Minor Weapon Enchantments, 1d186: A +1 magic weapon (Or some system specific version or it) is a staple piece of equipment in nearly every role playing game world. Low levels characters hoard gold and listen for rumors of where an enchanted sword may be found or sold, embarking on epic quests in search of one. Mechanically speaking, there lies a tricky issue for DM’s on when to allow the party to begin acquiring magic weapons. To early and it can throw off challenge rating balance and prevent the collecting of a magic weapon to be a significant milestone for the character. If enchanted weapons are scarce, martial characters (And the players who control them) can become discontent and feel slighted or that they are unable to keep up against enemies that are resistant or wholly immune to mundane weapons. To combat this issue I have developed and collected an extensive amount of Minor Weapon Enchantments. While +1 weapon is the gold standard of enchanting, constantly providing its bonuses to any wielder and never demanding anything in return for its service, these minor bonuses are weaker as they come with trade-offs, risks, prerequisites, limited uses or niche benefits. I personally consider them +0.5 enchantments as although they are better than nothing, they aren’t as good as their +1 kin. Weapons with these benefits can be given to PC’s much lower level than would be appropriate than a +1 and provide experienced players new ways to interact with their weapons. These enchantments provide feat-like bonuses, low level class abilities, modify damage types, provide short bursts of power or replicate the effects of low levels spells. The flavorful descriptions allow even a simple dagger to appear unique and special, creating a richer and more immersive world.
Accursed: The fiendish visage of a demon has been branded into the grip of the weapon. The weapon bears small infernal runes along its length that provide the wielder power at the cost of his personal well being. Knowledgeable PCs are able to determine that the symbols are not a demonic contract, nor does the source of the power stem from hellish origin. Rather the abyssal glyphs forcibly draw energy from the wielder’s mental and physical defenses, worsening his ability to protect himself from harm. The weapon is treated as a +1 but while the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, the bearer suffers a penalty of -1 on all of his saving throws.
Shiftsword: The symbol of a different Random Melee Weapon (See Note) is etched into the grip of this Random Melee Weapon. This enchantment was tailor made for adventurers who wish to travel light while still retaining access to an assortment of armaments. The weapon is imbued with transmutation magic and once per round on his turn, the wielder can concentrate for a fraction of a moment (Taking an action equivalent to drawing a weapon), to cause the weapon to instantaneously change from its current form to the type of weapon etched onto the grip or back again. Any observer can clearly tell that both of the weapon’s forms are of exceptional workmanship and that a great deal of time and skill went into their creation. Both weapons gain a single Random Masterwork Bonus (Either the same for each or two different benefits, DM’s discretion). —Note: I recommend choosing two melee weapons that serve different purposes or deal different types of damage or a one handed weapon and a two handed weapon to increase the wielder’s variety of attack options. A mace that turns into a halberd is far more useful than a mace that turns into a club.
Peaceful Rest: The image of a corpse with its arms peacefully crossed over its chest, coins covering its eyes and a serene smile on its face is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer feels a sense of serenity and calmness over the prospect of their mortality and is able to accept the grim inevitable with stoicism and grace. The bearer will still fight to the bitter end against hopeless odds to save their own life or that of an ally but the wielder knows that with his last breath he will great death as an old friend and go gladly into the light. If a creature is dealt a killing blow from this weapon, their body does not rot or decay in any way for seven days and during this time the body cannot be made into an undead. The effect also extends the time limit on raising the target from the dead and days spent under the influence of the weapon’s effect don’t count against the time limit of spells such as raise dead. Should a creature be killed while actively wielding the weapon, their body is also affected in the same manner. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Wild Magic: A large glyph of raw magic is emblazoned on the business end of the weapon. With each successful strike in combat, the mark pulses and flickers with barely contained power always threatening to burst free from the weapon’s confines and alter the very fabric of reality. On truly remarkable attacks, a small portion of the untamed sorcery surges free and causes unpredictable effects. Whenever the wielder lands a critical hit on an attack roll with the weapon, the player must roll on the Wild Magic Surge Table and that effect occurs in addition to the critical hit. While rolling on the table, the wielder is considered the “caster” and the critical hit is considered “spell” for the purposes of the surge. —Note: The DM could also rule that the magic surges on a natural 1, however many of the table’s results are based on a successful attack / spell. For D&D 5e players the DM can choose to have the player roll on my homebrew tables of effects on this blog, the published Sorcerer’s Wild Magic Surge table or any other random effect table you can find. Should the player roll on a result that would be grossly detrimental for the campaign (Such as casting Fireball at their own feet resulting in a TPK) the DM should feel free to have the player reroll. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Cinders: The weapon is fashioned from smoldering materials and the symbol of a tongue of flame is branded into the grip. Embers still crackle and burn in the charred wooden components and metallic parts have cherry red business ends with tiny rivulets of liquid metal trailing along the weapon’s length. The entire object is surrounded by a wavy heat mirage and although the weapon feels warm to the touch, it is never hot enough to damage a creature who simply holds it, nor will the weapon ignite objects on contact. The weapon’s fiery power deal burning injuries that scorch the skin and leave charred, smoldering corpses in the wielder’s wake. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of ashes and on a successful attack with the weapon, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered fire damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will ignite their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Nightmares: The handle of the weapon is pitch black and seems to soak in the ambient light around it. Whenever a creature makes contact with the weapon, (Be they the wielder or target) that creature relives a fleeting instant of a long forgotten childhood nightmare before the memory quickly submerges back into their subconscious. Twice per day, when the wielder lands a successful attack against an enemy he can choose to cause that creature to suffer from severe night terrors during their next eight hours (Consecutive or non-consecutive) of sleep as they experience a vivid and specific Random Nightmare. The victim’s sleep is plagued with thrashing and screaming as they frequently bolt awake terrified, drenched in cold sweat, their heart pounding heavily in their chest. The creature’s sleep is so disturbed by the nightmares that they gain no benefits from the rest whatsoever. —Note: Projectile weapons with this enchantment bestow the magic upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Patience: The length of the weapon is covered in a complicated pattern of swirling silver whorls that calm and soothe a creature who observes it. At the first moment of combat, the bearer senses that the battle may go better for them if they take a moment to observe the situation and ready themselves before joining the fray. When initiative is rolled, if the bearer chooses (Before rolling) to go last in the initiative order, the silver patterning begins to glow a dull red and the weapon is treated as a +1 weapon for that wielder until the end of combat.
Wolfbrother: A weapon simple in its design, lacking any sort of flair or decoration save for the imprint of a leaping wolf stamped into the leather grip. A bearer feels a sense of animalistic cunning from the weapon and that despite its simple appearance, it is much more than it seems. After three days in the possession of a bearer who has never deliberately harmed or killed a wolf, the bearer’s eyes become a bright yellow even golden color, glow faintly in the dark and catch the light, granting a wolfish appearance. This effect fades 24 hours after the weapon has left the wielder’s possession. A wolf eyed wielder takes on some of the heightened senses of the untamed wolf and can see in low or dim light as if it was bright light and gains advantage to any perception checks made regarding their sense of smell. Wolves are pack hunters and a golden eyed bearer instinctually benefits from a nearby ally while in combat, using the minor distraction to go for the enemy’s throat. The wielder gains a +1 on damage rolls with the weapon if an allied creature is within five feet of the target. Bearers who have ever harmed or killed wolves feel a strong sense of betrayal and revulsion when touching the weapon and they cannot benefit from its magic nor are they considered proficient with the weapon. —Note: Recommended for melee weapons.
Bloodied: The symbol of a ferocious, wild eyed badger is etched on the grip of the weapon. A healthy bearer can feel the faintest hint of dormant, primal rage at the back of their mind waiting patiently for its power to be called upon. The knowledge of this emergency, animalistic violence hibernating within himself can leave the bearer comforted or uneasy, depending on how civilized or evolved he views himself. When the wielder is heavily injured the wielder flies into a bestial frenzy and channels that power into the weapon, which is treated as a +1 if the wielder has less than half of his total hit points remaining. This adrenaline fueled rage immediately departs a wielder whose life is not in immediate danger (Above half of his total hit points) as the primal urges retreat back into dormancy rather than further taxing the wielder’s energy.
Tithing: The holy symbol of a God of a Random Domain is etched on the grip of the weapon. The object functions as a direct spiritual connection to that deity and a creature can make offerings directly to the God in return for a minor blessing. The bearer may lay ten gold coins (See Note) along the surface of the weapon and pray to the God for ten minutes. At the end of this ritual, the gold coins vanish and the weapon is treated as a +1 weapon for the next eight hours but only for the creature who prayed. The bearer feels a strong sense of religious devotion during the eight hour span and feels motivated to carry out the basic tenets of the domain the God represents. The wielder is not compelled to act in this way and is not forced to violate any strongly held morals or beliefs. —Note: Rather than a flat ten gold, the DM can rule of another flat value, X gold per character level or other reasonable amount. Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
—Most of these enchantments have not been playtested whatsoever, so feel free to make any modifications that you feel like to use them in your campaigns.
—Follow the links for the Unique Weapons or Random Weapon tables to find examples of base weapons that these enchantments can be applied to.
—Keep reading for 176 more minor weapon enchantments.
—Note: The previous 10 minor weapon enchantments are repeated here.
Accursed: The fiendish visage of a demon has been branded into the grip of the weapon. The weapon bears small infernal runes along its length that provide the wielder power at the cost of his personal well being. Knowledgeable PCs are able to determine that the symbols are not a demonic contract, nor does the source of the power stem from hellish origin. Rather the abyssal glyphs forcibly draw energy from the wielder’s mental and physical defenses, worsening his ability to protect himself from harm. The weapon is treated as a +1 but while the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, the bearer suffers a penalty of -1 on all of his saving throws.
Shiftsword: The symbol of a different Random Melee Weapon (See Note) is etched into the grip of this Random Melee Weapon. This enchantment was tailor made for adventurers who wish to travel light while still retaining access to an assortment of armaments. The weapon is imbued with transmutation magic and once per round on his turn, the wielder can concentrate for a fraction of a moment (Taking an action equivalent to drawing a weapon), to cause the weapon to instantaneously change from its current form to the type of weapon etched onto the grip or back again. Any observer can clearly tell that both of the weapon’s forms are of exceptional workmanship and that a great deal of time and skill went into their creation. Both weapons gain a single Random Masterwork Bonus (Either the same for each or two different benefits, DM’s discretion). —Note: I recommend choosing two melee weapons that serve different purposes or deal different types of damage or a one handed weapon and a two handed weapon to increase the wielder’s variety of attack options. A mace that turns into a halberd is far more useful than a mace that turns into a club.
Peaceful Rest: The image of a corpse with its arms peacefully crossed over its chest, coins covering its eyes and a serene smile on its face is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer feels a sense of serenity and calmness over the prospect of their mortality and is able to accept the grim inevitable with stoicism and grace. The bearer will still fight to the bitter end against hopeless odds to save their own life or that of an ally but the wielder knows that with his last breath he will great death as an old friend and go gladly into the light. If a creature is dealt a killing blow from this weapon, their body does not rot or decay in any way for seven days and during this time the body cannot be made into an undead. The effect also extends the time limit on raising the target from the dead and days spent under the influence of the weapon’s effect don’t count against the time limit of spells such as raise dead. Should a creature be killed while actively wielding the weapon, their body is also affected in the same manner. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Wild Magic: A large glyph of raw magic is emblazoned on the business end of the weapon. With each successful strike in combat, the mark pulses and flickers with barely contained power always threatening to burst free from the weapon’s confines and alter the very fabric of reality. On truly remarkable attacks, a small portion of the untamed sorcery surges free and causes unpredictable effects. Whenever the wielder lands a critical hit on an attack roll with the weapon, the player must roll on the Wild Magic Surge Table and that effect occurs in addition to the critical hit. While rolling on the table, the wielder is considered the “caster” and the critical hit is considered “spell” for the purposes of the surge. —Note: The DM could also rule that the magic surges on a natural 1, however many of the table’s results are based on a successful attack / spell. For D&D 5e players the DM can choose to have the player roll on my homebrew tables of effects on this blog, the published Sorcerer’s Wild Magic Surge table or any other random effect table you can find. Should the player roll on a result that would be grossly detrimental for the campaign (Such as casting Fireball at their own feet resulting in a TPK) the DM should feel free to have the player reroll. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Cinders: The weapon is fashioned from smoldering materials and the symbol of a tongue of flame is branded into the grip. Embers still crackle and burn in the charred wooden components and metallic parts have cherry red business ends with tiny rivulets of liquid metal trailing along the weapon’s length. The entire object is surrounded by a wavy heat mirage and although the weapon feels warm to the touch, it is never hot enough to damage a creature who simply holds it, nor will the weapon ignite objects on contact. The weapon’s fiery power deal burning injuries that scorch the skin and leave charred, smoldering corpses in the wielder’s wake. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of ashes and on a successful attack with the weapon, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered fire damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will ignite their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Nightmares: The handle of the weapon is pitch black and seems to soak in the ambient light around it. Whenever a creature makes contact with the weapon, (Be they the wielder or target) that creature relives a fleeting instant of a long forgotten childhood nightmare before the memory quickly submerges back into their subconscious. Twice per day, when the wielder lands a successful attack against an enemy he can choose to cause that creature to suffer from severe night terrors during their next eight hours (Consecutive or non-consecutive) of sleep as they experience a vivid and specific Random Nightmare. The victim’s sleep is plagued with thrashing and screaming as they frequently bolt awake terrified, drenched in cold sweat, their heart pounding heavily in their chest. The creature’s sleep is so disturbed by the nightmares that they gain no benefits from the rest whatsoever. —Note: Projectile weapons with this enchantment bestow the magic upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Patience: The length of the weapon is covered in a complicated pattern of swirling silver whorls that calm and soothe a creature who observes it. At the first moment of combat, the bearer senses that the battle may go better for them if they take a moment to observe the situation and ready themselves before joining the fray. When initiative is rolled, if the bearer chooses (Before rolling) to go last in the initiative order, the silver patterning begins to glow a dull red and the weapon is treated as a +1 weapon for that wielder until the end of combat.
Wolfbrother: A weapon simple in its design, lacking any sort of flair or decoration save for the imprint of a leaping wolf stamped into the leather grip. A bearer feels a sense of animalistic cunning from the weapon and that despite its simple appearance, it is much more than it seems. After three days in the possession of a bearer who has never deliberately harmed or killed a wolf, the bearer’s eyes become a bright yellow even golden color, glow faintly in the dark and catch the light, granting a wolfish appearance. This effect fades 24 hours after the weapon has left the wielder’s possession. A wolf eyed wielder takes on some of the heightened senses of the untamed wolf and can see in low or dim light as if it was bright light and gains advantage to any perception checks made regarding their sense of smell. Wolves are pack hunters and a golden eyed bearer instinctually benefits from a nearby ally while in combat, using the minor distraction to go for the enemy’s throat. The wielder gains a +1 on damage rolls with the weapon if an allied creature is within five feet of the target. Bearers who have ever harmed or killed wolves feel a strong sense of betrayal and revulsion when touching the weapon and they cannot benefit from its magic nor are they considered proficient with the weapon. —Note: Recommended for melee weapons.
Bloodied: The symbol of a ferocious, wild eyed badger is etched on the grip of the weapon. A healthy bearer can feel the faintest hint of dormant, primal rage at the back of their mind waiting patiently for its power to be called upon. The knowledge of this emergency, animalistic violence hibernating within himself can leave the bearer comforted or uneasy, depending on how civilized or evolved he views himself. When the wielder is heavily injured the wielder flies into a bestial frenzy and channels that power into the weapon, which is treated as a +1 if the wielder has less than half of his total hit points remaining. This adrenaline fueled rage immediately departs a wielder whose life is not in immediate danger (Above half of his total hit points) as the primal urges retreat back into dormancy rather than further taxing the wielder’s energy.
Tithing: The holy symbol of a God of a Random Domain is etched on the grip of the weapon. The object functions as a direct spiritual connection to that deity and a creature can make offerings directly to the God in return for a minor blessing. The bearer may lay ten gold coins (See Note) along the surface of the weapon and pray to the God for ten minutes. At the end of this ritual, the gold coins vanish and the weapon is treated as a +1 weapon for the next eight hours but only for the creature who prayed. The bearer feels a strong sense of religious devotion during the eight hour span and feels motivated to carry out the basic tenets of the domain the God represents. The wielder is not compelled to act in this way and is not forced to violate any strongly held morals or beliefs. —Note: Rather than a flat ten gold, the DM can rule of another flat value, X gold per character level or other reasonable amount. Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Bonded Power: The symbol of a hand holding this weapon is etched into the weapon’s grip. The lines of the symbol where the hand and the weapon meet are blurred, making it hard to distinguish them as separate entities. The bearer understands that although the weapon is lethal in it’s own right, it’s true power can only be obtained by physically bonding with it. On the wielder’s turn he may activate the weapon’s magic, causing the grip to animate and wrap itself around the wielder’s fist and burrowing into the skin of his hand, creating an unnatural union of weapon and flesh. This process takes an action equivalent to making an attack or casting a spell. The wielder feels an unpleasant amount of pressure but no actual pain and takes no damage as the material penetrates the skin, forcing it to remain grasped to the handle. The weapon becomes more powerful and deadly as it fused with its wielder and is treated as a +1 while bonded. While attached to the wielder’s hand, the weapon cannot be released or disarmed and the wielder cannot use that hand for tasks requiring any sort of manual dexterity as the hand is considered actively wielding the weapon at all times. To sever the bond to the weapon the wielder can spend one minute cutting and prying away the fused areas, suffering one hit point of damage per character level (Or 10% of his maximum health or other equivalent amount), or he can take an action equivalent to attacking or casting a spell and use a free hand to rip it off by force, dealing twice that amount of damage to himself due to the sheer amount of lost skin and tissue. —Note: For two handed weapons, the weapon only bonds to a single hand (Wielder’s choice) leaving the other one free to interact with other objects, however the wielder must still use both hands to make attacks with it as normal. This allows the wielder to hold a bonded crossbow in one hand while the other retrieves a potion, makes a rude gestures or loads said crossbow. Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Flamboyant: A fine looking weapon with a pictorial representation of the last magical sound the weapon made outlined in the last color it was ordered to shine in, emblazoned on the grip. When the weapon is drawn, the wielder may mentally command the weapon to shine up to or as bright as a torch in any color they choose and can choose to cause the weapon to create any noise they can imagine, which can be up to as loud as one grown man yelling. The wielder cannot alter the ongoing effect but may suppress it at any time. Both effects are illusionary and last until the weapon no longer held, the wielder dismisses it or until one minute passes. The weapon requires one hour of recharging before the magic can be activated again. Knowledgeable PC’s will know that these weapons are often used by highwayman, charlatans and bards to fake an actual magic weapon or bluff an enemy into believing they have a specific type of weapon enchantment. For example, a “Holy” weapon can be faked with a pure high pitched tone and a bright white light, while an “Evil” enchantment would be the sound of a deep horn, dirge or pained wail accompanied by dark reds, purples, or sickly green colors. Occasionally lesser nobles or knights will use these and display their main house colors and cause the cry of their house animal. This weapon enchantment is rarely used by those with the money to afford better as the magic is illusory and not long lasting.
