Weapons of Demon Lords: Heartcleaver and Butcher

Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rich Hershey / Fat Goblin Games

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I’ve got a DMs Guild product called Abyssal Incursion that ads mobile lairs for Yeenoghu and Baphomet to Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. It should be out sometime next week, but in the meantime, I wanted to share two artifacts from the product: Butcher, the three-headed flail of Yeenoghu, and Heartcleaver, the glaive of Baphomet!

Butcher

Weapon (flail), artifact (requires attunement)

Yeenoghu’s three-headed flail, Butcher, is built from the bones and flesh of a deity the Gnoll Lord murdered. Each rusty chain ends in a barbed head. The weapon screams with discordant laughter when swung.

When attuned, the weapon resizes to fit the wielder.

Hyena Appearance. While you are attuned to Butcher, your body changes so you look like a gnoll, though you still retain your size.

Magic Weapon. Butcher is a magic weapon that deals 1d12 piercing damage on a successful hit and has the reach property. Once per round when you make an attack with Butcher and hit, you can choose to create one of the following additional effects:

• The attack deals an extra 2d12 bludgeoning damage.
• The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the start of your next turn.
• The target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the confusion spell until the start of your next turn.

Random Properties. The flail has the following randomly determined properties (see “Artifact Properties” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide):

• 1 minor beneficial property
• 1 major beneficial property
• 1 minor detrimental property
• 1 major detrimental property

Demonic Hunger. You can consume the corpse of a Small or Medium creature over the course of 5 minutes, during which time you can do nothing but feast on the creature’s dead flesh. At the end of this time, the corpse is destroyed, and you regain 1d10 hit points. You can also take 10 minutes to consume the corpse of a Large creature and regain 2d10 hit points, 1 hour to consume the corpse of a Huge creature to regain 4d10 hit points, or 8 hours to consume the corpse of a Gargantuan creature to regain 8d10 hit points.

Demonic Resistances. You gain resistance to cold, fire, and lightning damage.

Invisibility. You can use the flail to cast the invisibility spell without the need for any components. You cannot use the weapon to cast the spell again until you complete a short or long rest.

Languages. You can speak, write, and understand Abyssal and Gnoll.

Rampage. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack from the flail, you can take a bonus action to move up to half your speed and make another attack with Butcher.

Swat Away. When you hit a creature with an attack made with the flail, you can use your bonus action to force the target make a Strength saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. If the target fails, it is pushed 15 feet in a straight line away from you. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target falls prone.

Destroying the Flail. If Yeenoghu is permanently killed, the flail crumbles into ash.

Heartcleaver

Weapon (glaive), artifact (requires attunement)

Baphomet’s great glaive, Heartcleaver, is feared throughout the Abyss. When attuned, the weapon resizes to fit the wielder.

Minotaur Horns. While you are attuned to Heartcleaver, you grow large horns as part of your new appearance if you do not already have them. These horns are magical melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Immediately after you hit a creature with a melee attack as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to shove that target with your horns. The target must be no more than one size larger than you and within 5 feet of you. Unless it succeeds on a Strength saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier, you push it up to 10 feet away from you.

Magic Weapon. Heartcleaver is a magic weapon that deals 2d10 slashing damage on a successful hit.

Random Properties. The glaive has the following randomly determined properties (see “Artifact Properties” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide):

• 1 minor beneficial property
• 1 major beneficial property
• 1 minor detrimental property
• 1 major detrimental property

Charge. If you move at least 10 feet straight toward a target then hit with an attack with your horns on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3d10 piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone. You cannot get to make use of this feature again until the start of your next turn.

Demonic Resistances. You gain resistance to cold, fire, and lightning damage.

Intimidating Presence. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you are already proficient with this skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for it.

Labyrinthine Recall. You can perfectly recall any path you have traveled, and are immune to the maze spell.

Languages. You can speak, write, and understand Abyssal.

Savage Hunter. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track other creatures.

Wall of Stone. You can use the glaive to cast the wall of stone spell without the need for any components. You cannot use the weapon to cast the spell again until you complete a short or long rest.

Destroying the Glaive. If Baphomet is permanently killed, the glaive disappears in a burst of flame.

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