Just introduced this in our campaign, and I'd appreciate any thoughts on long term balance, etc... feedback more than welcome.
Weapon of the Ancients - Two Handed Mace
Damage: 1-12 HP, bludgeoning
Crafted in ancient times by the scaled folk under the watchful eyes of their draconic tutors, these weapons were produced for their war against the hordes of chaos. Even the elves were born long after these battles ended, for the scaled folk are as ancient as the giants or the dragons themselves.
Mauls, Great Axes, Two Handed Maces and Great Swords, most of these weapons are suited to warriors of stature and strength, as suits the fighting style of the scaled folk.
Once, these weapons were as common as the mighty warriors who wielded them, but most have fallen to the great span of years. Those that remain are revered by those tribes of Lizardfolk or Dragonborn who still hold to the old ways, given only to those warriors deemed most worthy, or employed in times of great need. Often pitted or worn with the passage of aeons, the subtle magic of these items ensures their potency. Any experienced weaponsmith who examines such a weapon will immediately recognize both the age of the item, as well as the ancient and lost craft used in its make.
Wrought using methods long forgotten, these weapons draw strength from their user, growing in power to match those heroes who wield them.
Note that Attunement is required at all Tiers, or the weapon functions as a strictly normal item.
Tier 1 (character level 1-4) (Dormant)
Note that at this tier, the item barely registers as magical.
To awaken the weapon's properties, the weapon must be the focus of three rituals.
The first ritual unlocks the weapon’s silver property:
Due to the particular qualities of the weapon's make, it counts as being silver for the purposes of overcoming immunity or resistance. (100 GP cost)
The second ritual unlocks the adamantine property:
The weapon is an adamantine weapon. Whenever an adamantine weapon or piece of ammunition hits an object, the hit is a critical hit. (500 GP cost)
The third and final ritual requires Attunement, and If the character's class has a special weapon option, such as Pact Weapon, the weapon must be selected. After the third ritual is complete, the following powers are unlocked:
Charmward
You have Advantage on saving throws against Charm or Mental Domination.
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
Amplify Strength
Your Strength becomes 20.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, you can let out a battle cry as an action. Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
Amplify (level 2)
Your Strength becomes 22.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon (level 2)
You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Incarnate Shadows
You can use an action to release the shadows of earlier wielders from the weapon. Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
Amplify (level 3)
Your Strength becomes 24.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use a Bonus Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon (level 3)
You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Rallying of Shadows
You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
For the next 1 minute, the weapon glows with an unearthly black light, providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30-foot. The Shadows of all allies within 30 feet become animate, granting them a +1 bonus to their AC, and their attacks deal 2d6 additional force or necrotic damage. Any ally that can draw line of sight to the weapon can take a bonus action to move up to half their movement towards the weapon. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
I am not a fan of items that change ability scores to static numbers. For one thing, it reduces the player's decision to put their highest score into Strength. It also means that when they get their ASIs they will probably not waste them on increasing strength. But what if they don't bump their STR from 18 to 20, and then lose the item? If you give this to a 16 Strength character, then it's essentially a +3 weapon.
I like items that change as characters develop, because it can be really cool in a storyline. But the other issue is, it takes away player choice. What if this player changes their mind about wanting to use a mace? What if they decide to multiclass? They have this mace that is getting better and better, but might have changed to taking levels in Sorcerer at level 5.
500gp is a waste of money to make it adamantine. How often do you really need to smash up buildings?
Just to summarise, by the time I'm level 6-10 it's an adamantine +1 Maul that gives me part of the Mobile feat, raises strength to 20, lets me cast a no-concentration Prot Good and Evil, and I can give everyone advantage.
This item has way too many abilities, and none of them seem to be connected to each other. It's a bit of a general mash up of useful stuff. Why does it have Charm resistance, but also battlecries? Why does it let me cast Prot Good and Evil, but also increase my strength? This item might come to dominate a character's playstyle, and you don't want that either.
The background of the item is basically "There were loads milennia ago, before anything existed, now it's rare." Not much for a player to invest in there. Wouldn't you want a campaign-lasting magic weapon to be related to a PC?
