Weapon (greataxe), legendary (requires attunement by a must: • Be a Blood Hunter. • Perform a ritual involving the offering of your own blood, spending 1 hour and taking 10d6 necrotic damage (this damage cannot be reduced or avoided). • Succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to resist the axe’s initial corrupting influence.)

Axe of Bloodletting

Weapon (Greataxe), Legendary (Requires Attunement by a Blood Hunter)

Overview

The Axe of Bloodletting is a fearsome weapon forged in the fires of battle and steeped in dark rituals. Crafted specifically for Blood Hunters, this greataxe is designed to amplify their unique abilities, channel their crimson magic, and devastate their enemies. Its obsidian-black blade is etched with runes that pulse faintly with red energy, as if the axe itself thirsts for blood.

This weapon is both a tool of destruction and a conduit for the Blood Hunter's connection to the darker forces of their craft. While it grants its wielder incredible power, it also demands caution, as the axe’s abilities come at a cost that aligns with the Blood Hunter’s grim philosophy of sacrificing their own vitality to achieve their goals.

Physical Description

  • Blade: The massive, double-edged blade is forged from Dark Iron, its edges razor-sharp and seemingly impervious to wear. Intricate runes of blood magic are carved into the blade, glowing faintly red when activated.
  • Handle: The haft of the axe is wrapped in dark leather from abyssal beasts, reinforced with steel bands. The pommel is adorned with a ruby carved into the shape of a bleeding drop.
  • Aura: When wielded, the Axe of Bloodletting radiates a faint crimson glow and exudes a chilling aura of menace.

Abilities and Features

  1. Thirsting Blade
  • The Axe of Bloodletting hungers for blood. When you deal damage to a creature with this weapon, you can roll an additional 2d10 necrotic damage.
  • If the target is a fiend, undead, or aberration, the additional necrotic damage increases to 3d10.
  1. Crimson Channeling
  • The axe enhances the Blood Hunter’s Crimson Rite ability. While a rite is active on this weapon, the rite’s damage is doubled. For example, if you apply the Rite of the Flame, the fire damage dealt by the rite is doubled.
  • Activating a Crimson Rite on the Axe of Bloodletting costs an additional 2 hit points but extends the rite's duration by 1 minute.
  1. Hemorrhage Strike (Recharge 5–6)
  • As an action, you can swing the axe in a wide arc, releasing a wave of crimson energy. Every creature in a 20-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier).
    • On a failed save, a creature takes 4d12 slashing damage and suffers the Bleeding condition (see below).
    • On a successful save, they take half damage and are not affected by the Bleeding condition.
  • Bleeding Condition: A creature afflicted by this condition takes 1d12 necrotic damage at the start of its turn for 1 minute or until it receives magical healing.
  1. Bloodbound Recovery
  • The axe channels the life force of fallen enemies to sustain its wielder. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with the Axe of Bloodletting, you can regain hit points equal to half the damage dealt (rounded down).
  • This feature can be used a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and resets after a long rest.
  1. Sentinel of the Bloodied Path
  • When you are reduced to half your hit points or fewer, the axe's runes flare with dark power. While in this state:
    • You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
    • Your speed increases by 10 feet.
    • You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
  1. Bloodletting Fury (Once Per Day)
  • As a bonus action, you can unleash the axe’s full power. For 1 minute:
    • You gain advantage on all attack rolls made with the axe.
    • Each attack with the axe deals an additional 3d12 necrotic damage.
    • However, at the end of this duration, you take necrotic damage equal to half your maximum hit points.
  1. Bloodlust Axe
  • You can add your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1) to the damage rolls of attacks made with this weapon.
  • Invoking the Rune.When you target a creature with an attack using this weapon, you can invoke the sword’s rune, causing it to flare with crimson light and infusing your attack with bloodthirsty precision. You then spend and roll one of your unspent Hit Dice and add the number rolled to the attack roll. You can choose to invoke the rune after rolling the d20.
  • If this attack hits, you can also spend and roll any number of your unspent Hit Dice and add the total rolled to the weapon’s damage.
  • Once the rune has been invoked, it can’t be invoked again until the next dawn.

 

Curses and Drawbacks

The Axe of Bloodletting, like many tools of the Blood Hunter's craft, comes with its risks:

  • Blood Price: Each time you activate an ability of the axe that costs hit points (such as a Crimson Rite or Bloodletting Fury), you take an additional 1d6 necrotic damage that cannot be reduced or avoided.
  • Bond of Crimson: If you lose the axe after attuning to it, you are cursed to take 1d8 necrotic damage at dawn each day until you recover it or perform a ritual to sever your bond.

Lore and Creation

The origins of the Axe of Bloodletting are shrouded in mystery, though legends speak of its creation during a desperate battle between the Order of the Lycan Blood Hunters and a horde of fiends in the Abyss. A master smith among the Blood Hunters, seeking to turn the tide, forged the axe using the blood of his fallen comrades, binding their essence into the weapon.

The weapon was said to have an insatiable hunger for the lifeblood of the wicked, growing stronger with each enemy it felled. However, the price for wielding such a weapon has always been high, and only the most disciplined Blood Hunters can avoid succumbing to its dark whispers.

Attunement Requirements

To attune to the Axe of Bloodletting, you must:

  • Be a Blood Hunter.
  • Perform a ritual involving the offering of your own blood, spending 1 hour and taking 10d6 necrotic damage (this damage cannot be reduced or avoided).
  • Succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to resist the axe’s initial corrupting influence.

Use in Campaigns

The Axe of Bloodletting is a powerful tool for a Blood Hunter, but its risks make it a weapon for those who are willing to tread the thin line between heroism and self-destruction. It can serve as a character’s signature weapon, a coveted artifact sought by Blood Hunters and villains alike, or a relic tied to the Blood Hunters’ enigmatic history. Its power makes it a weapon of legend, one capable of turning the tide of battle but always at a cost.

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

This weapon has the following mastery property. To use this property, you must have a feature that lets you use it.

Cleave. If you hit a creature with a melee attack roll using this weapon, you can make a melee attack roll with the weapon against a second creature within 5 feet of the first that is also within your reach. On a hit, the second creature takes the weapon’s damage, but don’t add your ability modifier to that damage unless that modifier is negative. You can make this extra attack only once per turn.

Notes: Bonus: Magic, Damage: Necrotic, Resistance: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks, Bonus: Speed, Advantage: Saving Throws, must: • Be a Blood Hunter. • Perform a ritual involving the offering of your own blood, spending 1 hour and taking 10d6 necrotic damage (this damage cannot be reduced or avoided). • Succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to resist the axe’s initial corrupting influence., Damage, Buff, Combat, Subclass Feature, fabled, Heavy, Two-Handed, Cleave

Item Tags: Damage Buff Combat Subclass Feature fabled

TheGrimFrogger

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