magic item

Arms of Bahamut

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

Check out Burn Bryte, an original science fantasy TTRPG I helped create for Roll20! I’m giving away a free copy every time 100 people sign up for my mailing list!

Want a free PDF with a five free 5e magic items in it? Here are the Arms of Bahamut! They appeared on my Patreon last year, and now you get em!

I’m playing around with the idea of family magic items (or magic item sets), so take a look and let me know what you think. These items are a little bit inspired by my first D&D in a Castle campaign.

Arms of BahamutDownload

If you like what you’re reading please consider supporting me on Patreon, supporting me on Ko-fi, follow me on Twitter, like World Builder Blog on Facebook, sign up for my mailing list, find my products on the DMs Guild, tell your friends about the blog, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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minotaur

Weapons of Demon Lords: Heartcleaver and Butcher

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

You can order The Demonplague, my level 1 – 20 fifth edition adventure, right now!

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.

If you like what you’re reading please consider supporting me on Patreon, supporting me on Ko-fi, follow me on Twitter, like World Builder Blog on Facebook, check out my podcasts, find my products on the DMs Guild, tell your friends about the blog, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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How to Make a D&D Magic Item

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

Hey guess what? You can preorder my level 1 – 20 fifth edition adventure right now!

This article first appeared on D&D Beyond. I’ve stripped most of the references to the D&D Beyond to keep the advice here more universal and streamlined. If you want advice on how to build a background specifically in D&D Beyond, check out that version of the article.

Design Workshop – Magic Items

The only thing more fun than rolling for a random magic item in the Dungeon Master’s Guide is giving your player characters an original one you created. Magic items are the most popular element of fifth edition D&D for designers and dungeon masters to create from scratch.

Magic items are also one of the easiest pieces of the game to make. The simple reason: magic items can do anything you want them to do and do not need to be balanced (though beware making them too powerful can make your game go haywire). Fifth edition D&D’s bounded accuracy system doesn’t account for players getting magic items, so it’s up to you how much extra power you want to give the characters.

Before You Start, Ask the Important Questions

Before you begin to design any new element of the game, don’t forget to ask these three questions, the importance of which are discussed in the backgrounds post::

  • What do I want to make?
  • Does my creation already exist as official D&D content?
  • Can I reskin or tweak another creation to suit my needs?

If the item you’re considering designing doesn’t already exist and can’t be built by tweaking an existing magic item, it’s time to design our own.

Designing Magic Items

The Dungeon Master’s Guide provides guidelines for magic item creation, which are a good start. I’ll expand on what’s provided. All magic items have the following components you need to design:

  • Item category
  • Story and physical description
  • Mechanical description
  • Rarity
  • Attunement

I designed a set of three magic items: stoneguard armor, stonecutter axe, and stoneshaper ring. I’ll show you how I designed each step-by-step.

Step 1. Item Category

There’s no mystery about this step. Is your item armor, a potion, a ring, a rod, a scroll, a staff, a wand, a weapon, or a wondrous item? (Wondrous items are magic items that do not fit into another category, including clothing, gemstones, musical instruments, etc.)

Step 2. Story and Physical Description

Many items have a single sentence at the beginning of their description that tells the reader what the item looks like. If the item’s history and narrative are significant (like moonblade), you can add as much story information as you like. I recommend putting your story information first followed by your item’s physical description, especially if both require more than a few sentences.

  • The opening for stoneguard armor is Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this armor to wear while defending their cities from invading duergar. This suit of plate armor consists of interlocking pieces of smooth stone and a helmet that appears to be a grinning dwarf monarch.
  • The opening for stonecutter axe is Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this battleaxe to wield while defending their cities from invading duergar. The axe is a single piece of stone carved with Dwarvish runes.
  • The opening for stoneshaper ring is Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this ring to wear while defending their cities from invading duergar. This ring is a single band of smooth stone carved with the symbol of Moradin.

Step 3. Mechanical Description

After providing a physical description of the magic item, write its mechanical description. What does your item do? The sky is the limit here, but keep in mind that items tend to thematically stick to what they do normally, just way, way better. For instance, weapons provide attack and damage bonuses, armor provides AC bonuses, and spellcasting focuses grant spells. While it would mechanically be fine for gloves to make a character move more silently, such a feature might make more sense for a pair of boots. This advice is just that: a guideline that you should feel free to break when you have good reason.

When you’re crafting your item’s mechanics, look at items, class features, spells, and feats that grant similar abilities to see how they are worded. The closer you stick to the style of D&D’s core books, the better your item plays with rules that already exists in the game. Behold the mechanics for each item I’m creating.

Stoneguard Armor

Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this armor to wear while defending their cities from invading duergar. This suit of plate armor consists of interlocking pieces of smooth stone and a helmet that shows the face of a grinning dwarf monarch. While wearing this armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision before wearing the armor, the range of your darkvision increases 60 feet. In addition, if you stand perfectly still while wearing this armor, your appearance is indistinguishable from a statue of an ancient dwarf monarch.

If you are attuned to the stoneguard armor and attuned to the stonecutter axe and the stoneshaper ring, the bonus to AC granted by the armor increases to +2.

Stonecutter Axe

Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this battleaxe to wield while defending their cities from invading duergar. The axe is a single piece of stone carved with Dwarvish runes. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the battleaxe. In addition, whenever you hit an object or creature made of stone or earth (such as an earth elemental or stone golem) with this weapon, you deal an extra 2d8 thunder damage to the target. If a creature takes thunder damage from this weapon, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

If you are attuned to the stonecutter axe and attuned to the stoneguard armor and the stoneshaper ring, the bonus to attack and damage rolls you make with this weapon increases to +2.

Stoneshaper Ring

Mountain dwarf masons and wizards crafted this ring to wear while defending their cities from invading duergar. This ring is a single band of smooth stone carved with the symbol of Moradin. This ring has 3 charges and it regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing this ring, you can expend 1 charge to cast the following spells without needing to expend any material components: meld into stone, passwall, and transmute rock. The spell save DC for these spells is 15.

