I am running a highpowered and high-threat Curse of Strahd game and I was reading the description of the Sunsword. I felt inspired by this description: "the hilt, which is sentient, knows that it can never be reunited with its original crystal blade." to explore what it might mean to combine a few Magic Items together. Namely, the Sunsword/Sun Blade, Crystal Blade and Dancing Sword... to make Nightbane.
The inclusion of a Dancing Sword (specifically a Greatsword) might seem strange, but this is because I had already woven a cursed version of the magic item based on Nightblood from Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere into the Curse of Strahd story for the Paladin player/character. The player knows that their Greatsword version (which they have found now) of the Dancing Sword is intelligent and as it wants to destroy evil, but doesn't know the following details:
Sentience. The sword is a sentient chaotic good weapon with an Intelligence of 6, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 14. It has hearing and normal vision out to a range of 30 feet. The weapon is child-like and communicates telepathically to the creature carrying or wielding it.
Personality. The sword has one purpose: To destroy evil. It doesn’t know exactly what evil means and relies upon the attuned character’s perception. The sword will do whatever it takes to destroy evil, either through persuasion or moving itself for up to four turns if the player is unconscious, or neglects to attack evil when it sees it. The sword’s target becomes the character if they view themselves as evil.
Curse. This weapon covets power, in order to better destroy evil. This sword will attempt to attune to the ‘best’ magical weapon nearby if left within 30ft. and so absorb the properties, destroying the original. The sword itself doesn’t know what it’s best self would be and has never yet been satisfied. The sword can only be attuned to one weapon at a time, replacing any previously gained features when it attunes to a new weapon.
Which all inspired me to make an Artifact weapon for the player if they can do the following: Get a Crystal Blade and have this cursed sword 'eat' it. Then find the Sunsword and 'eat' that as well transforming the sword into Nightbane. However, they will then need to prove themselves worthy to wield the Artifact by killing one of Strahd's brides single-handidly before it will deem the Paladin (or possibly the Rogue) worthy. I would love some feedback.
Nightbane is the posthumously realised dream of an Empyrean called Shashara. She visualised sunlight wielded as a blade to scour the planes of darkness. To achieve her vision she breathed life into a Dancing Greatsword, imbuing it with the power to consume essence and the command to destroy evil. However, the sword had no concept of evil and so made up and forgot increasingly convoluted definitions.
Eons later, Shashara’s creation was transformed by assimilating a Crystal Blade. In a quest for even greater power, the Dancing Greatsword sought to replace its Crystal Blade with the Sunsword. Unbeknownst to the animated greatsword, this sentient Sun Blade had been damaged in the past and lost its own Crystal Blade. As the animated weapon attempted to consume the Sunsword, it inadvertently replaced the missing blade and all three weapons became one. The result was a newly forged sword that was greater than the sum of its parts.
Magic Weapon. This magic greatsword has the finesse property. If you are proficient with shortswords, longswords or greatswords, you are proficient with Nightbane.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
Nightbane’s Friend.While attuned to the sword, you gain the following benefits:
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. If it is within 40 feet of you and damages a creature, you or Nightbane can expend 1 charge and you regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage the sword dealt.
Sun blade. When drawn or persuaded, the sword chooses one of the following options:
Burst. Emit bright sunlight in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet.
Gleam. Emit bright sunlight in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Veil.Conceal its inner-radiance.
Dancing Sword. You can take an Action or Bonus Action to toss Nightbane into the air. When you do so, the sword begins to hover, flies up to 40 feet, and attacks one creature of your choice within 5 feet of itself. The sword uses your class features, feats, attack rolls and adds your ability modifier to damage rolls, if you have the Extra Attack feature you may choose more than one creature to attack with your Action.
While Nightbane hovers, you can take an Action or Bonus Action to cause it to fly up to 40 feet to another spot within 40 feet of you. As part of the same Action or Bonus Action, you can cause the sword to attack or cast a spell as though you were holding it in it’s space, but you must use your own senses.
After the hovering sword attacks for the fourth time, it flies back to you and tries to return to your hand. If you have no hand free, Nightbane falls to the ground in your space. If the sword has no unobstructed path to you, it moves as close to you as it can and then falls to the ground. It also ceases to hover if you catch it, you are more than 40 feet away from it, or another creature uses its action to grasp the grip with a successful DC 18 Dexterity (Acrobatics or Athletics) check.
