DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Abyssal Greater Basilisk

The creature looks like a thick-bodied reptile with eight legs. Rows of bony spines jut from its back, and its eyes glow with an eerie, pale green incandescence.

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

DnD Magic Item Conversions: Armbands Part 1

 

Comfort of Sleep Armband

Wondrous Item, Common

Aura: Faint Enchantment

While wearing these black arm wrappings, you sleep soundly and comfortably, free of mundane nightmares. This armband does not protect you from spells or other magical effects that would cause you to have nightmares.

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Armband of Death

Wondrous Item, Rare (requires attunement)

Aura: Moderate Evocation

This armband bears an insignia of two serpents entwined about a staff. The armband has three charges. Whenever you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell that targets a single creature, you can expend one charge and instead use the highest number possible for each die (for example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12).

The armbands regain 1d3 expended charges each day at dawn.

Curse. This armband is cursed and cannot be removed until the curse is broken. Upon successfully attuning to it, the serpents on the insignia animate and begin to bite the wearer. The serpents bite the wearer once each round, on initiative count 20. When they do, the wearer takes 1 piercing damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour and gain 1 level of exhaustion. 

The serpents will continue to attack the wearer until the wearer dies or the armbands are removed or destroyed. The armbands have an AC of 13 and 20 hit points.

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Armband of Healing

Wondrous Item, Rare (requires attunement)

Aura: Moderate Evocation

This armband bears an insignia of two serpents entwined about a staff. The armband has three charges. Whenever you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell that targets a single creature, you can expend one charge and instead use the highest number possible for each die (for example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12).

The armbands regain 1d3 expended charges each day at dawn.

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Armband of Music

Wondrous Item, varies (varies)

Aura: Varies

This item appears to be and functions in all respects as another magic armband that has 1 or more charges (typically an armband of healing or an armband of strength). However, each time you expend a charge from the armband, it emits the sound of a brass band, audible from as far away as 300 feet. The music lasts until the end of your next turn.

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Armband of Salutation

Wondrous Item, Uncommon (requires attunement)

Aura: Minor Enchantment

This armband bears the symbol of a fleur-de-lis. You know the compelled duel spell and can cast it any number of times without expending a spell slot.

Curse. While attuned to this armband, whenever you roll initiative, the only action you can take on your first turn in combat is to cast compelled duel targeting a hostile creature and the only movement you can make is to move closer. While concentrating on compelled duel, you cannot willingly drop concentration on the spell or make any movement that would end with you being more than 30 feet away from the creature you cast compelled duel on.

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Here are some more magic items converted from the Dungeons and Dragons 2e Encyclopedia Magica into 5e and published on the DMsGuild under Artifacts of Antiquity Volume 2. Here's one batch of armbands to keep you going, with a variety of rarities- none too terribly powerful though and at least one a little bit cursed.

DnD Magic Item Conversions: Arms

 

Arm of Doom

Wondrous Item, Legendary (requires attunement)

Aura: Very Strong Necromancy

This limb, severed from a lizardfolk long ago, has been infused with powerful magic. When you attune to this item, it attaches itself to your chest, back, pelvis or shoulders. If you are missing an arm, it can replace that arm. Otherwise, it serves as an extra arm, which can serve all the ordinary functions of a regular arm under the same muscular control as your own normal limbs.

Necrotic Grasp. The arm is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal 2d12 necrotic damage, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Antimagic Touch. You can use the arm to cast dispel magic as a 5th-level spell. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until the following dawn. 

Curse. Once you have attuned to the arm and attached it to your body, it cannot be removed while you remain attuned to it. If you are no longer attuned to the arm, or if you die while attuned to it, it rips free from your body, dealing 4d6 necrotic damage to you.

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Arm of Ergoth

Wondrous Item, Artifact (requires attunement by a creature of good alignment)

Aura: Overwhelming Transmutation

The Silver Arm of Ergoth was said to have been forged by dragon, elf, human and dwarf during the creation of the original Dragonlances. This artifact can only be worn by a creature that is missing a right arm, and this arm grafts itself to the creature that wears and is attuned to it. While you remain attuned to it, the Arm of Ergoth functions as a normal arm, in addition to the other benefits it grants.

Master Crafter. You have an innate understanding of any tools you hold with this arm and can craft wonders you never thought possible. You gain the following benefits:

-You are proficient with all artisan’s tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses a set of artisan’s tools.

-If you craft a magic item, it takes you a quarter of the normal time, and it costs you half as much of the usual gold.