Conquest: The weapon is tinted white and the symbol of a horse and crown are etched into the grip. The weapon is lavishly decorated with images of triumphant battles and the bearer is filled with the urge to conquer and be victorious over all others. The weapon rewards those who spread the message of their dominion over others and if the weapon is used to land a killing blow on an intelligent creature while being witnessed by at least three other non-allied, intelligent creatures, the weapon glows slightly and functions as a +1 for the next eight hours for that wielder only. The eight hour timer is reset each time the wielder meets the enchantment’s requirements. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Depths: A flowing motif of tidal waves decorates the weapon’s grip. The weapon is constantly damp and drips saltwater intermittently and when grasped, the wielder’s ears pop as if subjected to a drastic change in pressure. If the weapon is completely submerged in saltwater it is treated as +1 for the next hour.
Morning Glow: The symbol of a newly rising sun is etched on the weapon’s grip. When wielded, a dull yellow glow similar to a sunrise emanates from the business end of the weapon. The weapon’s light flares on contact with an enemy and a creature struck by the weapon suffers disadvantage on visual perception checks until the end of its next turn. The weapon is considered a +1 against creatures who are harmed or sensitive to natural sunlight and such creatures are never considered proficient with the weapon due to its flaring light.
Risen: The hieroglyphic symbol of an ankh is etched on the weapon’s grip. Whenever the wielder quickly regains health, he feels an overwhelming rush of strength and vigor as the weapon harmonies with the sudden rush of vitality and becomes empowered in its own right. If the wielder has regained more than 1 hit point per character level (Or 10% of his maximum hit points or other equivalent amount) through any source or means since the start of his last turn, the weapon is treated as a +1 until the end of the wielder’s next turn.
Legacy: An antique handed down from generation to generation, within a well-established organization (See Note), this ancient weapon was masterfully crafted and has been lovingly cared for by each passing member. The weapon sports decorations and coloring based on the institution and is an unmistakable physical symbol of their long lasting existence. The group’s crest, sigil or emblem is emblazoned on the weapon’s grip and their motto, adage or creed (Roll a Random Motto or DM’s discretion) is expertly carved into its blade or shaft. The object is a true masterpiece from a time when that meant something and the weapon gains a Random Masterwork Bonus (DM’s choice or roll randomly, rerolling Impervious). Despite its age, the heirloom is in remarkable shape and is extraordinarily durable, and any wielder can plainly feel the solid construction under its unyielding form. The weapon is five times harder to damage than a typical one of its kind and never breaks, chips or dulls as a result of casual use and is all but impossible to break or damage as a result of combat, even when targeted by enemies who attempt sundering or weapon breaking techniques. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition. Depending on your game system the weapon may either have five times as many hitpoints or have a greatly increased hardness or damage reducing quality. If there is no existing system in place and weapons simply break or do not break as a result of damage, consider giving the weapon five “charges” or “lives”. Each time it would be broken as a result of damage, it instead remains fully intact but looses a life or charge and it is destroyed when all five have been used up. This weapon requires a little more setup than others on this table but allows a DM to drop in a physical piece of lore and tradition. A DM can either have the weapon originate from an in-game organization relevant to the plot and give it a masterwork quality and motto that fit in well their ideals or generate one at random to provide a richer world. Examples of organizations can include: 1, Assassin’s guild 2, Mercenary company 3, Paladin order 4, A national or royal military 5, Order of werewolf, vampire, witch or monster hunters 6, A long standing family, clan or tribe 7, An adventurers or explores league 8, A forbidden cult 9, The followers of the God of Random Domain 10, An order of warmages. 11, A secret society that subtly influences political events 12, A circle of druids or nature wardens
Rampaging: The symbol of a charging bull is etched onto the grip of this weapon. Simply holding the weapon fills the wielder with barely controlled rage and the desire to run down their enemies and stomp them into the dirt. These feelings are magnified in combat and the wielder is flooded with vitality and power whenever they vanquish an enemy. Upon killing a creature, the bearer can immediately move up to half his base move speed towards any enemy they can see. This movement still provokes any attacks of opportunities as normal but does not count against their total move speed for the turn. —Note: Not recommended for ranged weapons of ammunition.
Magewright Made: This masterpiece of a weapon was created entirely by magical means by the arcane order of the magewrights. The ancient order was comprised of hardworking mages who were all gifted craftsmen in one trade or another and who used magic as their main tool in all steps of their creative process. This weapon in particular was made entirely from summoned or conjured materials that were then forged, carved and sculpted by eldritch power, adorned with quenched in the magewright’s own blood before spending weeks undergoing polishing, buffing and cleansing spells to ensure that it be without physical flaw, inside and out. The resulting tool of violence is a testament to the magewright guild and to the power of harnessed magic wielded with a driven purpose by a true eclectic master of magic and weaponcraft. It gains a Random Masterwork Bonus (DM’s choice or roll randomly, rerolling Spellbound) as the weapon spent such a great deal of time exposed to mana in its rawest form, it tingles with power imbued by the countless overlapping magical fields it spent so much time in. It has retained enough mystical essence for it to be considered a magical weapon for the purposes of overcoming resistances, damage reduction and other defenses. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Visionary: Etched into the grip of this weapon are nearly a dozen different simple pictographic symbols including the four primal elements (Water, earth, fire and air), a symbol of magic, a human brain, a lightning bolt, a musical note and a holy and unholy symbol, that are all clustered around the image of an open eye. The weapon looks standard for its type until it is picked up, at which point it takes on a specific elemental or metaphysical quality in response to a specific physical trait of the wielder, instantly changing to match each new wielder. Once held, the weapon begins to glow the same colour as the wielder’s eyes and on a successful attack with the weapon, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered X damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type based on the wielder’s eye colour (See Note). The weapon displays no special function for creatures without a natural eye colour or who lack eyes entirely and creatures with multiple eyes colours can will the weapon to glow and deal damage in either of their natural eye colours. —Note: The X for damage is based on the wielder’s eye colour and associated damage types are as follows: Amber / yellow = Lighting. Black = Necrotic Blue = Cold. Brown = Acid. Green = Force. Gray = Thunder. Hazel = Poison. Purple = Psychic. Red = Fire. White = Radiant.
Quickness: The grip of the weapon is covered with a motif of small blue lighting bolts. When held, the weapon begins to vibrate so quickly that its edges shimmer and blur as if hidden behind a heat mirage. At the same time a faint sound, similar to the buzzing of insect wings, can be heard and the wielder is flooded with torrents of physical energy and the desire to go fast. The wielder’s base movement speed is increased by five feet for as long as the weapon is held. After releasing the weapon, the magical stimulation immediately departs leaving the creature with sore muscles and a sense of lethargy that lasts about a minute.
Death’s Toll: The symbol of a heavy bell inscribed with a human skull, is etched into the grip of the weapon. When the weapon is used to land a killing blow on a living creature, the weapon emits a deep loud reverberation just like a large gong or heavy bell. The heavy tones remind all those who hear it of the fleeting nature of life and their own mortality. The wielder can then lock eyes with any living creature within 60 feet and cause them to become frightened of the wielder until the end of that creature’s next turn.
Youthful: The symbol of an hourglass with most of the sand in the top half is etched into the weapon’s grip. A creature holding the weapon feels youthful, as if the weight of all the responsibilities, regrets and consequences in the wielder’s life has been lifted away. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder is the youngest intelligent creature within 100 feet.
Heartbreaking: A simple, unembellished weapon save for a large gem the color of blood on snow, seamlessly embedded into its grip. The large gem glows bright and warm when the wielder is within the presence of someone they truly love. If the weapon is used to purposely kill someone that the wielder truly loves (DM’s discretion), the weapon is permanently treated as a +1 for that wielder alone. This process can be repeated with any number of wielders who are willing to make the sacrifice.
Seeming: A large weapon with arcane runes carved along its length, with a pommel consisting of the shrunken head of an illusionist wizard. When in the bearer’s possession, it creates an illusion of normalcy that completely conceals any mutations, amputations, horrifying scars, disfiguring marks, curse brands, burns, tattoos or other strange, immediately identifying or unnatural features, causing its bearer to seem completely and perfectly ordinary for his race and gender. Essentially this causes the bearer to be disguised in an illusion that is a generic unremarkable version of themselves. While the illusion is active, the bearer gains advantage on checks made to pass themselves off as another person and other creatures gain disadvantage on checks made to recognize the bearer. This is an illusionary effect and although perceptive creatures could spot inconsistencies with the illusion, most creatures would never notice. The bearer can choose to activate or suppress this ability at will. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or throwing weapons.
Black Ice: The business end of the weapon is covered in a thick layer of what appears to be highly polished silver that’s constantly shedding small clouds of fog. Closer inspection reveals the material to be frozen quicksilver that never melts or loses its icy nature. Knowledgeable PC’s will actually recognize the material as mercury mined by ice demons from the lowest circle of the nine hells, a place of perpetual frost where traitors betrayers and oathbreakers are tortured within the unyielding ice for eternity. The treacheries of these souls are punished by denying them the love of the Gods and of all human warmth. When the weapon strikes a target, small particles of the fiendish metal works into the victim’s skin freezing the tissues before melting, causing the toxic liquid mercury to course through the creature’s bloodstream. Half of the damage dealt by the weapon is considered cold damage, while the other half is poison, no mundane damage is dealt. The demonic material retains the wretched properties of the Abyss and can actually corrupt and become empowered by mundane quicksilver. If two ounces of ordinary mercury is poured over its hellspawned counterpart (Using up the regular mercury in the process), the weapon is treated as a +1 for the next hour. The weapon is not without its flaws however and is tainted with the sin of treachery and will turn on the mortal who trusts it most. A wielder who rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll must roll damage as normal for the attack and deals half of that damage to themselves, as the weapon seems to twist in their hands and nicks them. —Note: Not recommended for ranged weapons. Two ounces of mercury can provide the +1 for up to 15 pieces of ammunition or thrown weapons at a time.
Elemental Attunement: The unified symbol of the four natural elements (Fire, earth, air and water) is etched into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is always attuned to one of the four elements at all times, which provides the wielder power at a cost. When carried, the bearer gains a physical link to the particular element the weapon is attuned to and feels warm, solid, light or damp and causes their eyes glow faintly in a color matching the element’s energy. This allows the bearer to channel the weapon’s power in combat so that whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts fire, acid, electrical or cold damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4, Based on which element the weapon is attuned to) in addition to the attack's damage. However, due to the deeper connection the bearer has to that element, whenever the bearer would take the elemental damage of the same type that he is attuned to, that damage is rolled twice and the bearer takes the higher result. This occurs whenever the weapon is on the bearer’s person, even when not actively wielded. The bearer can change the weapon’s attunement through a ten minute ritual by directly exposing the weapon to the new element such as holding it over a candle’s flame, covering it in soil, holding it up to a light breeze or submerging it in water. This ritual never damages the weapon and the bearer wills the weapon to change its attunement, making it impossible to do accidentally. —Note: Since the weapon is always attuned, the DM can roll a d4 or choose which element the weapon is linked to when it is found. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Icy: The weapon is fashioned from frigid materials and the symbol of a snowflake is carved into the frost on the grip. The frozen implement never melts or cracks, even in the fiercest of heat but will mist and emit water vapor in warm temperatures. Although the object feels cold to the touch, the ice never freezes material it touches or cause frostbite in its wielder. The weapon’s icy magics create rime rimmed wounds that leak slushy, half frozen blood from blackened, frostbitten flesh. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of frost (Which deals no damage and melts normally) on a successful attack with the weapon, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered cold damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will freeze their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Unquiet Dead: The symbol of a skeletal hand bursting up from the earth of a fresh grave is etched on the grip of the weapon. When the bearer sees a fresh corpse their mind is distracted with faint whispers of forbidden utterances, visions of unholy symbols and quasi-memories of black rituals. The ensorcelled weapon contains the profane wisdom of experienced necromancers and is imbued with a small portion of their knowledge and raw magical power. When the weapon is used to kill, it leaves a seed of necromantic energy in the resulting corpse. This spark of unholy flame can be fanned by conventional necromantic spells if they are cast before the black fire burns itself out. A living creature dealt a killing blow by this weapon, only needs half of the costly material components (Such as onyx gems, rare incense or diamonds) that the spell requires need in order to raise it as an undead creature. This benefit lasts for one hour after the creature is killed after which it requires the normal amount of materials. —Note: For example, if Animate Dead is cast on a corpse and it would normally need an onyx gem worth 50 gp, the weapon’s enchantment reduces that cost to a gem worth only 25 gp for one hour after the creature is killed by the weapon.
Ki Focusing: The airy symbol of three wavy lines is painted onto the grip of the weapon in beautiful flowing calligraphy. When held, the weapon hums in a deep, centering tone that is barely audible, yet strangely compelling to concentrate on and use as a meditative focus. A wielder feels connected to his inner self and at any time, can assume a relaxed position and enter a meditative trance. In this state the wielder turns his inner eye to his spiritual self and becomes unaware of his surroundings. The wielder is aware of how long he’s been meditating for and can instantly rouse himself from the trance becoming fully awake at any time. He is automatically roused from the trance if he takes any sort of damage, is physically moved, his name is spoken within earshot or if he is no longer touching the weapon. Time spent in this meditative state fulfills the same purpose as sleeping for an equivalent amount of time (Making eight hours of broken up meditation over the course of a 24 hour period equivalent to a full night’s sleep) but they must meditate in at least 30 minute increments. A weapon must match itself to its bearer’s unique energy flows and the first time it is used, the bearer must meditate using the weapon for a period of four consecutive hours before they can benefit from the meditative sleep. The weapon can only be attuned to one creature at a time.
Ruthless: The image of a mercenary dealing the final deathblow to a heavily wounded enemy is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer’s perception’s seem to speed up in combat and he can all but smell out a wounded enemy, feeling the urge to pounce on the weak, like a wolf taking down the most injured member of a herd. The bearer understands that there’s no fairness in love or war and that allowing a battered foe to recover for a fair fight only means that you value your enemy’s life more than your own. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the target has less than half of their total hit points remaining.
Indomitable: The symbol of a bear rearing up on its hind legs as a show of force is etched on the grip of the weapon. The wielder feels strong and physically powerful, as if they could wrestle bears with nothing but their hands and win. The bearer gains advantage on checks made to initiate or break grapples, holds, clinches, wrestle other creatures or break out of restraints such as weighted nets. If the bearer is being grappled or restrained by multiple sources and is trying to break loose, he may choose to break the strongest hold on him (The check with the highest DC or creature with the highest modifier) and if successful, the bearer breaks free from all grapples and restraints with the same action. In order to benefit from these effects, the bearer must be actively wielding the weapon or have been wielding it at some point within the last 30 seconds. —Note: Recommended for melee weapons.
Alarm: The symbol of a Random Creature Type is etched into the grip of the weapon. The enchantment serves as a warning beacon to its bearer that enemies are nearby and that the wielder should prepare themselves for battle. The weapon begins to glow with the intensity of a candle when a creature of the symbol’s type is within 200 feet of the weapon. If a creature of that type is within 100 feet of the weapon it shines as bright as a torch. When that creature type is within 50 feet of the weapon, it emits a shrill whistling noise in additional to the bright light. The bearer is able to suppress or resume any of these effects with a thought. —Note: The DM can assign one colour for both lights or two different colours to better differentiate between them such as yellow within 200 feet and red within 100 feet.
Dryad’s Blessing: A simple weapon made almost entirely out of wood with accents of stone or animals products (See Note), the lethal tool has a rugged and wild appearance. The weapon lacks a single tool mark and seems as though it was grown into shape rather than carved. The wielder feels a deep and strong connection to the natural world and develops an emotional attachment to the supernatural creatures who guard the earth from those who would abuse and corrupt it. Knowledgeable PC’s will be able to determine that the object’s wood was willingly sacrificed by a dryad who grew it of herself into a weapon to strike back against the intruders of her sacred forest. The wielder is filled with a sense of reverence and utmost respect for the wilderness and the weapon functions as a +1 if the wielder has never personally cut down (Or directly aided in cutting down) a healthy living tree in his life. —Note: The DM can decide exactly how some weapons are crafted without any metal components. A rapier for example could have a wooden hilt with the blade made of a single giant porcupine quill, while a garrote could be fashioned from two wooden handles with a cord of braided vines or sinew.
Greed: The symbol of an open hand is stamped in gold leaf on the grip of this weapon. The bearer develops a nagging feeling of unfulfillment and that whatever he has is not enough. He begins to feel that collecting more material possessions and amassing an increasing amount of wealth of any variety will satisfy his soul and bring him peace. The bearer is aware that using the weapon against others may grant him more gold to add to his horde and that causing pain and injury to others is worth it if the end result is more gold in his pocket. The bearer is never forced to act on these feelings but so long as he carries the weapon he may be swayed by its avarice. When the wielder lands a critical hit, instead of producing blood, ichor or sloughs of undead flesh, the target sheds droplets of pure gold. The equivalent of one gold coin per point of hit point damage dealt by the critical hit (In total, to a maximum limit of the amount of hit points the target has remaining), tumbles out of the target’s body and falls to the ground in small nuggets to be collected after the fight. —Note: DM’s can change the effect to function on the first time per day the wielder lands a critical hit if they feel their players will get distracted trying to abuse the effect to get rich rather than treating it as a fun, novel weapon.
Light Launcher: The symbol of a shooting star is etched on the grip of the weapon. When a projectile is fired from this weapon the wielder is able to cause it to emit light that’s as dim as a dull glow to as bright as a fresh torch, with nothing more than a mental command. The wielder chooses the colour of the light and can choose to have the projectile emit light the moment the ammunition is launched, halfway to the target or immediately upon impact (Hit or miss). The ammunition emits light for up to one minute, until the wielder mentally dismisses it or until a second projectile is enchanted with light. The wielder can choose to fire ammunition without enchanting them and can enchant up to two pieces of ammunition per hour. —Note: Recommended for Projectile Ranged Weapons. Can be applied to Ammunition and Thrown Weapons in which they can only be set alight once, but the wielder can have multiple units of ammunition illuminated at a time.
Sanguin: The symbol of a drop of blood is etched into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is pristine and any blood that touches the weapon is immediately absorbed into itself, leaving no trace. The weapon possesses a monstrous thirst for blood and gore that can never be fully sated but can be temporarily quenched. The weapon passes along this bloodlust to the wielder who never craves blood for himself but is given the understanding that providing the weapon with what it desires will increase its power. If the weapon is plunged into a freshly deceased creature (See Note) and remains there for at least one uninterrupted hour, it is treated as a +1 for eight hours after being withdrawn from the body. During this time the weapon draws all the blood and general moisture from the corpse leaving it a desiccated husk when it is withdrawn. —Note: The creature should be no more than 12 hours dead, be the size of a wolf or larger and have possessed a blood based circulatory system while alive. The DM’s has discretion on what corpses qualify to feed the weapon’s hunger as some that have died due to fire or bleeding damage or who have been caught in explosions of power, may be too charred, mangled or lack enough blood for the weapon’s liking.
Panache: A flamboyant weapon with a long sleek form and an ornate hilt. The weapon has been empowered to augment the bearer’s natural grace and allows even a clumsy oaf to wield the weapon with a certain panache that resembles a gymnastic performance. In combat, a naturally captivating wielder’s movement’s become outright distracting and the wielder is able to strike and step away from the fascinated enemy before the creature can even consider repaying the favor. On the wielder’s turn if he successfully attacks a target with a lower charisma score than himself, that specific creature can’t make opportunity attacks against the wielder for the rest of the turn. —Note: Recommended for melee weapons only.
