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Enchantment

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github-actions[bot] edited this page Aug 13, 2025 · 9 revisions

Up to date as of 5.1.0

Enchantments are a special type of Active Effect that makes changes on the item to which they are added, rather than the actor like normal Active Effects. They are configured in much the same way as normal Active Effects, but rely on different attribute keys that are documented below.

Enchantment Effect Changes

In the example above, the spell "Magic Weapon" is configured to modify the name of the item to add +1 to the end, add the magical property, and set the magical bonus. The name is set using a change format that allows for referencing the original name using a pair of curly brackets ({}) and the override change mode. This allows for more complex changes to the item's name than would normally be possible with active effects.

Enchantment Changes

This describes how to create Active Effects used as Enchantments. This differs from the Active Effect Guide in that these are changes to items instead of the actors. If you're creating an Active Effect to add to the Additional Effects section when configuring an Enchantment, then use that guide.

Because of the differences in item types, there are separate sections for each type that can be enchanted. This uses the same Legend that the Active Effect Guide does in addition to:

  • [string] - A string value
  • [file] - A file path, e.g. icons/svg/mystery-man.svg

Common Examples

These examples are common across item types, meaning they'll work equally well for a Weapon or Equipment.

name
img
system.description.value
                   chat
       properties

Changing the Name

You can reference the original name using a pair of curly brackets ({}) and the override change mode (e.g. {}, +1 for a +1 weapon would result in Shortsword, +1).

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
name Override [string] No

Changing the Icon

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
img Override [file] No

Changing the Description

You can reference the original description using a pair of curly brackets ({}) and the override change mode (e.g. {} <p>Some more description</p>) or use the add change mode to add to the end of the existing description. Note that any added description should be written using HTML, which can be copied from an existing item using the "Source HTML" button in the description editor.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.description.value Override [string] No

Adding Item Properties

The valid effect values depend on the item type, and in the case of consumables the subtype, which are documented below.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.properties Add [string] No
Weapon Properties
Weapon Property Abbreviation
Adamantine ada
Ammunition amm
Finesse fin
Firearm fir
Focus foc
Heavy hvy
Light lgt
Loading lod
Magical mgc
Reach rch
Reload rel
Returning ret
Silvered sil
Special spc
Thrown thr
Two-Handed two
Versatile ver

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.weapon

Equipment Properties
Equipment Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc
Stealth Disadvantage stealthDisadvantage

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.equipment

Tool Properties
Tool Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.tool

Ammunition Properties
Ammunition Property Abbreviation
Adamantine ada
Magical mgc
Silvered sil

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.consumable and CONFIG.DND5E.itemProperties that have isPhysical: true

Scroll Properties
Scroll Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc
Ritual ritual
Somatic somatic
Verbal verbal

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.consumable and CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.spell minus material

Consumable Properties
Consumable Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.consumable

Container Properties
Container Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc
Weightless Contents weightlessContents

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.container

Loot Properties
Loot Property Abbreviation
Magical mgc

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.validProperties.loot

Weapon Examples

system.proficient
       magicalBonus

Grant Proficiency with the Weapon

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.proficient Upgrade 1 No

Make Weapon Magical

Make the weapon magical by adding the Magical property and an optional Magical Bonus that will be added to attack and damage rolls.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.properties Add mgc No
system.magicalBonus Override [number] No

Equipment Examples

system.proficient
       armor.value
             magicalBonus
             dex
       strength

Grant Proficiency with the Equipment

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.proficient Upgrade 1 No

Make Armor Magical

Make the armor magical by adding the Magical property and an optional Magical Bonus that will be added to AC.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.properties Add mgc No
system.armor.magicalBonus Override [number] No

Tool Examples

system.proficient
       ability
       bonus
       chatFlavor

Grant Proficiency with the Tool

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.proficient Upgrade 1 No

Add Bonus to Tool

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.bonus Add [formula] Yes

Consumable Examples

system.magicalBonus

Make Ammunition Magical

Make ammunition magical by adding the Magical property and an optional Magical Bonus that will be added to the attack/damage rolls.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.properties Add mgc No
system.magicalBonus Override [number] No

Container Examples

system.capacity.value
                type

Make Contents Weightless

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.properties Add weightlessContents No

Spell Usage Examples

This documents the Usage section on spells.

system.activation.type
                  value
                  condition
       duration.value
                units
                special
       range.value
             units
             special
       target.template.count
                       contiguous
                       type
                       size
                       width
                       height
                       units
              affects.count
                      type
                      choice
                      special
       uses.max
            recovery

Double the Normal and Long Range

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.range.value Multiply 2 No
system.range.long Multiply 2 No

Add Charges to be Used By Additional Items

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.uses.max Override [formula] Yes
system.uses.recovery Add { "period": "lr", "type": "recoverAll" } No
Recovery Period Values
Uses Per Abbreviation
Short Rest sr
Long Rest lr
Day day
Dawn dawn
Dusk dusk
Start of Initiative initiative
Start of Turn turnStart
End of Turn turnEnd
Every Turn turn

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.limitedUsePeriods

Common Action Examples

This documents the Action section on item sheets, common to many item types.

system.damage.bonus
              parts
              types
       chatFlavor

Add Extra Damage

To add a bonus to the first damage part, using the same damage type, you can use system.damage.bonus. If you wish to add a new damage part with its own damage type, you'll want to add to system.damage.parts. Since damage is both a roll formula and damage type, you need to include both when adding extra damage.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.damage.bonus Any [number] Yes
system.damage.parts Add [["2d6", "fire"]] Yes

Changing Damage Type

There are two ways to change the damage type using an enchantment. If the item being affected is a weapon or ammunition, then the base damage on the item can be changed directly. For other item types, or if you want to change the damage type for all activities on an item, then the system.damage.types key can be used.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
system.damage.base.types Add/Override [damage type] No
system.damage.types Add/Override [damage type] No
Damage Types
Damage Type Abbreviation
Acid acid
Bludgeoning bludgeoning
Cold cold
Fire fire
Force force
Lightning lightning
Necrotic necrotic
Piercing piercing
Poison poison
Psychic psychic
Radiant radiant
Slashing slashing
Thunder thunder

Source: CONFIG.DND5E.damageTypes

Activity Changes

Enchantments can also target changes to item activities based on their type. This is done using the format activities[<type>].<change path>.

Attack Activity Examples

Changing the Attack Ability

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
activities[attack].attack.ability Override [string] No

Setting Flat To Hit

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
activities[attack].attack.bonus Override [formula] Yes
activities[attack].attack.flat Override `true No

Lowering the Critical Threshold

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
activities[attack].attack.critical.threshold Downgrade [number] No

Save Activity Examples

Adding a Save DC Bonus

A bonus can be added to the save DC of an activity regardless of how the save DC is determined.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
activities[save].save.dc.bonus Any [formula] Yes

Setting a Specific Save DC

If you want to completely replace the save DC for an item, it can be done by overriding the calculation mode with an empty value and setting formula.

Attribute Key Change Mode Effect Value Roll Data?
activities[save].save.dc.calculation Override No
activities[save].save.dc.formula Override [formula] Yes

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