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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Unique Non-Magical Weapons: Flamberge, Swordbreaker, Trident Dagger etc.



Gastronomie
2016-03-04, 01:25 AM
Got the original idea from this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?480364-Unique-Weapons), though it might not be what the topic creator was originally intending.

Basically, the idea is that a lot of campaigns are low-magic, or even if they’re mid or high-magic, low-level characters still can’t get many magical weapons in 5e. But some players could get frustrated by the lack of “unique weapons”, except bland +1’s and stuff like that.

So I’m creating these as a method for the DM to distribute weapons that are “unique”, and yet not magical. These are weapons low-level characters may obtain through great deeds and adventures. Or perhaps, by looting from powerful NPCs.

Creating the unique weapons listed below requires advanced forging skills, and as so, most blacksmiths do not sell them in normal circumstances (some do, though. The Dungeon Master can choose where they are sold, as well as whether they are purchasable by the starting money given to the characters. A DM can also let a character choose one of these weapons as his starting gear, if he has a sufficient backstory. When doing so, it is recommended that the DM nerf him in some way or another to balance him out, perhaps by not letting him take any other weapons as starting gear, for example). An adventurer can obtain them from only skilled blacksmiths, or a particular blacksmith willing to do a favor for the adventurers.

Flamberge
Cost: 200gp
Damage: 1d8 slashing
Weight: 3lb.
Versatile. This weapon can be used with one or two hands. When the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack, the damage increases to 1d10 slashing.
Painful Wound. When this weapon inflicts damage, the maximum hit points of the target decreases by half of the inflicted damage. If the target has resistance to slashing damage, or does not have vital organs (as in the case with most Undead and some Constructs), it is immune to this effect. This effect lasts for 72 hours, or until the target is healed by a spell of Level 3 or higher. A successful Wisdom (Medicine) check of DC 20 can also remove this effect after a long rest.

The flamberge is a specially crafted longsword with a wavy blade, resembling a tongue of flame in shape. The flamberge’s unique shape allows it to cut its victims’ internal flesh into small shreds, making it difficult for the wound to heal. In even grim cases, the victim may suffer tetanus and die a terrible death.
The flamberge is feared as a weapon of anguish, and as so, those of goodwill may refrain from its use. It is best suited for a Paladin of Vengeance, a Berserker Barbarian, a Death Cleric, an Oathbreaker, and other characters that do not care of their enemies’ pain, or may even feel glee from it. However, others view the flamberge as a work of fabulous art and craftsmanship, due to its beautiful shape.

Variant: Masterwork Flamberge - Costs 350gp. This flamberge decreases the maximum hit points of the target by an amount equal to the damage inflicted by its attack.


Swordbreaker
Cost: 150gp
Damage: 1d6 piercing
Weight: 2lb.
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons. See the rules for two-weapon fighting in chapter 9.
Break Blade. When performing an attack with the Swordbreaker, the wielder may choose to attack a light and/or finesse, non-magical blade the target is holding, instead of the target itself. The AC of that blade is treated as 18, or higher if the Dungeon Master deems otherwise. If the attack is successful, the blade is broken, and from then on inflicts only half the original damage. You may attempt this ability only once per turn.

The swordbreaker is a special shortsword with small slots on one side much like the teeth of a comb, designed to be able to break an enemy’s sword by locking it in-between the slots and then proceeding to twist the swordbreaker with powerful force. This technique requires much skill, however, and may prove to be difficult in actual combat.


Trident Dagger
Cost: 150gp
Damage: 1d4 piercing
Weight: 2lb.
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons. See the rules for two-weapon fighting in chapter 9.
Trap Blade. When the wielder of this blade is targeted by a melee attack, he may choose to use his Reaction to increase his AC by an amount equal to his proficiency bonus against just that one attack.

The Trident Dagger is a small, hand-held weapon with a portion of the blade on each side springing outwards, three directions in total. This creates a dagger capable of trapping blades securely and easily.