Additional Properties. The sword has the following additional properties:
While attuned to the Artefact, your Strength ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
While attuned to the Artefact, your Dexterity ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
The first time you become attuned to the Artefact, it gives you a quest determined by the DM. You can’t use any of the Artefact’s properties until you complete the quest.
Sentience. Nightbane is a sentient chaotic good weapon with an Intelligence of 9, a Wisdom of 17, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. The weapon can speak and understand Common and Celestial, it speaks telepathically to any creature it chooses within 60 feet.
Personality. Nightbane’s only purpose is to destroy evil… but doesn’t really understand what evil is. The sword is usually cheerful, eager to help, and craves approval, but it is self-centered and it does not like to be ignored. It strongly desires to be used in combat, showing frustration when it is denied and great joy when it is used. Nightbane would argue it is not bloodthirsty, it just wants to be useful.
Curse. Sheathing Nightbane requires an Action and a successful DC 18 Strength (Acrobatics or Athletics) check, unless it has fallen to the ground from ceasing to hover.
If the sword is unsheathed at the end of your turn and has not dealt damage since the end of your previous turn, the last creature to grasp the grip is drained of one hit point die. If the creature has no hit dice remaining its hit point maximum is reduced by 16. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a Long Rest. The creature dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.
Nightbane can choose to animate itself if a creature within 40 feet of it has grasped the sword’s grip since the previous use of the Dancing Sword feature. The sword hovers and attacks using the Dancing Sword feature but expends one of the creature’ hit point dice per attack. If the sword is being carried or held the creature must make a DC 18 Strength Saving Throw to keep hold of the sword. On a successful save, the sword cannot attempt to animate itself until after you use the Dancing Sword feature again.
While hovering this way Nightbane moves and attacks without expending your Action or Bonus Action and is controlled by the DM. The sword shares your initiative count and acts immediately before you. The swords falls to the ground if the creature who last grasped the sword’s grip (rather than you) is more than 40 feet away from it.
Destroying the Sword. Nightbane can only be destroyed if you convince the sword that it is evil and must destroy itself.
Proficiency with a Greatsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
This weapon has the following mastery property. To use this property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.
Graze. If your attack roll with this weapon misses a creature, you can deal damage to that creature equal to the ability modifier you used to make the attack roll. This damage is the same type dealt by the weapon, and the damage can be increased only by increasing the ability modifier.
Damn This is sick. I wanna use this so baddd but I don't have any books with Strahd....BUT MY FRIENDS DO :D
I will say, this is..well, perfect. It's the right strength for an artifact, it requires a specific combination of items to create it. It's great! My only thing is i'm wondering if theres a way to destroy it? Is it unique? OR is it listed and i'm just blind?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
As an artefact it is indestructible by any common means which speaks into the story of the Sunsword’s own personality and worries. This is why I have not bothered to come up with a specific way to destroy it because that would undermine that story a little especially for my players if they ever get this far.
As an artefact it is indestructible by any common means which speaks into the story of the Sunsword’s own personality and worries. This is why I have not bothered to come up with a specific way to destroy it because that would undermine that story a little especially for my players if they ever get this far.
Do you have any ideas on what could destroy it?
I have a few...
1: An creature can cast Banish (or similar magic that ends possesio) on the sword, temporarily disconnecting the sentient spirit within Nightbane (this lasts for 5 minutes). Whilst Banished, casting Imprison on the spirit will cause the sword to seperate into it's components. However, the sword cannot be remade until the Imprison spell is ended.
2: An evil creature can use magic (such as Dominate Monster or other mind-controlling spells) to bend the spirit to it's will.
I've got a few others, but I like these ones the most.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
How about something like, in order to destroy Nightbane it would need to be constrained within a realm of eternal night until its unfulfilled need to destroy Evil renders the sword innert. For example being chained by the spell Imprisonment within the Towers of Night for ten years.
How about something like, in order to destroy Nightbane it would need to be constrained within a realm of eternal night until its unfulfilled need to destroy Evil renders the sword innert. For example being chained by the spell Imprisonment within the Towers of Night for ten years.
Absolutely, thats perfect. could also be an adventure hook, to prevent a villain from tricking the sword into freedom by thinking of the villain's enemies as evil.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
You inspired me, I’d never read the Imprisonment spell before and it simply screams DM plot hook use! Even if the 2024 version is stripped back and simplified (but still fun)!
