Tuesday Magic Item – Brute Maker
February 1, 2011When Malatakus the Tall came back from his latest mission, we at the Last Horse Inn did not recognize him, his lean frame had become muscle-bound, his once knowing smiles had become empty. “Mala, where have you been?” ask Tav the Innkeep.
“North,” the large warrior answered setting down a massive axe. “Killed things.”
We all stared, our once eloquent friend had become a thug.
Brute Maker
This weapon is a heavy great axe backed with a hammer, the metal of which is dulled with blood stains. Built by a reclusive dwarven weaponsmith for a vain and muscular hero who would not go away until the smith agreed to make him a “weapon befitting of his stature.” The smith gave him everything he asked for.
Brute Maker is a +2 great axe that can deliver either bludgeoning or slashing damage. The wielder may add his Strength bonus to any Intimidation check. When a strike from Brute Maker drops a foe into negative hit points, the wielder gains temporary hit points equal to his Constitution bonus for the next five minutes, these temporary hit points stack.
When the wielder kills a foe, he may permanently increase either his Strength or Constitution by 2 but he permanently loses 1 point from each Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma and if he does so, he also heals his level plus his Constitution in hit points.
Aura strong necrourgy and transportation; CL 11th
Slot none; Price 30,000; Weight 12 lbs
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bear’s endurance, bestow curse, bull’s strength, polymorph self, vampiric touch; Cost 15,000 (+1,200 xp for D&D)
Notes: Again playing to my belief that cursed weapons should punish it user because of choices that they made.
Cool. An interesting take on the “magic weapon with a price” trope.
I love the idea of this weapon. The curse only happens when the player chooses to take it into effect, sacrificing intelligence for brute strength. This allows them to choose whether their character would fall under the spell of the weapons lure, or be able to wield the mighty weapon, while still balancing the intelligence they sacrifice.
Thank you. I want the curse of cursed items to be the result of the choices made by the character, not just a “you picked it up! Got you!” I think that makes for a much more interesting story (and item).
I agree wholeheartedly about cursed items – the choice should be more meaningful than picking the thing up, and I like the story of the weapon’s maker creating it to punish a particular customer.
Consider it stolen for my games!