Cloak of Envy: A Cursed D&D 5e Artifact That Turns Allies Into Rivals
- Apr 24
- 5 min read
Have you ever watched characters spiral into obsession and rivalry like Game of Thrones or felt the corrosive jealousy that drives conflict in Fullmetal Alchemist? Bringing that same emotional tension into your Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition campaign can transform ordinary encounters into something far more unpredictable. If so, consider introducing the Cloak of Envy—a magical artifact that embodies the very essence of envy and the jealousy of others and what they have that you lack. This cursed item adds a layer of unpredictability to your game, allowing the Dungeon Master to encourage players to confront and engage with envy toward both allies and enemies.
The Cloak of Envy is a deep green garment embroidered with twisting vine patterns and faint, watchful eyes, fastened with a golden emerald-set brooch. Though beautiful, it radiates a subtle malice, stirring a constant longing in its wearer for what others possess—power, beauty, status, or affection. Once attuned, the cloak whispers insidious thoughts, urging the wearer to surpass or steal from those around them, driving them to mimic, sabotage, or covet their peers’ strengths, never satisfied until they stand above all others.
As a Dungeon Master, the Cloak of Envy stands out among Seven Deadly Sins-themed items by offering a dynamic balance of ally support and enemy disruption. Its powers turn envy into a tactical asset—drawing enemy focus with Green-Eyed Glare, redirecting hostility with Bitter Rivalry, sowing chaos with Envy of Everyone, and granting extra actions through Envy of Time. These effects benefit a wide range of classes: tanks like fighters and barbarians can exploit forced aggression to control the battlefield, while spellcasters and support classes like druids or artificers can use the cloak to protect allies, weaken enemies, or control the tempo of combat. Its versatility enriches party strategy without overshadowing other gear, making it a powerful yet balanced addition to a campaign.
Cloak of Envy (Cursed Artifact Item)
The Cursed Cloak of Envy is a malevolent artifact infused with dark power. It allows its wearer to compel others to feel jealousy or envy—causing them to either assist the wearer or lash out at others. The cloak contains a single magical charge that fully replenishes each morning.
By using this charge, the wearer can cause a group of creatures to become overwhelmed with envy toward them. Affected creatures focus entirely on the wearer—either helping them obsessively or becoming unable to harm anyone else. In extreme cases, the wearer becomes so consumed by envy that they momentarily tear through time and space, gaining an additional turn.
Curse:
It is said that envy drags emotions to extremes, erasing everything you’ve learned through life. Logic and wisdom fall apart. “If they can do it, why can’t I?” said the wizard to the barbarian while trying to lift a heavy boulder.While attuned to the cloak, you and your party members suffer disadvantage on all Wisdom-based checks, as envy clouds judgment and perception.
Ability:
Activation: Free Action
Charges: 1
DC: 13 + PB
Usage: Once per long rest, use a charge and roll a D100.
Effect Table:
Green-Eyed Glare (1–50)
Mechanics: One creature within 60 feet must make a Wisdom save or become envious of you for ½ PB rounds. It has disadvantage on all d20 rolls unless targeting you and must move toward you.
Visual: Green light beams from your eyes as the target locks onto you obsessively.
Bitter Rivalry (51–80)
Mechanics: Target must make a Wisdom save or become envious of a nearby creature of your choice for ½ PB turns. It prioritizes that creature; otherwise, it suffers disadvantage on attacks and checks. Affected creatures must use their movement to get closer to the target. Visual: An illusion of success clings to a chosen target, triggering intense envy.
Envy of Everyone (81–95)
Mechanics: You select ½ PB number of creatures within 60 feet. They must save or view each other as rivals. For 1 round, they must attack one another.
Visual: Green mist weaves through their vision, warping perception.
Envy of Time (96–100)
Mechanics: You gain an extra turn at the start or end of the next round (your choice, unless already acting first or last).
Visual: You shimmer, briefly existing in two points in time.
Thought Process:
When it comes to Dungeons & Dragons, there are enemies and allies—and then there are complex emotions that shape the battlefield in unexpected ways. Take lust, for example: it charms, dominates, and seduces creatures into submission. Lust works inward, focusing on controlling individuals who become fixated on the caster.
Envy operates differently. It is not designed to charm creatures into loving the wearer, but to make them resent those around them. It is not about drawing attention inward—it is about redirecting hostility outward. While lust might influence many enemies at once, envy begins with a single creature, turning them against their allies. It is subtle and dangerous, like a dagger slipped between companions.
In this way, envy contrasts directly with lust. Where lust is rooted in desire and attraction, envy is rooted in bitterness and denial. The envious do not crave the individual—they crave what others receive from them. The world shaped by lust is magnetic; the world shaped by envy is corrosive.
In-Game Usage:
The Cloak of Envy is a situational item—not because of raw power, but because of its potential to shift encounters when used at the right moment. While the cloak’s primary effect has a limited chance of causing enemies to turn on each other, even a single disruption can break enemy formations, weaken coordinated attacks, or create openings in combat.
Consider a scenario where a dragon stands alongside loyal minions. If one of those minions becomes envious of the others, that loyalty fractures—turning into sudden aggression against allies. This shift can alter the flow of the battle.
The cloak is especially effective in early-level gameplay, particularly in encounters with large groups of weaker enemies such as goblins, kobolds, bandits, or cultists. These groups rely on numbers, so disrupting even one member can trigger wider disorder. This shifts encounters away from brute force and toward tactical manipulation.
The item can be introduced at nearly any stage of a campaign, though it fits particularly well in early arcs. Levels 3 to 7 provide a balance where the cloak feels impactful without overwhelming encounters.
The cloak can be discovered in multiple ways. One example: players find it draped over the skeletal remains of a once-renowned knight in a sealed vault beneath a castle. Surrounding the body, phrases are scrawled across the walls in dozens of languages: “It should have been me” and “They never saw my worth.” The skeleton is turned away from the entrance, as though the knight could no longer face the world.
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