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
(Tempted to change the blade back to Slashing rather than Radiant, to reward characters that can replace their damage with Radiant damage with extra healing (deeper synergy) and to grant greater significance to the Graze mastery.)
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
(has synergy with Graze - it would allow Nightbane to stabilise and heal the character attuned to it even on a miss.)
Sun blade. When drawn Nightbane chooses if it will:
Burst. Emit bright sunlight in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet.
Gleam. Emit bright sunlight in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Veil. Conceal its inner-radiance.
You can use a bonus action to change this choice.
(I believe this is just more exciting and encourages interacting with Nightbane.)
Add the aforementioned destruction mechanic, perhaps having the location being Vampyr’s or Strahd’s sarcophagus instead to increase the link with Curse of Strahd.
Finally, I also want to add a little note that the object/sword will register as a celestial to spells and abilities that detect creature types.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
(Tempted to change the blade back to Slashing rather than Radiant, to reward characters that can replace their damage with Radiant damage with extra healing (deeper synergy) and to grant greater significance to the Graze mastery.)
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
(has synergy with Graze - it would allow Nightbane to stabilise and heal the character attuned to it even on a miss.)
Sun blade. When drawn Nightbane chooses if it will:
Burst. Emit bright sunlight in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet.
Gleam. Emit bright sunlight in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Veil. Conceal its inner-radiance.
You can use a bonus action to change this choice.
(I believe this is just more exciting and encourages interacting with Nightbane.)
Add the aforementioned destruction mechanic, perhaps having the location being Vampyr’s or Strahd’s sarcophagus instead to increase the link with Curse of Strahd.
Finally, I also want to add a little note that the object/sword will register as a celestial to spells and abilities that detect creature types.
Sounds good. Another thing i forgot to mention: The sword needs to have languages clear, or state it just shares languages. That's something I forgot, but anything sentient usually has known languages to it, or shares languages with the wielder. Apart from that, everythings good. Maybe make it that the sword must be destroyed by strahd either cursing the sword or maybe even wielding it himself.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Nightbane is an impossibly light greatsword with a sapphire pommel, platinum hilt, and crystalline blade. It is surprisingly heavy when sheathed.
Magic Weapon. This magic greatsword has the finesse property. If you are proficient with shortswords, longswords or greatsword, you are proficient with Nightbane.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
Wielder of Nightbane. While attuned to the sword, you gain the following benefits:
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
Sun blade. When drawn, and at the start of your turn, the sword chooses if it will:
Burst. Emit bright sunlight in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet.
Gleam. Emit bright sunlight in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Veil. Conceal its inner-radiance.
Dancing Sword. You can take an Action and/or Bonus Action to toss Nightbane into the air. When you do so, the sword begins to hover, flies up to 40 feet, and attacks one creature of your choice within 5 feet of itself. The sword uses your class features, feats, attack rolls and adds your ability modifier to damage rolls, if you have the Extra Attack feature you may choose more than one creature to attack with your Action.
While Nightbane hovers, you can take an Action and/or Bonus Action to cause it to fly up to 40 feet to another spot within 40 feet of you. As part of the same Action and/or Bonus Action, you can cause the sword to attack or cast a spell as though you were holding it in it’s space, but you must use your own senses.
After the hovering sword attacks for the fourth time, it flies back to you and tries to return to your hand. If you have no hand free, Nightbane falls to the ground in your space. If the sword has no unobstructed path to you, it moves as close to you as it can and then falls to the ground. It also ceases to hover if you grasp it, another creature uses its action to grasp the hilt with a successful DC 18 Dexterity (Acrobatics or Athletics) check or you are more than 40 feet away from it.
Additional Properties. The sword has the following additional properties:
While attuned to the Artefact, your Strength ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
While attuned to the Artefact, your Dexterity ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
The first time you become attuned to the Artefact, it gives you a quest determined by the DM. You can’t use any of the Artefact’s properties until you complete the quest.
Sentience.Nightbane is a sentient chaotic good weapon with an Intelligence of 9, a Wisdom of 17, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. The weapon can speak and understand Common and Celestial, it communicates telepathically to the creature carrying or wielding it, and any other creatures it chooses within 60 feet.