Mindstrike: The grip of the weapon is formed not of wood, leather or metal but rather of corded brain tissue that has been wrapped around the handle. The grip feels damp and squishy beneath the wielders grip as if the grey matter was still fresh. A knowledgeable PC will be able to determine that the brain tissues come from a number of different creatures who all had psionic, telepathic, telekinetic or other powerful mental abilities. Bearers who hold the weapon for long periods of time or attack with it, experience fleeting mental flashbacks of lives they never lived, as the memories locked away in the preserved brains leak into the wielder. The weapon’s psionic power attacks its victim’s very psyche, mutilating their mind, exterminating their ego and brutalizing their brain. On a successful attack with the weapon, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered psychic damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will enhance their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Drunkard: The symbol of a mostly finished bottle of whiskey is etched on the grip of the weapon. A creature who grasps the weapon experiences blurred vision, feels slightly dizzy has slurred speech and is filled with unearned courage. This pseudo alcoholic buzz is mild and actually seems to sober up a creature who is unreasonably drunk. An intoxicated bearer who is experiencing disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws or ability checks, suffers no penalties from being intoxicated as long as they are actively wielding the weapon. Furthermore if the wielder would be suffering disadvantage on rolls due to his intoxicated state (But is not because he is benefiting from the enchantment), the weapon functions as a +1.
Earthbreaking: The symbol of a mountain that’s been cracked in half is etched into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is infused with earth shattering power and the wielder can feel the destructive potential flowing through his body. As an action equivalent to making an attack, the wielder can swing the weapon with all their might at a patch of ground within their reach. The weapon’s reverberations shake the dirty, stone or wood floor creating cracks, small fissures and uneven patches of ground an area of five square feet. The area becomes difficult terrain and creatures must use twice as much movement in order to move in or out of the five foot square. Abnormally powerful attacks also trigger this effect and whenever the wielder scores a critical hit with the weapon, a five foot square of ground under the struck creature becomes difficult terrain. —Note: Recommended for melee weapons.
Runic: The weapon is covered in arcane runes that glow and pulse slightly when held by a creature capable of casting spells. A bearer can choose to siphon magical energy into the weapon which fuels the runes latent potential, causing it to hum with violent power. The bearer can take an action equivalent to making an attack to channel a finite magical resource (Such as a level 1 spell slot, mana points or an encounter power) into the weapon. While empowered in this way, the runes flare with eldritch light and the weapon is treated as a +1 for the next ten minutes regardless of who holds it.
Warmage: The weapon is adorned with arcane runes, druidic glyphs, eldritch marks, sorcerous emblems and holy symbols to various Gods of magic. The combination of the various patterns and designs allow the weapon to be used as a material focus for casting magical spells of any sort. In addition, as long as the caster is wielding the weapon in one or both hands, he can wave it around to replicate the physical movements of casting, allowing him to perform the somatic components of the spell as if his hands were free.
Hidden Light: The weapon looks absolutely mundane for its type and has no markings, identification or hint as to its true power. The object contains a divine spark that subtly guides its bearer towards a path of righteousness, bravery and self-sacrifice. The holy weapon doesn’t wish to be sought after for its power for those who simply wish to use it for battle and it is not detectable as a magical weapon when carried by a noble creature. The divine essence provides the bearer the courage to stand firm in the face of adversity and the first time per day the wielder attempts to resist a fear type spell or effect, he gains advantage on the roll. In combat a wielder may flare the holy spark to harm the foe and after confirming a hit but before rolling damage, the wielder may choose to convert all of the damage dealt by this weapon to radiant damage. When this occurs, there is no outward flash of magic, divine light or sense of holy power, which makes it a favored enchantment of traveling priests wishing to lay low, humble paladins and inconspicuous clerics in the fight against evil. To benefit from these magical effects, the bearer must be a good aligned creature and have used the weapon as a focus of prayer, meditation or self-reflection on how they can help others, for at least one uninterrupted hour in the past day. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Bowblade: The symbol of a Random Melee Weapon (See Note) is etched into the grip of this Random Projectile Ranged Weapon. This enchantment was tailor made for adventurers who wish to travel light while still retaining access to an assortment of armaments. The weapon is imbued with transmutation magic and once per round on his turn, the wielder can concentrate for a fraction of a moment (Taking an action equivalent to drawing a weapon), he may cause the weapon to instantaneously change from its current form to the type of weapon etched onto the grip or back again. Any observer can clearly tell that both of the weapon’s forms are of exceptional workmanship and that a great deal of time and skill went into their creation. Both weapons gain a single Random Masterwork Bonus (Either the same for each or two different benefits, DM’s discretion). —Note: I recommend choosing two weapons that deal different types of damage to increase the wielder’s variety of attack options.
Ghost Touched: A weapon with this quality seems insubstantial and mists slightly as if it was incredibly cold. The weapon can be wielded by a missing limb and when used in this fashion, the wielder is always considered proficient with it. The weapon appears to float and swing in midair, however perceptive characters might notice spectral wisps of the missing limb. The weapon is treated as a +1 when wielded by a missing limb. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Lucky: The symbol of a horseshoe encircling a four-leaf clover is etched on the grip and a small rabbit’s foot charm hangs from a short silver chain, unobtrusively attached to the base of the grip. A creature who handles the weapon for more than a few moments gets a hunch that it is somehow lucky and would bring them good fortune to use in combat. It is common for long term bearer’s to become quite superstitious and develop or practice small rituals (Such as throwing spilled salt over your left shoulder, saying “Bless you.” when someone sneezes or never washing your socks.) to attract good luck or ward off bad luck. The bearer is not compelled to do this but does receive small gut instincts originating from the weapon if the ritual was done satisfactory or not. The first time per day that the wielder critically fails an attack roll with the weapon (See Note) they must roll again and take the new result. This effect cannot be suppressed, delayed or saved for later. The weapon must have been in the bearer’s possession for at least 24 hours before the wielder can benefit from the effect. —Note: The DM can expand this to also include other combat rolls that are not attacks such as attempting to shove, trip or disarm a target as long as the weapon was used at least in part to do so. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Blood Called: This weapon is covered in bloodstains that can never be washed clean with water, solvent or magic. Once attuned, the weapon always has a few drops of fresh blood somewhere on its surface which reappear if wiped away. A creature can attune this weapon to themselves during a one hour ritual that bathes the weapon in the creature’s own blood causing three hit points of damage per character level (Or 30% of maximum health or other equivalent amount). Afterwards, they are able to instantly summon the weapon to their hand with a thought, by sacrificing one hit point per character level (Or 10% of maximum health or other equivalent amount. This sacrifice is simply hit point damage not a permanent loss but cannot be prevented by any means), as long as the creature and the weapon are one the same plane of existence. The magic involved in the ritual binds the creature together with the weapon and the fresh blood that beads on the object’s surface is actually that of the attuned creature. This arcane ritual allows the weapon to bypass certain magical barriers that oppose teleportation as the enchantment tricks the barrier into thinking that the weapon and the attuned creature are physically attached. The anti-teleportation field therefore believes that the weapon is simply moving incredibly fast over long distances but not actually “teleporting” and therefore will allow the weapon to be called in or out of it. Attuning the weapon to a new user breaks the previous owner’s connection. Due to the nature of these weapons they are not often stolen and typically the previous owner is already died. Note: For ammunition it is suggested that the one hour ritual can effect up to ten units of the same type of ammunition and that the user can sacrifice a single hit point in order to summon a single unit. If a DM finds the anti-teleport bypassing power too powerful, consider having it cost twice as much hit points (2 per level or 20% of max health) to call the weapon in or out of such a field.
Deceptive: A weapon decorated with bright colors and bold patterns defined by thick black lines. The conspicuous weapon becomes invisible whenever it’s actively being wielded or held in at least one hand. The bearer does not gain the ability to see the weapon but as they are physically grasping it they suffer no penalty to using it in combat. The wielder gains advantage to checks made to feint with the weapon (Or the target gains disadvantage whichever benefits the wielder more) and on any checks made to disguise the fact that they are wielding or holding the weapon. The first time the weapon is used in a combat encounter, the wielder gains advantage on the attack roll as the target has trouble avoiding or blocking an unknown, invisible weapon. The invisibility does not extend to anything other than the weapon itself and shed blood will appear to float and move in midair as the wielder fights. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or throwing weapons.
Daywalker: The symbol of a blazing sun is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer can feel the power and heat of the sun tingle over their entire body like a warm embrace. The weapon is treated as a +1 in direct sunlight and the wielder can see look directly into the brightness of the sun without suffering any sort of discomfort or damage whatsoever. —Note: Direct sunlight can include shady areas such as under a forest canopy but not areas primarily lit but non sunlight such as most indoor settings.
Venerable: The symbol of an hourglass with most of the sand in the bottom half is etched into the weapon’s grip. A creature holding the weapon feels old, and the burdens of all the responsibilities, regrets and consequences in the bearer’s life weighs heavy on their mind. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder is the oldest intelligent creature within 100 feet.
Bonded Skill: The symbol of a hand holding this weapon is etched into the weapon’s grip. The lines of the symbol where the hand and the weapon meet are blurred, making it hard to distinguish them as separate entities. The bearer understands that although the weapon is lethal in it’s own right, it’s true power can only be obtained by physically bonding with it. On the wielder’s turn he may activate the weapon’s magic, causing the grip to animate and wrap itself around the wielder’s fist and burrowing into the skin of his hand, creating an unnatural union of weapon and flesh. This process takes an action equivalent to making an attack or casting a spell. The wielder feels an unpleasant amount of pressure but no actual pain and takes no damage as the material penetrates the skin, forcing it to remain grasped to the handle. Afterwards, the weapon feels as if it was a natural extension of the wielder’s arm than a held object and he becomes proficient with it’s use if he was not already. While attached to the wielder’s hand, the weapon cannot be released or disarmed and the wielder cannot use that hand for tasks requiring any sort of manual dexterity as the hand is considered actively wielding the weapon at all times. To sever the bond to the weapon the wielder can spend one minute cutting and prying away the fused areas, suffering one hit point of damage per character level (Or 10% of maximum his health or other equivalent amount), or he can take an action equivalent to attacking or casting a spell and use a free hand to rip it off by force, dealing twice that amount of damage to himself due to the sheer amount of lost skin and tissue. —Note: For two handed weapons, the weapon only bonds to a single hand (Wielder’s choice) leaving the other one free to interact with other objects, however the wielder must still use both hands to make attacks with it as normal. This allows the wielder to hold a bonded crossbow in one hand while the other retrieves a potion, makes a rude gesture or loads said crossbow. Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Skybane: The symbol of an arrow impaling a bird in flight is etched into the weapon’s grip. The bearer feels a deep seeded jealously directed at those who are able to slip the bonds of earth and take to the skies. The weapon is treated as a +1 against targets that are not currently making contact with the ground (Such as flying, hovering or floating) or standing on a solid substance (See Note). The wielder must be making contact with the ground themselves to activate this ability and a creature capable of natural flight is never considered proficient with the weapon. —Note: Recommended for ranged weapons and ammunition. Targets who are swimming, climbing or suspended from webs, strings or wires are not considered flying and DM’s should enforce common sense based on the spirit of the enchantment.
Pestilence: The weapon is tinted a sickly white and has the symbol of a horse and a pair of balancing scales etched into the grip. The weapon contains a myriad of magically preserved plagues, bacteria and viruses that remain in a state of near perfect magical stasis. Targets struck by the weapon are exposed to these short lived but fast acting phages that run rampant through their person. Due to minor flaws with the stasis enchantment, the bearer feels mildly ill the majority of the time, experiencing (Or believe they are experiencing) a wide a variety of symptoms including but not limited to; fever, chills, nausea, heartburn, headache, frequent urination, diarrhea, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, dry mouth and skin rashes, all with the frequency of a paranoid hypochondriac. None of these medical complications actually impair the bearer’s ability to carry on with their activities or ever impose disadvantage on their tasks. A living creature struck by the weapon is stricken with a short-lived, fast acting plague that throws the target’s immune system into chaos and disorder, making it impossible for the victim to be healed properly. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a living creature, that target cannot regain hit points until the start of the wielder's next turn.
Corrosion: The weapon is fashioned from significantly damaged materials and the symbol of a partially dissolved hand is acid etched into the grip. Any metallic parts of the weapon are pitted, corroded and covered in rust and wooden components are stained, acid burned and generally discolored. The object is rough and sharp to the touch, leaving the wielder’s hands rust stained and blemished as if exposed to a weak acid. Sizable pieces of rust occasionally flake off of the weapon, disintegrating when they hit the ground but the object never seems to reduce in size or weight no matter how much is lost. The weapon’s acidic properties dissolve the target’s flesh, leaving caustic, chemically burned corpses that reek of acerbic solvents. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered acid damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will contaminate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Barely Intelligent: The symbol of a brain is etched on the grip of this weapon. The weapon has been instilled with a small amount of intelligence, perception and memory, but no emotional qualities, wants, desires, loyalties or personality. The wielder faintly perceives the weapon’s simple mind at the edge of their consciousness as if through the means of a psionic ability and is able to communicate telepathically with it. The weapon is able to perceive its environment in the same way a human can (Sight, smell, sound etc.) to a maximum of a five foot radius around itself. The weapon can answer simple fact based, or yes/no questions about its origin, history, past wielders, targets it struck, etc. The weapon does not lie but is not able to answer complex questions or those that depend on feelings, extensive logical deductions or situations it has never witnessed. The weapon could example say that its last wielder killed 114 unarmed children, but could not say whether that wielder was a good or evil person. It could however describe its last wielder in extensive physical detail and confirm or deny things that it observed while being carried by that creature.
Agility: The image of a king cobra and a mongoose fighting to the death is etched on the grip of the weapon. A creature fells nimble and graceful the moment they pick the weapon and the bearer’s normal walking gait becomes smooth catlike strides. The wielder seems to glide and sweep airily through any situation with even savage weapons strikes becoming as elegant as a ballerina’s steps. In combat, a deft wielder is able to dodge and weave as part of an attack in order to better position himself. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target with a lower dexterity score than himself, he may choose to move five feet in any direction as long as he remains within the target’s reach. This movement does not count against his total moment for the turn nor does it provoke attacks of opportunity. Should the target be knocked unconscious or die as a result of the attack, the wielder can move five feet in any direction he chooses. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons, especially those that use dexterity to determine accuracy and damage.
Probability: The symbol of a pair of dice is etched on the grip of this weapon. A creature wielding the weapon experiences an odd sensation as if a set of dice were tumbling around in his head. The dice roll constantly, as if waiting for the right moment and only stop for a moment when the wielder attacks with the weapon. An insightful wielder understands that gambling and combat are one and the same and that every time battle commences it is time to toss the dice. The weapon’s magic rewards a wielder who gambles with his coin as much as his life and provides a bit of consistency in battle. Whenever the wielder attacks, he rolls 2d10’s to hit with the weapon rather than the typical 1d20. The roll is considered a natural 1 or a critical fumble if both dice roll 1’s, and a natural 20 or a critical hit when both dice roll 10’s. If the wielder is proficient in any type of gaming or gambling set (Such as dice, cards or a game of skill), the weapon is treated as a +1.
Covert: An unassuming weapon decorated with pale colors and faint patterns that is normally invisible, only becoming visible when it is actively being wielded or held in at least one hand. The wielder gains advantage on any checks made to disguise the fact that they are carrying the weapon as long as they aren’t holding it in hand. The invisibility does not extend to anything other than the weapon itself and will not render a sheath invisible. Owners will sometimes tie a brightly colored ribbon around the grip of the weapon in order to easily retrieve it if disarmed or if it’s not kept in a sheath but a floating ribbon can draw attention to its invisibility. The weapon is protected by minor shielding wards and when carried by a living creature it does not give off a magical aura and is not detectable as a magical object.
Life Draining: The weapon has a single vampire tooth mostly embedded into its grip, with the tip sticking out. To attune to the weapon, the wielder must have pricked a finger with the tip of the fang and consumed the resulting drop of blood in the past 24 hours. This causes vampiric energy to pulse through the wielder’s bloodstream, allowing him the ability to steal life from others but poisoning his body’s ability to heal on its own. During this time the wielder’s skin becomes pale and bloodless like that of a corpse. When an attuned wielder attacks and damages a living creature, the wielder is healed two hit points per character level to a maximum of the total damage dealt by the attack (See Note), as the attack leeches the vitality straight from the victim’s blood. When this occurs, a burst of bright crimson mist appears from the wound and quickly travels up the weapon and into the wielder leaving a red wispy trail that fades after a moment. On ranged weapons, the mist bursts form the target and follows the ammunition’s path back to the wielder. This unnatural boon is not without cost though as the entire time a bearer is attuned, whenever he would regain hit points from any source other than the weapon, he is only healed for half (Rounded down, minimum zero) of the actual amount. Attunement to the weapon can be renewed at any time (And can be attuned to multiple creatures at once) and wears off naturally after 24 hours when the bearer’s system clears itself of the vampire venom. The attunement can also be broken with any spell or ability that is able to break or dispel curses. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons. A combat example: A 10th level wielder who attacks a peasant who has 5 remaining hit points and deals 12 damage. The wielder is healed 5 hit points but could have regained as much as 24 hit points if the target had 24 hit points remaining.
Giant Slaying: The image of a young boy wielding a sling in single combat against a goliath of a man wielding a javelin is etched into the grip of the weapon. The bearer’s natural fears of fighting enemies larger than himself is dampened while the weapon is in hand and the wielder feels as though the fight has been made fair. Rather than bravado, this feeling shows itself more as a calm acceptance or faith in himself and his abilities. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder is attacking a creature at least one size category larger than himself. —Note: If your system doesn’t use size categories, treat the weapon as a +1 if the target is at least twice as tall as the wielder.
One Power: A circle made up of black and white swirls, each containing a spot of the other is emblazoned on the grip of the weapon. Only creatures capable of casting magical spells are able to feel the power that this weapon contains, which seems to resonate with an inner spark at the core of their being. Strangely enough this resonance feels drastically different to men and women. Female spellcasters experience a gentle, but infinitely powerful river of force that can be directed to do as they wish but requires patience and confidence to embrace it so that is can be channeled. Male spellcasters encounter a raging torrent of dangerous power that must be subdued and dominated by a strong-willled wielder, before being able to channel the magic of the weapon themselves. In either case, the weapon functions as a +1 while wielded by a creature capable of casting magical spells.
Pridebane: The image of the sharp tip of a quill pen cutting a sword in half, is etched on the grip of the weapon. After a few hours on his person, the bearer seems to find that his mental acuities such as memory recollection, critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills have all become better and that his mind is clearer and more focused. The bearer feels smarter than he was before as if influenced on some kind of mental stimulant and gains a feeling of intellectual superiority over his allies, peers and especially enemies against whom he has a greater urge to challenge himself. In reality the weapon is only imparting the artificial feeling of mental clarity and a keen mind and provides no actual boost to intelligence. The weapon is treated as a +1 when wielded by an intelligent creature. Whenever the wielder makes a successful attack against a target with a higher intelligence score than himself, the weapon deals one hit point of psychic damage per character level (Or 10% of maximum health or other equivalent amount) to the wielder. Knowledgeable PC’s will determine that this enchantment seems to be some sort of strange moral lesson about how the true victor of combat is measured by wits rather than brawn. —Note: Not recommended for ranged weapons or ammunition.
