Magic Item: Sanctified Censer

# Sanctified Censer

I created this item to spice up the loot in Cragmaw Castle in the Lost Mine of Phandelver module. I wanted an item that was modular and allowed worshipers of different gods to play differently. I also wanted an item that encouraged shenanigans and creativity, all the while being a small gold sink.

All the variants of the censer are designed with both combat and out-of-combat utility, and to be useful from the first tier of play to tier 3. Remember, a character using the censer cannot use either a shield or a weapon while doing so.
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> ## Sanctified Censer
> *Spell Focus. Attunement by a Cleric, a Druid, a Paladin or a character with the Acolyte background.* 
> **You must wield the censer in one of your hands to use it.** 
> **The level 1 spell *Ceremony* can be used to give different powers to the censer depending of the patron deity of the caster.**
> **A censer burns for 1 hour. Lighting a censer takes an action and consumes rare incenses worth at least 10 gp.**
>
> A thurible is a metal censer suspended from chains in which incense is burned during worship services. This particular one is made of precious metal and infused with enchantments that amplify its user's connection with the divine. Sanctified censers are rare and precious, and only high ranking members of different churches have the privilege to bear one.

<div class='footnote' style='letter-spacing:0.5px;color:#000000;'>Public Domain Image</div>

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In my campaign, the censer is originally found in area 9 of Cragmaw Castle in the hand of the goblin cleric in this state:

> ## Censer of the Goblin
> This censer is sanctified by the goblin god. Its shine is dulled, and emits a green smoke that smells like blood and trash when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a -1 penalty to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **Every goblinoid who can see it have a +1 bonus to their attack rolls.**
> **You can use a bonus action to cast the command spell in goblin.**

By using the ceremony spell, a cleric can change the powers of the censer to fit their god's portfolio. I made one for each of the 16 gods of my setting, described in the following pages.

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# Sanctified Censer Variants
## the gods of life

> ## Censer of the Brave
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of duty. Its metal is chromed and a feint chorus of ethereal voices can be heard when it is lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.**
> **Hostile creatures within 5 ft of you have disadvantage on any attack roll that doesn't target you.**
> **You can use a bonus action to give yourself 1d4 temporary hit points. One creature you can see adds 1d4 to its next attack roll against a creature within 5 ft. of you before the beginning of your next turn.**

> ## Censer of the Father
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of nature. Its is overgrown with moss and moths swarm to it when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **You can speak with plants.**
> **You have advantage on Intelligence ability checks if you ask a plant for help. The plant must have been within 30 ft. of the answer during its life.**
> **You can use a bonus action to fill a 5-foot square of floor space with plants, making it difficult terrain. Clearing the space takes 1 minute. When the censer expires, the plants wilt away.**

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> ## Censer of the Innocent
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of hope. It's metal is gilded with gold and it shines bright when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.**
> **Any friendly creature within 20 ft. who fails a saving throw gains 1d6 temporary hit points.**
> **You can use a bonus action to mark one creature within 20 ft. of you. The first attack that hits the target before the beginning of your next turn inflicts 1d4 extra radiant damage, 1d8 if it is undead.**

> ## Censer of the Mother
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of life. Weaved wheat covers its metal and its incenses have an soft herbal scent.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> **While the censer is lit and you restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains 1 additional hit point at the beginning of its next turn.**
> **Each creature within 20 ft. of you finishing a short rest gains 1d8 temporary hit points if the censer was lit for the whole rest duration.**

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# Sanctified Censer Variants
## the wild gods

> ## Censer of the Beast
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of animals. Its metal is covered in bones and dried blood and its incenses emit a strong musk. 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **As long as there is a beast within 20 ft. of you, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) and Wisdom (Survival) checks.**
> **You can use a bonus action to make a beast you can see within 20 ft. of you use its reaction to make one weapon attack.**

> ## Censer of the Trickster
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of luck. Its metal is engraved in a checkered pattern and it makes jingle bell sounds when shaken.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **Non-instantaneous cantrips you cast have a duration of *until dispelled*. Their effects end as soon as the censer expires.**
> **You can use a bonus action to make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the Wisdom (Insight) check of a creature you can see. On a success, you can reroll one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw against that creature before the beginning of your next turn. You must use the new result .**