Horse-Cutter
Cost: 200gp
Damage: 2d6 slashing
Weight: 8lb.
Two-Handed. This weapon requires two hands to use.
Extremely Heavy. Only those with a Strength score of 17 and higher can wield this sword. Others cannot even hope to hold it in their hands.
Slay Mount and Rider. When the wielder attacks a creature mounted upon another creature, or a creature upon which another creature is riding, he has advantage on the attack roll. Also, when the attack hits, inflict damage to both the mount and the rider. This abilty cannot be activated unless both the rider and the mount are within 5 feet of the wielder, and the AC of the original target is equal to or higher than the AC of the other creature that is going to be damaged.
Slay Large Enemies. When the wielder rolls a Critical against a creature of size Large or larger, one of the target’s limbs is lopped off, with the effect of such loss determined by the DM. If the creature has no limb to sever, you lop off a portion of its body instead.

The Horse-Cutter is an especially large Greatsword specialized in slaying mounts and large creatures, wieldable by only the most powerful and formidable warriors.


Stiletto
Cost: 150gp
Damage: 1d4 piercing
Weight: 2lb.
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons. See the rules for two-weapon fighting in chapter 9.
Strike of Mercy. When you attack with the Stiletto against a Prone target with half of its original hit points or lower and succeeds, the attack is treated as a Critical Hit.
Rest In Peace. When you score a Critical Hit with this weapon, the dice damage is 2d6 instead of 2d4.

The Stiletto is a unique shortsword originally used by warriors to finish off a fallen or severely wounded heavily armored opponent. The needle-like blade could easily penetrate most mail or find its way through gaps in a knight's plate armor, and was narrow enough to pass through the eye slits of the helmeted knight. A severely wounded opponent, who was not expected to survive, would be given a "mercy strike" using the stiletto.


Comments and constructive criticism greatly appreciated.

BaronOfTheGate
2016-03-04, 08:08 AM
That Horse-Cutter is just amazing.

Princess
2016-03-04, 09:50 PM
This is a very cool idea and something I'll be thinking over myself - Why stop with swords? But I do feel compelled by my nerdiness to point out that Stilettos are much smaller than the example d6 weapons, and would make more sense to me as 1d4 damage (keeping your suggested additions, of course.)

Xaphedo
2016-03-04, 10:44 PM
Flamberge: that's so simple but yet so scary, I love it. This said, it feels more like a magical weapon than a mundane one. Changes I'd make:
-Reduces max HP by only half inflicted damage. It's still pretty brutal, but it doesn't completely negate healing (which wouldn't make sense for a non magical weapon).
-Creatures with resistance to slashing damage are immune to the sword's effect. If you're not cutting deep you're not going to damage internal organs either.
-Only living creatures with vital organs have their HP reduced by the sword's attacks. Again, the sword wouldn't otherwise be able to function properly.
-A successful Wisdom (Medicine) check with a DC of 20 should be also able to remove the HP reduction after a long rest. If its effect is non magical, there should be non magical ways of dealing with it.
-If it reduces a living creature to 0 HP, it kills it instantly.

Swordbreaker: that's a very nice and elegant concept. The only problem is, the AC doesn't scale with the enemy's skill, which feels a bit cheap. Maybe it'd be better if, as a bonus action, you made a contest of attack rolls with disadvantage on your part, breaking the opponent's blade in case of success.

Trident Dagger: I've always called that a parry dagger, but I must agree, your name is way more badass. The weird thing is, again, that it doesn't scale with skill. I'd change that +2 to your proficiency bonus, provided you're proficient in martial weapons.

Horse-Cutter: I got to say, that's quite the idea. I've always thought of polearms as a countermeasure to mounts, but this works too. The only gripes I've got are about damaging both the mount and the rider. A rider could have AC of 23, while its measly mount could have an AC of 10... It's an easy exploit and, in the end, it doesn't even make sense. Say, for example, that I'm on top of a gargantuan mount: how exactly is hitting the feet of the mount going to hurt me? An easy fix: this effect should trigger only when both rider and mount are within range and you hit the one with the higher AC.

Stiletto: this is quite cool, yes, but automatic critical hits are no joke. Just a quick change of words: "When you hit with the Stiletto a Prone target with half of its original hit points or lower, it automatically becomes a Critical hit." Still incredibly powerful, but at least not game-breaking.

Gastronomie
2016-03-05, 01:21 AM
Thanks guys~!