Paranoia: The suspicious looking symbols of dozens of various pairs of eyes are etched into the grip of this weapon. The wielder feels a mild, but constant irrational sensation that someone is out to get them and that they must remain vigilant and untrusting at all times. While discomforting, this delusion is easily dismissed by the wielder. Twice per day, when the wielder lands a successful attack against an enemy he can choose to cause that creature to experiences a greatly magnified form of the unreasonable fear in the form of full blown paranoia in regards to everything that’s not themselves until the start of the wielder’s next turn. The creature will instinctively defend themselves from all potential sources of danger, especially magical ones. A creature struck by the weapon will not willingly allow themselves to be the target of any spells (See Note) and must attempt to resist all spells cast upon them. During this time all creatures suffer disadvantage on all checks made to pacify or calm the target and the target refuses any and all benefits, inspiration, flanking bonuses or other similar help from its allies. —Note: A victim will resist harmless or even beneficial spells made by their allies. For beneficial spells that do not have a built in save, the DM should decide if a DC should be created, if the spell cannot be resisted or if the spell simply fails. The target will not willingly be the target of a touch ranged spell and the caster must treat the target as an enemy for the purposes of landing a successful touch ranged spell.
Sparks: The weapon is heavily accented with electrically conductive materials and the symbol of a lightning bolt is prominently displayed on the copper wire grip. The weapon flickers with jolts of power (Never harmful or distracting to the bearer) and discharges small static shocks on a regular basis and when held this property extends to the bearer as well, causing their hair to stand on end and small arcs of electricity to jump between fingers and strands of hair. When actively being used in combat, the electricity charges and discharges faster as the weapon audible crackles and violently sparks. The weapon’s conductive nature directs lethal jolts of power directly into the target’s body, shocking the delicate nervous system and leaving smoking, flash burned skin. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered lighting damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will charge their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
War: The weapon is tinted red and the symbol of a horse and a greatsword is etched onto its grip. The bearer feels the faint but constant urge to slay living creatures and take peace from the earth. The weapon rewards those who prove their worth over others in battle and if the weapon is used to land the killing blow on an intelligent creature in armed combat (See Note) the weapon glows slightly and functions as a +1 for the next eight hours for that wielder only. The eight hour timer is reset each time the wielder meets the enchantment’s requirements. —Note: The DM has some discretion on this but typically armed combat means that the fight is reasonable fair and that the target is conscious, able to fight, armed with a weapon and aware that they are fighting the wielder. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Time: The weapon is aged and weathered, bearing the symbol of an hourglass etched into its grip. The bearer feels older than his years and is particularly affected by the passage of time, aging twice as quickly when the weapon is on his person. A creature injured by the weapon instantly ages by a week for each point of damage dealt by the weapon. Both the bearer’s and target’s hair grow at normal rates for the increased time, which can cause fights lasting a minute to cause the target to appear as though they haven’t groomed in months. Knowledgeable PC’s will know that some creatures such as young reckless dragons purposely injure themselves with weapons like these in order to quickly grow into their prime and defeat their enemies. Desperate enough humans sometimes even attack themselves to grow out hair quickly for reasons of vanity or a quick disguise, as it also grows out facial hair. —Note: Although this enchantment should not have an impact on the duration of beneficial spells on the target or how long it’s been since they’ve last eaten, an intelligent PC or a lenient DM can find uses for it. Such as attacking summoned undead that only “live” for a day, aging them to a time where they crumble to dust or attacking monstrous insects, swarms, biologically unstable mutants, aberrations or other creatures that have lifespans in the weeks to months range.
Teamwork, Reacting: The symbol of the complementing paired weapon (See Note) is etched on the grip of both weapons. Each weapon comes with a paired other half that allows the wielders of both weapons to instantly react as a team against common enemies. Both weapons have impressive, ergonomic designs that allows them to be effortlessly drawn forth by their wielders. Even the sheaths, straps or carry clips have undergone modifications so that the wielders can easily make adjustments to stow it in wherever is most comfortable for them while still being instantly accessible by either hand. The bearers are able to draw their weapons as free actions whenever they roll initiative as long as they physically capable of doing so. The weapons are so naturally drawn forth that the wielders are even able to impulsively (If crudely) defend themselves in the heat of the moment and in the first round of combat if a hostile creature comes within the wielder’s reach (Or 20 feet for a ranged weapon) he is able to make an attack of opportunity against that creature but suffers disadvantage on the attack roll. The true power of the weapons however lies in the mental link between the wielders that allow them to react as a team. When initiative is rolled if the bearers are within 30 feet of each other and both draw the enchanted weapons, the wielder who rolled lower on the initiative check is able to act on the turn immediately after the wielder with the higher check. On subsequent rounds, as long as the two bearers continue to wield the enchanted weapons and remain within 30 feet of each other the wielder with the lower initiative roll may act immediately after his partner, otherwise he must use his original roll. To benefit from the weapons bonuses, both bearers must have spent at least one hour within ten feet of each other at the same time, fitting their sheaths and carry straps and mentally attuning to one another. Once comfortable and mentally connected, the bearers only have to repeat the process if the weapons are to be worn by someone else. —Note: Roll a pair of identical weapons or choose a pair that complement each other. If more than two Teamwork, Reacting weapons are within 30 ft of each other all wielders may work together so long as they all meet the requirements. The DM may choose to have these weapons found together or on enemies who are working together or in another area of the building or dungeon. It’s not uncommon to find enchantments like this on weapons belonging to city guards, military units, or other teams who are trained to fight together with specific strategies. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Invisible: A weapon with this enchantment is completely invisible at all times. To creatures capable of seeing invisible objects, the weapon is boringly simple (Bordering on crude) looking, without a single unnecessary ornamentation. The wielder does not gain the ability to see the weapon but as they are physically grasping it they suffer no penalty to using it in combat. The wielder gains advantage to checks made to feint with the weapon (Or the target gains disadvantage whichever benefits the wielder more) and on any checks made to disguise the fact that they are carrying or wielding the weapon. The first time the weapon is used in a combat encounter, the wielder gains advantage on the attack roll as the target has trouble avoiding or blocking an unknown, invisible weapon. The invisibility does not extend to anything other than the weapon itself and will not render a sheath invisible and shed blood will appear to float and move in midair as the wielder fights. Owners will typically tie a brightly colored ribbon around the grip of the weapon in order to easily retrieve it if disarmed or if it’s not kept in a sheath but a floating ribbon can draw attention to its invisibility.
Secret Darkness: The weapon looks absolutely mundane for its type and has no markings, identification or hint as to its true power. The object contains a demonic spark that subtly guides its bearer towards a path of ruthlessness, selfishness and self-interest. The unholy weapon doesn’t wish to be openly fought over for its power, as it wishes to remain an invisible hand aiding the wicked and it is not detectable as a magical weapon when carried by a nefarious creature. The malevolent essence provides the bearer the arrogance to maintain a strong mind and think of his own self-interests at every opportunity and the first time per day the wielder attempts to resist a charm or mind control type effect or spell, he gains advantage on the roll. In combat a wielder may flare the profane spark to harm the foe and after confirming a hit but before rolling damage, the wielder may choose to convert all of the damage dealt by this weapon to necrotic damage. When this occurs, there is no outward flash of magic, demonic light or sense of unholy power, which makes it a favored enchantment of secretive cultists, covert practitioners of the dark arts and clandestine worshipers of evil. To benefit from these magical effects, the bearer must be an evil aligned creature and have used the weapon as a focus of dark worship, meditation or the planning of acts of self-serving greed, for at least one uninterrupted hour in the past day. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Maiden: No matter its circumstances, the weapon remains free of scratches, nicks, sweat, blood and gore, remaining untouched as if saving itself. The weapon instills feelings of purity, patience and self-control when held. The weapon glows slightly and is treated as +1 when wielded by a virgin creature. Knowledgeable PC’s are aware that this simpler charm requires comparatively little time, skill and material components and is sometimes used by orders of vestal virgins or celibate priestly orders who find it more efficient to create multiple weapons with this enchantment than a single +1 weapon. —Note: Themes regarding sexuality may not be appropriate for all groups and DM’s should use their discretion on if this enchantment is worth adding into their campaign or if it would be too distracting, immersion breaking or uncomfortable.
Solid Shadow: The weapon appears to be made of wispy strands of shadow, woven together into a solid form. The wielder of the weapon can choose to sheath it in their own shadow, magically sequestering it. While sheathed in this fashion, the weapon effectively ceases to exist, although the bearer still feels its weight evenly distributed about their entire body. The bearer can retrieve the weapon by reaching into their own shadow and pulling it out, taking the same action as normally drawing a weapon. Unfortunately if their shadow is not visible (Such as in complete darkness) the weapon is irretrievable. If the bearer dies while the weapon is sheathed, it will reform in the nearest shadow to the bearer. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Wings: The symbol of a raven in flight is etched into the weapon’s grip. The bearer feels lighter than normal and may feel a restless urge to take to the skies and be free. Once per week, the bearer may hold the weapon in one hand and speak the command word while concentrating on a specific location (No more than 50 miles away), which he must have visited, and a recipient who matches a general description, such as “a man or woman dressed in the uniform of the town guard” or “a red-haired dwarf wearing a pointed hat.” The bearer can then think of a message of up to 25 words in length and the weapon transmutes into a lifelike raven. The magical bird will then fly for up to 24 hours towards the specified location, covering about 50 miles during that time. When the raven arrives, it delivers the message to the creature that the bearer described, replicating the sound of the bearer’s voice. The bird speaks only to a creature matching the description the bearer gave. After delivering the message, running out of time or destroyed en route, the raven will revert back to its weapon form. Furthermore, the weapon gains one Random Masterwork Bonus. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Bumbling: The emblem of a fairy circle is gilded in silver on the weapon’s grip. The entire weapon is a masterpiece of flowing graceful design, delicately ornate scrollwork and is a tribute to those who made it. Running along its length is a poem written in iambic pentameter, penned in Sylvan, the language of the fey. Those who are able to read it, discover it is not much more than a limerick disparaging the mortal humans and extolling the virtues of the fair folk. The verses have particularly harsh words to say about the incompetence and clumsiness of humanoids and how that in contrast, the fairy peoples are naturally adept in all ways. Any non-fey creature who wields the weapon finds that they are slightly less proficient than usual at completing their normal everyday task, as if the poem was a warning rather than boast. The weapon is treated as a +1 but while the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, a non-fey bearer suffers a penalty of -1 on all of his skill checks.
Knots: The material of the weapon is twisted and patterned making it look like a braided rope. On the bearer’s turn he may use an action equivalent to making an attack or casting a spell to cause the weapon to become a 50 foot length of silk rope or to turn the rope back into the weapon. The rope is not magically strengthened and any damage or wear to it will carry over to the weapon when it’s shifted back. Furthermore, the weapon gains one Random Masterwork Bonus. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Skystrike: The symbol of a diving falcon about to strike its prey is etched on the weapon’s grip. The wielder feels lighter than normal and the wielder is filled with a lofty sense of power and scorn for the pitiful creatures that are forced to walk along the filthy ground like ants in the dirt. As long as the wielder is flying, hovering or floating the weapon is treated as a +1 against targets who are making contact with the ground or standing on a solid substance (See Note). —Note: Recommended for reach weapons, ranged weapons and ammunition. Targets who are swimming, climbing or suspended from webs, strings or wires are not considered flying and DM’s should enforce common sense based on the spirit of the enchantment.
Famine: The weapon is tinted black and has the symbol of a horse and a pair of balancing scales etched into the grip. The weapon is half as light as it should be and thinner that it has any right to be although this doesn’t compromise its integrity at all. A creature grasping the object has feel a desperate, unending, hunger from within the weapon. A pain that can be fed but can never be truly sated. After 24 hours in the bearer’s possession, his face becomes drawn and emaciated and he must consume twice the normal amount of food and water in order to not suffer exhaustion penalties. When a creature is hit by this weapon it siphons off their energy and physical reserves and the target’s body reacts as if they had gone and additional 1d4+1 hours without food or water. This effect is cumulative with itself and can cause fights lasting under a minute to end in the enemy starving to death rather than dying of his injuries. —Note: It is up to the DM to determine how exactly an enemy is effected by this. Personally I suggest keeping track of the 1d4+1 hours of delayed food and drink on individual targets and considering the target “exhausted” when he has accumulated 8+ hours and perhaps have the target passing out from hunger and dehydration around the 12+ hours mark. This obviously won’t have much of an effect on many types of creatures as undead, constructs, demons dragons and elementals don’t eat and drink enough to be bothered by the enchantment but can provide a fun and powerful debuff to some large monster and powerful villains. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Blighting: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in dark purple leather from which a network of thin black veins extend outward. If the weapon is ever stained, nicked, dented or covered in blood or gore, a number of the dark veins slowly shift to that area. They seem to absorb the imperfections, damages and filth into the weapon’s form, like the roots of a plants soaking up water, causing the object to feel the slightest bit heavier and more lethal. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with dark thoughts of cruelty, senseless violence and causing harm to innocents. The wielder is instilled with the certainty that everything in life or death is theirs to command if they can shrug off their ethical and moral compunctions and reach out and take what they want by force. The weapon’s perverse energies deal unnatural injuries that foul the flesh and stain the soul. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered necrotic damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will taint their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Moonwalker: The symbol of a crescent moon is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer can feel the power within the object and perceptive PC’s will notice the strength of the power fluctuates. It seems to be stronger while the moon is waxing and nearly hums with power during a full moon. It feel weaker during a waning moon as if it was gradually losing strength until it’s power is barely perceivable at all during an empty moon. Regardless of the actual state of the moon, the weapon is treated as a +1 in direct moonlight or starlight and the wielder can see twice as far as normal in moonlight or starlight.
Winged Death: The ornate pieces of ammunition or thrown weapons have a pair of folded feathered wings etched on them. Once launched, the projectile spreads its wings and appears to fly to its victim like a diving bird of prey. The target does not gain any benefit from physical cover as long as the wielder is able to see the target and there is a reasonably straight line of flight that the projectile can follow. A projectile ranged weapon with this enchantment has the symbol of a pair of folded wings etched on the grip and can launch two projectiles per day augmented with this enchantment. —Note: Not recommended for melee weapons.
Dawn: The weapon weighs half as much as normal, shines with the brightness of a candle in the reddish orange light of a new dawn and generally seems to be made of solidified sunlight. A creature struck by the weapon is treated as if they had been exposed to direct sunlight for one round. This can result in temporary blindness or sunlight sensitivity in some creatures and considerable damage to some types of undead. Outside of combat, the weapon can be hung horizontally above a barely dressed creature and be used as a tanning light or to grow small amounts of plants in otherwise dark environments. To retain its enchantment, the weapon must spent at least one non-consecutive hour per week in direct natural sunlight, absorbing the solar energy and storing it within itself. If this requirement is not met, the weapon’s magic begins to fade and it enters a state of hibernation for up to 30 days during which time it does not glow or provide its combat bonus. To be brought out of hibernation the weapon must spent a total of eight consecutive hours in direct natural sunlight at which point it returns to normal functioning. If not brought out of hibernation within the 30 days the magic binding the sunlight into solid matter fades and the weapon evaporates into nothingness.
Sharpening: The weapon’s grip consists of rough rock that martial bearer’s will recognize as a shaped whetstone. At exactly midnight each night, creatures within earshot of this object will hear the sound of the blade being dragged across a whetstone emanating from this weapon as it sharpens itself to a razor’s edge. The blade does this without the need for an actual oilstone or lubricant and afterwards an observer will notice that the weapon slices through flesh easier than a surgeon’s scalpel. The supernatural sharpness wears down quickly however and it only takes a couple of successful hits before the blade’s returns to a respectably but not incredibly honed edge. After the weapon sharpens itself, the first two successful hits it lands are treated as if the damage rolled the maximum amount possible, after which the damage is rolled normally until the blade can sharpen itself again. If the blow is a critical hit, that damage is also maximized, however other sources of extra damage such as a paladin’s smite or a rogue’s sneak attack are not affected. —Note: Recommended solely for melee bladed weapons but a projectile ranged weapon could instantly sharpen the first two arrows it fired per day. A quiver or bracer could sharpen two throwing weapons or ammunition per day. The weapon’s power can be easily adjusted by the number of maximized blows and a DM can increase or decrease the number of said hits as they see fit.
Toxic: The business end of the weapon sports a number of pinprick sized holes and a single inland taipan fang is embedded into the grip. The hypodermic snake fang’s point aims along the length of the weapon and a perceptive PC can actually see bloated drops of neurotoxins resting at the pinprick sized venom channels at the business end. The wielder feels an unpleasant warm tingling sensation in their weapon hand, as if a fraction of the venomous power somehow penetrated their skin. The weapon’s toxins are injected directly into its victim’s flesh, coagulating the blood, paralyzing muscle and necrotizing the once healthy tissue. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered poison damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will envenom their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Magebane: The symbol of a broken mage’s staff is etched into the grip of the weapon. A mundane bearer feels a great sense of approval and validation flowing into them from the weapon, as if it was silently judging them worthy of their life choices. Along with the feelings of goodwill comes undertones of prejudice and intolerance of certain unnatural beings that defy the natural order of things and who openly cast foul sorceries as if to openly flaunt that they are superior to the common people. When in the presence of mages the bearer will feel mildly uncomfortable and somewhat suspicious of their enchanted words and eldritch goals. If the bearer can cast magical spells, he feels a great sense of animosity and deep seeded resentment directed towards him. The weapon is treated as a +1 against creatures capable of casting magical spells and such spellcasters are never considered proficient with the weapon. —Note: A DM may rule that innate or racially gained spells or magical abilities do not count towards being a spellcaster for this enchantment’s purpose.
Unlucky: The symbol of a horseshoe encircling a four-leaf clover is etched on the grip and a small rabbit’s foot charm hangs from a short silver chain, unobtrusively attached to the base of the grip. A creature who handles the weapon for more than a few moments wish to wield it for themselves and never parting with it, believing it to be lucky and valuable. This impulse is easily overcome and will not cause creature to act against their nature. The first time per day that the wielder rolls a natural 20 on an attack roll with the weapon (See Note) they must immediately roll again and take the new result. The wielder is not automatically aware that this effect is caused by the weapon and in fact believes that the weapon actually saved him from an even worse fate or run of bad luck. —Note: The DM can expand this to also include other combat rolls that are not attacks such as attempting to shove, trip or disarm a target as long as the weapon was used at least in part to do so. This is considered a cursed item for the purposes of any detection magic or curse breaking powers. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Panic: The symbol of a wide eyed deer stood attentive but still is etched on the grip of the weapon. A bearer gains a sense of increased awareness from the weapon as if it was enhancing the bearer’s natural perception. Should a bearer attune to the weapon (By concentrating over it for one hour) he gains a greatly improved fight or flight response and is usually able to react to threats the moment they appear. This benefit is not without cost however as due to a design flaw or lack of foresight on the enchanter’s part, the weapon delivers this benefit to the bearer by means of artificially stimulating his natural physiological responses to stress. Thus when combat is first joined, the bearer’s body is flooded with adrenaline, typically shocking him into action but can in some cases completely overwhelming his mind. Once attuned the bearer gains advantage on initiative checks but if the bearer has the lowest (Or tied for lowest) initiative result out of all creatures who rolled, he is overcome with stimulation and freezes in place. At this time the bearer resembles a deer in lamplights and is unable to attack, move, react, provide flanking or even defend himself and spends the entire first round effectively paralyzed in shock. All enemies gain advantage on attacks rolls against the panicking bearer who suffers disadvantage on all saving rolls and ability checks, as his body and mind are too inundated with sensory input to function properly. These effect wears off at the end of the bearer’s first turn after which he is able to act normally. The bearer remains attuned to the weapon until another creature attunes to it or until it has not been in his possession for more than 72 consecutive hours.
