So since I’m a dork. I’m thinking of making a magic weapon that transforms from a dagger, into a dagger + 1d4 lightning damage, into a sword with + 1d6 lightning damage, into a long sword with + 1d8 lightning damage. The change requires the characters free and bonus action, and the weapon will revert to a basic dagger after combat. in addition the sword can cast Scry once per day. (Might up the damage as the characters grow stronger. But not sold on that yet)
So what does this classify as? Like it’s clearly more then a wonderous item, but is it legendary/ artifact level?
It starts out as a dagger. It gets +1d4 lighting damage when you spend an action to hit with it. In order to change it's shape, and near as I can figure, that would be interaction with an object, and you can do that only once per turn. So in effect, you use your attack action to hit with it, change it's shape, and you're done with your turn unless someone leaves your range without taking the Disengage action, which triggers an Attack of Opportunity. So far, it's still a dagger.
On your next turn, you can change it's shape into a sword of any kind that does 1d6, (you don't say how much extra lightning damage it gets at this point) use the Attack action as usual. I don't see anything here that would qualify you for a Bonus action of any kind, so outside of the usual rule about AoO, you're done with your turn again.
On your next turn, you can change it into a Longsword with 1d8 additional Lightning damage, attack with it, and as a bonus action, use it with both hands to do 1d10 +1d8 additional Lighting damage.
As written, it would probably qualify as an Artifact. I might suggest that it gets a bonus of +1 to hit and damage as a base weapon, and confine it to doing an additional 1d4 lighting damage no matter what shape it might be in. That would probably make it a Rare item. The +2 version would be very rare, and the +3 one would be an Artifact.
It's a bit of a mess, to be honest. I have to start out using a 1d4+d4 damage dagger rather than a 2h longsword for 1d10, which is better damage, and in the second turn it only deals the same damage as a greatsword.. At its peak of combat power, it's less powerful than a flame tongue longsword. So I'd say uncommon for the weapon part of it, as it's strictly worse than a Flametongue, which is Rare.
Regarding being able to cast scrying, that suddenly elevates it a lot. But cube of force casts wall of force multiple times a day, and can move it around, and that's a Rare item.
Scrying is somewhat gamechanging, though. I'd make it a Rare or Very Rare item, and expect it to be used for the spellcasting and not much else.
This isn't even remotely close to artifact power level. Artifacts change the whole direction of kingdoms.
It's a bit of a mess, to be honest. I have to start out using a 1d4+d4 damage dagger rather than a 2h longsword for 1d10, which is better damage, and in the second turn it only deals the same damage as a greatsword.. At its peak of combat power, it's less powerful than a flame tongue longsword. So I'd say uncommon for the weapon part of it, as it's strictly worse than a Flametongue, which is Rare.
Regarding being able to cast scrying, that suddenly elevates it a lot. But cube of force casts wall of force multiple times a day, and can move it around, and that's a Rare item.
Scrying is somewhat gamechanging, though. I'd make it a Rare or Very Rare item, and expect it to be used for the spellcasting and not much else.
This isn't even remotely close to artifact power level. Artifacts change the whole direction of kingdoms.
So possibly lore level artifact but power level rare to very rare. Got it
I am not sure what you mean by 'lore level artifact.' Any item, even a mundane dagger, can have lore behind it. But an Artifact is something very specific in D&D, and is something that changes the fate of the entire world. The power level of an artifact is always massively above that of even a Legendary item.
So since I’m a dork. I’m thinking of making a magic weapon that transforms from a dagger, into a dagger + 1d4 lightning damage, into a sword with + 1d6 lightning damage, into a long sword with + 1d8 lightning damage. The change requires the characters free and bonus action, and the weapon will revert to a basic dagger after combat. in addition the sword can cast Scry once per day. (Might up the damage as the characters grow stronger. But not sold on that yet)
So what does this classify as? Like it’s clearly more then a wonderous item, but is it legendary/ artifact level?
It starts out as a dagger. It gets +1d4 lighting damage when you spend an action to hit with it. In order to change it's shape, and near as I can figure, that would be interaction with an object, and you can do that only once per turn. So in effect, you use your attack action to hit with it, change it's shape, and you're done with your turn unless someone leaves your range without taking the Disengage action, which triggers an Attack of Opportunity. So far, it's still a dagger.
On your next turn, you can change it's shape into a sword of any kind that does 1d6, (you don't say how much extra lightning damage it gets at this point) use the Attack action as usual. I don't see anything here that would qualify you for a Bonus action of any kind, so outside of the usual rule about AoO, you're done with your turn again.
On your next turn, you can change it into a Longsword with 1d8 additional Lightning damage, attack with it, and as a bonus action, use it with both hands to do 1d10 +1d8 additional Lighting damage.
As written, it would probably qualify as an Artifact. I might suggest that it gets a bonus of +1 to hit and damage as a base weapon, and confine it to doing an additional 1d4 lighting damage no matter what shape it might be in. That would probably make it a Rare item. The +2 version would be very rare, and the +3 one would be an Artifact.
<Insert clever signature here>
It's a bit of a mess, to be honest. I have to start out using a 1d4+d4 damage dagger rather than a 2h longsword for 1d10, which is better damage, and in the second turn it only deals the same damage as a greatsword.. At its peak of combat power, it's less powerful than a flame tongue longsword. So I'd say uncommon for the weapon part of it, as it's strictly worse than a Flametongue, which is Rare.
Regarding being able to cast scrying, that suddenly elevates it a lot. But cube of force casts wall of force multiple times a day, and can move it around, and that's a Rare item.
Scrying is somewhat gamechanging, though. I'd make it a Rare or Very Rare item, and expect it to be used for the spellcasting and not much else.
This isn't even remotely close to artifact power level. Artifacts change the whole direction of kingdoms.
So possibly lore level artifact but power level rare to very rare. Got it
I am not sure what you mean by 'lore level artifact.' Any item, even a mundane dagger, can have lore behind it. But an Artifact is something very specific in D&D, and is something that changes the fate of the entire world. The power level of an artifact is always massively above that of even a Legendary item.
Compare a Robe of the Archmagi to the Hand of Vecna for example.