At 7th level, the characters in the game I run have a total of four magic items. The first three are: a saddle of the cavalier , and a necklace of resistance +1 with the added property against protecting against possession, and a ring of water walking. The saddle was randomized loot from a grick monster hoard, rolled up from tables on the spot. The ring was bought by the players, with the money of a patron, during an auction. The auction also served the point of allowing the players a peak into the upper class society, and what the powerful families were doing in terms of magical pursuits. The necklace was given to the players by an ally to help the player without a soul not feel like a huge liability in any social setting, and was part of the initial story line planning.
The fourth item was given to the players in the previous session by Levistus. The player who’s soul is in hock decided to accept the offer of Levistus to bear a weapon to signify he was an emissary of the devil prince. The other players were given the same option, but did not accept. Levistus gave him a two-handed sword (the favored weapon of the character) fashioned of black metal with a gleaming, silvered edge, and geometric faces with shining blue eyes adorning it. The sword is an unholy avenger.
Herald of the Stygian Archduke
Weapon (any sword), Legendary (requires attunement)
You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit a humanoid with it, that creature takes an extra 2d10 necrotic damage.
While you hold the drawn sword, it creates an aura in a 10-foot radius around you. All creatures friendly to you in the aura your deal your strength modifier in additional melee cold damage against humanoids.
The properties are dormant until the sword is activated as a bonus action. Once active, you may deactivate it as a bonus action.
Curse. You have disadvantage on all attack rolls made against devils and on any saving throws devils force you to make. Devils have advantage on any saving throws you force them to make, and any attacks against you. You may not allow the sword to willingly leave your possession while attuned to it.
The intent is to provide an extremely powerful, possibly temporary, magical item obviously possessing a darker side. How much the item is used is completely up to the player, but such power comes with a price.
Though the other players passed, I had cooked up a few others, just in case they said yes.
Rod of the Levistusian Priest
Rod, Legendary (requires attunement)
This rod has a black crystalline head, softly glowing with an inner blue light, and functions as a magic mace granting a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You may use this rod as a spell focus in place of a holy symbol, and doing so grants a +3 bonus to spell attack and damage rolls while you hold this rod.
While attuned to the rod, you know the chill touch and frostbite cantrips, if you are able to cast spells. Whenever you would target one creature with these cantrips, you can instead target two creatures within range, and within 5 feet of each other.
You may choose to have spells of 1st level and above deal an additional 1d4 cold and 1d4 necrotic damage per level of the spell slot expended when they would deal damage. If you choose to do so, your spell deals your choice of cold or necrotic damage instead of its regular damage type. Any archetype abilities may still affect this spell as if it was its original energy type.
The properties are dormant until the rod is activated as a bonus action. Once active, you may deactivate it as a bonus action.
Curse. You have disadvantage on all attack rolls made against devils and on any saving throws devils force you to make. Devils have advantage on any saving throws you force them to make, and any attacks against you. You may not allow the rod to willingly leave your possession while attuned to it.
Stygian Sickle
Weapon (sickle), Legendary (requires attunement)
This sickle is made of a blue-black metal that seems to be moving like a river when looking upon it. It grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. You may use this sickle as a spell focus in place of a druidic focus, and doing so grants a +3 bonus to spell attack and damage rolls while you hold this rod.
While attuned to the sickle, you know the inflict wounds spell if you are able to cast spells. Whenever you deal cold or necrotic damage with a spell, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. If a creature is slain from this damage, you instead gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + twice the level of the spell slot expended. If the creature dies from a cantrip, you gain no additional temporary hit points.
If you are hit with a melee attack while you have these temporary hit points, the creature takes cold and necrotic damage equal to half of your druid levels, or 5 cold damage if you possess no druid levels.
The properties are dormant until the sickle is activated as a bonus action. Once active, you may deactivate it as a bonus action.
Curse. You have disadvantage on all attack rolls made against devils and on any saving throws devils force you to make. Devils have advantage on any saving throws you force them to make, and any attacks against you. You may not allow the sickle to willingly leave your possession while attuned to it.
Levistusian Bandora
Wondrous item, Legendary (requires attunement)
This instrument is carved from bone-white wood, is adorned with blackened iron frets and pegs, and has crystalline blue strings that remain cold to the touch. This instrument grants a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for spells using this instrument as a spellcasting focus.
While attuned to this instrument, if you know the vicious mockery cantrip you may choose to play the instrument as part of the casting. If you do so, creatures have disadvantage when attempting to save against it, and take an additional 1d4 cold damage and 1d4 necrotic damage when the spell deals damage.
When you use the instrument to cast a spell that causes targets to become charmed or frightened on a failed save, the targets have disadvantage on the saving throw. If a creature is otherwise immune to being charmed or frightened, they take 1d8 cold and 1d8 necrotic damage for every level of spell slot expended.
The properties are dormant until the instrument is activated as a bonus action. Once active, you may deactivate it as a bonus action.
Curse. You have disadvantage on all attack rolls made against devils and on any saving throws devils force you to make. Devils have advantage on any saving throws you force them to make, and any attacks against you. You may not allow the instrument to willingly leave your possession while attuned to it.
Staff of the Stygian Sage
Staff, Legendary (requires attunement)
This staff is hewn from swirling blue and black crystal. This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While you hold it, you gain a +3 bonus to spell attack and damage rolls.
The staff has 25 charges for the following properties. It regains 2d6+1 expended charges daily at midnight. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 20, the staff regains 1d6+1 charges.
Stygian Absorption. You have resistance against cold and necrotic damage. While holding the staff, you may use your reaction when you are affected by a spell targeting only you dealing cold or necrotic damage. If you do, the staff absorbs the magic of the spell, canceling its effect and gaining a number of charges equal to the absorbed spell’s level. However, if doing so brings the staff’s total number of charges above 25, the staff explodes as if you have activated its final throes (see below).
Spells. While holding the staff, you can use an action to expend some of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC and spellcasting ability: bestow curse (3 charges), blight (7th-level version, 7 charges), elemental weapon (ice only, 3 charges), cone of cold (5 charges), otiluke’s freezing sphere (6 charges), planar ally (6 charges), or vampiric touch (7th-level version, 7 charges).
You can also use an action to cast one of the following spells from the staff without using any charges: augury, detect magic, find steed, guidance, message, protection from evil and good (fiends may never be selected).
Final Throes. You can use an action to break the staff over your knee or against a solid surface, causing the magic in the staff to undergo its final throes. The staff is destroyed and releases its remaining magic to create a magical portal.
The staff casts the gate spell, opening a portal to the 5th layer of Baator, the Nine Hells, and whispers the name “Amharasach, Count of Spears”. The gate remains open for a number of rounds equal to twice the number of charges in the staff when the staff was broken.
The properties are dormant until the staff is activated as a bonus action. Once active, you may deactivate it as a bonus action.
Curse. You have disadvantage on all attack rolls made against devils and on any saving throws devils force you to make. Devils have advantage on any saving throws you force them to make, and any attacks against you. You may not allow the staff to willingly leave your possession while attuned to it
The players did not opt for this choice, which is totally fine. The idea is to provide a number of compelling and powerful items that are linked with Levistus, and the players would constantly question before deciding to use the powers therein. Just the idea they have to willingly activate the powers creates a sense of ownership. The players KNOW they are activating the power, and make the choice to do so.