Zanpakuto

In ancient times a powerful blacksmith made several dozen blades, called Bankai. Each blade takes on a unique power and shape depending on the user's alignment. Someone eventually decided to fuse together nine of the blades to form a single powerful blade. Each blade has a different form, called Shikai, depending on the alignment of the wielder. When a blade is sheathed or no one is touching it, it looks identical to a normal sword. It only transforms into its Shikai form when it is drawn and someone is touching it.

When a creature touches a Zanpakuto that is not attuned to anyone they instantly gain attunement to it and the blade transforms into a variant depending on the creature's alignment When the creature stops touching it they instantly lose attunement to it. Creatures without an alignment cannot attune to a Zanpakuto. If a creature touches a Zanpakuto and cannot attune to it then the blade does not transform and functions as a normal longsword.

A creature attuned to a Zanpakuto can awaken it to its Bankai form as an action. This form lasts for 1 minute and can be ended as a bonus action on the creature's turn. A creature must concentrate on maintaining the form as if concentrating on a spell. After using the Bankai form, a Zanpakuto cannot use it again until the next dawn.

 

Lawful Good

In its Shikai form the blade becomes a wooden staff that increases the power of fire based magic. While attuned to it you gain the following benefits:

• You may use the staff as a spellcasting focus. 
• When you cast a spell that does fire damage, treat your spell save DC and spell attack bonus as 2 higher than normal. 
• When you cast a spell that does fire damage and that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell's level. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save.

For its Bankai form, called Ryūjin Jakka, the wooden staff reverts to a blade that looks like an ancient worn-out katana. As part of the same action used to activate this form, you can cast Fireball at 5th level without expending a spell slot. Upon its activation all non-magical flames within 1 kilometer of you extinguish and you gain the following benefits until the form ends:

• Your Charisma score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22.
• You can cast the spell Fireball at 5th level without expending a spell slot.

 

Lawful Neutral

In its Shikai form the blade appears as a ghostly blade. Five spectral swords also appear and float behind you. Whenever you make a melee attack with the Zanpakuto the spectral blades activate and attack the same creature. Hit or miss, the spectral blades damage the creature and deal an additional 2d6 force damage.

For its Bankai form, called Senbonzakura, the swords behind the wielder turn into a cloud of sharp cherry blossoms. When you activate this form, and as an action on subsequent turns, you can create an extension of this cloud in a cube 5 feet on each side within 60 feet of you. Whenever a creature enters the space for the first time on a turn or starts its turn within it it takes 10d4 slashing damage. Each time you create a new extension of the blossoms the current one vanishes. While the form is active you may cast the Shield spell without expending a spell slot.

 

Lawful Evil 

In its Shikai form the blade turns into a Chakram that psychically sows confusion in all creatures near its wielder. Whenever a creature starts its turn within 10 feet of you it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on all saving throws until the start of its next turn. Constructs, creatures immune to psychic damage, and yourself automatically succeed on this saving throw.

For its Bankai form, called Sakanade, the sword creates a magical mist within 60 feet of you. If the mist is dispersed by a strong wind, it reforms at the end of its wielder's turn. All creatures that start their turn within the mist are affected by the Enemies Abound spell (save DC 17). Constructs, creatures immune to psychic damage, and yourself automatically succeed on the saving throw. If a creature leaves the mist it can repeat the saving throw. 

 

Neutral Good 

In its Shikai form the single blade multiplies and becomes 2 swords attached together by a thick rope with five talismans attached to it. As long as there are talismans remaining, you may cast Counterspell without expending a spell slot. If you successfully counter a spell with this ability you may choose to redirect the spell towards its caster. If the spell requires a point of origin, the caster is the point of origin. If it can target multiple creatures it targets only the caster. Each time you cast Counterspell with this ability one of the talismans breaks. All talismans are restored daily at dawn.

For its Bankai form, called Sōgyo no Kotowari, the swords become pure holy lightning in your hands. Whenever a creature within 60 feet of you damages you with a spell the lightning lashes out at them, and deals the same amount of damage to them as radiant damage.

