Skip to main content

Iron Bands

Iron Bands
  • Category: Wondrous Item
  • Rarity: Rare

This rusty iron sphere measures 3 inches in diameter and weighs 1 pound. You can take a Magic action to throw the sphere at a Huge or smaller creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself. As the sphere moves through the air, it opens into a tangle of metal bands.

Make a ranged attack roll with an attack bonus equal to your Dexterity modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus. On a hit, the target has the Restrained condition until you take a Bonus Action to issue a command that releases it. Doing so or missing with the attack causes the bands to contract and become a sphere once more.

A creature that can touch the bands, including the one Restrained, can take an action to make a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to break the iron bands. On a successful check, the item is destroyed, and the Restrained creature is freed. On a failed check, any further attempts made by that creature automatically fail until 24 hours have elapsed.

Once the bands are used, they can't be used again until the next dawn.

Tactical Applications​

Combat Strategy: Can be thrown to entangle and restrain Large or smaller creatures, providing excellent crowd control and enemy immobilization. Single-use item with powerful restraint effects.

Class Synergies:

  • Any Class: Universal utility for crowd control and enemy restraint
  • Tactical Controllers: Perfect for characters specializing in battlefield control
  • Support Builds: Excellent for characters providing utility and ally assistance
  • Capture Specialists: Essential for characters requiring non-lethal enemy restraint

Build Considerations: Single-use limitation requires strategic deployment. Most valuable against powerful single targets or crucial crowd control situations.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires binding magic, iron enchantments, and restraint spell components. Creation cost 3,000-6,000 gp and takes 6 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Law enforcement organizations and bounty hunter guilds
  • Treasure hoards of tactical specialists and crowd control experts
  • Commission from enchanters specializing in restraint magic
  • Found in the collections of prison wardens and security specialists
  • Rewards from grateful law enforcement organizations

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in abandoned prisons or obtained from construct creature encounters.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 4,000-8,000 gp, with higher demand among law enforcement and characters requiring restraint capabilities.

Trade Considerations: Popular among bounty hunters, guards, and anyone requiring reliable enemy restraint methods.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests experience with law enforcement, bounty hunting, or professional roles requiring enemy capture.

Character Concepts:

  • Bounty hunter specializing in live capture operations
  • Law enforcement officer with restraint training
  • Character with extensive crowd control experience
  • Security specialist requiring non-lethal restraint options

Adventure Hooks​

The Live Capture Mission: Bounty hunting scenarios where restraining targets alive provides greater rewards.

The Crowd Control Crisis: Riot situations where restraining key agitators enables peaceful resolution.

The Prison Break Prevention: Security scenarios where restraining escaping prisoners maintains order.

The Monster Capture: Research missions where capturing creatures alive enables study and understanding.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Iron Bands (Rare): Enhanced restraint capabilities and ability to affect larger creatures.

Adamantine Bands (Very Rare): Increased durability and resistance to escape attempts.

Specialized Restraint Bands (Rare): Optimized for specific creature types or restraint scenarios.

Specialized Variants:

  • Bounty Hunter's Bands: Enhanced for live capture with tracking enchantments
  • Prison Bands: Optimized for long-term restraint with anti-escape features
  • Monster Bands: Enhanced for restraining dangerous creatures and magical beings

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient law enforcement organizations who needed reliable methods for restraining dangerous criminals.

Historical Significance: These bands enabled the capture of legendary criminals and the maintenance of order in chaotic times.

Cultural Impact: Represent the evolution of law enforcement techniques and the integration of magic with justice systems.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates mastery of binding magic and the complex enchantments required for reliable restraint.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 5-12 when crowd control becomes important and enemy restraint is valuable.

Campaign Impact: Provides powerful crowd control option balanced by single-use limitation and strategic deployment requirements.

Tactical Consideration: Single-use nature requires careful timing and target selection for maximum effectiveness.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Combat scenarios where restraining key enemies provides tactical advantages
  • Capture missions where live targets are more valuable than defeated ones
  • Crowd control situations where restraining leaders enables peaceful resolution
  • Investigation scenarios where capturing suspects enables interrogation

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters may include opportunities for strategic restraint rather than direct combat.

Restraint Items: Rope of Entanglement, Net of Snaring, and other items that provide crowd control capabilities.

Law Enforcement Equipment:

  • Items that improve capture and restraint operations
  • Equipment for professional law enforcement and security work
  • Tools for bounty hunting and prisoner management

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance accuracy for thrown attacks or provide additional crowd control options.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Law Enforcement Expertise: Characters develop reputation for professional restraint techniques and crowd control.

Bounty Hunting Connections: Restraint capabilities create relationships with law enforcement and criminal justice organizations.

Tactical Innovation: Learning to use restraint strategically teaches advanced battlefield control and non-lethal conflict resolution.