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> ## Censer of the Warrior
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of war. Its metal is reinforced with studs and ash smolders out of it.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you can use a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack with the censer, inflicting 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a hit.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.**
> **It inflicts an additional 1d4 fire damage.**
> **If you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright and you are concentrating on a spell affecting yourself, you regain 1d8 hit points at the beginning of your next turn.**

> ## Censer of the Witch
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of the sea. Its is covered in barnacles and smells like brine when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **You can use a bonus action to steal air from a creature holding its breath within 30 ft. of you, making them 1 minute closer from drowning and you, 1 minute further. The target is allowed a constitution saving throw against your spell DC to resist the effect. You can reverse this ability to give your breath to others.**
> **Creatures in direct contact with salt have to roll 1d4 when making an attack roll against you and subtract that number to the result.**

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# Sanctified Censer Variants
## the gods of civilization

> ## Censer of the Merchant
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of trade. It shines bright like gold and rattles like coins when shaken.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **Any verbal agreement with you is magically binding. A creature trying to go against this must succeed an intelligence saving throw against your spell DC.**
> **You can use a bonus action to polymorph a gold coin you can see into a poisonous snake. The transformation lasts as long as the censer is lit.**

> ## Censer of the Sage
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of knowledge. It is covered in wax and holy scrolls.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **Anything you observe directly for 5 minutes is magically and exactly described on the censer's scrolls. Reading the scrolls is the same a watching the scene again.**
> **You can use scrolls as a bonus action, even if the spell's casting time is one action.**

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> ## Censer of the Smith
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of craft. It is heavy and filled with embers.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.**
> **Any iron weapons within 10 ft. of you counts as adamantine.**
> **You can use a bonus action to transform the censer in any iron tool or weapon you have seen that is no larger than 5 feet. It keeps the censer's abilities.**

> ## Censer of the Watcher
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of law. Its metal is polished and pristine, and it emits a light blue smoke when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet. You have advantage on Intelligence (investigation) checks when examining objects lit by it.**
> **You can use a bonus action to make a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by the Charisma (Deception) check of a creature you can see. On a success, the DM must tell you the creature's intended action for its next turn. The target might change its intended action in reaction.**

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# Sanctified Censer Variants
## the dark gods

> ## Censer of the Brute
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of destruction. Its metal is crackling with sparks of electricity.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **It provides bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.**
> **Your spells inflict 1d8 extra thunder damage to objects and constructs.**
> **If you have inflicted lightning damage to any creature this round, you can use a bonus action to attempt to force them to make a Strength saving throw against your spell DC or be pulled up to 10 feet in a straight line toward you.**

> ## Censer of the Crone
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of vengeance. Its metal is coated in a thin sheet of ice and bitter ichor seeps from its holes.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **Non-instantaneous spells you cast that only affect or summon spiders have a duration of *until dispelled* and do not require concentration. The spells end as soon as the censer expires.**
> **You can use a bonus action to inflict 1d8 cold damage to each poisoned creature you can see within 30 ft. of you.**

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> ## Censer of the Liar
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of the deception. Its is barbed and black smoke subtly escapes from it when lit.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **A creature trying to expose one of your lies must succeed a Charisma saving throw against your spell DC. If they fail, no words come out of their mouth and they cannot try again until the censer expires.**
> **You can use a bonus action to mark a nonhostile creature within 10 ft. of you. Until the beginning of your next turn, you can cast a spell through it. The spell must be instantaneous and have no material component.**

> ## Censer of the Unseen
> This censer is sanctified by the deity of darkness. Its metal is blackened by soot and it emits thick dark vapors.
> 
> **While you are holding this censer, you gain a +1 bonus to spell difficulty checks.**
> While the censer is lit:
> **The area within 5 ft. of you cannot be brighter than dim light, unless it is lit by a spell of 2nd level or higher.**
> **You can speak telepathically to any creature within 60 feet of you. The creature understands you only if the two of you share a language. You can speak telepathically in this way to one creature at a time.**