Maybe this is a dumb question, but is the Shadow Sword the Drow Shadowblade uses a physical weapon? Or is it a permanent manifestation of some sort of magic? Like a super juiced up version of a Warlock's Pact Blade? I plan on having my players fight one soon, and I am trying to decide if it should be a weapon they can use, but has a major plot point tied around it, or just part of the Shadowblade herself.
Nothing in the description says they summon a magical weapon, and the attack is a non-magical melee weapon attack. So it sounds like it's just a blade called a shadow sword
This is an interesting point. If the sword itself is not magical then does it bypass a resistance or immunity to non-magical, non-silvered weapons, like a Lycanthrope of some sort? If the magic is coming from the Drow, channeled through the sword, then the sword would not do the piercing damage but the magic would still go through it and affect the target.
This is an interesting point. If the sword itself is not magical then does it bypass a resistance or immunity to non-magical, non-silvered weapons, like a Lycanthrope of some sort? If the magic is coming from the Drow, channeled through the sword, then the sword would not do the piercing damage but the magic would still go through it and affect the target.
It all counts as coming from a “magical source.” There is technically no such thing as “magic damage” in D&D.
It all counts as coming from a “magical source.” There is technically no such thing as “magic damage” in D&D.
RAW a monster's attacks aren't magical unless its stat block specifically calls it out. If the Drow Shadowblade attacked a lycanthrope, they wouldn't do any piercing damage but would deal necrotic damage. Players can create a similar situation using Divine Smite, smite spells, Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade, or similar abilities.
It actually doesn't matter whether the necrotic damage is magical or not because resistance or immunity to non-magical attacks only applies to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
The sword lets the drow create some darkness that is expressly magical. I would therefore rule that the sword itself must be magical if it allows the creation of magical darkness.
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Maybe this is a dumb question, but is the Shadow Sword the Drow Shadowblade uses a physical weapon? Or is it a permanent manifestation of some sort of magic? Like a super juiced up version of a Warlock's Pact Blade? I plan on having my players fight one soon, and I am trying to decide if it should be a weapon they can use, but has a major plot point tied around it, or just part of the Shadowblade herself.
Nothing in the description says they summon a magical weapon, and the attack is a non-magical melee weapon attack. So it sounds like it's just a blade called a shadow sword
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It appears to be a high-powered magic weapon. But you could always rule that it is only attunable by a Shadowblade.
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It's strongly implied to be a short sword that's been enhanced with the shadow magic mentioned in the monster description.
Jeremy Crawford suggests that special damage in a monster stat block comes from the way the monster uses that object rather than the object itself.
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This is an interesting point. If the sword itself is not magical then does it bypass a resistance or immunity to non-magical, non-silvered weapons, like a Lycanthrope of some sort? If the magic is coming from the Drow, channeled through the sword, then the sword would not do the piercing damage but the magic would still go through it and affect the target.
It all counts as coming from a “magical source.” There is technically no such thing as “magic damage” in D&D.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
RAW a monster's attacks aren't magical unless its stat block specifically calls it out. If the Drow Shadowblade attacked a lycanthrope, they wouldn't do any piercing damage but would deal necrotic damage. Players can create a similar situation using Divine Smite, smite spells, Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade, or similar abilities.
It actually doesn't matter whether the necrotic damage is magical or not because resistance or immunity to non-magical attacks only applies to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
The sword lets the drow create some darkness that is expressly magical. I would therefore rule that the sword itself must be magical if it allows the creation of magical darkness.