When you make a levelling item:
Keep the bonuses simple
Each time it increases in tier, increase the power of the bonuses that it already has, and maybe add one more bonus. Don't keep giving it a ton of new stuff each tier.
Make sure that the character can abandon the item if they choose to
The item should be closely related to the character's backstory so it feels important and personal to them.
Let's try a rebuild, using one core idea. First up though, let's allow this weapon to be any kind of weapon that a player might once. I would never play a character using a double handed mace.
Tier 1 (character level 1-4)
Is silvered
Has Admanatine properties
Shadows of the Past: Once per day the shadows of past owners suggest combat strategy to you. You may reroll one missed attack.
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
+1 to attack and damage rolls
Shadows of the Past: Once per day, and additionally whenever you roll a natural 1 on your attack roll, the shadows of past owners suggest combat strategy to you. You may reroll the d20 and use either roll.
Courage of the Past: You have advantage on saving throws against being Frightened
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Shadows of the Past: Once per day, and additionally whenever you roll a natural 1 on your attack roll, the shadows of past owners suggest combat strategy to you. You may reroll the d20 and use either roll.
Courage of the Past: You are immune to the Frightened condition
Incarnate Shadows: You can use an action to release the shadows of earlier wielders from the weapon. Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Shadows of the Past: Once per short rest, and additionally whenever you roll a natural 1 on your attack roll, the shadows of past owners suggest combat strategy to you. You may reroll the d20 and use either roll.
Courage of the Past: You are immune to the Frightened condition
Incarnate Shadows: You can use an action to release the shadows of earlier wielders from the weapon. Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 6d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again
Rallying Shadows For the next 1 minute, the weapon glows with an unearthly black light, providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30-foot. The Shadows of all allies within 30 feet become animate, granting them a +1 bonus to their AC, and their attacks deal 2d6 additional force or necrotic damage. Any ally that can draw line of sight to the weapon can take a bonus action to move up to half their movement towards the weapon. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Last point! When you give a character an item like this, you are effectively railroading them to some extent into always using it, since it will presumably be more powerful than anything else they can find - and you're doing it from the very first few levels. There is fun in levelling up an item, and doing rituals and stuff, but there's also a ton of fun in finding magic items along the way, or getting something completely new. Unless this item is absolutely core to a character's storyline, I wouldn't include it.
Sanvael - thanks for the input... it's really appreciated. After reviewing your input, here's what I'm thinking...
There's some story/campaign related reasons for the Protection ability, so that needs to stay...
As for the weapon being a Two Handed Mace, that's just this particular weapon - any weapon with the Heavy quality would be appropriate (for this type).
Weapon of the Ancients
Tier 1 (character level 1-4) (Dormant)
Note that at this tier, the item barely registers as magical.
To awaken the weapon's properties, the weapon must be the focus of three rituals.
The first ritual unlocks the weapon’s silver property:
Due to the particular qualities of the weapon's make, it counts as being silver for the purposes of overcoming immunity or resistance. (100 GP cost)
The second ritual unlocks the adamantine property:
The weapon is an adamantine weapon. Whenever an adamantine weapon or piece of ammunition hits an object, the hit is a critical hit. (500 GP cost)
The third and final ritual requires Attunement, as well as making the weapon a Pact Weapon if possible (or similar, per class).
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify Strength
You gain +4 to Strength
Enhanced Weapon
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify (level 2)
You gain +6 to Strength
Enhanced Weapon (level 2)
You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic or Radiant (your choice) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the enemy also has disadvantage on their next attack. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify (level 3)
You gain +8 on Strength.
Enhanced Weapon (level 3)
You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use a Bonus Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic or Radiant (your choice) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the enemy also has disadvantage on their next attack.
