Bracers of the Iron Octopus (Patreon)

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

These iron bracers are ornamented with an embossed octopus and tentacle designs. While wearing the bracers, you gain a +5 bonus on ability checks and saving throws to resist and escape from being grappled.

In addition, you can use an action to speak the bracers' command word. When you do, the bracers' iron and leather twist and writhe, falling off your arms. The bracers become a giant octopus at a point within 10 feet of you under your control that acts on its own initiative count. By using a bonus action to speak the command word again, you return the bracers to its normal form in a space formerly occupied by the octopus.

This octopus is made of leather and iron, is a construct instead of a beast, and has a +2 bonus to its AC. On your turn, you can mentally command the octopus if it is within 60 feet of you and you aren't incapacitated. You decide what action the octopus takes and where it moves during its next turn, or you issue it a general command, such as to attack your enemies or guard a location.

If the octopus is reduced to 0 hit points, it dies and reverts to its bracer form. The bracers then shatter and are destroyed. If the octopus reverts to bracer form before losing all its hit points, it regains all of them.

This was supposed to be a simple task. Track down Trelin, capture him, and bring him back to base. 'I've done this hundreds of times before,' thought the assassin, "so why can't I bloody grab him?" As Trelin danced out of his ropes and snares again and again.

"There's more than meets the eye! This isn't my first kidnapping you know" quipped Trelin. He spoke a series of words and his bracers dropped to the ground.

"Don't insult me by lowering your guard," the assassin fumed.

"Look again! Keep your wits about ya!"

The assassin couldn't even blink before he was slammed to the ground by tentacles coiling around his legs.