Help me figure out Death's Judgement!

[Pinwheel]

I've been playing a level 7 necromancer who considers himself a personal enemy of Kelemvor. He recently had the opportunity to search a great Dragon's hoard for treasures and came upon a blade bearing the sigil of said god. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to research more about his foe, and tempted by the concept of using Kelmvor's own tools against him, he took the blade. It was recently revealed what the nature of the blade is.

My strength isn't impressive, but I have access to a belt of giant strength if necessary from an ally.

Death's Judgement:

+2 Longsword (1d8, 1d10 Versatile)
+ "Undead Bane" 1d6 additional damage to undead.
+ Those who wield this sword can turn undead as though they were four levels higher than they are.
+ "Judgement." On a critical hit, the opponent must take a DC 15 save. If they fail, they are dragged by chains into the Fugue plane to be directly judged before Kelemvor.

All in all a pretty sweet piece of equipment. The issue is that can't even use the thing at present, and nor was my character designed with melee in mind. Aside from the obvious choices of using it as a bargaining chip, selling it, destroying it, or giving it to an ally, I am looking for thoughts on how to integrate it in with my character.

The best thing I've come up with at this point would be taking another level of wizard next to get my next ability score improvement. Then I'd take Tavern Brawler, and use the sword as an improvised weapon (I'll be proficient with it through the feat). Then use the bonus action to grapple, and on my next turn cast Vampiric Touch, ensuring my foe is "locked down." Then if I slay my enemy thusly, grim harvest would proc, healing me for a tidy sum.

Other options would be to multiclass into martial proficiency and use the sword with the SCAG cantrips until I can work my way up to an extra attack.

Would love any thoughts or opinions on how to turn this character into a competent sword user in as few levels as possible.

 

[pdegan2814]

I'm not sure an actual defined "weapon" can be conveniently reclassified as an "improvised weapon" in this way. Closest mention from Crawford I can find on it is here: http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/10/27/tavern-brawler-weapon/, and if I'm reading it right, you wouldn't get the proficiency bonus even with Tavern Brawler. You might be better off taking a single Fighter level so you're proficient in all weapons(and armor, for that matter).

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The best thing I've come up with at this point would be taking another level of wizard next to get my next ability score improvement. Then I'd take Tavern Brawler, and use the sword as an improvised weapon (I'll be proficient with it through the feat). Then use the bonus action to grapple, and on my next turn cast Vampiric Touch, ensuring my foe is "locked down." Then if I slay my enemy thusly, grim harvest would proc, healing me for a tidy sum.

Other options would be to multiclass into martial proficiency and use the sword with the SCAG cantrips until I can work my way up to an extra attack.

Would love any thoughts or opinions on how to turn this character into a competent sword user in as few levels as possible.

Just because you want to use the blade against Kelemvor doesn't mean you have to personally wield it against Kelemvor. Wizards don't get their hands dirty. My first instinct is "give it to a fellow PC, or failing that, one of your skeletons (or eventually, wights)." (If I were a better nasty plotter, my first instinct would probably be some kind of complicated treachery using the sword as bait, but alas I am not that sneaky.) My second thought, if you absolutely must use this thing, is for you to take Greenflame Blade or Booming Blade and then go all faux-Bladesinger on everyone. Feel free to multiclass to Warlock for Armor of Agathys, which combines nicely with Grim Harvest. But if it were me in your shoes I would pretty much ignore the sword, and let someone else use it.