This is a very cool idea and something I'll be thinking over myself - Why stop with swords? But I do feel compelled by my nerdiness to point out that Stilettos are much smaller than the example d6 weapons, and would make more sense to me as 1d4 damage (keeping your suggested additions, of course.)
Well, swords seemed the most "fashionable", as well as easy to tweak around. Yeah, I know stilettos were smaller than shortswords, but had decided it should be 1d6 from the "gaming" perspective of how if it was originally 1d4, even with crits it'd be 2d4, not very different from a rapier. I wanted the "strike of mercy" to be powerful, given how its premises are not always there for you. Perhaps 1d4 normally and 2d6 when using against a "Prone target with half of its original hit points or lower" would work.

Flamberge: that's so simple but yet so scary, I love it. This said, it feels more like a magical weapon than a mundane one. Changes I'd make:
-Reduces max HP by only half inflicted damage. It's still pretty brutal, but it doesn't completely negate healing (which wouldn't make sense for a non magical weapon).
-Creatures with resistance to slashing damage are immune to the sword's effect. If you're not cutting deep you're not going to damage internal organs either.
-Only living creatures with vital organs have their HP reduced by the sword's attacks. Again, the sword wouldn't otherwise be able to function properly.
-A successful Wisdom (Medicine) check with a DC of 20 should be also able to remove the HP reduction after a long rest. If its effect is non magical, there should be non magical ways of dealing with it.
-If it reduces a living creature to 0 HP, it kills it instantly.
Those ideas seem nice - thanks!

Swordbreaker: that's a very nice and elegant concept. The only problem is, the AC doesn't scale with the enemy's skill, which feels a bit cheap. Maybe it'd be better if, as a bonus action, you made a contest of attack rolls with disadvantage on your part, breaking the opponent's blade in case of success.Well, that's why I wrote "DM can deem otherwise". I felt it'd be broken if it didn't cost an attack, but that's just me.

Trident Dagger: I've always called that a parry dagger, but I must agree, your name is way more badass. The weird thing is, again, that it doesn't scale with skill. I'd change that +2 to your proficiency bonus, provided you're proficient in martial weapons.I dunno...even at high levels, +6 to your AC seems a bit strong...but...then again, on second thought, there's the Shield cantrip which gives +5 for the whole round, so yes, you are probably correct. Changing it.

Horse-Cutter: I got to say, that's quite the idea. I've always thought of polearms as a countermeasure to mounts, but this works too. The only gripes I've got are about damaging both the mount and the rider. A rider could have AC of 23, while its measly mount could have an AC of 10... It's an easy exploit and, in the end, it doesn't even make sense. Say, for example, that I'm on top of a gargantuan mount: how exactly is hitting the feet of the mount going to hurt me? An easy fix: this effect should trigger only when both rider and mount are within range and you hit the one with the higher AC.Trudat. Changing - thanks.

Stiletto: this is quite cool, yes, but automatic critical hits are no joke. Just a quick change of words: "When you hit with the Stiletto a Prone target with half of its original hit points or lower, it automatically becomes a Critical hit." Still incredibly powerful, but at least not game-breaking. Well, makes sense. Changing along with the above thing about it being normally 1d4 and 2d6 when it hits. The attack has advantage anyways.

Xaphedo
2016-03-05, 08:21 AM
Thanks guys~!

These are some very cool weapons, thank you for sharing them with us!


Well, swords seemed the most "fashionable", as well as easy to tweak around.

But what about:

Jagged Arrow
Cost: 200gp (20 projectiles)
Damage: (Special)
Weight: 0.1lb.
Projectile. This arrow's piercing damage depends upon what kind of bow it's shot from. Due to their fragile shape, jagged arrows always break after their first use and cannot be recovered at the end of a battle.
Painful Wound. When this projectile inflicts damage, the maximum hit points of the target decreases by half of the inflicted damage. If the target has resistance to piercing damage, or does not have vital organs (as in the case with most Undead and some Constructs), it is immune to this effect. This effect lasts for 72 hours, or until the target is healed by a spell of Level 3 or higher. A successful Wisdom (Medicine) check of DC 20 can also remove this effect after a long rest.