 

True Neutral

In its Shikai form the blade becomes an elegant pure white rapier with a long ribbon attached to the hilt. The blade gains the finesse property. While attuned to it you gain the following benefits:

• You can use an action to freeze a medium or smaller creature within 30 feet of you in a solid block of ice. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 cold damage. Immediately after, the target is encased in solid ice and gains vulnerability to fire damage, their speed becomes zero, they become incapacitated, and they gain 30 temporary hit points. These effects, including any remaining temporary hit points, end at the end of the target's next turn or when all the temporary hit points are gone.
• You can use an action to raise a pillar of ice on a solid surface within 30 feet of you. The pillar is 5 feet in width and length and up to 20 feet tall. Each pillar has AC 12, 30 hit points, and vulnerability to fire damage. If the ice would appear in a creature's space it must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a success, it can choose to move up to 5 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. On a failure, you can choose where the creature moves. You can have up to three of these pillars active at a time. You can destroy a pillar within 60 feet of you as a bonus action, otherwise they sublimate after 10 minutes. If you try to make a fourth pillar, the oldest one instantly sublimates.

For its Bankai form, called Sode no Shirayuki, the wielder gains a beautiful kimono made of pure ice (this is the most beautiful sword transformation of all the different types of Bankai). While in this form you gain the following benefits:

• You gain immunity to cold damage and resistance to fire damage
• You can use an action to flash freeze an area within 300 feet of you in a 60 foot radius sphere. All creatures within are subject to the first ability granted by the Zanpakutos Shikai form with the following changes: the damage increases to 8d6 cold damage and the temporary hit points increase to 48.
• When you use action to make a pillar of ice, you can make two instead with the following changes: the pillars are 10 feet in width and length and can be up to 40 feet tall. Each pillar has AC 14, 60 hit points, and vulnerability to fire damage.
• The maximum number of ice pillars you can have increases to 6.

 

Neutral Evil 

In its Shikai form the blade splits and becomes a pair of jet black scimitars. While attuned to it, you can use an action to manipulate the shadows around a creature that's within 60 feet of you and attempt to paralyze it. The creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If the creature is large or larger it has advantage on these saving throws. If a creature casts no shadows, such as a ghost or a fire elemental, it automatically succeeds on the saving throw. If a creature is ever more than 60 feet from you at the start of its turn, the effect ends on it. You can have up to two creatures paralyzed at a time with this effect.

For its Bankai form, called Katen Kyōkotsu, you create a dome of darkness centered on you with a radius of 20 feet. The darkness moves with you, and you can see through it as if it wasn't there. Other creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. If you hit a creature with an attack using your zanpakuto you deal an additional 2d6 necrotic damage. All creatures within have disadvantage on the paralysis caused by your zanpakuto.

 

Chaotic Good 

In its Shikai form the blade transforms into a metallic whip with serrated edges. The blade gains the finesse property. The whip has a reach of 20 feet, and when you attack with it you can make a single additional attack with your bonus action.

For its Bankai form, called Zabimaru, the blade grows into a gigantic skeleton snake. While in this form you gain the following benefits:

• The whips reach increases to 30 feet
• As an action, you can attempt to grapple a creature within your melee reach, regardless of size. The creature must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be grappled by you. The creature can use its action to attempt a DC 17 Strength check, freeing itself on a success.
• As an action, you can crack your whip and create a line of magical force that's 100 feet long and 5 feet wide. All creatures within this line must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 10d6 thunder damage on a failure or half as much on a success.

 

Chaotic Neutral 

In it's Shikai form the blade transforms into a gigantic chefs knife. The blade gains the finesse property. When you deal damage with the zanpakuto, you instead deal twice as much damage.

For it's Bankai form, called Zangetsu, the blade shrinks to become skinnier, but retains it length. It also transforms your clothes into a black kimono, which revert when the Bankai form ends. While in this form, you gain the following benefits:

• Your movement speed increases by 15 feet.
• Your Dexterity score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22.
• You can use the knife to attack by slicing the air. The attack uses your normal attack modifier and does 4d6 slashing damage on a hit.

 

Chaotic Evil 

In its Shikai form it transforms into a spear and gains the reach property. If you start your turn touching the weapon and you have less than half your maximum HP, you heal HP equal to your Constitution modifier.

For it's Bankai form, called Hōzukimaru, it completely transforms into three massive blades linked by a chain. Each time you hit a creature with this blade, it creates a small explosion centered on that creature. All creatures within 5 feet of it, except you, take 4d6 force damage. When your zanpakuto is awakened, you can use your action to fully awaken it. If you do so, you cannot fully awaken it until one week has passed. While it is fully awakened, the explosion instead deals 10d12 force damage.

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

Notes: Versatile, Sap