For the next 1 minute, the weapon glows with an unearthly black light, providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30-foot. The Shadows of all allies within 30 feet become animate, granting them a +1 bonus to their AC, and their attacks deal 2d6 additional Necrotic or Radiant (their choice) damage. Any ally that can draw line of sight to the weapon can take a bonus action to move up to half their movement towards the weapon. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
In this new version, it's still looking like a whole buttload of abilities crammed into a single weapon. It's overly complex, and gives the wielder too many feats/spells/abilities for just one magic item. Having possession of this item fundamentally changes the character, and magic items shouldn't do that.
Tier 2, it has a +1 to hit and +4 Strength. That's essentially the same as giving the character a +3 magical weapon. In tier 4, it's a +7 magic weapon. It's heavily overpowered, and you'll need to give every character in your game an item with equivalent stat increases.
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Hello all...
Just introduced this in our campaign, and I'd appreciate any thoughts on long term balance, etc... feedback more than welcome.
Mauls, Great Axes, Two Handed Maces and Great Swords, most of these weapons are suited to warriors of stature and strength, as suits the fighting style of the scaled folk.
Once, these weapons were as common as the mighty warriors who wielded them, but most have fallen to the great span of years. Those that remain are revered by those tribes of Lizardfolk or Dragonborn who still hold to the old ways, given only to those warriors deemed most worthy, or employed in times of great need. Often pitted or worn with the passage of aeons, the subtle magic of these items ensures their potency. Any experienced weaponsmith who examines such a weapon will immediately recognize both the age of the item, as well as the ancient and lost craft used in its make.
Wrought using methods long forgotten, these weapons draw strength from their user, growing in power to match those heroes who wield them.
Note that Attunement is required at all Tiers, or the weapon functions as a strictly normal item.
Tier 1 (character level 1-4) (Dormant)
Note that at this tier, the item barely registers as magical.
To awaken the weapon's properties, the weapon must be the focus of three rituals.
The first ritual unlocks the weapon’s silver property:
Due to the particular qualities of the weapon's make, it counts as being silver for the purposes of overcoming immunity or resistance. (100 GP cost)
The second ritual unlocks the adamantine property:
The weapon is an adamantine weapon. Whenever an adamantine weapon or piece of ammunition hits an object, the hit is a critical hit. (500 GP cost)
The third and final ritual requires Attunement, and If the character's class has a special weapon option, such as Pact Weapon, the weapon must be selected. After the third ritual is complete, the following powers are unlocked:
Charmward
You have Advantage on saving throws against Charm or Mental Domination.
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
Amplify Strength
Your Strength becomes 20.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, you can let out a battle cry as an action. Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
Amplify (level 2)
Your Strength becomes 22.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon (level 2)
You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Incarnate Shadows
You can use an action to release the shadows of earlier wielders from the weapon. Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
Amplify (level 3)
Your Strength becomes 24.
Charm Ward
If you are holding the weapon, you can use a Bonus Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Enhanced Weapon (level 3)
You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Rallying of Shadows
You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
For the next 1 minute, the weapon glows with an unearthly black light, providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30-foot. The Shadows of all allies within 30 feet become animate, granting them a +1 bonus to their AC, and their attacks deal 2d6 additional force or necrotic damage. Any ally that can draw line of sight to the weapon can take a bonus action to move up to half their movement towards the weapon. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Bumping back to the first page...
TIA for any input
Looking for some feedback here, guys... what's good and what's too much?
I am not a fan of items that change ability scores to static numbers. For one thing, it reduces the player's decision to put their highest score into Strength. It also means that when they get their ASIs they will probably not waste them on increasing strength. But what if they don't bump their STR from 18 to 20, and then lose the item? If you give this to a 16 Strength character, then it's essentially a +3 weapon.
I like items that change as characters develop, because it can be really cool in a storyline. But the other issue is, it takes away player choice. What if this player changes their mind about wanting to use a mace? What if they decide to multiclass? They have this mace that is getting better and better, but might have changed to taking levels in Sorcerer at level 5.
500gp is a waste of money to make it adamantine. How often do you really need to smash up buildings?
Just to summarise, by the time I'm level 6-10 it's an adamantine +1 Maul that gives me part of the Mobile feat, raises strength to 20, lets me cast a no-concentration Prot Good and Evil, and I can give everyone advantage.