If you are attuned to the stoneshaper ring and attuned to the stoneguard armor and the stonecutter axe, the spell save DC for these spells increases to 17.

Step 4. Rarity

The trickiest part of designing your item is its rarity, but luckily the Dungeon Master’s Guide has advice. The Magic Item Power by Rarity table is a great place to start, but it shouldn’t be the only place you look. Compare your item to similar items in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to help pinpoint rarity.

The Magic Item Power by Rarity table it says that an item that grants a +1 bonus to AC or attack rolls must be at least uncommon rarity and items that grant 5th-level spells must be at least rare. That means off the bat the +1 bonuses provided by the stoneguard armor and the stonecutter axe make those items at least uncommon. The same table reveals the stoneshaper ring is at least rare, since it grants two 5th-level spells to its wearer.

To determine the final rarity of the stoneguard armor I looked at other magic suits of armor in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. First I saw that plain old +1 armor starts at rare, which immediately boosts the rating of my armor from uncommon to rare. Then I compared it to armor of invulnerability, demon armor, and dwarven plate to get a sense of different magic plate armor abilities compared to rarities. Stoneguard armor grants darkvision, a hiding utility, and the potential to raise its AC bonus to +2 when paired with other magic items, so I raised its rarity one more time from rare to very rare.

To determine the final rarity of the stonecutter axe I looked at the rarity of other magic weapons in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. I studied the berserker axe, dagger of venom, sword of sharpness, sword of vengeance, and sun blade specifically. Given the features of the stonecutter axe beyond its bonus to attack and damage rolls, I gave it a boost in rarity from uncommon to rare.

To determine the final rarity of the stoneshaper ring I looked at the rarity of all the magic rings in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The item’s limited casting power and the fact that three of its spells are under 6th-level tracks with its already determined rare power rating, so I left it as is.

Step 5. Attunement

You need to determine if your item requires attunement. Once again the Dungeon Master’s Guide provides great advice:

  • If having all the characters in a party pass an item around to gain its lasting benefits would be disruptive, the item should require attunement.
  • If the item grants a bonus that other items also grant, it’s a good idea to require attunement so that characters don’t to collect too many of the other items.
  • James adds: If your item is consumable (like a potion) it should not require attunement.

If you’re on the fence about attunement for your item, play it safe and go with requiring it. Many in the Dungeon Master’s Guide do. The stoneguard armor, stonecutter axe, and stoneshaper ring all require attunement because they provide benefits that would be disruptive if passed around from player to player.

Are there any restrictions about who can attune to your items? For instance in the Dungeon Master’s Guide the staff of the woodlands requires attunement by a druid or the moonblade requires attunement by an elf or half-elf of neutral good alignment. Do whatever makes sense for your item’s story.

For the most part, staffs and wands that grant the wielder a significant number of spells require attunement by a spellcaster or a specific class that can cast the spells granted. This helps curb the items power. A staff of fire the hands of a sorcerer or wizard essentially gives the caster more spell slots. In the hands of a bard or fighter however, the item turns them into multiclass characters with access to spells they probably don’t have without the item. It’s fine if you want to design a staff that casts unlimited fireball spells to which anyone can attune, just know the consequences.

Step 6. Edit and Playtest

Now that you’ve created your magic item, give it a once over. Read it out loud and edit. Even the most experienced designers need to edit their work. Then send your work to a friend to make comments. A second pair of eyes helps you understand if the design intent of your item is coming through.

If you have the opportunity to playtest your new item, take it! Nothing is a better test of your design work than actually seeing it in action. Plus it’s a great excuse to get friends together for a game of D&D! As always give your item to someone else to use during the playtest, again to see if the design intent comes through. Change anything you think needs it after playtesting.

Step 9. Make Your Work Public

It’s time to make your work public! That means sharing the magic item with your group, posting it to a blog, putting it up for sale on the DMs Guild, or on D&D Beyond.

You can find the final versions of my items here: stoneguard armor, stonecutter axe, and stoneshaper ring.

Go Make Stuff!

There you have it! A step-by-step process for creating a D&D magic item. I can’t wait to see what people create. Share your items with me on Twitter @JamesIntrocaso on in the comments below. Next week, I’ll show you how to make a new monster!

Become a Patron!

If you like what you’re reading please consider supporting me on Patreon, supporting me on Ko-fi, follow me on Twitter, like World Builder Blog on Facebook, check out my podcasts, find my products on the DMs Guild, tell your friends about the blog, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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New Rune Magic Items for Storm King’s Thunder

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I want more runes items! You may have already picked up your copy of Storm King’s Thunder at your local friendly game store. Those who did may have found one of the first pictures in the book is of twenty different giant runes. I was excited when I first saw it because these runes must be tied to the rune magic we had heard so much about.

Turns out rune magic is very cool. Essentially you find a magic item with a particular giant rune on it and that item gives the wielder several benefits. You can also moves the rune from the item and apply it to a place or object that gets a new benefit. There’s only one problem. Of the twenty runes pictured at the start of the book, only eight are given magic items (or nine if you count the blod stone but I’m not for these purposes since it functions differently than the other rune items).

What’s a DM to do? Well make the other 12 into magic items of course! Below is my take on the other 12 runes in magic item form.

New Rune Magic Items

Bone of the Uven Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This femur of a dwarf is petrified to the point of being stone. The uven (enemy) rune is carved out and filled with silver on its top. The bone has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

After Him. When an enemy within 5 feet of you takes the Disengage action, you can move half your speed as a reaction.

Know Thy Enemy. As a bonus action, pick one enemy within 30 feet of you. You learn the enemies’s AC, hit points, and any damage immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

No Escape. You have advantage on opportunity attacks.

