Aftershock

Wondrous Item (Bracers), Legendary (Requires Attunement)

Forged within the divine forge of the God of Craftsmanship, Aftershock is a pair of extraordinary bracers designed to intercept incoming attacks and transform an opponent's momentum into devastating counterattacks.

Intricate veins of silver, gold, and bronze run through the bracers, illuminating whenever their magical power awakens.

The bracers can accommodate separately installed hidden blades. These blades remain independent weapons and do not alter the bracers' magical abilities.

Iron Intercept

Physical — Reaction — Unlimited Use

When the wearer is hit by a melee weapon attack made by a creature they can see, they may expend their Reaction to intercept the attack before damage is applied.

Rather than parrying with a weapon, the wearer uses the reinforced bracers to redirect the incoming strike, deflecting blades, axes, spears, or other melee weapons with their forearms.

The wearer reduces the incoming damage by:

1d10 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength or Dexterity Modifier

The wearer chooses which ability modifier to use when activating this Reaction.

Perfect Interception

If Iron Intercept reduces the incoming damage to 0, the wearer completely controls the attacking weapon's momentum.

They may immediately choose one of the following effects:

Redirecting Step

The wearer may move up to 5 feet around the attacker without provoking opportunity attacks.

This movement may reposition the wearer beside or around the attacker, provided the destination is a valid unoccupied space.

Displacing Counter

The wearer pushes the attacker 5 feet sideways into an unoccupied space.

This movement does not have to be directly away from the wearer.

Neither effect requires an additional Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.

Measured Recovery

Physical — Passive — No Additional Action

Your mastery of defensive interception allows you to transform the excess force of a perfectly intercepted blow into renewed physical endurance.

Excess Force Recovery

When you use Iron Intercept to reduce the damage of an incoming melee weapon attack, compare the incoming damage with the total damage reduction provided by Iron Intercept.

If the damage reduction exceeds the incoming damage, you regain Hit Points equal to the excess amount.

Hit Points Regained = Iron Intercept Damage Reduction − Incoming Damage

This healing occurs only when the damage reduction exceeds the incoming damage.

Rules

• The incoming attack deals 0 damage if Iron Intercept fully reduces its damage.

• If Iron Intercept's damage reduction exceeds the incoming damage, you regain Hit Points equal to the difference.

• If Iron Intercept reduces the incoming damage to exactly 0, you regain no Hit Points.

• You cannot regain Hit Points above your Hit Point maximum.

• Measured Recovery requires no additional Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction beyond the Reaction used for Iron Intercept.

• Measured Recovery has no separate usage limit and can trigger whenever its conditions are met.

Perfect Interception Interaction

If Iron Intercept reduces the incoming damage to 0, Perfect Interception activates according to its normal rules.

If the damage reduction also exceeds the incoming damage, Measured Recovery activates simultaneously.

You can still choose either Redirecting Step or Displacing Counter as normal.

Echo of the First Forge Interaction

A successful Perfect Interception can also trigger Echo of the First Forge, provided you have an available use and choose to activate it.

Measured Recovery does not consume a use of Echo of the First Forge.

All three effects can occur from the same Iron Intercept when their respective conditions are satisfied.

Echo of the First Forge

Magical — No Additional Action — 4/Short Rest

Forged within the divine forge of the God of Craftsmanship, Aftershock possesses the extraordinary ability to capture the momentum of an enemy's failed attack and preserve its force within the enchanted metal.

When the wearer successfully intercepts an incoming strike or an opponent fails to land a melee attack, the bracers can absorb the disrupted momentum, transforming it into stored energy that can be unleashed through a devastating counterattack.

Activation

Four times per Short Rest, the wearer may activate Echo of the First Forge when either of the following conditions occurs:

Perfect Interception. Iron Intercept reduces the damage of an incoming melee weapon attack to 0.

Missed Attack. A creature makes a melee attack against the wearer and misses naturally, without the use of Iron Intercept.

Activating Echo of the First Forge requires no additional Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction beyond any Reaction already expended to activate Iron Intercept.

Stored Momentum

When Echo of the First Forge activates, Aftershock captures the force of the failed attack and temporarily stores it within the bracers.

The stored momentum remains available until the end of the wearer's next turn.

During this period, when the wearer hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, they may release the stored energy through that attack.

The triggering attack deals an additional:

3d8 Force Damage

Immediately after releasing the stored energy, the wearer chooses one of the following effects.

Break the Stance

The released momentum violently disrupts the target's balance, forcing it to struggle against the overwhelming impact.

The target must make a Strength Saving Throw.

Save DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength or Dexterity Modifier

The wearer chooses which ability modifier to use when activating this effect.

On a Failed Save: The target falls Prone.

On a Successful Save: The target remains standing.

The additional 3d8 Force Damage is dealt regardless of whether the target succeeds or fails on the saving throw.

Drive Through

Instead of disrupting the target's balance, the wearer channels the released momentum into their own movement, using the stored force to reposition immediately after the triggering attack.

The wearer may move up to 15 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

This movement:

• Occurs immediately after the triggering attack.

• Does not expend the wearer's normal movement.

• Requires no additional Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.

• Must follow the normal restrictions of movement and available space.

Interaction with Iron Intercept

Echo of the First Forge operates independently of Iron Intercept's normal damage reduction and Perfect Interception effects.

When Iron Intercept reduces incoming damage to 0:

• The wearer may choose Redirecting Step or Displacing Counter as normal.

• The wearer may also activate Echo of the First Forge if they have an available use.

• Activating Echo does not prevent the effects of Perfect Interception.

• Activating Echo does not require an additional Reaction.

Using Iron Intercept does not automatically consume an Echo of the First Forge use. The wearer chooses whether to activate Echo when its triggering conditions are met.

Interaction with Measured Recovery

If Iron Intercept reduces incoming damage below 0, the wearer can regain Hit Points through Measured Recovery according to that feature's normal rules.

This does not prevent the wearer from activating Echo of the First Forge during the same Perfect Interception.

Measured Recovery does not consume an Echo of the First Forge use.

Limitations

• Uses: Echo of the First Forge can be activated four times per Short Rest.

• Recharge: All expended uses are restored when the wearer finishes a Short or Long Rest.

• Stored Duration: Captured momentum remains available until the end of the wearer's next turn.

• Single Release: Stored momentum can be released only once per activation.

• Expiration: If the stored energy is not released before the end of the wearer's next turn, it dissipates harmlessly.

• Damage: Releasing stored momentum adds 3d8 Force Damage to the triggering melee weapon attack.

• Additional Effect: Each release allows the wearer to choose either Break the Stance or Drive Through.

• Action Economy: Activation and release require no additional Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction beyond any Reaction spent on Iron Intercept.

• Attunement: The wearer must be wearing and attuned to Aftershock to benefit from this feature.

• Independent Resources: Iron Intercept and Measured Recovery do not expend Echo of the First Forge uses unless Echo itself is activated.