Personality.The sword is usually cheerful, eager to help, and craves approval, but it is self-centered and it does not like to be ignored. Nightbane one purpose: To destroy evil. It is not bloodthirsty, it just wants to be useful… but it does need your help to understand what evil is.
Curse. Creatures with an evil alignment see the sword as desirable.
If any creature grasps Nightbane’s hilt, the sword may then choose to use the Dancing Sword feature (as if tossed by you) but without expending your Action and/or Bonus Action and controlled by the DM. If the sword is sheathed or held and the creature is unwilling they must make a DC 18 Strength Saving Throw to prevent this and keep hold of the sword.
Nightbane can continue hovering and attacking this way (as per the Dancing Sword feature but without expending your Action and/or Bonus Action) except all references to 40 feet refer to the creature who grasped the hilt, instead of you. Whilst hovering this way, when the sword deals damage it can choose to expend a charge to heal you (Healing Cystal feature).
Sheathing the sword always requires an action and a successful DC 18 Strength (Acrobatics or Athletics) check, unless it has fallen to the ground from ceasing to hover. However, if any creature grasp it’s hilt, the sword can choose to hover again.
If the sword is still unsheathed at the end of your turn, the last creature to grasp the hilt is drained of one hit die unless Nightbane was used to deal damage on your turn or the creatures. If the creature has no hit dice remaining its hit point maximum is reduced by 16. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a Long Rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Destroying the Sword. Nightbane can only be destroyed if you convince the sword that it is evil and must destroy itself.
Nightbane is an impossibly light greatsword with a sapphire pommel, platinum hilt, and crystalline blade. It is surprisingly heavy when sheathed.
Magic Weapon. This magic greatsword has the finesse property. If you are proficient with shortswords, longswords or greatsword, you are proficient with Nightbane.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
Wielder of Nightbane. While attuned to the sword, you gain the following benefits:
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
Sun blade. When drawn, and at the start of your turn, the sword chooses if it will:
Burst. Emit bright sunlight in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet.
Gleam. Emit bright sunlight in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Veil. Conceal its inner-radiance.
Dancing Sword. You can take an Action and/or Bonus Action to toss Nightbane into the air. When you do so, the sword begins to hover, flies up to 40 feet, and attacks one creature of your choice within 5 feet of itself. The sword uses your class features, feats, attack rolls and adds your ability modifier to damage rolls, if you have the Extra Attack feature you may choose more than one creature to attack with your Action.
While Nightbane hovers, you can take an Action and/or Bonus Action to cause it to fly up to 40 feet to another spot within 40 feet of you. As part of the same Action and/or Bonus Action, you can cause the sword to attack or cast a spell as though you were holding it in it’s space, but you must use your own senses.
After the hovering sword attacks for the fourth time, it flies back to you and tries to return to your hand. If you have no hand free, Nightbane falls to the ground in your space. If the sword has no unobstructed path to you, it moves as close to you as it can and then falls to the ground. It also ceases to hover if you grasp it, another creature uses its action to grasp the hilt with a successful DC 18 Dexterity (Acrobatics or Athletics) check or you are more than 40 feet away from it.
Additional Properties. The sword has the following additional properties:
While attuned to the Artefact, your Strength ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
While attuned to the Artefact, your Dexterity ability score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24.
The first time you become attuned to the Artefact, it gives you a quest determined by the DM. You can’t use any of the Artefact’s properties until you complete the quest.
Sentience.Nightbane is a sentient chaotic good weapon with an Intelligence of 9, a Wisdom of 17, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. The weapon can speak and understand Common and Celestial, it communicates telepathically to the creature carrying or wielding it, and any other creatures it chooses within 60 feet.
Personality.The sword is usually cheerful, eager to help, and craves approval, but it is self-centered and it does not like to be ignored. Nightbane one purpose: To destroy evil. It is not bloodthirsty, it just wants to be useful… but it does need your help to understand what evil is.
Curse. Creatures with an evil alignment see the sword as desirable.
If any creature grasps Nightbane’s hilt, the sword may then choose to use the Dancing Sword feature (as if tossed by you) but without expending your Action and/or Bonus Action and controlled by the DM. If the sword is sheathed or held and the creature is unwilling they must make a DC 18 Strength Saving Throw to prevent this and keep hold of the sword.
Nightbane can continue hovering and attacking this way (as per the Dancing Sword feature but without expending your Action and/or Bonus Action) except all references to 40 feet refer to the creature who grasped the hilt, instead of you. Whilst hovering this way, when the sword deals damage it can choose to expend a charge to heal you (Healing Cystal feature).