Xenophobic: A wildly insulting caricature depicting a Random Creature Type (See Note) is prominently etched on the business end of the weapon. When first carried, a bearer experiences faint ideas of prejudice and intolerance towards certain (The rolled creature type) beings. Over time these emotions will fester and grow into feelings of bitterness, resentment and perceived imaginary slights against the bearer. When in the presence of those creatures the bearer will feel uncomfortable and suspicious of their words, actions and goals. If the bearer is himself a member of that species, he feels a great sense of animosity and unreasonable anger directed towards him from the implement. The weapon is treated as a +1 against the creature type and that species is never considered proficient with the weapon. —Note: A DM can either roll randomly on the Random Creature Type table or chose a specific type or Humanoid Race that would make sense for the campaign. A weapon specifically enchanted to fight a creature type that the DM knows that the PC’s will never encounter is a false hope and useless weapon. On the other hand, like many other “+1 if X” enchantments, the weapon can be sold, traded or donated to NPC’s who will actually use it as part of a side quest or chain of deals scenario.
Frenzy: The image of a charging feral boar with wild eyes and a foaming mouth is etched into the grip of the weapon. In combat the wielder feels the primal energy of unmitigated rage flood through their mind and can choose to throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When the wielder makes their first attack on his turn he may choose to attack recklessly which gives him advantage on all attacks made with the weapon during this turn but all attack rolls made against him have advantage until the start of the his next turn. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons, especially two handed ones.
Squashing: The symbol of booted foot crushing a beetle is etched onto the grip of the weapon. The bearer’s instinctual fears of the creeping crawling vermin and small, vicious beasts are dampened while the weapon is in hand and the wielder feels as though he is orders of magnitude stronger than those smaller than himself. While in combat, the wielder tends to puff himself up making himself look larger and more intimidating as he swings the weapon in overhead chops, bringing it down hard on him enemies as if trying to pummel them into the ground. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder is attacking a creature at least one size category smaller than himself. —Note: If your system doesn’t use size categories, treat the weapon as a +1 if the target is half the wielder’s height or smaller.
Tyrant: The symbol of a large closed fist crushing the helpless is etched into the grip of this weapon. The weapon fans the bearer’s ego and sense of personal importance making them feel stronger, smarter and more deserving of power than others. The bearer may seek to prove his overinflated pride through combat, especially when the wielder is already in a strong position of health and readiness. The weapon rewards the strong who use their power as a club over others and the weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder has more than half of his total hit points remaining. These feelings of personal strength and confidence immediately departs a wielder who is below half of his total hit points as the weapon stops approving of the wielder’s situation.
Resonating: An unassuming weapon that vibrates and emits audible tones at the slightest disturbance. A steel tuning fork is seamlessly incorporated into the weapon’s form typically with the handle and two prongs serving as the weapon’s grip and pommel. When actively being used in combat, the reverberations of the weapon’s swings, successful blows and the wielder’s own pounding heartbeats are magnified and stored by the tuning fork, building up small shock waves of violent thunderous power that are discharged directly into the wielder’s foes. The weapon’s sonic vibrations change match the resonance frequency of its target, causing blows that splinter bone, rupture eardrums and explode hearts. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered thunder damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will vibrate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Pious: The image of a straight razor resting over a bowl of steaming water and a towel are etched into the grip of the weapon. A creature holding the weapon experiences the feeling that they are being secretly watched and silently judged. A perceptive or spiritual creature can ascertain that the object is home to a number of spirits that govern the weapon’s use. A bearer may spend ten minutes paying honor to the spirits by humbling themselves and completely shaving their head and face in tribute. Once the ceremony is finished the spirits grant their blessing and the weapon is treated as a +1 for the next eight hours for that bearer only. The bearer must wait ten days until they have long enough hair to re-enact the ritual to the spirits satisfaction. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Nourishing: The image of a rustic kitchen with strong themes of hearth and home are etched into the grip of the weapon. The bearer is deeply comforted by the weapon despite the violence associated with its murderous use. When grasped and concentrated on in calm situations, the object shows the wielder his own childhood memories that are always of good times, fond events, or joyful occasions. Once per day, the bearer may lay this weapon beside a bowl of water. After a moment, the bowl of water will begin to boil and after a minute it will transform into a hot meal of special significance to the bearer, such as their mother’s noodle soup or father’s elk stew. Eating this delicious meal over the course of at least one minute is so satisfying that it counts as nourishment for a full meal and restores hit points equal to a dagger’s damage plus one (1d4+1). To everyone other than the bearer, the bowl and its contents appears unchanged. The special qualities of the enchanted water dissipate if it is not consumed within one hour.
Saving Grace: The symbol of a musical note is etched into the grip of the weapon. The bearer can occasionally hear faint tinkling noises, musical notes and melodic tones originating from the weapon. The barely audible noises are never familiar, seemingly always a fragment of some wholly unique song. It is only when the veil between life and death is thin that the symphony can truly be heard. When the wielder is at zero hit points or less, he begins to hear the most beautiful music he has ever heard. The wielder has advantage on death saving throws and cannot recall any details about the music if they wake. —Note: A creature is considered a wielder for five rounds after they let go of the weapon just in case they release it upon losing consciousness. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Sacrificing: The image of a creature gripping a sword by the blade in order to kill its enemy is etched on the grip of the weapon. The weapon imparts the importance of the bottom line to its bearer. That no matter how honorable he is in combat or how noble his intentions are, the true goal is to kill the enemy before he kills you. To that end, the implement allows the wielder a way to channel a fraction of his life essence through the weapon which magnifies it to damage the target. A dead enemy is no longer a threat and the health sacrificed is often less than being struck by a simple dagger, making it a good trade. After successfully attacking the target but before rolling damage, the wielder may choose to sacrifice up to one hit point per character level (Or 10% of maximum health or other equivalent amount) in order to deal additional damage to the target, equal to twice the amount sacrificed. This damage is considered the same type as the weapon’s attack and is added together with the rolled damage. The sacrificed hit points cannot be reduced in any way but the health can be regained as normal.
Last Words: The image of a mortally wounded soldier whispering into a medic’s ear is etched into the grip of the weapon. While held, the bearer is reminded of their own mortality and that he could die at any time but is strangely comforted that even in the event of the worst, they will still be able to make his final goodbyes to any remaining allies. The weapon can contain up to one charge of necromantic spell allowing the bearer to speak with the dead. If the weapon has a charge, the wielder can expend it to speak with one corpse with ten feet of himself, granting the semblance of life and intelligence to it and allowing it to speak and answer questions. The corpse knows only what it knew in life, including the languages it knew and is under no compulsion to offer truthful answers to creatures who it recognizes as an enemy. The spell animates the body for ten minutes allowing the being to pass on any last words to loved ones, a will and testament or give final instructions about how to care for his corpse. The only way for the weapon to be recharged is if it is carried by a living humanoid bearer at the moment of his death. —Note: In game systems where there is a Speak With Dead spell, just use that instead of the way the spell is described here. Not recommended for ammunition or thrown weapons.
Raider: The symbol of a mounted knight is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer feels mildly uncomfortable and far too slow when walking on their own two feet and would far prefer to be riding a beast of any variety. While riding, the bearer feels as though his beast is an extension of his own body and that the bond between them makes them stronger than the sum of their parts. While riding a mount the weapon is treated as a +1 and the wielder does not suffer any penalties for wielding the weapon specifically while mounted.
Peasant: The crossed symbol of a hammer and sickle is etched on the grip of the weapon. The weapon imparts the bearer with feelings of humility, modesty and solidarity for those simple folk who spend their entire lives performing hard labor for simple rewards. The bearer understands that this weapon was made to be taken up in times of great desperation by the brave salt of the earth people who will put their lives on the line to protect what little they have. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the bearer has not held or carried a different magical item (That is not this weapon) for longer than ten minutes in the past 48 hours and has not used, activated or wielded a different magical item in the past 48 hours.
Babel: The symbol of a high tower is etched into the grip of this weapon. A creature holding this weapon feels the ancient power flowing within it, but seems to understand that the power it possesses comes at a cost. A knowledgeable PC will be able to determine that the specific enchantment used to power this weapon is that of a long forgotten civilization that grew too proud and attempted to build a tower high enough to reach the heavens. The Gods became wrathful at the audacity of the nation and cursed them never to understand one another and scattered them among the plane never to unify properly again. The weapon’s enchantment is similarly cursed, although the effect is only temporary. The weapon is treated as a +1 but while the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, he suffers from severe aphasia. During this time, the wielder is not able to understand any spoken or written language (Including hand signs and picographic ones) nor is he able to speak, write or communicate in any meaningful way. The wielder hears words and sees letters as gibberish and speaks in nonsensical noises that only convey tone of voice at best. During this time, the creature cannot cast spells that require verbal components as the curse of the Gods force him to garble his words. The creature cannot be affected from spells or abilities that require him to specifically hear a set of commands or orders that are language dependent, including those originating from allies. —Note: For ammunition and throwing weapons, the curse begins the round the projectile is fired.
Investiture: The grip of the weapon is polished to a mirror finish and should the bearer look upon his own reflection, he feels himself drawn into his own gaze. The feeling is unsettling and the longer the bearer maintains eye contact with himself, the more he feels as though he is falling into the weapon. After a few minutes a heavy sense of vertigo washes over the creature as if gravity shifted and the weapon is physically pulling him into the echoed image of the windows to his soul. The bearer can easily break this eye contact at any time but if the creature looks into the unnatural mirror for ten full minutes, the weapon draws a fraction of the observer’s life force into itself empowering it to fight with the wielder’s spirit. Afterwards the weapon is treated as a +1 for that wielder only but the creature’s maximum hit points are reduced by one hit point per character level (Or 10% of maximum health or other equivalent amount) and during this time the wielder always knows where the weapon is in relation to himself. All of these effects last for 24 hours, after which the weapon releases the portion of stored life energy. A creature who has imbued part of his spirit into the weapon can reset the 24 hour timer at any time by spending one minute gazing into the grip. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition or throwing weapons.
Branding Flame: The image of a military officer outlined in flames is etched on the grip of the weapon. Small tongues of rainbow coloured, fire will occasionally spontaneously form along the weapon and travel down its length before snuffing themselves out. These flames are illusionary and never harm the weapon, the wielder or his equipment. Whenever the wielder successfully hits an enemy, the wielder may choose to engulf the target in a colorful conflagration of harmless fire. The target becomes outlined in pale, prismatic fire that shine as brightly as a candle. The illuminated creature cannot benefit from the concealment normally provided by darkness, invisibility (See Note), camouflage, or mundane stealth but the light is too dim to have any special effect on creatures vulnerable to bright light. These harmless flames last until the start of the wielder’s next turn. Knowledgeable PC’s will know that weapons such as they are sometimes found in military strike teams as a way of marking high profile targets (Such as mages, officers or healers) so that melee units can surround them and ranged allies can focus them down. —Note: Invisible creature are outlined in fire but still invisible, the flames show what square the creature is in but provides no further benefit and the creature is still considered “invisible” for other mechanical benefits or disadvantages.
Rebellious: The symbol of a single raised fist is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer is imparted with feelings of resistance and defiance aimed towards those those in authority. While not required to act on these emotions, the bearer may notice subtle changes to their political leanings, finding themselves taking actions of solidarity and support for the overlooked and downtrodden of society. The wielder is flooded with ideals of unity through strength and that even the most powerful of tyrants, monsters and political systems can be racially altered by those who bravely choose to fight against the odds. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the target has more than half of their total hit points remaining.
Merciless: The image of an executioner with a heavy axe decapitating a convict on the chopping block is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer is imparted with cold, cruel ideas of the nature of battle and how no combat advantage can be ignored or unused, no matter how unfair or dishonorable it may seem. Seeing an impaired target fills the wielder with the purpose to execute them without hesitation or remorse. The weapon is treated as a +1 whenever the target is suffering a negative condition, including but not limited to; grappled, restrained, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, blinded, prone, incapacitated, stunned or fatigued. The weapon can never be used to inflict non lethal / stun damage and if the wielder deals enough damage to be given the choice to render a target unconscious or kill them, they must choose to kill the enemy.
Ancestral: A masterfully made weapon that is as much a physical embodiment of the ancestral heritage of the Random Creature Type (See Note) as much as it is a tool of battle. The weapon is inscribed with the names of the creator’s family line stretching back dozens if not hundreds of generation, some with notable titles, honorifics or heroic accomplishments listed next to the names. Where the bearer’s hands would naturally hold the weapon are strangely blank of names or engraving but when a wielder of the ancestral bloodline (IE. Correct creature type, or race) grasps the weapon tightly he can feel the names of his parents rise up from the material and press against the flesh of his hands. When released, the names slowly sink back into the grip. The bearer always feels a touch homesick for the lands of his ancestors and the advice, traditions and wisdom of relatives long since past away. Despite the longings of the past, the bearer is comforted by the knowledge that his forebearers are watching over him and that regardless of where he wanders, he never truly walks alone. The weapon is considered a +1 when wielded by a creature of the correct creature type or race. —Note: There are two main ways to use this weapon. The first is to choose a PC playable race so that your players might actually be able to use it with some restrictions. The second is to have them plentiful on enemies that you want to show are wielding magic weapons but you don’t want to have your PC’s lugging around a dozen +1 longswords. So the PC’s now have a dozen +1 when-wielded-by-gnolls longswords that are magical and semi-valuable without being immediately useful.
Chaos: A weapon wrought with chaotic power and saturated with wild magic that even the air around it seems to be in flux. At one moment the weapon is surrounded by a heat mirage, only to be replaced with leaping sparks, swirling snowflakes or toxic spores. Every physical and metaphysical sense capable of examining the weapon is overwhelmed with constant stimulus as the weapon changes its scent, texture and the sound it produces. Even the extrasensory perceptions of mind altering psionic power and the soul tingling energies of sacred and profane might, are randomly produced from the weapon. The magical implement has the power to burn, freeze, electrocute, melt, cleanse, taint or even damage the very mind of those whose flesh it pierces. The weapon’s method of lethality shifts with every strike and on a successful attack the PC rolls 1d10 and all of the damage dealt by the weapon is considered the matching damage type on the following list: 1 = Fire, 2 = Cold, 3 = Acid, 4 = Lighting, 5 = Psychic, 6 = Thunder, 7 = Force, 8 = Poison, 9 = Necrotic, 10 = Radiant. Ranged Weapons with this enchantment pass on the effect to ammunition for the turn its fired.
Magnum Opus: The symbol of a woodcarver’s knife and blacksmith’s hammer crossing over each other is etched into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is unbelievably well made, extensively detailed and absolutely covered with intricate workmanship. Design elements that would be considered superfluous minutiae and completely overlooked on other masterworks are represented here with complex patterns in seemingly impossible and rather inexplicable quality. The only thing the weapon lacks is a specific maker’s mark as (Depending on an observer’s opinion) it either sports no such mark due to the overall pattern or it bears dozens of them all blending seamlessly together to create one motif, representing every famous master weapon-crafter of the weapon’s type. A bearer who is proficient with the weapon must still invest time and energy into learning the many intricacies of the masterpiece of battle and the wielder must have practiced with it for at least one hour in the past week in order to reveal its true potential. Such a bearer becomes familiar with the weapon can spend ten minutes practicing with it at any time while focusing on a specific combat need in mind in order to unlock a new technique. When this occurs a very perceptive PC will notice that one of the maker’s mark within the pattern seems to darken and a different one begins to gleam brighter than the others. The weapon is found with one Random Masterwork Bonus and when the wielder practices for the ten minutes, he may change that bonus to any Masterwork Bonus of his choice on the list. —Note: A DM who is using the Masterwork Bonus list on this blog should make sure to go through it first and make the PC aware ahead of time of any choices that he would not be allowed to choose for balance reasons. This weapon functions as a swiss army knife of weapons, allowing combat focused characters to easily juggle around combat strategies and martial bonuses the way mages can juggle around spells.
Clout: The image of a bighorn ram slamming its bony head into a wolf is etched into the grip of the weapon. Shortly after having the weapon in their possession, the bearer develops territorial instincts and his need for a bubble of personal space increases dramatically. The bearer is not compelled to enforce his newfound feelings and is not forced to violate any strongly held morals or beliefs. In a combat setting however, the wielder’s primal desires to drive away his foes becomes extremely potent and grants him the ability to shove away enemies that are weaker than he is. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target with a lower strength score than himself, he can move that creature five feet to an unoccupied space. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons that primarily use strength to determine accuracy and damage.
Adaptive: The triangular motif of a trio of piercing, slashing and bludgeoning weapons is etched on the grip of the weapon. Embedded into the grip of the weapon is a thick band of pure silver and one of cold iron which prevents some of the wielder’s supernatural enemies from handling the weapon and using it against him. The length of the implement bears sigils of divination magic and when new enemies come within the wielder’s reach, the weapon’s business end shifts and wavers. Knowledgeable PC’s will be able to determine that the divining runes constantly detect resistances, immunities and weaknesses in the physical forms of nearby creatures and automatically adjusts itself to best injure its targets. When the wielder makes an attack, the weapon will instantly change its business end to become sharper, pointier or blunted in order to bypass any resistances the target has or to capitalize on any vulnerabilities. Furthermore if the foe is susceptible to silver or cold iron, the specific ring of that metal will immediately flow from the grip of the weapon to cover the businesses end, causing the weapon to be considered silvered or made of cold ion. Other than the damage types, the weapon’s statistics, required proficiencies and use does not change. After each strike, the weapon reverts to its standard shape and the silver and cold iron retreat back into their proper places, showing no indication that it ever changed. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons. A combat example; If the wielder has an Adaptive Greatsword (Which normally deals slashing damage) and attacks demon that’s immune to slashing and piercing damage and is resistant to all non silvered weapons, the Adaptive Greatsword would change to be considered a silvered weapon that deals bludgeoning damage when attacking that demon.
Mercy: The entirely of the object is coated with a thin layer of solidified rubbery magic and the symbol of a sheathed sword is etched on the weapon’s grip. The implement spreads the weapon’s strike throughout the target, making it technically more effective but less than lethal. The distribution of the force of the blow over the target’s body increases its accuracy, causing even glancing blows to strike true. On the other hand the division of the impact over the target’s being means that there is no singular killing blow. The weapon leaves no visible marks of injury or damage, nor will it ever directly kill any of the targets affected by it. The weapon is treated as a +1 but if a living target would take enough damage from an attack with it to render them unconscious or dead, the target instead drops to 1 hit point, remain conscious. The weapon will still “kill” non-living targets such as constructs or undead.
Goading: The image of a bullfighter mid-wave of his red flag at a charging bull is etched into the grip of the weapon. The bearer is filled with bravado, bluster and unearned bravery and see’s no reason why he shouldn’t let his each and every enemy know that he is better than them in every conceivable way. This false courage emboldens the wielder to taunt his foe as part of his attacks, challenging them to fight him and only him no matter the state of the rest of the battlefield. When the wielder lands a successful attack against an intelligent creature or beast within ten feet, he can choose to bellow out a Random Battle Cry, goading insult, deriding comment or other taunting phrase to gain the target’s sole attention. After being provoked in this fashion, the target’s concentration becomes focused on annihilating the wielder and suffers disadvantage on rolls made to attack any creature that is not the wielder but while goaded, the target gains advantage on all attacks made against the wielder. Both effects last until the end of the target’s next turn. The target must understand the wielder in order to be insulted by a verbal phrase but should the wielder have a free hand, he can combine loud yelling with hand waving or a rude gesture to achieve the same effect, on a foe that speaks a different language or an animal. —Note: The ten foot range fluff-wise is so that the wielder can be heard and understood in the din of combat. Mechanically speaking it prevents long range weapons from applying a risk free debuff. Not particularly recommended to ranged weapons or ammunition due to the short range of effect but works well on throwing weapons as an combat opener or distraction tool.
