in case the party is attacked while camping.
Lorehold Primer Gives Access To An Amazing Library Of D&D Spells In Strixhaven
Lorehold is one of the five colleges of Strixhaven. The students of Lorehold in Strixhaven are adventurers and scholars, who understand that knowledge often requires going on dangerous journeys, in order to see the world with their own eyes, and come to their own conclusions. The Lorehold Primer is similar to the other primers in Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos, with it having three charges that can be spent on adding 1d4 to skill checks. In this case, it's Intelligence (History) and Intelligence (Religion), making it a great choice for exploring dungeons.
The attuned of the Lorehold Primer gains access to one first-level spell from the Cleric or Wizard spell list. This gives the player access to some amazing free healing spells or buffs, as well as some powerful low-level control spells, like the almighty sleep. The Lorehold Primer is a great choice for a party that is low on characters, as having access to that extra cure wounds or magic missile can really mean the difference between life and death. The primer items are great for helping to fill a hole in a party's composition, especially during the early stages of a campaign, when the group is at its weakest. Having access to one extra Cleric or Wizard spell list means a spellcaster drastically increases their utility and gives the party a much better chance of survival in Dungeons & Dragons.
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos will be released on December 7, 2021.