Gift of Vengeance. You can transfer the bone’s magic to a nonmagical item – a weapon or a suit of armor – by tracing the uven rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the bone is destroyed, and the rune appears in silver on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Weapon. The weapon is now an uncommon magic weapon that requires attunement. When a creature hits you with an attack and deals damage, you have advantage on attack rolls made against that creature using this weapon until the end of your next turn.
  • Armor. The armor is now an uncommon magic item that requires attunement. When a creature hits you with an attack and deals damage and you are wearing the armor, you have resistance against damage from all other attacks made by that creature until the end of your next turn.
Branch of the Liv Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This curving birch branch is 2 feet long and three inches thick. Small buds make it seem as if leaves could spring out of the branch at any second. The liv (life) rune is burned into the side of the branch. The branch has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Healing Grace. Whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains 1 additional hit point.

Remove Harmful Condition. As an action, you touch one willing creature and immediately end any blinded, deafened, poisoned, paralyzed, or stunned condition afflicting it. You can also use this ability to remove one level of exhaustion from a creature. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Spare the Dying. As an action you can cast the spare the dying.

Gift of Life. You can transfer the branch’s magic to the corpse of a creature that has been dead has been dead for no more than 200 years, that didn’t die of old age, and that isn’t undead by tracing the uven rune on it with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the branch to be within 5 feet of you. If the creature’s soul is free and willing, the target returns to life with all its hit points. This process neutralizes all poisons, cures all diseases, and removes all curses afflicting the creature when it died. This process closes all wounds and restores any missing body parts. At the end of the transfer, the branch is destroyed, and the creature has a black tattoo of the rune appear somewhere on its body.

Diamond of the Stig Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This diamond is a three-inch-radius sphere cut so the light within it dazzles. Close inspection reveals the light burning within is in the shape of a stig (light) rune. The diamond has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Beacon of Hope. As an action you can cast beacon of hope. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Blinding Burst. As an action, your body erupts with radiant light in a 30-foot radius. All creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature blinded in this way can repeat this saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the blinded condition on a success. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Radiant Friend. You have resistance to radiant damage.

Shed Light. As an action the diamond sheds bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light for an additional 60. You can use another action to make the bright light go down to a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5.

Gift of Light. You can transfer the diamond’s magic to a nonmagical item – a weapon or a torch – by tracing the stig rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the diamond is destroyed, and the rune appears in yellow on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Weapon. The weapon is now an uncommon magic weapon. It deals an extra 1d6 radiant damage to any target it hits.
  • Torch. The torch is now an uncommon magic item that requires attunement. This torch never burns out. As an action you can cause the torch to ignite, causing it shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20. You can use another action to extinguish the flame. While the flame is lit and you hold the torch, all creatures you choose within 20 feet of you have advantage on saving throws againsted being charmed or frightened.
Emerald of the Kong Rune

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This emerald is cut into a rhomboid shape, three inches on each side and three inches thick. A gold kong (king) rune is clearly seen within its core. The emerald has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Inspiring Leadership. As an action you can speak a magic word of inspiration to one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature has advantage on attack rolls and saving throws against being frightened until the end of your next turn. Once you use this property twice, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Natural Leader. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) and (Persuasion) ability checks made to influence creatures of the same type as you.

Ruler’s Command. At the start of your turn, one creature of your choice within 5 feet of you can take the Help action as a reaction. Once you use this property twice, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Gift of the King. You can transfer the emerald’s magic to a nonmagical item – a crown or a ring – by tracing the kong rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the emerald is destroyed, and the rune appears in gold on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Crown. The crown is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. While you wear it, you have advantage on all Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
  • Ring. The ring is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. While you wear it you can speak, read, and write any language and communicate telepathically with any creature that understands a language within 30 feet.
Fan of the Skye Rune

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This sky blue folding hand fan is rather dainty for a giant, but almost three times the size what a human would normally use. When unfolded, a white skye (cloud) rune can be seen in the middle of the fan. The fan has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Cloud Carpet. You can spend 1 minute creating a 15-foot square of cloud 1 foot thick. The cloud can carry up to 10,000 pounds, can hover, has a fly speed of 60 feet, and moves according to your spoken directions, provided you are within 30 feet. The cloud lasts for 1 hour. Once you use this property, you  can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Fog Cloud. As an action, you can cast fog cloud.

Gust of Wind. As an action, you can cast gust of wind.

Gift of Cloud. You can transfer the fan’s magic to a nonmagical item – a pair of boots, a cloak, or a suit of armor – by tracing the skye rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the fan is destroyed, and the rune appears in white on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Armor. The armor is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. As a reaction when you are hit by an attack you can turn your entire body into cloud stuff until the end of your next turn. While you are made of cloud stuff you are resistant to all damage. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
  • Boots/Cloak. The pair of boots or cloak is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. You gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed and can hover while you wear this item.
Finger of the Dod Rune

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This preserved finger of a frost giant is gray and shriveled. It is 3 feet long and 1 foot thick. The flesh beneath its fingernail is carved with a bloody dod (death) rune. The finger has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Animate Dead. As an action, you can cast animate dead. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Death’s Sacrifice. When you deal damage to a creature and it dies as a result, you gain 10 temporary hit points.

Necrotic Friend. You gain resistance to necrotic damage.

Respect of the Dead. You have advantage on Charisma ability checks made to influence undead creatures.

Gift of Death. You can transfer the finger’s magic to the corpse of a creature that isn’t undead by tracing the dod rune on it with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the finger to be within 5 feet of you. The target rises as a wraith under you control. You decide what action the wraith will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the wraith only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. At the end of the transfer, the finger is destroyed, and the wraith has the rune floating somewhere within its incorporeal form.

Horn of the Uvar Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This curved horn comes from a giant ram. It is 3 feet long and capped with a silver mouthpiece. The horn is emblazoned with a blue uvar (storm) rune. The horn has the following properties.

Lightning’s Call. As an action you can blow the horn. Up to 8 creatures of your choice within 60 feet who can hear the horn and are holding at least one weapon, each have one weapon they are wielding of their choice covered in crackling lightning for 1 minute. During this time the weapons deal an extra 1d6 lightning damage and are magical. A weapon loses these properties if it is dropped or stowed. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Storm Friend. While the horn is on your person, you are resistant to lightning and thunder damage.