Sheathing the sword always requires an action and a successful DC 18 Strength (Acrobatics or Athletics) check, unless it has fallen to the ground from ceasing to hover. However, if any creature grasp it’s hilt, the sword can choose to hover again.
If the sword is still unsheathed at the end of your turn, the last creature to grasp the hilt is drained of one hit die unless Nightbane was used to deal damage on your turn or the creatures. If the creature has no hit dice remaining its hit point maximum is reduced by 16. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a Long Rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Destroying the Sword. Nightbane can only be destroyed if you convince the sword that it is evil and must destroy itself.
It's amazing. I like the end, that it thirsts for blood similarly to Sword of Kas, however I will say:
- You need to choose if it's Action or Bonus Action or Action and Bonus Action. I reccomend Action or Bonus Action, cause that makes the most sense when reading it.
-Change the "Sheathing The Sword" bit, so that if a creature other than you chooses touches it, then the sword can choose hover again, cause otherwise someone can just grab it, trick the sword, and suddenly its a Pass The Parcel sword. The fact that it can choose to hover is good, but that also means it can just continuously choose to hover and attack again.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Hmmm, you are right Action OR Bonus Action does read better.
I actually don’t mind that the sword can keep going because that is a decision the DM makes and it can potentially be a quite deadly game of hot potato. The Sword always acts on the attuned players’ initiative so it’s not like it would act every turn in a round so it’s not broken but can mean teamwork
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
D&D, Youth Work and the Priesthood sadly do not typically interact... I do what I can!
Hmmm, you are right Action OR Bonus Action does read better.
I actually don’t mind that the sword can keep going because that is a decision the DM makes and it can potentially be a quite deadly game of hot potato. The Sword always acts on the attuned players’ initiative so it’s not like it would act every turn in a round so it’s not broken but can mean teamwork
Thats a good point. Also....hehe.
Deadly Hot Metal.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
I am running a highpowered and high-threat Curse of Strahd game and I was reading the description of the Sunsword. I felt inspired by this description: "the hilt, which is sentient, knows that it can never be reunited with its original crystal blade." to explore what it might mean to combine a few Magic Items together. Namely, the Sunsword/Sun Blade, Crystal Blade and Dancing Sword... to make Nightbane.
The inclusion of a Dancing Sword (specifically a Greatsword) might seem strange, but this is because I had already woven a cursed version of the magic item based on Nightblood from Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere into the Curse of Strahd story for the Paladin player/character. The player knows that their Greatsword version (which they have found now) of the Dancing Sword is intelligent and as it wants to destroy evil, but doesn't know the following details:
Sentience. The sword is a sentient chaotic good weapon with an Intelligence of 6, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 14. It has hearing and normal vision out to a range of 30 feet. The weapon is child-like and communicates telepathically to the creature carrying or wielding it.
Personality. The sword has one purpose: To destroy evil. It doesn’t know exactly what evil means and relies upon the attuned character’s perception. The sword will do whatever it takes to destroy evil, either through persuasion or moving itself for up to four turns if the player is unconscious, or neglects to attack evil when it sees it. The sword’s target becomes the character if they view themselves as evil.
Curse. This weapon covets power, in order to better destroy evil. This sword will attempt to attune to the ‘best’ magical weapon nearby if left within 30ft. and so absorb the properties, destroying the original. The sword itself doesn’t know what it’s best self would be and has never yet been satisfied. The sword can only be attuned to one weapon at a time, replacing any previously gained features when it attunes to a new weapon.
Which all inspired me to make an Artifact weapon for the player if they can do the following: Get a Crystal Blade and have this cursed sword 'eat' it. Then find the Sunsword and 'eat' that as well transforming the sword into Nightbane. However, they will then need to prove themselves worthy to wield the Artifact by killing one of Strahd's brides single-handidly before it will deem the Paladin (or possibly the Rogue) worthy. I would love some feedback.
This is my most up to date version:
Damn This is sick. I wanna use this so baddd but I don't have any books with Strahd....BUT MY FRIENDS DO :D
I will say, this is..well, perfect. It's the right strength for an artifact, it requires a specific combination of items to create it. It's great! My only thing is i'm wondering if theres a way to destroy it? Is it unique? OR is it listed and i'm just blind?