Resurgence: The image of a phoenix rising from a pile of its own ashes is etched into the grip of the weapon. A typical bearer feels nothing out of the ordinary when handling the weapon, other than a vague feeling of the potential for something great. This changes drastically in the hands of a wielder who’s recently been on the very brink of death but fought to remain in the land of the living. Such a wielder is infused with an overwhelming rush of euphoria and vigor as the becomes intoxicated with life itself and filled with a zealous passion to fight for his own life. The weapon is treated as a +1 if the wielder has been at zero hit points or less in the past eight hours.
Mind Probing: The tentacled face of a mind flayer is etched into the weapon’s illithid-skin grip. The wielder can feel the enchanted leather make contact with their mind granting it a small fraction of the mental abilities the aberration had in life. In the brief moment of pain and weakness when the weapon strikes a target, the wielder gains the opportunity to penetrate the victim’s mind and learn snippets of information vital to the fight at hand. Only those of strong mental acuity are able to resist the attempt. Strangely enough, by some odd quirk or purposeful design, the enchantment still function on mindless and unintelligent creatures who are technically immune. In these cases the wielder’s probe rebounds off of the target and he delves into the recesses of his own mind to find tidbits of long forgotten information. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target with a lower intelligence score than himself, he learns whether that creature has any damage immunities or condition immunities, damage resistances or damage vulnerabilities, and if the victim has any, the wielder knows what they are.
Face Stealing: The emblem of a simple mask is etched into the weapon’s grip. The bearer can sense maniacal Fey magic flowing through the weapon, subtly encouraging the wielder to wear a visage that is not his own. A longtime bearer who has used the weapon’s magic often, may feel strange dressed in his own face and may start to disassociate with who he actually is. Twice per day, when using the weapon to reduce a creature of his same general size and shape to zero hit points or less, the wielder may choose to trade appearances with the enemy. When this occurs, the wielder’s person is instantly draped in an substantial illusion disguising himself as a perfect double of the foe he just defeated. The wielder’s clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings are also affected and he can seem up to one foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between but cannot change his body type and must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. The changes wrought by this surge fail to hold up to physical inspection and are purely illusionary. At the same time, the downed enemy is also sheathed in an illusion, causing him to appear as a perfect double of the wielder, including weapons, armor, equipment and other similar details. These illusions last until the bearer dismisses the effect, the weapon leaves the wielder’s possession or until one hour passes.
Acumen: A weapon that although well made, displays no outward signs of magical potential or symbols of enchantment. A canny bearer can feel that the object is more than the sum of its parts and a creature inspecting the weapon experiences the unnerving sensation that it’s doing the same to them. An astute wielder with a discerning mind, experiences sudden flashes of insight after attacking, gaining moments of battle intuition allowing them to defend against the enemy’s next move with the reflexes of a seasoned veteran. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target with a lower wisdom score than himself, the wielder’s armor class or physical defensiveness increases as if he was properly wielding a shield against the next attack made by the target until the end of its next turn. The wielder may benefit from this armor class bonus (Typically a +2) even if he is already wielding a shield. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons.
Baleful Transportation: A design consisting of two stick figures both with lines ending in arrows coming from each other and pointing at the other, is etched on the grip of the weapon. The bearer always feels as though they should be somewhere else no matter where they actually are and feels a slight touch of envy at others who appear comfortable where they are. The wielder can act on these feeling by taking someone else’s place by force, causing the feelings of discomfort and envy to abate for a few hours. Twice per day day after successfully attacking a creature, the wielder can immediately switch places with the target by means of magical teleportation. Both the wielder and the target must be the same size, standing on a solid surface, both must be able to exist in the spaces they are switching and they must be within 20 feet of each other when using ranged attacks.
Doom: The malevolent symbol of the evil eye is prominently etched on the business end of the weapon. A bearer can feel malicious energy stirring within the weapon’s confine’s longing to be released to wreak havoc on the righteous and the wicked alike. Twice per day after successfully attacking a creature, the wielder can choose to loose evil upon the world and curse the struck foe. Until the start of the wielder’s next turn, sinister forces plague the target with woe and whenever the target makes an attack roll, skill check or a saving throw he must roll 1d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll, skill check or saving throw
Arcane Force: The once whole weapon has been shattered into dozens if not hundreds of pieces and about half of them are missing completely. The object still serves as a perfectly serviceable weapon, as the remaining pieces are being held together in a transparent field of solid magic, not unlike pieces of fruit in a clear, jelly cake. The weapon’s arcane binding reinforces the weapon’s lethal potential, causing injury caused not by blade or bludgeon but of pure magical force. Foes are blasted by eldritch power that bypasses most physical and supernatural defenses to kill in the most direct way possible. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered force damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will sheath their ammunition in magic when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Furious: The weapon’s worn surfaces are covered in nicks, notches, and bloodstains that serves as memorials to the countless battles it has been used in. Those who wield this tool of murder find their senses overlaid with rage and that their appetite for death and destruction surges with the weapon’s every blow. The weapon sparks a fiery bloodlust in the wielder but a creature who is already capable of inciting a primal frenzy in themselves, finds their battle prowess greatly magnified. A wielder who is raging, frenzied, rampaging or under a similar status effect, treats the weapon as a +1.
Hobbling: The motif of a trio of wolfs hamstringing a moose is carved into the grip of the weapon. The weapon has been modified to better injure that target, taking the form of large barbs, hooks, serrated blades or an improved weight distribution that allows the wielder to better hinder, harass, and hobble his opponent. The wielder is imparted with the knowledge and ability to injure and enemy in such a way that escape is no longer an option. These debilitating strikes allow the wielder’s allies to surround and subdue the enemy not unlike a pack of wolfs cripple a herd animal far larger and stronger than any one of them and downing it as a group. Once per round when the wielder successfully attacks an enemy, he can choose to reduce the target’s maximum movement speed by ten feet until the start of the wielder’s next turn.
Bewitched: The simple, circular design of the evil eye is emblazoned on the grip of the weapon. The ancient curse mark barely distinguishes between friend and foe, jinxing its wielder as much as its target. The hex symbol draws in violence to itself like a strong magnet, making it noticeable easier for the wielder’s foe’s to kill him. Knowledge PCs will likely determine that the weapon was likely ensorcelled by a witch, fey or genie on the commission of an unwise adventurer who did not choose their words carefully. Such an adventurer no doubt requested a weapon that “Does great harm” or that “Is capable of great violence” and so it is… For all parties involved. The weapon is treated as a +1 but while the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, the bearer suffers a penalty of -1 to his armor class or other similar physical defenses.
Critical Threat: The image of a large snowball rolling downhill building in size, velocity and danger is etched into the weapon’s grip. A bearer can feel the object’s potential for greatness and that a single lucky blow can start a chain reaction of death to the wielder’s foes. This sensation of potential is ignited when the wielder scores a crippling blow against an enemy and the wielder feels compelled to attack again while his luck runs hot. After landing a critical hit with the weapon, the wielder’s next attack made with it before the end of his next turn is made with advantage.
Reliable: The simply sketched design of an ordinary belt knife is etched into the grip of the weapon. Unlike the majority of magic weapons, this enchantment is almost laughably simple, not in its design (Which is actually standard for its benefits) but in its execution. Typical magic weapons subtly guide their bearer’s attacks, causing them to strike truer and hit harder and the most of the time the wielder is not actively aware of the arcane help. This sorcery however, forcefully directs the wielder’s attacks towards centers of the target’s mass, exposed limbs or other dependable striking locations that are statistically more likely to be hit. The wielder can actively feel the weapon attempting to go its own way into order to strike a foe in a “safe” area that can be reliable hit. While this imposes no penalty on actually wielding the weapon, it makes it impossible to purposely or even accidentally land a lucky blow in a vital area. The weapon is treated as a +1 but whenever the weapon would score a critical hit against an enemy, the critical hit is negated and the attack is considered a successful but non-critical attack instead for all purposes.
Combat Training: A military style coat of arms displaying a pair of spears crossed over a shield is stamped into the grip of the weapon. The combat tool has been enchanted with the finely honed skills of a trained solider, which is magically passed onto the wielder regardless of their actual martial abilities. The bearer is considered to be proficient with that type of weapon as long as he is holding or wielding it in at least one hand. —Note: The wielder must still be able to physically wield the weapon and must still conform to other prerequisite’s such as being a size or strength. Recommended for more complex or martial weapons such as greatswords, heavy crossbows or halberds rather than clubs, slings or daggers. Not recommended for ammunition.
Cleaving: The image of a warrior cleanly slicing through two goblins at once with one swing of his greataxe is etched into the grip of the weapon. The object feels slightly heavier than normal as if its weight was slightly unbalanced to favor its business end. This quirk of the design allows the wielder’s blow to potentially carve through multiple foes at a time on particularly lethal blows. Once per turn, on the wielder’s turn, when he scores a critical hit with the weapon or reduces a creature to 0 hit points with it, the wielder can immediately make an additional attack with the weapon against a creature within reach.
Attraction: The image of an outstretched hand with a sword flying toward it hilt first is etched on the grip of the weapon. The object tingles slightly when held and a bearer is able to focus on the sensation of the weapon in their grasp to establish a deep connection with it. While the weapon is bound like this, the creature instinctively knows the direction of the weapon in regards to himself as long as he is within 100 feet of it. Should the bearer concentrate on the weapon over a period of an hour he is able to attune to its magic and is able to call the weapon to hand. An attuned bearer can summon the weapon into a free hand as long as he is within 15 feet of it, by using an action equivalent to drawing a weapon. The object instantly teleports into his grip and the wielder does not require line of sight or effect for this power to function. The weapon can only be bound to one creature at a time and should a new bearer attune to it, the old connection is broken. —Note: Not recommended for ammunition but can be useful on short ranged, thrown weapons.
Smiting: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in perpetually pure white linen from which a network of thin golden veins extend outward. No matter its circumstances, the weapon remains absolutely pristine, free of nicks, dents, stains, blood, gore and dirt, remaining perfect and pure. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with thoughts of redemption, righteous vindication and protecting the innocent. The wielder is imparted with a strong sense of good and evil and the desire to see justice done and the corruption of the world washed away. The weapon’s divine power purges impurities by searing the skin and scorching the soul. On a successful attack, the wielder can choose to have all of the damage dealt be considered radiant damage rather than the weapon's normal damage type. Projectile ranged weapons will bless their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Death: The weapon is pale and ashen, with the symbol of a horse and a human skull etched into the grip. The bearer feels the morbid urge to witness the deaths of as many creatures as he can manage, especially those of his own race. This urge is more macabre curiosity rather than homicidal in nature and does not necessarily encourage the wielder to kill but will encourage the bearer to do nothing but watch rather than staunch the wound of a creature bleeding out. If the bearer personally witnesses the death of a creature of their own species (As in human, elf or dwarf, not just another humanoid), the weapon glows slightly and is treated as a +1 weapon for the next eight hours for that wielder only. The eight hour timer is reset each time the wielder meets the enchantment’s requirements. —Note: Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Victory: The image of a fallen creature’s last breath wrapping around the victor and becoming a ghostly protector is emblazoned on the grip of the weapon. The wielder can sense with each blow that the weapon seems to be trying to leech off a portion of the target’s life force but is only successful when the foe is no longer capable of fighting back. When the weapon is used to land the killing blow on a creature, the weapon steals a fraction of the victim’s dying energy forming a protective shield around the wielder. This shield completely absorbs the wielder’s injuries, keeping him safe and secure before eventually failing. Whenever the wielder lands a killing blow against a creature, the wielder gains a number of temporary hit points equal to two hit points per character (Or 20% of maximum health or other equivalent amount), represented by a shimmering layer of force. Whenever the wielder would take damage, the shield absorbs it instead, protecting the wielder from harm. If this damage reduces the temporary hit points to zero, the wielder takes any remaining damage. The shield dissolves when the amount temporary hit points reaches zero or until one minute passes. If the wielder kills a creature while the shield is still activated, the amount of temporary hit points and timer is reset, it does not stack with itself. For this ability to function, the dying creature’s maximum hit points must be at least as much as the shield it would create, otherwise the shield cannot draw enough energy to function and does not form.
Onslaught: The image of a pair of rage filled eyes decorates the weapon’s grip. The implement draws upon its wielder’s desire for death and destruction, distilling the energy to a palpable force and releasing it towards the target. Each time the weapon swings in their direction, the target’s mind is flooded with white hot needles of pain and suffering. Should the attack not find its mark, the pure emotional force of the wielder's indignation is enough to cause the target actual pain even if the weapon never actually made contact. Whenever the wielder attacks a creature within range but fails to hit for any reason, the target still suffers psychic damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4).
Berserker: The symbol of an enraged wolverine is etched on the grip of the weapon. When held, the wielder becomes awake of a sleeping seed of rage buried within themselves that they can choose to awaken in times of need. When stirred, his inner beast bursts forth and he becomes an engine or destruction. The wielder’s blows rain down harder and his skin hardens shrugging off minor wounds. On his turn the wielder can enter a frenzied state. During this time his melee attacks are treated as a +1’s and and all incoming sources of nonmagical slashing bludgeoning and piercing damage are reduced by 1 hit point. At the end of one minute the rage ends and the wielder is left exhausted as if they had gone a night without sleeping. Creatures who are immune from becoming exhausted are not able to activate the berserker state as the frenzy specifically requires the wielder to push past their body’s normal limits severely overworking their muscles and adrenal system. —Note: Recommended only for melee weapons, especially two handed ones.
Thief’s Light: The design of a cloaked figure holding out a hooded lantern is etched into the grip of the weapon. The weapon feels lighter than normal and casual noises that it makes such as being drawn from a sheath or the twang of a bowstring being fired, sound heavily muffled as if the object was wrapped in layers of wool. The enchantment seems custom made for infiltration, assassination and roguish work, allowing the bearer to observe their surrounding in detail without drawing attention to themselves. Twice per day, the wielder can activate the weapon, causing it to emit bright light equivalent to a torch in a colour the bearer chooses. Only the wielder is able to perceive the light, all other creatures see no additional illumination. The light lasts until the wielder chooses to dismiss it, the wielder is no longer holding the weapon or until five minutes passes.
Infiltration: A subtly weapon covered in a dark mottled pattern that slowly changes to better blend in to its current environment. Empowered with arcane magics that dampen sound, the wielder can force his victims to suffer in silence. The weapon makes no noise of any sort when it strikes a target and negates any sound the target would make as a result of being hit. Even if the wielder took the weapon into both hands and struck a gong as hard as they could, the result would only be silence. A creature struck by the weapon cannot utter any sounds louder than a barely audible whisper until the start of the wielder’s next turn. While the weapon is being wielded and for five minutes afterwards, the bearer cannot speak louder than a barely audible whisper. This does not hinder spellcasting (Unless the spell requires the target to hear the bearer) as the bearer is still able to speak but he cannot provide rallying cries to allies, give instructions, shout for help, or yell warnings. The forced whispering hinders the bearer’s ability to properly project their personality and they suffer disadvantage on all charisma based checks that rely on them speaking. —Note: In game terms only creatures within five feet of the bearer or victim can hear him whispering in optimal conditions. During loud situations such as combat, thunderstorms or in a loud taverns, whispers cannot be heard at all.
Horror: The image of a human face set in a wide eyed, open mouthed aspect of pure terror, drawn in a talented but shaking hand decorates the weapon’s grip. The weapon’s form seems to shift and waver just out of the corner of one’s eye when in areas of darkness or shadow and anytime the sun no longer graces the sky. Grasping the weapon initiates a creeping dread within the wielder, a primal, instinctual fear that pushes them to fight for for their life like a cornered rat. A bearer who chooses to face their fear can allow it to pass over them and through them during their weakest moments. The weapon is treated as a +1 but those that wield it find that their fears are patient and will wait until the rush of adrenaline and danger has worn off and the terror will return when the wielder is weak and vulnerable. When wielded in combat the weapon leaves traces of dread on the wielder’s psyche and the next time the wielder attempts to get a full night’s rest his sleep is disturbed by a Random Nightmare and there is a 10% chance that he is so tormented by the dream that he gains no benefit from the rest whatsoever.
Heartless: The image of a humanoid figure with a ragged hole where its heart should be has been branded into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is grisly tool of battle, all piercing spikes, cutting edges and hard blunt faces. The wielder experiences a strange unnatural calm while holding the weapon, as if all of their empathy, hatred, compassion, rage and all their strongest emotions were locked away behind a frozen wall of objective reason. The wielder acts with brutal rationalism and callous logical reasoning which makes them a nightmarish opponent on the battlefield but an unfeeling sociopath in casual conversation. The wielder is able to use the abominable looking weapon in ways a person with even a drop of compassion never would, manipulating it to great effect, landing cruel, maiming strikes. Twice per day when the wielder successfully attacks, the player may select any single rolled damage die of his choosing (See Note) and that die will be considered to have rolled the maximum possible result for that type of die instead of the current result. This must be done after damage is rolled but before it is dealt to the target. Handling the weapon leaves the wielder emotionally crippled and while it is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, the bearer suffers disadvantage on all skill checks involving animal handling, insight, sense motive and all charisma based skill checks. —Note: This affects the weapon’s damage itself AND other sources of additional damage such as sneak attack, divine smite or spell effects. Projectile weapons with this enchantment bestow the power upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Portent: The symbol of a wide open eye is etched into the grip of the weapon. After spending some time with the weapon in his possession, the bearer begins to receive strange new sensations of things yet to come and glimpses of the future begin to press in on his awareness. Many of the visions are incomprehensibly strange showing delusions of events that are not fated to occur. A chosen few of the premonitions are flashes of second sight into the bearer’s own destiny. These harbingers of the future can be exploited to spin the threads of fate into a pattern of the bearer’s favor. After finishing a long rest during which the weapon has been in the bearer’s possession, the player rolls two d20’s and records the numbers rolled. While the weapon is wielded by that specific bearer, he can choose to replace any attack roll made by the wielder or a creature that he can see with one of these foretelling rolls. The wielder must choose to do so before the roll, and he can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once and when the bearer finishes another long rest, he loses any unused foretelling rolls.
Aiming: The symbol of a red and white archery target marks the weapon’s grip. A bearer feels mildly calmer with the weapon on their person as if they know of a secret technique that will protect them even in dire straits. The wielder is able to take a moment and center themselves, focusing all of their attention on their target, banishing all other distractions from their mind. With nothing but the target in mind, the wielder is able to strike true even in the midst of a chaotic battle. Once on the wielder’s turn, he can choose to make his next attack with the weapon gain advantage to hit. The wielder can only do this if he has not moved yet during this turn, and after making the attack the wielder’s movement speed drops to 0 until the end of the current turn. —Note: Recommended for ranged weapons.