Thunderous Blast. As an action, you can blow a 60-foot cone of thunder from the horn. Creatures in the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. Creatures who fail take 22 (5d8) thunder damage and are pushed 10 feet away from you. Creatures who succeed take only half damage and aren’t pushed. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Gift of Storm. You can transfer the horn’s magic to a nonmagical item – a weapon or a boat – by tracing the uvar rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the horn is destroyed, and the rune appears in blue on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Weapon. The weapon is now a rare magic weapon that requires attunement. It deals an extra 1d6 thunder damage to any target it hits. When you score a critical hit with the weapon, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
  • Boat. The boat is now a rare magic item. Nothing short of total destruction can capsize the vessel.
Horseshoe of the Ferd Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This horseshoe is made from black steel and connected to a chain so it can be worn around the neck. The ferd (journey) rune is emblazoned in green on the item. The horseshoe has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Born to Journey. You and up to six other creatures you choose who travel within 60 feet of you can travel for 12 hours a day before having to make a Constitution saving throw against exhaustion.

Fleet Feet. Your walking speed increases by 5 feet.

Safe Place. You can spend 1 hour creating a permanent teleportation circle on a firm surface without using any material components. Once this circle is created you can spend another hour moving it to a new location on a firm surface of your choice. There can only be one permanent teleportation circle created by this item in existence at a time. When you attune to the item, a previous permanent teleportation circle created by a previously attuned creature disappears.

Gift of Travel. You can transfer the horseshoe’s magic to a nonmagical item – a suit of barding for a mount or a pair of boots – by tracing the ferd rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the horseshoe is destroyed, and the rune appears in green on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Barding. The barding is now an uncommon magic item. A mount wearing this barding can gallop for up to 8 hours before needing to slow down or be swapped out.
  • Boots. The boots are now a rare magic item that requires attunement. You gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed while you wear them.
Skull of the Hellig Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This human skull is gilded. A black hellig (sacred) rune is emblazoned on its top. The skull has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Religious Expert. You have advantage on Intelligence (Religion) checks.

Reveal Truths. You can cast the following spells without expending any material components (spell save DC 17): augury, detect evil and good, divination, and zone of truth. After casting a spell from the skull, you must complete a long rest before you can cast the same spell from the skull again.

Gift of Sacred Ground. You can transfer the skull’s magic to a place by tracing the hellig rune there with your finger. The point where you trace it becomes the center of a spherical area of magic that has a 100-foot radius. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the skull to be within 5 feet of you. At the end, the skull is destroyed, and the whole area is under the effect of a hallow spell (spell save DC 17) that cannot be dispelled by normal means. You choose all of the spell’s variables.

Stone of the Fjell Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This rough-hewn, gray stone is six inches around. It is carved with a deep fjell (mountain) rune. The stone has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Create Tunnel. If you spend 1 minute touching a solid surface, at the end of that minute a circular hole opens in the surface that is up to 10 feet in diameter and 100 feet long. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Fists of Stone. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks.

Mountain’s Strength. You have advantage on Strength saving throws.

Gift of the Mountain. You can transfer the stone’s magic to a nonmagical item – a belt or a pair of goggles – by tracing the fjell rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the stone is destroyed, and the rune appears in gray on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Belt. The belt is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. While you wear it, you can cast stoneskin on yourself as an action requiring no material components and no concentration. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
  • Goggles. The pari of goggles is now a rare magic item that requires attunement. While you wear the goggles, you can use an action to force one creature that can see you to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic. Once you use this property, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Toe of the Haug Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This preserved pinky toe of a hill giant is shriveled with age. It is 2 feet long and 1 foot thick. A red haug (hill) rune is carved into the bottom of the toe. The toe has the following properties, which only work while it is on your person.

Giant Grass. As an action you touch a point on the ground and grass 10 feet tall grows in a 10-foot-square area centered on that point. Creatures in the grass are heavily obscured. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Healing Meal. As an action you can consume a nonmagical, Tiny or smaller object held by you and regain 2d4+4 hit points. The object you consume is destroyed. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Hurl Earth. As action you can dig up a chunk of dirt from soft earth and hurl it as a weapon with which you are proficient. The earth petrifies mid throw and becomes a rock. The rock deals 1d10 bludgeoning damage and has the thrown (20/60) property.

Gift of the Hill. You can transfer the toe’s magic to a nonmagical item – a pair of boots or a cloak – by tracing the haug rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the toe is destroyed, and the rune appears in red on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Boots. The pair of boots is now an uncommon magic item that requires attunement. While you wear the boots, you can use your action to stomp on the ground and release a shockwave in a 20-foot radius. Each creature touching the ground in the area (except for you) must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 feet into the air and then fall back to the ground and land prone. A creature who fails this saving throw takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
  • Cloak. The cloak is now an uncommon magic item that requires attunement. While you wear it, you gain a burrowing speed equal to your walking speed.
Vial of the Blod Rune

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This clear crystal, needle-tipped vial is seems the appropriate size for a Medium or Small creature. The giants who crafted them liked this smaller size because it made the vials easier to conceal. The vial is marked with a red blod (blood) rune. The vial has the following properties.

Charm of Blood. As an action you can draw the blood of a creature by touching the empty vial to it. The vial momentarily numbs the area of the body from which the blood is drawn. To do this without being noticed you must make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check opposed by the target’s Wisdom (Perception) check. If you drink all the creature’s blood from the vial as an action within 24 hours of drawing it, that creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or it is charmed by you for 4 hours or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the effect ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Impersonate Other. As an action you can draw the blood of a creature who is the same size and type as you by touching the empty vial to it. The vial momentarily numbs the area of the body from which the blood is drawn. To do this without being noticed you must make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check opposed by the target’s Wisdom (Perception) check. If you drink all the creature’s blood from the vial as an action within 24 hours of drawing it, your physical appearance changes to match that of the target’s. All of your equipment and statistics stay the same. This change lasts 6 hours, or until you dismiss it as an action. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Vial Weapon. You can wield the vial as a melee weapon with which you are proficient. The vial deals 1d4 piercing damage and has the light and finesse properties. When you make an attack and deal damage with the vial you can use your reaction to regain a number of hit points equal to the damage you dealt to the creature. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Gift of Blood. You can transfer the vial’s magic to a nonmagical item – a melee weapon or a diamond – by tracing the blood rune there with your finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each other. At the end, the vial is destroyed, and the rune appears in red on the chosen item, which gains a benefit based on its form:

  • Diamond. The diamond is now a blod stone (see Storm King’s Thunder Appendix B). The blood of the creature inside the blod stone is the same blood from the same creature that was inside the vial when the transfer took place. If the vial is empty when attempting to transfer the magic to a diamond, the transfer cannot be completed.
  • Weapon. The weapon is now an uncommon magic weapon. When you make an attack and deal damage with the weapon you can use your reaction to regain a number of hit points equal to the damage you dealt to the creature. Once you use this property, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

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The Night Santa Went Crazy

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It all started when I wanted my PCs to fight Santa. I started creating an adventure to do just that and I shared the Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition monster statistics for Mr. Claus and his crew on this very blog. I plan on posting the entire adventure next week, but before I put it all together in a free holiday PDF for ya’ll, I wanted to share the final important piece of the adventure. This is the magic item that makes St. Nick go insane.

You see Narese, an evil empyrean on Santa’s naughty list, got her hands on the Crown of Bewitching Enchantment. This powerful artifact allowed her to dominate the jolly old celestial and turn him bad. Soon he started sending gifts to everyone on his naughty list and exploding coal to the kiddies on the nice list. Dang that must be one powerful crown! Read about it below.

I should also mention that this blog post is part of this month’s RPG Blog Carnival, which is being hosted right here on this very blog for all of December. The theme is “Homebrew Holiday Gifts.” I’m asking bloggers everywhere to share their RPG creations for their favorite systems with me. At the end of the month I’ll make a list linking all participating blog posts so everyone can checkout the fine homebrew creations in one place.

The Crown of Bewitching Enchantment

Wondrous Item, artifact (requires attunement)

Forged millennia ago for the Prince of Frost of The Winter Court in the Feywild, the Crown of Betwitching Enchantment can force all but the most willful beings into utter subjugation to the wearer. The crafter, an elf witch who fell madly in love with the Prince of Frost, spent more than 500 years pouring magical energy into the crown each day before she presented it to the man of her affection.

This was long before the Prince of Frost was cruel and heartless. He accepted the gift from the witch, but feared the ultimate power it possessed and ordered the crown sent away. For centuries it sat in the Nine Hells. Those who knew of the crown were unable to retrieve it and the devils had no idea it was hidden in the wastes of Avernus. Eventually Asmodeus himself felt the pull of the crown. He ordered it retrieved and gave it to one of his pit fiend commanders named She’kalor. The fiend brought balor generals under her control and the eternal stalemate of the Blood War began to tip in the favor of the devils.

Solars took notice and realized the fiends had to be stopped. If the armies of The Nine Hells took over The Abyss, how many other planes might the combined forces of demons and devils conquer together? The angels sacrificed much to get the Crown of Bewitching Enchantment, but they keep it with them at all times. Should the need arise and a hero prove strong of heart and mind, they will award the crown for a short time to aid the doing of good deeds.

Random Properties. The Crown of Bewitching Enchantment has the following random properties:

  • 1 major detrimental property
  • 2 minor beneficial properties
  • 1 major beneficial property
  • 1 minor detrimental property

Properties of the Crown. While attuned to the crown you gain the following benefits.

  • You are immune to psychic damage.
  • You are immune to the charmed condition.
  • You cannot be surprised.
  • You can cast the following spells at-will (spell save DC 20): dominate person, fey step, invisibility, zone of truth
  • As an action you cast a special form of dominate monster (spell save DC 20). This spell functions the same way as the normal spell except all creatures have disadvantage against this saving throw, it does not require concentration, and the duration is indefinite. You can have up to three creatures charmed this way. If you want to charm a fourth creature using this ability, you must choose to release one of the creatures you already have charmed (no action). The effect ends on all creatures if you are killed, a new wearer becomes attuned to the crown, or the crown is destroyed.
  • As an action you can emit a 60-foot cone of psychic power from the crown. Creatures you choose in the cone must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or take 8d8 psychic damage and become paralyzed for 1 minute. Creatures paralyzed in this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turns, ending the effect of a success. Once you have used this power three times, you cannot use it again until the next day at dawn.

Destroying the Crown. The only way to destroy the Crown of Bewitching Enchantment is to gather a coven of fifty hags to perform a daylong ritual which summons a blessed elder purple worm to devour the crown.

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Crown of Bewitching Enchantment

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20 Cursed Magic Weapon Properties

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Curses! This month’s RPG Blog Carnival theme is “Curses! Cursed Items, Spells, and Campaign Stories,” chosen by Johnn Four over at Roleplaying Tips. This is one of my favorite themes yet!

Recently I designed 100 common magic weapon properties and 100 common wondrous items. These two posts are currently the most popular ever in this blog’s history. Since I love designing cursed items and people seem to love reading about them, I thought for this month’s theme I’d design another 100 magic item properties – this time it’s all about curses. This post includes the first 20 properties, which can be added to weapons.

Designing Curses – You Take the Good, You Take the Bad

When it comes to cursed items, I find it helps to mix the good in with the bad. For instance demon armor on page 165 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide has a lot of beneficial properties, but also has a curse associated with it – the user cannot remove the armor without a remove curse spell after donning it and and suffers penalties against demons in combat. This presents an interesting conundrum for the player. Should the character wear the armor to gain its awesome infernal benefits, but know that whenever its time to doff a 3rd-level spell better be waiting and that combat with demons is extra deadly? Or is it better to wear some normal armor without awesome magic claws and a bonus to AC?

I understand wanted to create a purely cursed object with no benefits whatsoever, but once the players get over the shock and surmount the curse, then the item is pretty much done. If the item has some sweet benefits they may keep that bad boy and that makes the game and the item’s story more layered.

