Why are Mystery Key 5e, Wand of Pyrotechnics & Shiftweavethe most underrated magical items in D&D?

The three items that are the least well-known in magic are three: the Mystery Key (XGE), the Wand of Pyrotechnics (XGE), along Shiftweave (WGE).

This Mystery Key may sound useless initially, but after all, it only has a 5% probability of actually working each time you make use of it. It’s got the likelihood of working, regardless of what happens to the DC that the lock has. You’re guaranteed to unlock even the most sophisticated lock for the most robust doors, irrespective of your score.

The Wand of Pyrotechnics is a typical item in The Xanathar’s Guide to Everything that produces the sound of a loud bang and an intense flash of bright light. The primary use of this item is to create an opportunity to distract. Other ways of creating similar distractions have many drawbacks like burning spell slots, verbal elements, requiring a saving throw, or even just the weight. However, this wand doesn’t have any of these. As it’s a wand, it’s light, doesn’t have the use of a spell slot and doesn’t require you to make any noise when using it.

Finally, the Shiftweave. I am a massive fan of transformative magic and shapeshifting, and transmutation. Still, I think it is a lot of fun to transform yourself into a Wild Shape into the character of a Druid. And change into the form of a tiger, and then have that animal wear the same clothes as you do.

Mystery Key 5e

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
Wondrous item, common

There is a question mark worked into the head of this key. The key has a 5 per cent chance of unlocking any lock into which it’s inserted. Once it opens something, the key disappears.

Wand of Pyrotechnics

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
Wand, common

This wand has seven charges. While carrying it, you can use an action to expend 1 of its charges and create a harmless burst of multicoloured light at a point you can see up to 60 feet away. The light is as bright as a torch flame but lasts only a second. The explosion of light is accompanied by a crackling noise that can be heard up to 300 feet away.

The wand regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you spend the wand’s last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the rod erupts in a harmless pyrotechnic display and is destroyed.

Shiftweave

Source: Eberron – Rising from the Last War

Wondrous item: common

When a suit/cloth of shiftweave is created, up to five different outfits may be embedded into the cloth. While wearing the clothing, you may speak its command word as a bonus action to change your outfit into your selection of one of the other designs contained within it. Regardless of its look, the outfit can’t be anything but clothing. Although it may duplicate the look of other magical dresses, it doesn’t gain its magical properties. It costs 500 gp.

How much is a wand of pyrotechnics?

Wand of Pyrotechnics costs 380 gold.

Cost of Mystery key 5e

Price: (1d6+1) x10 gp (20 to 70 gp) – 50% for consumable items
Base Price: 50 gp or 25 gp for expendable
Expendable Items can be attuned on use, at the cost of a random attuned item and slot.