Tuesday Magic Item / A to Z – Hell Lance

“Look, they are bringing up their elite.  The knights of the doomsday?” Voddick asked, not sure if he remembered the name correctly.

“Indeed, armed with weapons left over from the Gods War, forged in hell flames and other such fanciful nonsense,” said Gollaon.

“Does that indicate that they are not exceedingly dangerous?”

“Well, yes, but less so because of the weapons.  They were forged primarily to fight a divine foe that no longer exists, but they are still potent magic items.”

Hell Lance

These weapons are deliberately constructed to look cruel and vicious with hooks and barbs common motifs, made of black or red tinted steel with poles of dark wood reinforced with strips of metal and studs.  They are as much a tool of intimidation as a weapon of war.

These are +1 bane lances, the bane is usual angel or other servitor of the higher powers, and to those sworn to the lower powers it gains the keen ability and on a critical hit, it inflicts 2d4 points of fire damage and sets the target on fire, burning for 1d4 fire damage each round until it is extinguished.

The wielder gains a +4 competence bonus to Intimidate checks while mounted.

However, if the wielder is sworn to the lower powers, they lose one hit point a round when a negative hit points and when reduced to -10 hit points, their soul is sent straight to the lower realms.

In places such as the Sea of Stars where the lower powers are locked from the world, it costs the wielder 1d4 hit points in damage each round it is wielded.

Aura strong conjuration; CL 11th
Slot none; Price 21,310; Weight 8 lbs
Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fear, fireball, geas, planar binding; Cost 10,500 + 310 for the lance

For D&D 5E:

Weapon (lance), rare (requires attunement)

First paragraph as above.

These lances give their wielder a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon, against angels or other such being from the higher realms it inflicts an additional 2d6 magical piercing damage.  When wielded by and to those sworn to the lower powers it gains the ability to score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 and on a critical hit, it inflicts 2d4 points of fire damage and sets the target on fire, burning for 1d4 fire damage each round until it is extinguished.

The wielder gains advantage on Charisma (Intimidate) rolls while mounted.

However, if the wielder is sworn to the lower powers, they disadvantage on death save and when they fail their third death save, their soul is sent straight to the lower realms.

In places such as the Sea of Stars where the lower powers are locked from the world, it costs the wielder 1d4 hit points in damage each round it is wielded.

Notes: Note sure exactly where this came from, but it seems like an interesting weapon and well suited to villains.  Edit: Now I remember!  I was thinking of what sort of weapons produced for the servants of the gods would be produced in large enough numbers that enough of them would have survived to be used in mass.

Image “Mounted cuirassier holding a lance . . .” by Stefano della Bella (Italian, Florence 1610–1664 Florence), Israël Henriet (French, Nancy ca. 1590–1661 Paris) via The Metropolitan Museum of Art is licensed under CC0 1.0.