With that in mind I’ve created a bunch of cursed magic item properties which can be added to any existing magic items (homebrew or published). Of course, if you prefer to have a purely cursed item for your game, go ahead and simply add a cursed property or three to an existing item.

Cursed Item Properties

When giving a magic item (or a non-magical item) to your players, you may choose to add a cursed property to the item. These cursed properties are in addition to any other properties the item may already have. To give an item a cursed property, first determine if the item is a weapon, armor, spellcasting implement, consumable magic item, or non-armor wearable item (such as rings, cloaks, boots, etc.). Then roll or pick a cursed property for the item on the appropriate table.

Cursed Weapon Properties
d20 Property
1 When you score a critical hit with this weapon, it deals 1d12 psychic damage to you. This damage cannot be reduced in any way.
2 After attacking with this weapon for this first time it becomes grafted to one of your hands. While the weapon is grafted to you, you cannot drop or sheathe it and you cannot be disarmed. In addition any ability checks you make which require the use of both hands are made with disadvantage. Only a remove curse spell or similar magic can undo the grafting.
3 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with this weapon, roll the weapon’s damage as if you had hit. Instead of the creature you attacked taking the damage, it heals for the damage amount you rolled.
4 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with this weapon, you become poisoned until the end of your next turn.
5 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with this weapon, you become blinded until the end of your next turn.
6 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with this weapon, you become frightened of the creature you attack until the end of your next turn.
7 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll with this weapon, you become incapacitated until the end of your next turn.
8 This weapon only deals half damage to creatures of a certain type (chosen by the DM).
9 You have disadvantage on attack rolls made in sunlight with this weapon.
10 Whenever you miss an attack with this weapon, you fall prone.
11 When you draw this weapon it cannot be put away or dropped until it has damaged a creature. While the weapon is drawn and hasn’t dealt any damage yet, you cannot be disarmed. In addition any ability checks you make which require the use of both hands are made with disadvantage.
12 If you carry any other weapons on your person while you wield this weapon, attacks made with this weapon are made with disadvantage.
13 Each time you draw or pickup this weapon you take 1d6 psychic damage. This damage cannot be reduced in any way.
14 When you use this weapon to attack an enemy while you can see another enemy of a higher challenge rating, you have disadvantage on the attack roll.
15 This weapon cannot reduce a creature to 0 hit points. If a damage roll made with the weapon would normally reduce another creature to 0 hit points, that creature is instead reduced to 1 hit point.
16 When you roll a natural 1 with this weapon, you are charmed by the enemy you attacked until the end of your next turn. The creature you are charmed by is aware of this effect.
17 When you attack a creature with a higher Strength score than you with this weapon, the attack roll has disadvantage.
18 Creatures not native to the Material Plane are drawn to your weapon and wish to claim it for themselves.
19 In a combat encounter when all of your enemies are defeated, if you are carrying this weapon, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or see all conscious allies as hostile enemies for one minute. You can repeat this saving throw at the end of your turn, ending the effect on a success.
20 Roll twice on this table.

More to Come

You’ve probably noticed the four other four categories of curses are missing. Stay tuned for those on Thursday! It’s Labor Day weekend here in the US so the blog post is a little shorter than usual as I’m spending time with friends and family.

If you like what you’re reading please consider supporting me on Ko-fi, follow me on Twitter, like World Builder Blog on Facebook, check out my podcasts, find my products on the DMs Guild, tell your friends about the blog, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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The Real Swords of Findalay

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This month’s RPG Blog Carnival theme is “Weapons of Legend” chosen by Scot Newbury over at Of Dice and Dragons. Who doesn’t love this theme? Definitely check out Of Dice and Dragons at the end of the month to see all of the carnival offerings from this month piled together.

Here on World Builder Blog the Free Game Resources section of this site is brimming with all sorts of glorious weapon options for your fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons game. There’s firearms, bombs, siege weapons, mechs, mounts, magic weapons (including firearms and bombs), new conjuration spells, and artifact weapons for you to arm your PCs with. What am I missing? That’s right, intelligent magic items. Well the wait is over. Prepare to meet four new magic swords straight out of the upcoming Exploration Age Campaign Guide. These are the swords used by Canus’ international peacekeeping quartet, The Swords of Findalay. Read on!

Who Are The Swords of Findalay?

So if you’re new to the blog and don’t want to go down the rabbit hole of reading older posts about Canus, Findalay is a continent comprised of four countries. Aeranore, a kingdom of humans and gnomes, Taliana, a democratic republic of elves and halflings, Bragonay, an empire of dwarves and their warforged slaves, and Marrial, a true democracy of dragonborn. All of these four countries have warred on and off for thousands of years and so they established a group of peacekeepers known as The Swords of Findalay to police the governments of the continent. Each country sends one hero to serve a ten-year term as a Sword. New Swords are granted special intelligent magic weapons when taking on their mantle presented to them by the outgoing Swords.

The Blades of Findalay

Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires attunement)

Each of The Blades of Findalay was forged by a master smith of its namesake country. The blades of these longswords are large, brightly colored gemstones. While the swords share some similar properties, each blade is imbued with its own unique personality, look, and a defining magical attribute.

Each of The Blades of Findalay is a magic longsword which grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it and can be used as a spellcasting focus. When used as a spellcasting focus the item grants a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls and spell save DCs of your spells. When all four of the blades are within 500 feet of each other the bonuses to attack rolls, damage rolls, and spell save DCs rises to +3.

As a bonus action while holding on of The Blades of Findalay you can cause the weapon to shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light in another 30 feet after that. It takes another bonus action to extinguish the light.

The Blade of Aeranore

The blue sapphire Blade of Aeranore sings “Aeranore the Bold,” the country’s national anthem, when being swung in battle. It’s gold hilt features the flag of Aeranore on its pomel and the phrase “Power in Knowledge” is carved on its cross-guard in Gnomish.

Flight. While attuned to the Blade of Aeranore you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can use the sword to fly for up to 1 hour, all at once or in several shorter flights, each one using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration. If you are flying when the duration expires, you descend at a rate of 30 feet per round until you land. The sword regains its hour of flying after you complete a long rest.