This item has way too many abilities, and none of them seem to be connected to each other. It's a bit of a general mash up of useful stuff. Why does it have Charm resistance, but also battlecries? Why does it let me cast Prot Good and Evil, but also increase my strength? This item might come to dominate a character's playstyle, and you don't want that either.
The background of the item is basically "There were loads milennia ago, before anything existed, now it's rare." Not much for a player to invest in there. Wouldn't you want a campaign-lasting magic weapon to be related to a PC?
When you make a levelling item:
Let's try a rebuild, using one core idea. First up though, let's allow this weapon to be any kind of weapon that a player might once. I would never play a character using a double handed mace.
Tier 1 (character level 1-4)
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
Last point! When you give a character an item like this, you are effectively railroading them to some extent into always using it, since it will presumably be more powerful than anything else they can find - and you're doing it from the very first few levels. There is fun in levelling up an item, and doing rituals and stuff, but there's also a ton of fun in finding magic items along the way, or getting something completely new. Unless this item is absolutely core to a character's storyline, I wouldn't include it.
Sanvael - thanks for the input... it's really appreciated. After reviewing your input, here's what I'm thinking...
There's some story/campaign related reasons for the Protection ability, so that needs to stay...
As for the weapon being a Two Handed Mace, that's just this particular weapon - any weapon with the Heavy quality would be appropriate (for this type).
Weapon of the Ancients
Tier 1 (character level 1-4) (Dormant)
Note that at this tier, the item barely registers as magical.
To awaken the weapon's properties, the weapon must be the focus of three rituals.
The first ritual unlocks the weapon’s silver property:
Due to the particular qualities of the weapon's make, it counts as being silver for the purposes of overcoming immunity or resistance. (100 GP cost)
The second ritual unlocks the adamantine property:
The weapon is an adamantine weapon. Whenever an adamantine weapon or piece of ammunition hits an object, the hit is a critical hit. (500 GP cost)
The third and final ritual requires Attunement, as well as making the weapon a Pact Weapon if possible (or similar, per class).
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Tier 2 (character level 5-10) (Awakening)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify Strength
You gain +4 to Strength
Enhanced Weapon
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 3 (character level 11-16) (Awakened)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify (level 2)
You gain +6 to Strength
Enhanced Weapon (level 2)
You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use an Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic or Radiant (your choice) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the enemy also has disadvantage on their next attack. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tier 4 (character level 17-20) (Exalted)
Jarring
Any enemy that suffers damage from a weapon attack made by this weapon cannot make attacks of opportunity against you until the beginning of your next turn.
Amplify (level 3)
You gain +8 on Strength.
Enhanced Weapon (level 3)
You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Warding Weapon
If you are holding the weapon, you can use a Bonus Action to cast Protection from Evil and Good on yourself. You don't need to concentrate on this spell to maintain it during its duration. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Battle Cry
While wielding the weapon, You can use an action to raise this weapon in the air and let out a war cry bolstering your allies.
Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you (including yourself) gains advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Each enemy within 30 feet must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. An enemy takes 4d8 Necrotic or Radiant (your choice) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the enemy also has disadvantage on their next attack.
For the next 1 minute, the weapon glows with an unearthly black light, providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 30-foot. The Shadows of all allies within 30 feet become animate, granting them a +1 bonus to their AC, and their attacks deal 2d6 additional Necrotic or Radiant (their choice) damage. Any ally that can draw line of sight to the weapon can take a bonus action to move up to half their movement towards the weapon. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
In this new version, it's still looking like a whole buttload of abilities crammed into a single weapon. It's overly complex, and gives the wielder too many feats/spells/abilities for just one magic item. Having possession of this item fundamentally changes the character, and magic items shouldn't do that.
Tier 2, it has a +1 to hit and +4 Strength. That's essentially the same as giving the character a +3 magical weapon. In tier 4, it's a +7 magic weapon. It's heavily overpowered, and you'll need to give every character in your game an item with equivalent stat increases.