Knight Fall Bracers

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)

These golden bracers are decorated with an angelic motif, though it is only on very close inspection (a DC 22 Wisdom [Insight] check) that the angels embossed on their surface are falling from grace with their wings clipped. When first attuned, any melee weapon (not including thrown or other ranged weapons) wielded by the wearer gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls in addition to any other bonuses the weapon might normally provide, and on a hit they deal 1d6 radiant damage in addition to any other damage. As an action, the wearer can transform the knight fall bracers into any melee weapon for up to 1 minute, after which they return to bracer form.

The wearer gains a +3 bonus on attack and damage rolls with this weapon. When wearing the bracers, as a reaction the wearer can cause the angelic wings of the bracers to fan out like a magical shield, granting the wearer a +4 bonus to AC against that attack before retracting back into the bracers.

Despite these powers, knight fall bracers are perilous to wield. Each time the wearer attunes them, the GM should make a secret Wisdom saving throw, with a DC of 15 on the first day they are attuned and increasing by 1 each consecutive day thereafter that they are attuned. If the wearer ever fails this saving throw, the curse of the knight fall bracers activates. The bracers become permanently attuned and can never be removed, but their appearance becomes tarnished and grimy. The wearer is infused with a spirit of treachery and cowardice, with disadvantage on saving throws against becoming frightened and on Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks, while enemies have advantage on saving throws against being charmed by the wearer. The wearer cannot assist others with the Help action nor benefit from the Help action used by others. They can neither use nor gain any benefit from Bardic Inspiration or spells like aid, bless, guidance, heroism, or similar effects that would give advice or bravery and resolve (GM’s discretion); these simply have no effect. The wearer’s reputation in the campaign world deteriorates and may cause social issues as former allies shun them, spreading word of their infamy, or even turn on them and work to thwart them. The impact of such enmity is up to the GM’s discretion but it does not directly affect player characters except as noted above. Only a wish can break the curse and allow the wearer to remove the knight fall bracers.