Smoking: A grey weapon that seems to be made entirely of solidified swirls of thick, black fog, its surface roiling with constant motion. The weapon provides a ready cover for those needing a quick escape and is perfect for rogues, infiltrators and assassins in case such situations arise. Twice per hour, when the wielder successfully attacks a target, he can activate the weapon thereby creating a deafening crack and releasing a billowing cloud of smoke that fills a five foot square with dense black mist, both of which originate at the target’s location. If the target is a creature, the victim’s space becomes engulfed in the opaque smoke and he is effectively blinded but also gains full cover from outside attacks. All creatures within 30 feet of the target are momentarily distracted by the noise and smoke, suffering disadvantage on perception checks until the start of the wielder’s next turn. The dark fog is harmless, causing no injury and dissipating completely at the start of the wielder’s next turn. If the enchantment is on a thrown or projectile weapon or ammunition, the wielder can easily “attack” an empty space or unattended object within the weapon’s range that they can clearly see to create the noise and smoke in a specific five foot square. —Note: Recommended for projectile weapons, throwing weapons and ammunition.
Hunter: The faded design of a set of footprints runs the length of the weapon’s grip. The weapon has a simple rustic appeal as if it was designed for rough outdoor use and has spent more than a few nights lying under a makeshift lean-to next to its owner. The weapon spurs the bearer’s primal hunting instincts spurring him to track, search and chase his prey wherever they run. Upon successfully striking a creature, the wielder can use the weapon to form a metaphysical link between himself and the target. This connection allows the wielder to track down his prey and finish the hunt in the event that the creature flees from the fight. Twice per day when the wielder successfully attacks a creature he may choose to mark the target with the primal energy. For the next hour, as long as the weapon is in the wielder’s possession he is aware of the direction of the marked creature and gains advantage to any checks made to track, follow or find his target.
Temporal Flux: The symbol of a sundial carved into the weapon’s grip. The weapon is of a strangely intermediate age, changing constantly from appearing brand new, in mint condition and barely a day old, to looking ancient, battered and weathered, seeming centuries old and fluctuating along every age in between. A slight haze surrounds the weapon glittering with chronomantic magic that bends time around itself in inconsequential ways. An autumn leaf falling near the weapon might turn from fall orange to the bright fresh green of spring or shrivel to the black of winter and disintegrate into dust, before leaving the weapon’s aura of influence and return to normal. In combat the wielder is engulfed in the chaotic time-field and will sometimes see enemies attacking impossibly quickly, only for their attack to slow to a crawl just before landing, allowing the wielding to react in time. The arbitrary hasting and slowing of the wielder’s environment balances out equally, neither hindering nor boosting his combat prowess. The wielder does gain a fleeting moment of control over the shifting aeonic energies on truly powerful blows and can use the temporal magic to accelerate his reactions or delay his target’s responses. Whenever the wielder lands a critical hit, he can harness the resulting temporal flux and choose one of two options to take effect; 1, The wielder can hasten himself, gaining the highest initiative result and placing himself first in the initiative order out all creatures involved. 2, The wielder can slow the target, causing the victim to acquire the lowest initiative result, placing the target last in the initiative order out all creatures involved. Both effects begin on the next round of initiative and last until the end of the current combat. If the wielder sends multiple creatures to the bottom of the initiative, the most recent one to be sent to the bottom is considered the last one to have a turn in the round. If there is no current initiative order, the wielder can instead choose to grant himself advantage, or grant the target disadvantage on initiative checks made for the next hour.
Inexorable: The twinned symbol of the Goddess of Fate and Death is stained into the weapon’s grip with dried blood that refuses to be wiped away. Although not magical in itself, the weapon seems to have somehow been “blessed” by Fate and Death. The weapon may have been graced in this way by slaying a heretic or serious foe who opposed the Goddess, been tempered or forged by sacrificing a life, been instrumental in fulfilling a minor prophecy, was held by a warrior slain in battle whose spirit imprinted on the weapon and refuses to pass on until certain conditions are met or simply perhaps the weapon was used to send so many souls to Her domain in the afterlife. The wielder could swear that with each swing of the weapon they experience two different simultaneous strikes against the target, in a sort of violent deja-vu. In the briefest fraction of time during the swing, the wielder can see the result of both strikes and can choose their own fate and that of their victim. Whenever the player rolls to determine the weapon’s damage, he may roll the weapon’s damage die twice and choose either result to use. —Note: This only affects the weapon’s damage itself and not other sources of additional damage such as sneak attack, divine smite or spell effects. Projectile weapons with this improvement bestow the bonus upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Glass: A weapon inexplicably made solely of a crystal clear, glass prism. The entire weapon is made from one single piece of the glass that seems to neither have been poured, nor blown into its current shape. The transparent material refracts even the weakest light into a rainbow of colors that shine in all directions. The glass has been magically enchanted to be stronger than steel and the weapon is as flexible and functional as a typical one of its kind. Regardless of the material components of its frame, the weapon is brutally, supernaturally effective. The weapon is always considered a +1 weapon but unfortunately for the bearer, the enchantments that provide the weapon its lethal potential function by sapping the wielder of his vitality and resilience. While the weapon is being wielded and for one hour afterwards, anytime the bearer takes at least 1 hit point worth of damage from any source, the amount of damage the bearer receives is increased by 1 hit point, due to the weapon’s drain on his constitution. —Note: A combat example: The wielder is stabbed with a dagger dealing 4 points of damage but because he is wielding the glass weapon (Or has actively wielded it in the past hour) he takes 5 points of damage instead.
Retaliation: A fearsome weapon with cruel-looking adornments of spikes, blades and hooks jutting out at vicious angles over the weapon’s entire length. The material was infused with shamanistic energies, taking the savage power of the natural world and pressurizing it within the weapon. The spirit of a ferocious wild animal permanently (Like a bear, badger or boar) resides within the weapon’s form, flooding the wielder with its primal rage and the instinct to retaliate without a moment’s hesitation after being grievously injured. Whenever the wielder is struck by a critical hit in melee, the spirit pours its natural aggression into the wielder who is able to immediately attack any creature within his reach as an attack of opportunity.
Invigorating: The symbol of a humanoid form outlined in a corona of energy waves is etched into the weapon’s grip. Simply possessing the weapon makes the bearer feel strong, healthy and powerful. Wielding the weapon is physically and mentally rejuvenating, washing away pain and fatigue. Activating the weapon unlocks the wielder’s hidden potential allowing him to become the best version of himself for a brief moment in time. Twice per day an attuned wielder can (As an action equivalent to drawing a weapon) grant himself advantage on ability and skill checks of a single ability score (Such as Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence or Charisma) for five minutes. Only one creature can be attuned to the weapon at a time and the bearer must spend an hour in quiet contemplation with the sword to attune to it.
Decisive Victory: The maker’s mark of a master craftsman has been flawlessly etched into the weapon’s grip. The implement was professional crafted and is truly a pleasure to look at as much as it is to wield in combat. The weapon seems to be more of a work of art than a tool of destruction and violence. It sports gold or silver filigree, gemstone studs, platinum banding, expert carvings, detailed etchings and decorative illusions that serve to draw attention to itself. Despite all the lack of subtlety (Or perhaps because of it) the wielder experiences elegant, almost grandiose sensations when they use the weapon in combat, as if they were performing combat rather than fighting. The weapon is as deadly as it is beautiful, as the craftsman strove for singularity powerful blows as much as they did physical perfection. The weapon’s magic ensures critical strikes to vital areas and is able to sap the wielder’s physical reserves in order to facilitate that goal. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a creature, he can choose to have that attack be considered a critical hit at the cost of immediately becoming exhausted as if he had gone a night without sleeping. —Note: Creatures who are immune to becoming exhausted are unable to channel their energy through the weapon and cannot activate it. While this enchantment has its own steep cost to use, a DM may wish to institute a 2 or 3 use per day limit on the weapon’s power if it is too powerful. Alternatively, rule that a creature who is already exhausted cannot activate the weapon’s power.
Echoing Strike: The symbol of a blacksmith hammering a piece of iron is etched into the grip of the weapon. The enchantment laced throughout the weapon guides its wielder to hit the enemy in the same spot over and over. The wielder is able to repeatedly hammer the exact same location on the target’s body, weakening armor, aggravating wounds, crunching bones and greatly escalating the chance of inflicting grievous injuries. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target, the wielder’s next attack against the same target has its critical hit range expanded by one. Multiple successful hits against the same target continues to increase the critical hit range until the end of the wielder’s turn, meaning the wielder’s first attack against a single target will score a critical hit on a 20, then a 19 or 20 then on an 18, 19 or 20, etc.
Shadow Kill: On the weapon’s grip resides an otherworldly, black mark made of three interlocking forms consisting outward pointing spikes and curved lines all surrounding a single dot in the center. When the weapon is used to kill, the mark glows with a deep golden light and emits a puff of similarly colored smoke. Knowledgeable PC’s will be able to recognize the mark as that of the eldritch, inhuman representative of the Void, known only as The Outsider and that the symbol’s design represents the wielder’s killer instincts and ability to remain unseen. Whenever a creature is slain by the weapon, The Outsider takes the still-warm corpse as an offering and the flesh and bones are consumed by heatless, black fire. After a few seconds only a pile of cold ashes and equipment are left behind. The wielder can never use the weapon to inflict non-lethal / stun damage and if the wielder deals enough damage to be given the choice to render a target unconscious or kill them, he must choose to kill the enemy. The Outsider accepts all sacrifices and should the bearer be killed while wielding the weapon or having wielded it in the last minute, his body is likewise turned to carbonized dust, consumed by the weapon’s power.
Clockwork: Embedded into the grip of the weapon is a small, copper, watch face, containing tiny interlocking gears powered by horomancy, an arcane discipline that uses clockwork to manipulate magic. A bearer that puts his ear to the grip can hear faint ticking and whirring noises coming from within. When the wielder makes an attack roll with the magewrought weapon, he can forgo rolling the d20 to get an 11 on the die. This property can be used twice per day.
Hexing: The symbol of a small voodoo doll with six different pins sticking into different parts of its body is painted onto the weapon’s grip in blood. The bearer can feel the weapon’s supernatural curse dwelling within, ready to be released into an unwilling victim. With a successful strike, the weapon can taint the victim’s body or mind with a foul corruption, weakening their muscles or clouding their thoughts. Twice per day when the wielder successfully attacks a creature, he may choose to impose disadvantage on saving throws of one of the target’s ability scores (Such as Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence or Charisma) until the start of the wielder’s next turn.
Accumulation: The grip of the weapon is covered in a number of mystical sigils, glyphs and emblems all designed to absorb and contain various types of energy so that is can be called upon in a moment of need. Whenever the weapon moves it feels slightly heavier than its size suggests, due to one of the sigils absorbing a minuscule percentage of the object’s kinetic force, storing it for later use. A necromantic seal produces an aura that saps away the life of dying creatures too small to be seen with the naked eye (Viruses, bacteria and cells), drawing the sparks of their being into the weapon, while causing no harm to bearer. An arcane glyph pulls in and accumulates the residual magical by-products that are created as part of casting a spell that would dissipate normally, like the metaphysical equivalent of the smoke of a fire. Transmutation icons absorb electrical, thermodynamic and magnetic potential causing the area immediately around the weapon to be a touch colder, free from static shocks and less magnetic, all constant effects but unnoticeable unless one is specifically looking for them. Fey pictographs draw wisps of raw natural vitality from nearby ley lines and bind the organic essence to the weapon’s artificial form. Another handful of different insignia similarly absorb tiny amounts of power each from their own unique sources. The wildly different energies are aggregated into an internal reservoir of power that can be burned as supernatural fuel to enhance the weapon for a brief moment before the esoteric well runs dry. Once per day as an action equivalent to drawing a weapon, the wielder can activate the weapon with a command word causing it to be treated as a +1 for one minute.
Seeking: The image of a human with a target on its chest where its heart lies has been branded into the weapon’s grip. The implement has been ensorcelled with patient opportunist magic that conserves its power, waiting for the perfect time to react. On particularly effective blows, the weapon activates filling its wielder with a burst of speed, allowing him to try stabbing or swinging again at the same spot, aggravating the severe injury even further. Projectile weapons with this enchantment place a noticeable spin on their ammunition causing them to corkscrew into the wound creating a hideously maiming injury if the wielder lands the shot just right. In thrown weapons and ammunition, the objects are enchanted to shatter on impact, hopefully leaving debris in the target’s body or potentially spraying shrapnel over the victim creating a wide area of serious lacerations. Following up with a secondary attack or landing a projectile in optimal area is a combination of luck and skill and not always possible. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit he can attempt to confirm the followup strike. The player immediately makes another attack roll (See Note) with all the same modifiers as the initial attack except that the wielder gains advantage on the attack roll. If the wielder already had advantage on the roll he gains an additional +1 to the roll’s result. If the wielder’s confirmation attack roll also results in a hit against the target’s armor class, the followup attack is successful and the wielder deals additional damage on the critical hit equal to the maximum result of one of the weapon’s damage dice (Like an 8 on a d8) the player rolled for the attack’s damage. The confirmation roll just needs to be enough to hit the target normally, it doesn’t need to be a critical hit again. If the secondary attack roll would be considered a miss, then the initial attack is still considered a critical hit. —Note: This secondary attack role is not another true attack and does not take an action or use any resources. A combat example: A PC wielding a Rebounding Mace rolls a natural 20 against the target and attempts a secondary attack roll. The PC then rolls another attack to confirm the critical and gets a result of 18, which is less than the target’s armor class of 15. Since the confirmation rolls is a hit, the PC will add +8 (Assuming that the mace uses 1d8 for damage) damage to the normal damage resulting from the critical hit. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Kinetic Redirection: The grip of the weapon is stamped with an esoteric evocation sigil that manipulates dynamic potential. Whenever the weapon moves it feels slightly heavier than its size suggests, as the symbol absorbs a minuscule percentage of the object’s kinetic pressure and transforms it into arcane force. Furthermore the weapon is able to recycle excess physical energy and launch it at a nearby enemy so that no part of the attack is wasted. Whenever the wielder brings a creature to 0 hit points, any damage in excess of that is harnessed by the sigil and can be redirected. The wielder can immediately choose another creature he can see within 30 feet of the downed creature and launch a bolt of pure magical energy at the second target which automatically hits, dealing force damage equal to the amount of damage left over after bringing the original target to 0 hit points. If this arcane bolt kills the second target, the wielder may repeat the process on a third target (Then forth, fifth, etc) until there is no more excess damage. —Note: A combat example: The wielder hits a near death creature who has 5 hit points, and deals 20 damage. The creature dies at 0 hp and the wilder directs a force bolt dealing 15 damage at another wounded creature who has 10 hp remaining. The second creature also dies and the wielder directs another arcane bolt at a third creature which deals 5 damage, leaving the third target injured but alive. Not recommended for thrown weapons or ammunition.
Endling: Inlaid in bone on the weapon’s grip a grim tableau of a standing humanoid figure flanked on both sides by a humanoid skeleton. Touching the weapon instills a terrible feeling of loss, loneliness and isolation regardless of the number of people around the bearer. The wielder becomes a solitary figure in their own mind, as though they were always on the edge of conversations and companionship but never included. These feelings dissipate when the weapon is released or whenever a member of the bearer’s own species is nearby. The emotional turmoil of the oppressive solitude provides the wielder an inner drive to stay alive and fight back against all odds. The weapon is treated as a +1 if there are no other living creatures of the wielders same species within 100 feet.
Manaburn: The weapon’s length is emblazoned with a myriad of supernatural marks spanning a dozen different magical traditions from the traditionally arcane, religiously divine and the unearthly occult. Observer’s knowledgeable in the transmundane arts will be able to determine that each and every one of the esoteric symbols that run the length of the weapon have been defaced in some way. While some religious seals have desecrating line breaks and other glyphs sport additional contours that would cause serious spell misfires, most of the runes have simply been reversed as if they were being seen in a mirror’s reflection. The weapon contains an unstable collection of defective energy, designed to seek out functioning magic and violently cancel it out in a manner not unlike how a fireball can make a pool of explosive oil disappear. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a creature, the target loses the lowest spell slot or spells per day they have available (As if they had cast the spell) and suffers 1d4 necrotic damage per level of the spell slot lost. Whenever the wielder rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, he suffers the same effect, losing his lowest spell and being injured as it's violently dispelled. This power has no effect on at-will spells such as cantrips that can be cast without limit and if the target has no spells left there is no effect. Projectile weapons with this enchantment bestow the bonus upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Deadeye: The graceful weapon has been shaped and formed with accuracy and precision in mind. The grip bears the raised design of an archery target with two arrows in the center, one splitting the other in half. The weapon subtly guides its wielder’s attacks, causing them to strike truer and hit harder, magnifying skill blows into truly vicious attacks. Whenever the wielder attacks with advantage and hits the target, if the lower of the two d20 results would have also hit the target, the attack is considered a critical hit instead of a regular one. —Note: This works best in the D&D 5e Advantage / Disadvantage system. In other systems the enchantment’s effect might kick in if the PC would have hit the target with its straight d20 roll without bonuses or if the attack roll exceeded the target’s AC by 5 or more. Projectile weapons with this enchantment bestow the bonus upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Flaming: The weapon is fashioned from smoldering materials and the symbol of a tongue of flame is branded into the grip. Embers still crackle and burn in the charred wooden components and metallic parts have cherry red business ends with tiny rivulets of liquid metal trailing along the weapon’s length. The entire object is surrounded by a wavy heat mirage and although the weapon feels warm to the touch, it is never hot enough to damage a creature who simply holds it, nor will the weapon ignite objects on contact. The weapon’s fiery power deal burning injuries that scorch the skin and leave charred, smoldering corpses in the wielder’s wake. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of ashes and whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts fire damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will ignite their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Frost: The weapon is fashioned from frigid materials and the symbol of a snowflake is carved into the frost on the grip. The frozen implement never melts or cracks, even in the fiercest of heat but will mist and emit water vapor in warm temperatures. Although the object feels cold to the touch, the ice never freezes material it touches or cause frostbite in its wielder. The weapon’s icy magics create rime rimmed wounds that leak slushy, half frozen blood from blackened, frostbitten flesh. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of frost (Which deals no damage and melts normally) and whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts cold damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will freeze their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Bleaching: The weapon is fashioned from significantly damaged materials and the symbol of a partially dissolved hand is acid etched into the grip. Any metallic parts of the weapon are pitted, corroded and covered in rust and wooden components are stained, acid burned and generally discolored. The object is rough and sharp to the touch, leaving the wielder’s hands rust stained and blemished as if exposed to a weak acid. Sizable pieces of rust occasionally flake off of the weapon, disintegrating when they hit the ground but the object never seems to reduce in size or weight no matter how much is lost. The weapon’s acidic properties dissolve the target’s flesh, leaving caustic, chemically burned corpses that reek of acerbic solvents. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts acid damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will contaminate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Shocking: The weapon is heavily accented with electrically conductive materials and the symbol of a lightning bolt is prominently displayed on the copper wire grip. The weapon flickers with jolts of power (Never harmful or distracting to the bearer) and discharges small static shocks on a regular basis and when held this property extends to the bearer as well, causing their hair to stand on end and small arcs of electricity to jump between fingers and strands of hair. When actively being used in combat, the electricity charges and discharges faster as the weapon audible crackles and violently sparks. The weapon’s conductive nature directs lethal jolts of power directly into the target’s body, shocking the delicate nervous system and leaving smoking, flash burned skin. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts lighting damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will charge their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Psionic: The grip of the weapon is formed not of wood, leather or metal but rather of corded brain tissue that has been wrapped around the handle. The grip feels damp and squishy beneath the wielders grip as if the grey matter was still fresh. A knowledgeable PC will be able to determine that the brain tissues come from a number of different creatures who all had psionic, telepathic, telekinetic or other powerful mental abilities. Bearers who hold the weapon for long periods of time or attack with it, experience fleeting mental flashbacks of lives they never lived, as the memories locked away in the preserved brains leak into the wielder. The weapon’s psionic power attacks its victim’s very psyche, mutilating their mind, exterminating their ego and brutalizing their brain. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts psychic damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will enhance their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Echoing: An unassuming weapon that vibrates and emits audible tones at the slightest disturbance. A steel tuning fork is seamlessly incorporated into the weapon’s form typically with the handle and two prongs serving as the weapon’s grip and pommel. When actively being used in combat, the reverberations of the weapon’s swings, successful blows and the wielder’s own pounding heartbeats are magnified and stored by the tuning fork, building up small shock waves of violent thunderous power that are discharged directly into the wielder’s foes. The weapon’s sonic vibrations change match the resonance frequency of its target, causing blows that splinter bone, rupture eardrums and explode hearts. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts thunder damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will vibrate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Dynamic: The once whole weapon has been shattered into dozens if not hundreds of pieces and about half of them are missing completely. The object still serves as a perfectly serviceable weapon, as the remaining pieces are being held together in a transparent field of solid magic, not unlike pieces of fruit in a clear, jelly cake. The weapon’s arcane binding reinforces the weapon’s lethal potential, causing injury caused not by blade or bludgeon but of pure magical force. Foes are blasted by eldritch power that bypasses most physical and supernatural defenses to kill in the most direct way possible. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts force damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will sheath their ammunition in magic when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Envenomed: The business end of the weapon sports a number of pinprick sized holes and a single inland taipan fang is embedded into the grip. The hypodermic snake fang’s point aims along the length of the weapon and a perceptive PC can actually see bloated drops of neurotoxins resting at the pinprick sized venom channels at the business end. The wielder feels an unpleasant warm tingling sensation in their weapon hand, as if a fraction of the venomous power somehow penetrated their skin. The weapon’s toxins are injected directly into its victim’s flesh, coagulating the blood, paralyzing muscle and necrotizing the once healthy tissue. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts poison damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will envenom their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Scourging: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in dark purple leather from which a network of thin black veins extend outward. If the weapon is ever stained, nicked, dented or covered in blood or gore, a number of the dark veins slowly shift to that area. They seem to absorb the imperfections, damages and filth into the weapon’s form, like the roots of a plants soaking up water, causing the object to feel the slightest bit heavier and more lethal. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with dark thoughts of cruelty, senseless violence and causing harm to innocents. The wielder is instilled with the certainty that everything in life or death is theirs to command if they can shrug off their ethical and moral compunctions and reach out and take what they want by force. The weapon’s perverse energies deal unnatural injuries that foul the flesh and stain the soul. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts necrotic damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will taint their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Hallowed: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in perpetually pure white linen from which a network of thin golden veins extend outward. No matter its circumstances, the weapon remains absolutely pristine, free of nicks, dents, stains, blood, gore and dirt, remaining perfect and pure. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with thoughts of redemption, righteous vindication and protecting the innocent. The wielder is imparted with a strong sense of good and evil and the desire to see justice done and the corruption of the world washed away. The weapon’s divine power purges impurities by searing the skin and scorching the soul. Whenever the wielder successfully strikes a target, he inflicts radiant damage equivalent to a dagger (1d4) in addition to the attack's damage. Projectile ranged weapons will bless their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Surgical: The image of a hair being split with a blade has been incised into the grip of the weapon with a razor sharp scalpel. While the enchantment grants no inherent benefit to the accuracy of its wielder’s attacks, it greatly rewards those who are able to land precise strikes. The bearer is imparted with a vague sense of assorted medical information related to nerve clusters, animal musculature, joint manipulation and and how to best mutilate said anatomical systems if accurately struck. After a successful attack, the wielder deals additional damage equal to the attack’s result that exceeded the target’s armor class. —Note: A combat example; The wielder got a 20 on the attack roll and the target’s AC is 18. The attack exceeds the target’s AC by 2 and deals 2 additional points of damage.
