D&D 5E Magit Item: Guiding Blade

[Shrapp Hamnier]

I'm trying to balance this a bit, one thing I would like to do is make it not an artifact, but I dont know how to make it less powereful without making it not worth keeping. Any advice on how to tweek or reword it would be great!


Guiding Blade
Weapon (rapier), Artifact

The 5 souls in the sword may be commanded to perform either of two actions, Soul Strike or Possession. The number of times the souls may be commanded is the same, whether one, some, or all of the souls are commanded to perform a particular action.

A 4th level wielder may safely command each of the 5 souls once per long rest. The wielder may command the souls one additional time per four levels beyond 4th. In addition, the wielder may command the souls beyond these limits, but takes one level of exhaustion for each additional command. The wielder dies if this results in six levels of exhaustion. Each time the wielder commands the souls, they take one of the following actions.

Soul Strike
As an action, the wielder can command a soul to shoot from the sword, striking anything the wielder can see within 30 ft., dealing 1d8 force damage. No to hit roll is required. For every four levels the wielder possesses beyond 4th, the range increases by 10 ft. and the damage increases by 1d8.

Possession
As an action, the wielder can command one or more souls to attempt to possess a creature or object. This attempt occurs just prior to the beginning of the wielder’s next turn. If the attempt fails, the target knows that it was the target of possession and who targeted it. If the attempt succeeds, the target is possessed and will act in subsequent turns just prior to the wielder in the initiative order.

Success is determined by the Hit Dice and Size of the target, the wielder’s level, and the number of souls used in the possession attempt.

Objects:
A Tiny non-magical object may be successfully possessed if the wielder is at least 4th level and one soul is commanded to possess the object. For every four levels above 4th, and/or for every additional soul commanded to possess the object, the target’s size may increase by one. Example: A Small object would require a wielder of at least 8th level and one soul, or at least 4th level and two souls. No roll is made – possession is automatic so long as the requirements are met. If the requirements are not met, the soul returns to the sword. Magical objects may not be possessed.

If possessed, the soul can drag an unattended object 5’ in any direction. If the object is attended, the soul can impose disadvantage on any use of the object, or grant a +1 to any Attack, Skill Check or other use of the object.

Non-sentient creatures:
A creature may be targeted for possession if it has less than or equal Hit Dice as the wielder has levels. For this purpose, add 2 to the target’s Hit Dice for every size category it is larger than Tiny. Subtract 2 Hit Dice for every additional soul beyond the first that is commanded to possess the creature. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be possessed. The save DC to avoid possession is 8 + wielder’s Wis Mod + number of souls used in the possession attempt. So a wielder with a 13 Wisdom, using 3 souls would have a DC of 12.

If possessed, the creature is Incapacitated on its next turn. On the soul’s next turn, the soul can command the possessed creature to take any action it is capable of. Any action that requires a roll – Attack, Skill Check, Saving Throw – is made with disadvantage.

At the end of each of the soul’s turns, the possessed creature may attempt to break free. The save DC is the same as the original possession, and is made at disadvantage. Success means the soul(s) has been forced out and must return to the sword. The formerly possessed creature is Incapacitated on its next turn, then may act normally thereafter.

Sentient creatures:
This functions in all ways as with non-sentient creatures, except that a soul cannot successfully possess a creature of different gender than the soul.






I also kind of wanted to make the souls sentient, giving the souls slightly unique abilities and allow extra role playing options for the wielder. The basic idea for giving the souls added powers is no two people are the same, thus it makes sense that no set of 5 would give exactly the same benefits. It also makes one Guiding Blade different from another (not that one party will encounter more than 2 or 3 unless they are hunting for them), and gives the player some strategic decisions to make about which souls to send out when. Should this be a thing?

• Example 5 souls within the Guiding Blade: 5 dwarf souls, 2 of which are siblings

• M- Dane Fireheart

May possess and move inanimate objects one size larger than the rest, or counts as 2 souls when doing group possessions.

• F- Fala Stronghaft

Does not have disadvantage on any roles when possessing if possessing alone. Has advantage on all roles if doing something with just her brother.

• M- Fane Stronghaft

Any item he possess can be considered a magic item and give an extra +1 magic bonus in combat (no added effect on the Guiding Blade). Has advantage on all roles if doing something with just his sister.

• M- Azaghan Gemdelver

If possessing a book, scroll, or other text, may immediately find something if it is in the text, and can read it allowed if he understands it. Can understand (choose dwarf and any other 3 languages)

• M- Bane Steadyaxe

Has advantage in combat when fighting with an axe or hammer, or can give a +2 damage bonus when possessing an axe or hammer.

Other ideas for specific soul abilities
- bonus damage or other effects when using soul strike
- can recal memories of posessed creatures
- can make objects or creatures levitate or grant other ability
- be used for a unique action such as can fly around a corner and report back what's there
- be used as a free spell slot of a specific spell / set of spells

 

[discosoc]

Nothing about this sounds like a "rare" magic weapon. Also, why rapier? You mention elven runes, so it would make more sense for it to be a longsword.

 

[Shrapp Hamnier]

Ah, yes, I think I meant to make it "very rare". But that's part of what I'm looking for, how to ballance it so it makes sense. Do I need to dim it down a bit to make it a suitable "very rare" item?

I say the runes are on the guard of the hilt, which depending on the style can be a very wide strip of metal either draping over the fingers or as a bowl cupping the hand (the pic show some very simple designs, but every rune marked blade needs to be beautiful, and the fact that it has souls in it implies that it probably wasnt made with beauty in mind). I was trying to move away from the comon, as it seems like the runes are almost always on the blade of a wide bladed sword or dagger. Also, i initially designed this for a bard, and again didnt want to be cliche by giving him an instrument or a whip or something (also, he picked up the weapon in the room of a guy who is obsessed with ancient cultures and was researching runic items, so it pretty much NEEDED to involve runes somehow). I thought a rapier would fit better, part because of proficiencies, but also because it could be used more like a baton as it guides the posession if the bard (or anyone esle) wants to be a bit more flamboyant or mocking or whatever.

 

[discosoc]

The reality is, you've basically created an artifact weapon with a complicated set of custom rules. If you're looking for something like this suitable as a rare or very rare magic weapon, maybe chose any single ability you're thinking of and give it to a basic weapon. Letting it do multiple things, with scaling effects, at range, ignoring most cover, etc, is just too much. Compare it to other "rare" weapons that do things like an extra d6 or 2d6 on a crit, or 2d10 poison damage for a minute once per day, and you might notice how much better yours is.

Or compare it to some "very rare" weapons like dancing swords (get to make ranged attacks with it as a bonus action), or stuff like swords of sharpness that have focused and specialized effects. Yours still outclasses them in terms of utility and often damage.

To be honest, your "rapier" seems to function much more like a very rare or legendary magic staff, IMO.

 

[Shrapp Hamnier]

To be honest, your "rapier" seems to function much more like a very rare or legendary magic staff, IMO.

But why should staff wielders get all the fun? I told the bard he could quickly grab one of the items cluttering the room, and I would come up with what it was later. He picked up a rapier with the hilt covered in runes. Maybe there is already an item like that, but I haven't been able to find it.

Ive made it "very rare", removed it's "hitting" ability, and am working on making cover an obstacle. I'm also going to reduce the souls to 1 ability each instead of their several.

 

[Croesus]

I've tweaked the calculations and functions a bit to be more in line with standard rules in the game. Feel free to use or ignore any of this.

Guiding Blade
Weapon (rapier), Artifact

The souls in the sword may be commanded to perform either of two actions, Soul Strike or Possession. The number of times the souls may be commanded is the same, whether one, some or all of the souls are commanded to perform a particular action.

A 4th level wielder may safely command the souls once per long rest. The wielder may command the souls one additional time per four levels beyond 4th. In addition, the wielder may command the souls beyond these limits, but takes one level of exhaustion for each additional command. The wielder dies if this results in six levels of exhaustion. Each time the wielder commands the souls, they take one of the following actions.

Soul Strike
As an action, the wielder can command a soul to shoot from the sword, striking anything the wielder can see within 30 ft., dealing 1d8 force damage. No to hit roll is required. For every four levels the wielder possesses beyond 4th, the range increases by 10 ft. and the damage increases by 1d8.

Possession
As an action, the wielder can command one or more souls to attempt to possess a creature or object. This attempt occurs just prior to the beginning of the wielder’s next turn. If the attempt fails, the target knows that it was the target of possession and who targeted it. If the attempt succeeds, the target is possessed and will act in subsequent turns just prior to the wielder in the initiative order.

Success is determined by the Hit Dice and Size of the target, the wielder’s level, and the number of souls used in the possession attempt.

Objects:
A Tiny non-magical object may be successfully possessed if the wielder is at least 4th level and one soul is commanded to possess the object. For every four levels above 4th, and/or for every additional soul commanded to possess the object, the target’s size may increase by one. Example: A Small object would require a wielder of at least 8th level and one soul, or at least 4th level and two souls. No roll is made – possession is automatic so long as the requirements are met. If the requirements are not met, the soul returns to the sword. Magical objects may not be possessed.

If possessed, the soul can drag an unattended object 5’ in any direction. If the object is attended, the soul can impose disadvantage on any use of the object, or grant a +1 to any Attack, Skill Check or other use of the object.

Non-sentient creatures:
A creature may be targeted for possession if it has less than or equal Hit Dice as the wielder has levels. For this purpose, add 2 to the target’s Hit Dice for every size category it is larger than Tiny. Subtract 2 Hit Dice for every additional soul beyond the first that is commanded to possess the creature. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be possessed. The save DC to avoid possession is 8 + wielder’s Wis Mod + number of souls used in the possession attempt. So a wielder with a 13 Wisdom, using 3 souls would have a DC of 12.

If possessed, the creature is Incapacitated on its next turn. On the soul’s next turn, the soul can command the possessed creature to take any action it is capable of. Any action that requires a roll – Attack, Skill Check, Saving Throw – is made with disadvantage.

At the end of each of the soul’s turns, the possessed creature may attempt to break free. The save DC is the same as the original possession, and is made at disadvantage. Success means the soul(s) has been forced out and must return to the sword. The formerly possessed creature is Incapacitated on its next turn, then may act normally thereafter.

Sentient creatures:
This functions in all ways as with non-sentient creatures, except that a soul cannot successfully possess a creature of different gender than the soul.

 

[Shrapp Hamnier]

Awesome!

I really want to keep it from being an "artifact", but there are now 2 people telling me it should be an artifact, so I'm thinking I should give in to that.

Im a little confused by your wording in regard to how often one can use the souls. Are there still 5 and each soul can be used once per 4 levels? Maybe I'm just reading it too much into it, but it looks like your suggesting it only be one soul use per 4 levels (basically 1 charge per 4 levels), rather than one use of each soul. I'll do a slight rewording to fit with the 5 souls, but which were you intending for?

 

[Croesus]

Im a little confused by your wording in regard to how often one can use the souls. Are there still 5 and each soul can be used once per 4 levels? Maybe I'm just reading it too much into it, but it looks like your suggesting it only be one soul use per 4 levels (basically 1 charge per 4 levels), rather than one use of each soul. I'll do a slight rewording to fit with the 5 souls, but which were you intending for?

Just me misinterpreting your intent. However, if this means that an 8th level wielder can make up to 10 commands per long rest, a 12th level up to 15, etc. - then, yes this feels like artifact territory. You could take a character who has no other abilities and the sword would give them plenty to do each day. Just my two cents...

 

[Satyrn]

I really want to keep it from being an "artifact", but there are now 2 people telling me it should be an artifact, so I'm thinking I should give in to that.

I really don't think it matters what you classify it as.

 

[Shrapp Hamnier]

Just me misinterpreting your intent. However, if this means that an 8th level wielder can make up to 10 commands per long rest, a 12th level up to 15, etc. - then, yes this feels like artifact territory. You could take a character who has no other abilities and the sword would give them plenty to do each day. Just my two cents...

I was hoping to make it difficult to possess with just one soul, make it so the wielder would rather use most of them regularly per posession, the soul strike (love that name by the way) is mostly a temptation to draw soul uses away from posessing. Also, i like throwing armies at my parties as they traverse across the war riddled lands.

I really don't think it matters what you classify it as.

It matters a bit. It helps determine how many will pop up in the games. A very rare item may be encountered in a sketchy shop, but an artifact would be more likely to be found in a hidden magic vault of an dead king or something. If there is only 1 or 2 of it, or if there is a larger undetermined number. That sort stuff.