aegisbreaker

Aegisbreaker — Mace of Stored Momentum 

Legendary (requires attunement) 

This heavy iron mace has a core of resonant crystal in its head and bands of hammered steel etched with sigils for stopping and sending force. When it strikes, the air around it shivers; when it is struck, it drinks impact like a maw. 

Basics 

• Weapon (mace) — melee weapon, versatile (1d8 bludgeoning; 1d10 when used two-handed) 

• Properties: Versatile, Heavy, Special 

• Attunement: Requires attunement by a creature with Strength 13+. 

Kinetic Reservoir 

• Kinetic Units (KU): Aegisbreaker stores kinetic energy as Kinetic Units. The mace has a Kinetic Capacity of 10 KU. 

• Gaining KU (Absorb): When you are hit by a melee or ranged weapon attack or you are struck by an object that would deal bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage, you may use your reaction to have Aegisbreaker absorb part of the impact. If you do: 

• Reduce the damage you take from that attack by an amount up to 1d8 + your Strength modifier (choose how much, up to the full roll). 

• The mace gains KU equal to the amount of damage reduced divided by 5, rounded down (minimum 1 KU if any damage is reduced). 

• You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining uses on a long rest. 

• Passive Pickup: If the attack would deal nonmagical bludgeoning/piercing/slashing damage and you don't (or can't) use the reaction, the mace may still automatically absorb up to 5 points of that damage into KU (DM adjudicates). 

Example: The orc slams you for 18 bludgeoning. You react and have the mace reduce 13 damage (1d8+Str). The mace gains floor(13/5)=2 KU. 

Redirect & Redirected Effects 

You can spend KU to unleash stored kinetic energy. KU are spent, not rolled. 

• Redirected Strike (On Hit — Spend KU, no action cost beyond attack): When you hit with the mace, you may immediately spend up to 3 KU to add 2d6 force damage per KU spent to that attack. (Spend 1 KU → +2d6, 2 KU → +4d6, 3 KU → +6d6.) This extra force bypasses resistance to nonmagical attacks. 

• Kinetic Burst (Action — Area): Spend 2–5 KU as an action to release a concussive burst. Choose a point within 30 ft; each creature in a 20-ft radius sphere must make a Dexterity save (DC = 8 + your proficiency + Str mod). On a fail, a creature takes (3d8 × KU) force damage and is knocked prone; on success they take half and are not knocked down. (Example: 3 KU → 9d8 force.) KU spent are consumed. 

• Absorb & Redirect Combo: If you both used your reaction to absorb the last attack and then spent KU on your immediate melee attack that turn, the Redirected Strike damage increases by one extra die per KU (so effectively +3d6 per KU for that attack). This represents immediate channeling of stored impact. 

 

Defensive Tricks 

• Kinetic Shield (Reaction — 1 KU): Expending 1 KU as a reaction creates a 10-ft radius zone of dampening around you for 1 round. Projectiles or force effects entering the zone are reduced by half damage. (Cannot be used while you are incapacitated.) 

• Momentum Step (Bonus Action — 1 KU): Spend 1 KU to take the Dash action and ignore difficult terrain for that Dash; if you end your movement in an enemy’s space, you may immediately make one mace attack at advantage. 

Aegis Suppression — Legendary Resistance: Temporary Bypass 

This is the safe, repeatable countermeasure. 

• Sunder Aegis (Action or as part of Critical Strike, spend 5 KU): If you hit a creature that has Legendary Resistance with a mace attack, you may spend 5 KU to attempt Sunder Aegis. The target must make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). 

• On a failed save: The target cannot use Legendary Resistance for 1 minute (it still has the trait on its stat block, but it may not expend Legendary Resistance to auto-succeed on a save while suppressed). 

• On a success: The target is immune to Sunder Aegis for 24 hours. 

• Limit: You can attempt Sunder Aegis once per short rest per creature; or if you prefer a stronger limiter, once per short rest total (DM’s call). 

This lets PCs regularly take the fight to bosses without instantly erasing their defining defenses while still being powerful. 

Aegis Shatter — Permanent Destruction (High Cost) 

This is the ultimate option; it can permanently remove Legendary Resistance, but at terrible cost and with DM oversight recommended. 

Prerequisites: You must expend all remaining KU (minimum 8 KU recommended) and score a critical hit with the mace against a creature that has Legendary Resistance. If these conditions are met, you may attempt Aegis Shatter. 

• Aegis Shatter Resolution: The target makes a Charisma saving throw (DC = 10 + twice your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). 

• On a failed save: The target’s Legendary Resistance trait is irreparably shattered — it may not use Legendary Resistance again unless a wish-level or godly ritual restores it. Additionally the mace draws a tithe: you suffer 3 levels of exhaustion and your maximum hit points are permanently reduced by 10% (until restored by a wish or similarly epic magic). The mace also loses 5 points of its KU capacity permanently until attunement is broken and reforged (DM may adjust). 

• On a successful save: The target takes extra force damage equal to double the KU spent, and the target is immune to Aegis Shatter attempts for 7 days. You still suffer 1 level of exhaustion as the weapon lashes back. 

DM guidance: This is campaign-scale power. Use sparingly. The permanent HP loss and exhaustion are severe; consider making Aegis Shatter a plot event — the wielder may be hunted, changed, or cursed by the world for wielding such finality. 

Drawbacks & Roleplay 

• Sympathetic Recoil: Each time the mace permanently shatters a Legendary Resistance, it takes a bit of your life: you permanently lose 1 point of a single ability score of the DM’s choice unless wish removes it. This is to be used only by players who want dramatic costs. (Optional rule; DMs choose whether to use permanent loss or temporary extreme cost.) 

• Sentience: The mace whispers during absorption and shatter attempts. If used for selfish or wanton slaughter, it begins to demand offerings (quests, cursed items) and may refuse to attune to those who betray its purpose. 

• Overabsorption: If you attempt to absorb damage while your KU pool is already full, roll a d20: on a 1–5 the mace overloads and releases a backlash of force equal to 2d10 per overflown KU, centered on you (Dex save half). This prevents infinite looping. 

Proficiency with a Mace allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: Sap