Sentience. The Blade of Aeranore is a sentient weapon of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to 120 feet.

The weapon can communicate telepathically with its wielder and it can also speak, read, and understand Common and Gnomish.

Personality. The Blade of Aeranore is unrelentingly patriotic, but not overtly nationalistic. It has a love for Aeranore, but it respects the other nations of Findalay. It critiques the other nation’s more harshly, but will grudgingly admit when push comes to shove that Aeranore is not perfect.

The Blade of Aeranore loves good strategy and is always nervous if its wielder acts without a plan whether in battle or diplomacy. The sword will always give its own thoughts and opinions about a plan even if its opinion is not invited. It cannot resist giving advice for the sword feels it is better to over-prepare than to have things go awry.

The Blade of Aeranore desires peace amongst the kingdom and believes knowledge is more important than strength. It is always searching for new tomes to read particularly those which deal with Aeranore’s history. The sword has a vested interest in learning about the other Findalayan countries as well since the right cultural fact or historical reference can turn a diplomatic encounter from unfavorable to favorable.

The Blade of Bragonay

The serrated, ruby Blade of Bragonay revels in combat and laughs wildly when it is surrounded by the red mist of blood. Its adamantine hilt is encrusted with small diamonds and glowing red Dwarvish runes which spell out the word, “Power.”

Thrower. The Blade of Bragonay has the thrown property with a normal range of 30 feet and a long range of 90 feet. Immediately after a ranged attack is made with the weapon it appears back in your hand.

Sentience. The Blade of Bragonay is a sentient weapon of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 10, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to 120 feet.

The weapon can communicate telepathically with its wielder and it can also speak, read, and understand Common and Dwarvish.

Personality. The Blade of Bragonay speaks only when necessary and usually in short, gruff sentences. The weapon has little patience for hi-jinx and tomfoolery that aren’t in celebration of a job well done, especially if there’s still a task which needs doing. That being said, the weapon has a soft spot for dwarves and dwarvish culture and is extremely protective of its wielder. If ever its wielder is personally attacked with words or steel, the sword comes screaming in to defend. It laughs at all of its wielder’s jokes and praises the smallest achievements like a fool in love.

While The Blade of Bragonay supports the mission for peace in Findalay it does love a good battle, particularly with monsters who have no tie to any of Findalay’s governments. The weapon encourages its wielder to kill first and ask questions never when a band of marauding giants or evil dragon threaten the land. The wielder of the sword finds the weapon publicly pushes for the harshest punishments for nations which violate the Treaty of Findalay including its namesake country.

There are those who believe The Blade of Bragonay to secretly send visions of Bragonay’s future world domination to its wielder. While these visions have never been proven, it would explain why Bragonay’s last Sword murdered the others at the behest of the nation’s empress.

The Blade of Marrial

The fine emerald Blade of Marrial chants prayers to The Sky Dragon as it swings through enemy ranks. The silver hilt of the blade is emblazoned with images of all manner of sea creatures as an homage to the nation of islands.

Amphibious. While attuned to The Blade of Marrial you have a swimming speed of 60 feet and can breathe underwater.

Sentience. The Blade of Marrial is a sentient weapon of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 12, a Wisdom of 12, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to 120 feet.

The weapon can communicate telepathically with its wielder and it can also speak, read, and understand Common and Draconic.

Personality. True to its democratic creators, The Blade of Marrial supports solutions which make the majority happy. It is easily the best negotiator of all The Blades of Findalay because it is the most-even tempered and patient. The sword listens to all opinions and facts before giving its own well-reasoned stance.

The Blade of Marrial makes it a point to not show any favoritism toward its wielder or its country. In fact the sword goes so far as to force a new wielder to earn its trust before beginning to impart telepathic thoughts to it. In battle the sword preaches mercy believing sparing a life to be the stronger option (when such an option is available).

The Blade of Marrial has a particular hatred of slavery. It is grudgingly accepting of Bragonay’s enslavement of the warforged because it has to be, but refuses to speak in the presence of any who support the enslavement other races, such as diplomats from Parian.

The Blade of Taliana

The wicked alexandrite Blade of Taliana offers bawdy curses in Elvish and Halfling as it cuts down enemies. The onyx hilt of the sword is studded with small emeralds and emblazoned with images of elf and halfling heroes of legend.

Invisibility. As an action you can cast invisibility on yourself while attuned to The Blade of Taliana. You can use this ability three times and then must complete a long rest before you can cast the spell in this way again.

Sentience. The Blade of Marrial is a sentient weapon of neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 16, a Wisdom of 8, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to 120 feet.

The weapon can communicate telepathically with its wielder and it can also speak, read, and understand Common, Elvish, and Halfling.

Personality. The Blade of Taliana is the least formal and appropriate of all The Blades of Findalay. It is quick with a jest and must be silenced in diplomatic situations as often as it must be called upon for jokes to ease tension. It japes in good fun at the expense of its wielder and offends in poor taste at the expense of others.

The Blade of Taliana bores easily, so it’s a good thing it finds diplomatic situations fascinating. While on the road or deep in a dungeon, it implores its wielder to find some mischief to get into so they might have a story to tell. Likewise the sword pushes the wielder to take risks in its personal life not for glory or riches, but for the fun of it. It is no surprise that the sword loves pranks.

When things truly seem hopeless or without proper course, that is when The Blade of Taliana truly shines. For all its rudeness the weapon cares for all The Swords of Findalay and their mission and often gives rallying speeches to bolster its allies. Above all The Blade of Taliana does not want to see Findalay fall into another war on its watch and acts which could put the continent on such a course offend the sword to its very soul more than any bawdy tale told at a fancy dinner party.

PDF

You know what this calls for? A free PDF of everything above so you can easily add The Blades of Findalay to your game. While I’m at it, I’ll give the weapons to you in their own PDF and in a second PDF along with the other 80+ magic items I’ve created for Exploration Age. You can grab it in the link below or you can head on over to the Free Game Resources section of the site where it will live forever alongside plenty of other resources for your game like monsters, D&D fifth edition rules modules, backgrounds, spells, magic items, and more.