Jagged arrows are specially crafted projectiles with a serrated edge, resembling a pine tree or similar. The arrow's unique shape allows it to tear its victims' internal flesh into small shreds, making it difficult for the wound to heal. In even grimmer cases, the victim may suffer tetanus and die a terrible death.
Jagged arrows are feared as weapons of anguish, and as so, those of goodwill may refrain from their use. They are best suited for a Paladin of Vengeance, a Berserker Barbarian, a Death Cleric, an Oathbreaker, and other characters that do not care of their enemies’ pain, or may even feel glee from it. However, others view jagged arrows as works of fabulous art and craftsmanship, due to their intricate shape.

Variant: Masterwork Jagged Arrow - Costs 350gp (20 projectiles). This projectile decreases the maximum hit points of the target by an amount equal to the damage inflicted by its attack.


Brain Wrecker
Cost: 150gp
Damage: 1d4 bludgeoning
Weight: 2lb.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for use when fighting with two weapons.
Worn. Knuckles require a movement action to be worn, and can still be worn (although not used) while wielding a held weapon, such as a sword or a bow. Alternatively, knuckles can be worn by spending a bonus action as part of a movement. Wearing knuckles on one or both hands requires the same amount of time.
Wreck. When this weapon rolls a 3 or a 4 on its damage die, the target must pass a Constitution saving throw with DC equal to 8 + the damage inflicted by that attack. If it fails, it becomes stunned until the end of its next turn. A stunned creature can't take actions or reactions, can't move, can only speak falteringly, automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws and attacks against the creature have advantage. Creatures which are immune to being stunned are also immune to this effect.

The brain wrecker is a much more brutal variation to the classical thug's knuckles. It looks like the upper half of a plate gauntlet, with only 4 fingers and no protection for the lower hand. It is meant to concuss enemies, leaving them defenseless and unable to fight back.
The brain wrecker is considered by many a vile and cowardly weapon, so while it may seem like a more knightly version of the brass knuckles, it still mainly used by individuals with no regard for their reputation.


Had I more time, I'd gladly keep on going, but alas, I don't :(


Those ideas seem nice - thanks!
No problem! :D


Well, that's why I wrote "DM can deem otherwise". I felt it'd be broken if it didn't cost an attack, but that's just me.
I found it was a bit too loose and - let's be honest- when can't the DM deem otherwise? The attack part... I believe you're right. Bonus actions are useful, but attacks are essential. It also means that a high level fighter can attack 2-3 times and try to break the opponent's sword each turn and will retain its bonus action, which feels powerful but isn't broken. I'm not entirely sold on it, but I have nothing against it.

Maybe it'd be better as a reaction, triggering when the opponent misses an attack? This way you have no control on whether or not you get to try and break the opponent's blade each turn, and it also makes sense because real world sword-breakers (which you probably know, are a thing) were most effective in parries, not attacks.


I dunno...even at high levels, +6 to your AC seems a bit strong...but...then again, on second thought, there's the Shield cantrip which gives +5 for the whole round, so yes, you are probably correct. Changing it.
And, you are trading a more powerful weapon in your off-hand for a defensive one, which at higher levels is quite a big deal.


Trudat. Changing - thanks.

:D


Well, makes sense. Changing along with the above thing about it being normally 1d4 and 2d6 when it hits. The attack has advantage anyways.

Wait, does it mean that the final damage becomes 2d6 times 2 (or 12 damage depending on how you rule criticals)? I'm totally fine with that, it's just not very clear to me whether you included the critical damage already or not.

Wartex1
2016-03-05, 04:47 PM
Wasn't the purpose of the flamberge is that it was great for parrying and deflecting parries due to the wavy blade sending greater vibrations through the opponent's sword, loosening their grip?

Xaphedo
2016-03-05, 05:30 PM
Real world flambergs are indeed, essentially, sword/parry-breakers. But I'm actually imagining Gastronomie's one as a ridicously jagged and serrated flamberge blade, which can't send nasty vibrations anymore (as it's no longer smooth) but it can instead shred the living flesh chainsword style.

Princess
2016-03-06, 12:58 AM
Wasn't the purpose of the flamberge is that it was great for parrying and deflecting parries due to the wavy blade sending greater vibrations through the opponent's sword, loosening their grip?

It was also useful in knocking spears aside, at least the heavier, two-handed ones.