D&D 5e Attunement: Complete Tracking Guide
Your Wizard just found a Staff of Power, your Paladin wants the Holy Avenger, and your Rogue is eyeing that Cloak of Invisibility. Everyone's excited—until someone asks, "Wait, how many attuned items can I have?"
Welcome to one of D&D 5e's most misunderstood mechanics: attunement.
What is Attunement in D&D 5e?
Attunement is a special bond between a creature and a magic item. Some magic items—especially powerful ones—require attunement to use their magical properties. Think of it as "claiming" an item so it works for you specifically.
Key Rule: A creature can be attuned to a maximum of three magic items at any one time. This limit prevents characters from hoarding every powerful item in the campaign.
The 3-Slot Attunement Limit
What This Means
- Each character can attune to 3 magic items max
- You can own more than 3 items that require attunement
- You just can't have more than 3 active at once
- Non-attunement items don't count toward the limit
- The limit applies to all creatures (including NPCs)
What Happens if You Try to Exceed It
- You must break attunement with one item first
- The old item loses its magical properties for you
- Then you can attune to a new item
- You can't "temporarily" attune beyond 3 slots
- There are no official ways to increase the limit
How to Attune to a Magic Item
Short Rest with the Item
You must spend a short rest (at least 1 hour) focused on only that item. During this time, you:
- Physically interact with the item (wear it, wield it, study it)
- Cannot be asleep, unconscious, or incapacitated
- Can't attune to multiple items during the same short rest
Check Attunement Requirements
Some items have special requirements beyond just spending time with them:
- Class requirement: "Requires attunement by a Wizard"
- Alignment requirement: "Requires attunement by a good-aligned creature"
- Race requirement: "Requires attunement by a Dwarf"
- Ability requirement: "Requires attunement by a spellcaster"
💡 If you don't meet the requirements, you can't attune to the item at all.
Confirm You Have an Open Slot
Before starting attunement, count your currently attuned items. If you're at 3/3, you must break attunement with one item first.
Example:
Your Wizard is attuned to a Staff of Fire, Cloak of Protection, and Ring of Spell Storing. You find a Staff of Power and want to attune to it. You must first break attunement with one of your current items (probably the Staff of Fire) before starting the short rest to attune to the Staff of Power.
Breaking Attunement
When Attunement Ends
Your attunement to an item ends under these circumstances:
1. Voluntary Break (Instant)
You can voluntarily end attunement at any time. This is instant—no short rest required. Simply decide you're no longer attuned, and the item's properties cease to function for you.
2. Distance (100+ Feet for 24 Hours)
If you and the attuned item are separated by more than 100 feet for 24 hours, attunement breaks automatically. This prevents infinite range abuse.
3. Death
When a creature dies, all its attunements end. If you're resurrected, you must re-attune to items.
4. Someone Else Attunes to It
If another creature attunes to your attuned item, your attunement breaks. Only one creature can be attuned to an item at a time.
Common Attunement Mistakes
Mistake: "I'll just attune to 4 items for this fight"
Why it's wrong: The 3-item limit is absolute. No exceptions in official rules.
Some DMs allow feats or boons that increase attunement slots, but that's homebrew.
Mistake: "I use the Ring of Protection without attuning"
Why it's wrong: If an item requires attunement, you get ZERO benefits until attuned.
A non-attuned Ring of Protection is just a normal ring. No +1 to AC or saves.
Mistake: "I attune to 3 items during one short rest"
Why it's wrong: You can only attune to ONE item per short rest.
Want to attune to 3 items? That's 3 separate short rests (minimum 3 hours total).
Mistake: "My Barbarian attunes to this Wizard-only staff"
Why it's wrong: Class/race/alignment requirements must be met BEFORE attunement.
If an item says "requires attunement by a Wizard," non-Wizards can't attune at all.
How to Track Attunement Automatically
Modern Solution: Attunement Trackers
Manually tracking which items require attunement and who has what attuned is tedious. Digital tools like D20 Loot Tracker automate this process:
Automatic Detection
When you search the D&D 5e API, the system automatically detects if an item requires attunement by parsing its description for "requires attunement."
3-Slot Enforcement
Visual warnings appear when a player reaches 3/3 attuned items. The system prevents accidental over-attunement by showing slot availability at a glance.
One-Click Toggle
Attune or un-attune items with one click. No need to manually update spreadsheets or character sheets—changes sync instantly to all players.
Real-Time Visibility
DMs can see which players have open attunement slots before awarding magic items. No more "wait, can anyone use this?" mid-session.
Attunement FAQ
Can I attune to the same item type multiple times?▼
Yes, but they must be separate physical items. For example, you could attune to two different Rings of Protection (one on each hand), and both would work. However, you'd be using 2 of your 3 attunement slots for the same effect, which is usually not optimal.
Do I need to identify an item before attuning to it?▼
Not strictly, but it's dangerous. You can attune to an unidentified magic item, and you'll learn its properties at the end of the short rest. However, if it's cursed, you're now stuck with it until you break the curse. Most parties use Identify first to avoid nasty surprises.
Can familiars or summons attune to items?▼
Familiars: No. Find Familiar summons a spirit in animal form, not a true creature. They can't attune to items.
Summons (Conjure Animals, etc.): Yes, technically, but impractical. Summoned creatures disappear when the spell ends, breaking attunement. It's rarely worth it.
What happens if I lose an attuned item?▼
If the item is within 100 feet, you're still attuned. If it's farther for 24 hours, attunement breaks automatically. You can voluntarily break attunement at any time to free up the slot, even if you don't know where the item is. This is useful if an item is stolen or lost.
Can I attune to items my character is unconscious or dead?▼
No. Attunement requires a short rest where you're conscious and focused. You can't attune while unconscious, incapacitated, or dead. If you die, all your attunements end immediately. Upon resurrection, you must re-attune to items (assuming you have the short rests to do so).