Tuesday Magic Item – Exorcist’s Blade

“Glad we have help, fighting spirits is no simple task,” said Gollaon.

“Truth,” agreed Voddick, checking his blessed bolts.  “We are as well prepared as we can be.”

“Charms and amulets in place?” Gollaon asked as he checked his protective array.

“Yes, I have no wish to be possessed.”

“Agree, the only spirits I want in my body are ones that come out of a bottle.”

“And let us prove that afterward,” said Voddik with a fierce grin.

Exorcist’s Blade

These weapons are made from exotic alloys or carved stone taken from sacred sites and blessed and ensorcelled to hone their ability against hostile spirits.  The hilts are often decorated with occult and esoteric designs.

Tuesday Magic Item – Terror Shot (A to Z, T)

Voddick careful lined up his shot, resting his crossbow on the embrasure of the fortress’ wall.  “How did we get trapped in a siege again?”

“Avoiding one batch of trouble found us in another,” answered Gollaon fitting an arrowhead to the shaft.  “At least we are on the right side, even if they are poorly equipped.”

“Right may not carry the day,” said Voddick as he recocked his crossbow.  “They are bringing up the engine and it appears they brought terror shot.”

“They are serious about recapturing the city.  We had best warn the others.”

Terror Shot

These pieces of ammunition are usually shaped like skulls or other symbols of death and fear and are designed to be thrown by siege engines (or large creatures).  Smaller version can be propelled by slings.

Slings and Slingers for 5E

To round out Mars’ month, I return to looking at slings (which I covered for D&D 3.x/Pathfinder here)which have historically been ill-treated in D&D (and equally so in Pathfinder).  Historically, the Baleric Slingers were mercenary soldiers prized by the Carthaginians and later by the Romans and served all over the ancient world, David used a sling to defeat Goliath.  For centuries, they were a weapon justly feared.  It should be the same in fantasy games.

So to do that, in D&D 5E it just need a minor tweak (much less than Pathfinder needed): several things need to be addressed:

Damage and Range:  The damage a sling causes is just pitiful, no one is going to be afraid of sling and you are sure not going to be taking down any Golaiths with one.

So, use the following:

• Sling Bullet, 1d6 bludgeoning, Ammunition (range 70/280)
• Stone Stone, 1d4 bludgeoning, Ammunition (range 45/180)

This moves a slinger with bullets into a comparable damage/range band as an archer with a short bow, which is where I think they should be.  (It also includes a increase in the range for the basic sling stone

Sling and sling-related magic items for 5E: Kidney Sling Stone.  (More to follow as I have time to convert older items.)

More information on slings:

Slings at Wikipedia

Slinging.org, a resource site for the modern slinger

Notes: Sling bullet image from the Portable Antiquities Scheme and used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Tuesday Magic Item – Stone Smashing Gloves

“Of the many ways to besiege a castle,” said Voddick, holding his shield above his head, “I did not expect to be part of a unit punching their way inside.”

Gollaon nodded, waiting for the smashing sounds to subside.  “It is unexpected but so far efficient.”  He raised his shield to deflect a stone thrown from above.

“How much longer?  The defenders are getting organized.”

“A minute?  They were sure this is the thinnest point of the wall.”

Voddick raised his crossbow and took a shot around his shield.  “Going to be a long minute.”

Stone Smashing Gloves

These gloves range from heavily reinforced leather to fully articulated steel gauntlets, but in all cases the striking surface is made of metal and strongly built.  Runes and magical sigil are inscribed one and around the striking surface and never seems to become illegible no matter how worn the gloves as a whole become.  Supposedly developed for mining, their use quickly shifted to the military field.

They are magical and provide the wearer with a +2 attack bonus and do at least 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a strike (the wearer may do more if a monk or has other abilities) and it inflicts an additional 1d6 points of sonic damage.  Against a rigid, non-living target, the sonic damage is increased by 1d6 and it ignores hardness and against stone the sonic damage is further increased to a total of 3d6.

While attacking with the gloves, the wearer has Resistance to Sonic damage of 5 + their Constitution modifier (minimum 0).

Aura moderate evocation; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 31,302; Weight 2 lbs
Construction Requirements
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength, shatter; Cost 15,500 + 302 for the gauntlets

For D&D 5E:

Weapon (glove), rare (requires attunement)

First paragraph as above.

They are magical and provide the wearer with a +2 bonus to attack roll and inflicts at least 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage on a strike (the wearer may do more if a monk or has other abilities) and it inflicts an additional 1d6 points of thunder damage.  Against a rigid, non-living target, the thunder damage is increased by 1d6 and it ignores resistance and against stone the sonic damage is further increased to a total of 3d6.

While attacking with the gloves, the wearer has Resistance to Thunder damage.

Notes: In meta-commentary, this is the companion piece to the Kidney Sling Stone, as I went in for Lithotripsy (which is Latin for stone crushing) on my kidney stone today.  Which seems to have gone well.  Also, I like the image of a dwarf punching through walls.

Gauntlet from the Victoria and Albert Museum and used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Tuesday Magic Item – Showman’s Blade

“It is good to have some time to enjoy a carnival,” said Voddick enjoying a mug of spiced ale.

“But we should keep our wits about us,” said Gollaon eating some honeyed almonds.

“Truth.  Some here are looking for entertainment of a more violent fashion.” Voddick nodded to a group of swaggering toughs.

“We had best keep an eye on them so they do not spoil the festival for the rest,” said Gollaon with a sigh.

Showman’s Blade

These weapons, almost always swords, have elaborately decorated hilts and are often decorated with runes or designs on the blade that flare with magical power when it is used.  Unlike many swords with overly elaborate hilts, the blades are well made and suiting to combat not just show.

Tuesday Magic Item – Winter Whip

Voddick made sure his cleats where tightly attached to his boots before he opened the door and stopped out into the driving snow.

Gollaon followed.  “Well, the pay is good.”  He said through the scarf wrapped around his face.

“I do not mind, the ice, or the snow, or even the bitter wind,” said Voddick.  “But I hate falling and looking ridiculous.”

“True,” nodded Gollaon.  “Pride does help keep one warm.”

“Damn straight.”

Winter Whip

These whips are made of white leather, taken from arctic creatures, the grip is wrapped around a length of rock crystal and tied with silver wire.  They are cool to the touch, moving to cold when used.  Frost gathers around the whip when it is set down, even in summer weather.

Tuesday Magic Item – Accursed Bone Arrow

Gollaon took cover behind Voddick’s shield as the arrows rained down, several shattered into white and yellowed fragments.  One of the soldiers beside them howled in pain and then feel silent.

“Bastards!” said Gollaon, unlimbering his short sword.

“What foul magic are they using now?” asked Voddick.

“Accused arrows,” said Gollaon.  “Those killed by them rise as the unliving.”

“Bastards!”

Accursed Bone Arrow

These arrows are tipped in bone arrow heads and often have bone shafts but they are always light and fragile and must be treated with care.  They suck the moisture out of anything they are in contact with so they are best stored in metal containers.