Regeneration. While wearing the Arm of Ergoth, you regain 1d6 Hit Points every 10 minutes, provided that you have at least 1 hit point. If you lose a body part, the ring causes the missing part to regrow and return to full functionality after 1d6 + 1 days if you have at least 1 hit point the whole time. This regeneration does not restore the arm that the Arm of Ergoth is replacing.

Random Properties. The Arm of Ergoth has the following randomly determined properties:

-2 minor beneficial properties

-1 major beneficial property

-2 minor detrimental properties

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Arm of Valor

Wondrous Item, Artifact (requires attunement)

Aura: Overwhelming Universal

This artifact was forged by a cabal of mighty archmages when Myth Drannor was strong, intended to be used by champions in the defense of Myth Drannor. It appears as five pieces of adamantine plate, which fit together to cover one arm. When all five pieces are assembled and worn, the pieces glow with a faint blue light and fuse together into a flexible but solidlinked unit that can separate again at your command. The Arm of Valor grants different benefits depending on which pieces you are currently wearing. Each piece of the Arm of Valor can be attuned to independently, granting only the power associated with that particular piece. If you have more than one piece, they can be worn together and are considered a single item for attunement. In addition to the benefits each individual piece bestows, there are additional benefits for wearing several pieces of the Arm of Valor at the same time.

Gauntlet. The gauntlet can be used to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 3d6 + your Strength modifier instead of the normal damage for an unarmed strike.

Vambrace. You can jump three times the normal distance, though you can’t jump farther than your remaining movement would allow. In addition, you are immune to falling damage.

Couter. You have the ability to breathe underwater. In addition, you can use an action to cast the dimension door spell. Once you have done so, you cannot do so again until the following dawn.

Rerebrace. Any nonmagic weapon held by the arm you wear this piece of armor on becomes a magic weapon with a +3 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. If you are wearing the gauntlet, your attacks with the gauntlet also gain this benefit.

Pauldron. You have a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws. As an action, you can unleash a wave of force from the pauldron. When you do so, each creature and each object not being worn or carried within 10 feet of you must make a DC19 Strength saving throw. A creature takes 2d8 force damage and is pushed to the edge of the area on a failed save, or half as much damage and is not pushed on a successful one.

2 pieces. You cannot be charmed, frightened or petrified, and are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts.

3 pieces. You can sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you, and you can see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.

4 pieces. As an action, you can cast dispel magic as a 5th level spell, using your spellcasting ability modifier. You can use this ability three times a day and regain all expended uses each day at dawn.

Full arm. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and can cast the foresight and creation spells once a day each. Once you have cast either of these spells, you cannot cast the same spell again until the following dawn.

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Here are some more magic items converted from the Dungeons and Dragons 2e Encyclopedia Magica into 5e and published on the DMsGuild under Artifacts of Antiquity Volume 2. These few items are a particularly powerful batch, as a pair of artifacts and a legendary. Use at your own risk, since bounded accuracy doesn't seem to have taken into consideration the chances of PCs being decked out in shiny magical gear.

DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Greater Barghest

A horrifying wolflike monster with blue-tinged fur, long sharp claws, and a fiendish glint of intelligence in its hateful, glowing eyes darts out of the shadows. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

DnD 3.5 to 5e Spell Conversions: Analyze Portal

 

Analyze Portal

3rd-level divination (ritual)

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• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a crystal lens and a small mirror)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
• Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard

You can detect the presence of any magical portal or gate to another plane of existence within one mile. If you can see a portal or gate within 30 feet you can spend a bonus action on your turn to determine any of the following information:

• What key or command word is needed to activate the portal.
• Any special circumstances governing the portal’s use (such as specific times when it can be activated).
• A glimpse of the area where the portal leads.

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One of the spells from my conversions of the entire Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Spell Compendium into 5e and published in Spells of Antiquity. Here's a super situational one- probably not your first or even 10th choice for a sorcerer, but definitely in the "nice to have on the back burner" page for your party wizard. Definitely plays into certain campaigns more than others. I believe it originated in the Manual of the Planes and would have been mentioned alongside Sigil, the city of doors, which gives it a lot more utility than a classic dungeon crawl.

DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Athach

The creature looks like a portly giant dressed in shabby rags and furs. It has a third arm growing from its chest. Its wide, slobbering mouth has curving tusks that jut from its lower jaw. It has tiny eyes, a small nose, and lopsided ears- one huge and one tiny. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Arrowhawk

 

The creature has a sinuous, snakelike body with a long neck and tail. Two pairs of feathered wings extend from the body, one on the top and another on the bottom. Most of the body is covered with iridescent blue scales, with tufts of yellow feathers at the base of the neck and the tail. The head has a black, toothed beak and four eyes, one pair above the beak and the other below. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual