Living Blade

Medium construct, neutral evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 110 (17d8 + 34)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 17 (+3)

Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +6
Skills Deception +6, Perception +6
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Constructed Nature. The living blade doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
  • Curse of the Living Blade (1/Day). In weapon form, the living blade is a sentient magic item that uses the living blade’s Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, languages, and senses. Once per day, if its wielder refuses to further its personal agenda, the blade can force the wielder to make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the wielder is charmed by the blade for 1 week. While charmed, the wielder must try to follow the blade’s commands and cannot willingly drop or give away the blade. The weapon’s agenda might be something discrete like “avenge my master’s death” or something broader like “achieve glory in my name.” The first time each day that the wielder takes damage, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
  • Summon Phantom Warrior. Once per hour, while not being wielded by an intelligent creature, the sword can use an action to manifest a phantom warrior that resembles a ghostly version of its original master, allowing the sword to move and act of its own accord. The phantom is made of nondescript soul-stuff and can interact with the physical world. The sword can dismiss it as a bonus action. This stat block represents the living blade while its phantom is active. When reduced to 0 hit points or when targeted with a successful dispel magic (DC 15), the living blade assumes its weapon form until the next time it uses this power.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The living blade attacks twice with its blade.
  • Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
  • Blade Dance (Recharge 5-6). The living blade moves up to its speed. It can make up to four attacks with its blade at any point during this movement.

ABOUT

A living blade is a sentient weapon driven to carry out some secret and often nefarious agenda. Its will to complete its mission is so strong that this powerful armament can actually manifest a phantom warrior to carry out its dark deeds.

Otherwise, the weapon lives dormant, enticing an unsuspecting warrior to pick it up and receive its curse.

The exact force that animates a living blade differs in every case, though often it is the spirit of a mortal whose life’s mission was left unresolved. One popular story is of a master blacksmith who was slaughtered by her own blade at the hands of a traitorous customer; the blacksmith’s spirit clung to the weapon, and in this new form she vowed to achieve revenge on her killer.

Living blades come in many varieties, not all of which are even blades. Generally, a living blade is a magic melee weapon that deals an extra 7 (2d6) fire damage on a hit. The only way to permanently turn a living blade into a non-cursed weapon is by helping the living blade achieve its goal or by counteracting the curse with the wish spell.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Battlezoo Bestiary (5E) © 2022, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: William Fischer, Stephen Glicker, Paul Hughes, Patrick Renie, Sen.H.H.S., and Mark Seifter.

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