The Blades of Findalay

If you like what you’re reading, please check out my podcasts on The Tome Show, follow me on Twitter, tell your friends and share this blog post, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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Weapons of the Dwarven Gods

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You may have already read about the dwarven gods of Exploration Age and their religion, Hierotheism. Well each of the seven dwarf gods wields a unique weapon. Today I’d like to show you an excerpt from the Exploration Age Campaign Guide about those weapons… well not the weapons of the dwarven gods, but rather their copies which exist on Canus.

That’s right, the Exploration Age magic item preview continues today with a look at these artifacts. After covering wondrous items, weapons, armor, rings, rods, staffs, wands, and bioarcane items, this was clearly the next thing to show off. Once all of these magic items have been shown revealed and reviewed by the public (that’s you!), I’ll add them to the Free Game Resources section of the site.

Say hello to the weapons of the dwarven gods and enjoy the excerpt below!

Tools of Order

Weapons (varies), artifacts (requires attunement)

Hierotheist priestesses preach that the goddesses of the caste created copies of their weapons for seven mighty warriors to rise up against the chromatic dragons. These weapons, the Tools of Order, had the laws of the caste system eventually used in Bragonay engraved into them. The seven dwarf warriors were the leaders of their stations and enforced the divine will of their goddesses. While the weapons were lost in the war with the dragons, their laws remain in place today. Many dwarfs spend centuries hunting for any clue of the Tools of Order.

Some outside the Heirotheist religion claim these weapons are not divine at all but rather made by powerful shardmind mages. In fact these naysayers claim that the dwarves refused to rise up with the shardminds against the chromatic dragons so the crystalline beings created the Tools of Order to appeal to the dwarves’ piety. They say it is the shardminds themselves who hid these weapons so the dwarves would never know of their deception. These sacrilegious claims have only made seekers of the Tools of Order all the more desperate to find the weapons of their gods.

Each of the Tools of Order is a magic weapon which grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. When you score a critical hit with one of these weapons roll the attack’s damage dice three times and add it together with any relevant modifiers. Each of the Tools of Order also functions as a ring of evasion, defender, and dragonslayer.

If a non-lawful or non-dwarf creature attempts to attune one of the weapons, it must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save this creature takes 8d6 psychic damage taking only have damage on a successful one. The creature must repeat this saving throw anytime it attacks with the weapon.

Random Properties. Each of the Tools of Order has the following random properties:

  • 2 minor beneficial properties
  • 1 major beneficial property
  • 1 minor detrimental property

Dominate Person. While holding one of these weapons you can cast dominate person (save DC 18). Once you have cast the spell you cannot cast it again until next dawn.

Strength of the Caste. If 2 or more of the Tools of Order are within 100 feet of one another, each wielder gains an additional +1 bonus to damage and initiative rolls for every other weapon within range.

Destroying the Tools. The only way to destroy the Tools of Order is by freezing them in the coldest part of the Nine Hells and then breaking them against the hardest stone in the Plane of Earth.

Order-Keeper

This greatsword is forged of adamantine and has diamonds shaped into Dwarish runes along the center of the blade. Its engraved hilt of gold depicts a mighty army of dwarves working together to slay an ancient red dragon. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Caramey, the Heirotheist goddess of the empress caste.

Increased Strength. While wielding this weapon your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Fire. While wielding this weapon you resist fire damage.

Head-Remover

This sickle’s blade is made of pure emerald. Its ebony wood shaft is marked with silver Dwarish runes on one side and plated with gold depiction of an army of dwarves removing the head of an ancient blue dragon on the other. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Meralla, the Heirotheist goddess of the warlord caste.

Increased Constitution. While wielding this weapon your Constitution score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Lightning. While wielding this weapon you resist lightning damage.

Secrets Released

This dagger is made entirely of obsidian and embedded with small sapphire Dwarish runes on the blade. Its gold-plated hilt depicts a noble family of dwarves executing a bound ancient green dragon. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Zelti, the Heirotheist goddess of the noble caste.

Increased Charisma. While wielding this weapon your Charisma score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Poison. While wielding this weapon you resist poison damage. If you are a dwarf, you are immune to poison damage while wielding this weapon.

Judgement

This adamantine battleaxe is adorned with ruby Dwarish runes. Its gold haft depicts a lone dwarf hero standing victorious over the bodies of several dead green dragons. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Swarvune, the Heirotheist goddess of the warrior caste.

Increased Strength. While wielding this weapon your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Poison. While wielding this weapon you resist poison damage. If you are a dwarf, you are immune to poison damage while wielding this weapon.

Dragonsbane

This oversized maul is adorned with Dwarish runes of pearl along its marble head. Its gold haft depicts a hail of arrows taking down an ancient black dragon in flight. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Shalleal, the Heirotheist goddess of the artisan caste.

Increased Intelligence. While wielding this weapon your Intelligence score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Acid. While wielding this weapon you resist acid damage.

Servitor

This war pick’s head is made of pure ruby carved with Dwarish runes. Its gold haft depicts a group of villagers defeating an ancient white dragon in combat. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Berga, the Heirotheist goddess of the peasant caste.

Increased Wisdom. While wielding this weapon your Wisdom score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Cold. While wielding this weapon you resist cold damage.

Worthy Example

This simple club is carved of oak and inlaid with diamond Dwarish runes around its head. An image of a dwarf slave bowing to another is carved into its wood. It is made in the likeness of the weapon wielded by Almahad, the Heirotheist god of the slave caste.

Increased Wisdom. While wielding this weapon your Wisdom score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Resist Fire. While wielding this weapon you resist fire damage.

Feedback Please!

Your feedback has been so helpful in designing these magic items. Please continue to leave comments and let me know what you think!

If you like what you’re reading, please check out my podcasts on The Tome Show, follow me on Twitter, tell your friends and share this blog post, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!

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