Polarity: A paradoxical weapon split equally into two halves that could not be more differing in their physical appearance. One side is stained and heavy, covered in raised patterns of hard angles with a grip made of a rough black leather. The other is smooth and pristine, mostly featureless with the occasional delicate whorl ornamentation and a grip of soft white leather. The weapon is unbalanced and unwieldy resulting in attacks that are either pitifully weak or devastatingly strong with no middle ground. The weapon represent a magical balance of extremes and whenever the wielder makes a weapon damage roll, treat any die roll result of half or less as a “1” and any result higher than half of the maximum as having rolled the maximum result. Any magical or supernatural effects that allows the wielder to reroll damage rolls, disrupts the delicate magic and prevents the weapon from functioning, however mundane abilities gained from training or physical skill can still be used in conjunction with the weapon.—Note: For example, if the damage dice is 1d8, a result of 1-4 will be changed to a 1 and a 5-8 will be treated as an 8.
Inevitable: A weapon with a perpetually spinning gyroscope embedded into the grip. The device is completely encased in transparent crystal but a bearer that puts his ear to the grip can hear faint whirring noise and feel the vibrations coming from within. A combination of magical artifice and mundane engineering, the magewrought gyroscope imposes a perfect stabilization on the weapon’s balance and form, immediately and accurately compensating for everything that its subjected to. This causes the weapon to function perfectly as intended. No more, no less. The nature of perfection allows no room for deviation of any variety. Regardless of any contributing factors, whether they originate from the wielder, ally, enemy or the general environment, whenever the wielder makes an attack roll with the Invevitable weapon he can never roll with advantage or disadvantage, it is always a single d20 roll.
Pragmatic: An anatomical drawing of a humanoid highlighting a few key of pressure points and vulnerable areas, is etched into the weapon’s grip. Hundreds of hours worth of practical combat experience from pit fighters, tavern bouncers and mercenary veterans has been distilled and infused within the weapon’s form. The weapon itself is a model of combat utility making it perfect for harrying and debilitating opponents rather than directly injuring. The wielder becomes accurately, instinctively aware that fair fights are a chivalrous fantasy and that the best way to win is to fight quick and dirty. The weapon greatly improves the wielder’s ability to trip, feint, grapple, pin, disarm, sunder, push and shove his opponents. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target, instead of rolling damage he can choose to deal the minimum result possible on his weapon damage roll (Like a 1 on a d8) and immediately attempt to make one of the previously mentioned combat maneuvers checks against the target and gain advantage on the roll. These follow the standard rules within the game system for resolving combat maneuvers and if none exist see Note. —Note: This also affects additional damage dice from critical hits but not die from other sources such as divine smite, sneak attack or spell effects. If your system doesn’t have rules for a contesting combat maneuvers, use this: The wielder declares the maneuver and chooses to make either a Strength or Dexterity check (With advantage because of the enchantment) which is contested against the target’s Strength or Dexterity check (Target chooses the ability to use). If the wielder has the higher result, the target falls prone, disarmed of one object they’re holding, knocked back five feet, grappled, etc. If the target wins the contest, there is no effect and the action is consumed without effect. Recommended for melee weapons only, although certain throwing weapons or ammunition such as bolas or arrows designed to disarming or tripping could certainty be beneficial to a PC.
Bloodlust: The mindless rage of a rabid beast is infused into the weapon’s battered and dented form. Layers upon layers of old bloodstains cover the weapon’s length and cant come off with soap or magic. In combat the wielder feels the primal energy of unmitigated rage flood through their mind and throws aside all pretense of accuracy to strike with as much force as physically possible. The wielder always suffers disadvantage on attack rolls made with the weapon. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target, instead of rolling damage he automatically deals the maximum result possible for the weapon damage die (Like a 8 on a d8). —Note: This also affects additional damage dice from critical hits but not die from other sources such as divine smite, sneak attack or spell effects. Not recommended for ammunition.
Diligent: The weapon was painstakingly made with no expense or effort spared in any part of its construction. Its esoteric counterparts match its mundane exceptionalism and the enchantments are layered over top of each other creating multiple redundant arcane systems of charms that tap into the wielder’s mind guiding the weapon to pinpoint accuracy. While powerful in theory, the sheer amount of sorcery bound within the item requires it to sap the wielder’s strength as fuel, causing the blows to be precise but weak. The weapon is better suited to sport fencing, than life or death combat but its better to land a pitiful blow than none at all. The wielder always gains advantage on attack rolls made with the weapon. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks a target, instead of rolling damage he automatically deals the minimum result possible for the weapon damage die (Like a 1 on a d8). —Note: This also affects additional damage dice from critical hits but not die from other sources such as divine smite, sneak attack or spell effects.
Carnage: A detailed scene of a pitched battle with dozens of dead Random Creature Types on both sides was painstakingly etched along the business end of the weapon’s business end. Whenever the weapon is held, the bearer’s mouth is filled with a coppery, iron taste of fresh blood and he breathes in the heady scent of the same. The wielder’s yearns to slaughter the species displayed on the weapon’s length and whenever he kills a creature of that type he experiences potent euphoric sensations. The weapon functions as a +1 against the creature type etched into the weapon. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the etched battle scene changes so that all of the dead and dying figures are changed to match target’s creature type.
Extermination: The symbol of a Random Creature Type skull over a pair of crossed bones is deeply carved into the weapon’s grip. The wielder experiences a strange unnatural calm while holding the weapon, as if all of their empathy, understanding and compassion was burned away by the cold genocidal rage that fills their heart. A creature actively holding the weapon acts with brutal rationalism with a personal goal to take the life of every being of the species that match’s the skull symbol on the weapon’s grip. All of these emotional changes fade the moment the weapon is not being actively held and while the feelings are powerful, they never force the wielder to violate any of his strongly held moral standards. The weapon functions as a +1 against the creature type carved into the weapon. Whenever the wielder lands the killing blow on a creature, the skull on the weapon’s grip changed to match the target’s creature type.
Flaming Burst: The weapon is fashioned from smoldering materials and the symbol of a tongue of flame is branded into the grip. Embers still crackle and burn in the charred wooden components and metallic parts have cherry red business ends with tiny rivulets of liquid metal trailing along the weapon’s length. The entire object is surrounded by a wavy heat mirage and although the weapon feels warm to the touch, it is never hot enough to damage a creature who simply holds it, nor will the weapon ignite objects on contact. The weapon’s fiery power deal burning injuries that scorch the skin and leave charred, smoldering corpses in the wielder’s wake. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of ashes and the constrained elemental power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a fiery burst dealing additional fire damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will ignite their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Freezing Burst: The weapon is fashioned from frigid materials and the symbol of a snowflake is carved into the frost on the grip. The frozen implement never melts or cracks, even in the fiercest of heat but will mist and emit water vapor in warm temperatures. Although the object feels cold to the touch, the ice never freezes material it touches or cause frostbite in its wielder. The weapon’s icy magics create rime rimmed wounds that leak slushy, half frozen blood from blackened, frostbitten flesh. When used in combat, the wielder’s hands become coated in a fine layer of frost (Which deals no damage and melts normally) and the constrained elemental power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a freezing burst dealing additional cold damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will freeze their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Caustic Burst: The weapon is fashioned from significantly damaged materials and the symbol of a partially dissolved hand is acid etched into the grip. Any metallic parts of the weapon are pitted, corroded and covered in rust and wooden components are stained, acid burned and generally discolored. The object is rough and sharp to the touch, leaving the wielder’s hands rust stained and blemished as if exposed to a weak acid. Sizable pieces of rust occasionally flake off of the weapon, disintegrating when they hit the ground but the object never seems to reduce in size or weight no matter how much is lost. The weapon’s acidic properties dissolve the target’s flesh, leaving caustic, chemically burned corpses that reek of acerbic solvents. The constrained elemental power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a caustic burst dealing additional acid damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will contaminate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Shocking Burst: The weapon is heavily accented with electrically conductive materials and the symbol of a lightning bolt is prominently displayed on the copper wire grip. The weapon flickers with jolts of power (Never harmful or distracting to the bearer) and discharges small static shocks on a regular basis and when held this property extends to the bearer as well, causing their hair to stand on end and small arcs of electricity to jump between fingers and strands of hair. When actively being used in combat, the electricity charges and discharges faster as the weapon audible crackles and violently sparks. The weapon’s conductive nature directs lethal jolts of power directly into the target’s body, shocking the delicate nervous system and leaving smoking, flash burned skin. The constrained elemental power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases an electrical storm dealing additional lighting damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will charge their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Psychokinetic Burst: The grip of the weapon is formed not of wood, leather or metal but rather of corded brain tissue that has been wrapped around the handle. The grip feels damp and squishy beneath the wielders grip as if the grey matter was still fresh. A knowledgeable PC will be able to determine that the brain tissues come from a number of different creatures who all had psionic, telepathic, telekinetic or other powerful mental abilities. Bearers who hold the weapon for long periods of time or attack with it, experience fleeting mental flashbacks of lives they never lived, as the memories locked away in the preserved brains leak into the wielder. The weapon’s psionic power attacks its victim’s very psyche, mutilating their mind, exterminating their ego and brutalizing their brain. The constrained mental power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a psychokinetic burst dealing additional psychic damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will enhance their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Thunderous Burst: An unassuming weapon that vibrates and emits audible tones at the slightest disturbance. A steel tuning fork is seamlessly incorporated into the weapon’s form typically with the handle and two prongs serving as the weapon’s grip and pommel. When actively being used in combat, the reverberations of the weapon’s swings, successful blows and the wielder’s own pounding heartbeats are magnified and stored by the tuning fork, building up small shock waves of violent thunderous power that are discharged directly into the wielder’s foes. The weapon’s sonic vibrations change match the resonance frequency of its target, causing blows that splinter bone, rupture eardrums and explode hearts. The reverberating power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a thunderous burst dealing additional thunder damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will vibrate their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Arcane Blast: The once whole weapon has been shattered into dozens if not hundreds of pieces and about half of them are missing completely. The object still serves as a perfectly serviceable weapon, as the remaining pieces are being held together in a transparent field of solid magic, not unlike pieces of fruit in a clear, jelly cake. The weapon’s arcane binding reinforces the weapon’s lethal potential, causing injury caused not by blade or bludgeon but of pure magical force. Foes are blasted by eldritch power that bypasses most physical and supernatural defenses to kill in the most direct way possible. The constrained esoteric power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases an explosive blast dealing additional force damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will sheath their ammunition in magic when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Toxic Spray: The business end of the weapon sports a number of pinprick sized holes and a single inland taipan fang is embedded into the grip. The hypodermic snake fang’s point aims along the length of the weapon and a perceptive PC can actually see bloated drops of neurotoxins resting at the pinprick sized venom channels at the business end. The wielder feels an unpleasant warm tingling sensation in their weapon hand, as if a fraction of the venomous power somehow penetrated their skin. The weapon’s toxins are injected directly into its victim’s flesh, coagulating the blood, paralyzing muscle and necrotizing the once healthy tissue. The constrained virulent power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a toxic burst dealing additional poison damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will envenom their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Desecrating Burst: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in dark purple leather from which a network of thin black veins extend outward. If the weapon is ever stained, nicked, dented or covered in blood or gore, a number of the dark veins slowly shift to that area. They seem to absorb the imperfections, damages and filth into the weapon’s form, like the roots of a plants soaking up water, causing the object to feel the slightest bit heavier and more lethal. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with dark thoughts of cruelty, senseless violence and causing harm to innocents. The wielder is instilled with the certainty that everything in life or death is theirs to command if they can shrug off their ethical and moral compunctions and reach out and take what they want by force. The weapon’s perverse energies deal unnatural injuries that foul the flesh and stain the soul. The constrained blighting power trapped within the weapon threatens to burst outward with every attack, only finally exploding outward in a show of devastating power on truly lethal strikes. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a desecrating burst dealing additional necrotic damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will taint their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Holy Burst: The weapon’s grip is wrapped in perpetually pure white linen from which a network of thin golden veins extend outward. No matter its circumstances, the weapon remains absolutely pristine, free of nicks, dents, stains, blood, gore and dirt, remaining perfect and pure. When held, the bearer’s mind is filled with thoughts of redemption, righteous vindication and protecting the innocent. The wielder is imparted with a strong sense of good and evil and the desire to see justice done and the corruption of the world washed away. The weapon’s divine power purges impurities by searing the skin and scorching the soul. Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, the weapon releases a holy burst dealing additional radiant damage equivalent to a shortsword (1d6) to the target and all enemies within five feet of to the target. Projectile ranged weapons will bless their ammunition when shot, bestowing the enchantment upon their ammunition for the turn that it’s fired.
Zephyr: The symbol of a whirlwind has been marked into the grip of the weapon. The weapon is far lighter than it should be and currents of wind constantly swirl around it as if waiting to be directed to battle. The bearer can wield the weapon as normal in battle or they can choose to channel the wind, sending powerful gusts of air squalling across the field of battle. While these zephyrs are impressive, they’re not nearly as lethal as the weapon's actual business end. As part of an attack, the wielder can active the weapon's areomancy to extend the reach of the melee weapon by 30 feet in order to attack a creature they can see. Whenever the wielder attacks in this way and hits, instead of rolling damage he automatically deals the minimum result possible for the weapon damage die (Like a 1 on a d8). Otherwise the wielder can still makes regular attacks within weapon's standard reach and roll damage as normal. —Note: Extending the reach of the weapon through this enchantment uses the same rules as if using a reach weapon such as a halberd or whip. This enchantment also affects additional damage dice from critical hits but not dice from other sources such as divine smite, sneak attack or spell effects. Recommended for melee weapons
Riven: A once fine, powerful weapon that has suffered heavy damage in countless battles. The pristine arcane rune of power that resides in the weapon’s grip once burned with supernatural intensity, but has been marred by combat, dulled by time and weakened by dispelling effects, reducing it fitfully glowing like a candle in a breeze. The rune is performing an admirable attempt of keeping the weapon supernaturally lethal and precise, but the task is too strenuous and the enchantment will fail regularly and without warning. Whenever the wielder makes an attack or damage roll with the weapon and the result is an odd number, the wielder adds +1 to the result and that attack is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances, damage reduction and other defenses.
Inspiring: A distinctive weapon with the words of a particularly heartening adage (Random Motto) displayed in delicate calligraphy along its length, the text changing of its own volition to best encourage its wielder. Whenever the weapon is grasped, the words flow like poetry into the bearer’s mind as if long forgotten but suddenly remembered. Wielding it is combat makes one feel not unlike a flagbearer leading the charge into battle and the wielders actions and shouts rally allies around him like a hero out of song and story, inspiring them to greatness. Whenever the wielder successfully attacks with the weapon, he can choose one ally who can see or hear him within 30 feet and that creature adds 1d4 to the result of the next attack roll or saving throw it makes before the start of the wielder’s next turn.
Rallying: A distinctive weapon with the words of a particularly heartening adage (Random Motto) displayed in delicate calligraphy along its length, the text changing of its own volition to best encourage its wielder. Whenever the weapon is grasped, the words flow like poetry into the bearer’s mind as if long forgotten but suddenly remembered. Wielding it is combat makes one feel not unlike a flagbearer leading the charge into battle and the wielders actions and shouts rally allies around him like a hero out of song and story, inspiring them to greatness. Rallying: Whenever the wielder scores a critical hit, an ally of the wielder's choice within 30 feet who can see or hear him gains temporary hit points equal to a longsword's worth of damage (1d8) plus the wielder's character level. These temporary hit points are lost after one minute.