10 Mundane But Incredibly Useful Items In Dungeons And Dragons

10. Ball Bearings

Already part of the Burglar’s pack, the initial use of these should be obvious. You can use an action to spread these out over a 10-foot area, and any creature moving over this space must succeed on a DC (Difficulty Class) 10 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but in the heat of battle, this isn’t likely.

You can buy a bag of these for the low price of just 1GP in most stores; for that you get 1000 of these little trip hazards. Whether you’re a rogue being pursued by the town guard, a Bard setting up a trap or a raging barbarian that has entered a 1 V 12 encounter, these little metal beauties can save your life.

Beyond the obvious tripping hazard though, there are a number of uses for ball bearings. They can be thrown in an attempt to distract that guard who is standing watch. Maybe you could even cast Light on one? Who isn’t going to investigate a mysterious glowing orb? If you really feel like leaning into being a rogue, perhaps that coin purse you hand over to the merchant isn’t all gold - just don’t let him search it before you leave.