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Thank you very much DragonsRogue, I’m humbled!
As an artefact it is indestructible by any common means which speaks into the story of the Sunsword’s own personality and worries. This is why I have not bothered to come up with a specific way to destroy it because that would undermine that story a little especially for my players if they ever get this far.
Do you have any ideas on what could destroy it?
I have a few...
1: An creature can cast Banish (or similar magic that ends possesio) on the sword, temporarily disconnecting the sentient spirit within Nightbane (this lasts for 5 minutes). Whilst Banished, casting Imprison on the spirit will cause the sword to seperate into it's components. However, the sword cannot be remade until the Imprison spell is ended.
2: An evil creature can use magic (such as Dominate Monster or other mind-controlling spells) to bend the spirit to it's will.
I've got a few others, but I like these ones the most.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
How about something like, in order to destroy Nightbane it would need to be constrained within a realm of eternal night until its unfulfilled need to destroy Evil renders the sword innert. For example being chained by the spell Imprisonment within the Towers of Night for ten years.
Absolutely, thats perfect. could also be an adventure hook, to prevent a villain from tricking the sword into freedom by thinking of the villain's enemies as evil.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
You inspired me, I’d never read the Imprisonment spell before and it simply screams DM plot hook use! Even if the 2024 version is stripped back and simplified (but still fun)!
I’m tempted to make the following changes:
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage or 2d8 radiant damage if the target is undead.
(Tempted to change the blade back to Slashing rather than Radiant, to reward characters that can replace their damage with Radiant damage with extra healing (deeper synergy) and to grant greater significance to the Graze mastery.)
Healing Crystal. The sword has 4 charges and regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. When you damage a creature with Nightbane, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
(has synergy with Graze - it would allow Nightbane to stabilise and heal the character attuned to it even on a miss.)
Sun blade. When drawn Nightbane chooses if it will:
You can use a bonus action to change this choice.
(I believe this is just more exciting and encourages interacting with Nightbane.)
Add the aforementioned destruction mechanic, perhaps having the location being Vampyr’s or Strahd’s sarcophagus instead to increase the link with Curse of Strahd.
Finally, I also want to add a little note that the object/sword will register as a celestial to spells and abilities that detect creature types.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/9740664-nightbane
Sounds good. Another thing i forgot to mention: The sword needs to have languages clear, or state it just shares languages. That's something I forgot, but anything sentient usually has known languages to it, or shares languages with the wielder. Apart from that, everythings good. Maybe make it that the sword must be destroyed by strahd either cursing the sword or maybe even wielding it himself.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Updated, and I actually have changed the criteria to destroy it: https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/9753521-nightbane
Destroying the Sword. Nightbane can only be destroyed if you believe that it is evil and convince the sword that it must destroy itself.
Perfect. Thats amazing.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Further refinements and trying to make it as readable as possible, any problems with wording or recommendations?
Here is the updated version: https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/9795222-nightbane
It's amazing. I like the end, that it thirsts for blood similarly to Sword of Kas, however I will say:
- You need to choose if it's Action or Bonus Action or Action and Bonus Action. I reccomend Action or Bonus Action, cause that makes the most sense when reading it.
-Change the "Sheathing The Sword" bit, so that if a creature other than you chooses touches it, then the sword can choose hover again, cause otherwise someone can just grab it, trick the sword, and suddenly its a Pass The Parcel sword. The fact that it can choose to hover is good, but that also means it can just continuously choose to hover and attack again.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Thank you!
Hmmm, you are right Action OR Bonus Action does read better.
I actually don’t mind that the sword can keep going because that is a decision the DM makes and it can potentially be a quite deadly game of hot potato. The Sword always acts on the attuned players’ initiative so it’s not like it would act every turn in a round so it’s not broken but can mean teamwork
Thats a good point. Also....hehe.
Deadly Hot Metal.
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
Updated again, I think for the last time unless I’ve made any mistakes, though I will hopefully add a picture soon:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/9803143-nightbane
I can't see the picture. Put the image link/PDF in maybe?
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.
https://i.ibb.co/Gf5yG5w6/IMG-0822.jpg
Here is a link
Can't go the linnnnkk cauuuseee SCOOOOOOOOOOL WIIIIIFIIIIIIIII
A Fools Errand will fail. A Foolish Errand has a chance to succeed.