Weapons of Legacy

Barbarians are masters of melee combat. With a weapon in hand, they can deal staggering amounts of damage in a short time, so it is critical they acquire weapons that complement and enhance their already fearsome capabilities. There is a reason pop culture’s most famous barbarians wield legendary swords, axes, and bows with awesome magical properties. These items often have their own legacies before they come into a warrior’s hands and histories soaked in blood. Wielding such a weapon undoubtedly adds to a barbarian’s personal legend, but the relationship between warrior and weapon is a two-way street. In the hands of a champion, a weapon can grow in power with each battle won, mighty foe defeated, or land conquered.

Fabled Magic Items

The weapons presented in this section use the “Fabled Magic Item” rules, but they are summarized here for ease of use.

Fabled Rarity

Magic items are typically categorized by their rarity: common, uncommon, rare, very rare, or legendary. Fabled is a new magic item identifier, though it is not, strictly speaking, a measure of rarity. Fabled items scale in power as the character does, and a fabled item can be thought to encompass all levels of rarity.

Properties and Attunement

A fabled magic item begins as a common magic item. It has a small, but useful, property the item grants to any character that possesses it. This minor property does not require attunement to use.

To use any of the higher-level properties, a character must attune to the fabled item per the standard magic item attunement rules. Once attuned to the fabled magic item, the character can use the fabled item’s more powerful properties as the character increases in level. When an attuned character reaches a property’s specified level, the property listed at that level becomes immediately available to the character. If a character of a level higher than 1st attunes to a fabled item, the item’s level-dependent properties, up to the character’s current level, become immediately available to the character.

At the GM’s discretion, an item’s more powerful properties might become available to a character only after the character completes a particular quest or event related to the item’s story rather than immediately upon reaching each property’s required level.

If a character chooses not to become attuned to the fabled item, the item remains a common magic item, granting the character only its minor property, regardless of the character’s level.

Unless otherwise noted, all properties granted by a fabled item are in effect as long at the character is wearing, carrying, or touching the item.

Mighty Deeds

When using the fabled magic item rules to introduce weapons of legacy into your games, it is recommended that characters do not automatically unlock weapon properties by simply reaching the appropriate level. Instead, weapons of legacy properties should be unlocked only upon achieving story-based milestones by performing thematically appropriate ?mighty deeds.? Locking new properties behind story-based milestones instead of level-based milestones is a great way to encourage players to create rich personal narratives and give them a more active hand in crafting their character’s legacy.

Characters who possess a weapon of legacy increase its power by performing mighty deeds. When you perform an appropriately thematic mighty deed, your weapon of legacy gives you access to new item properties. Properties are unlocked in the order presented in the item text. While weapons of legacy aren’t tied directly to experience points (they are tied to narrative milestones), they are potent magic items that can skew the balance of standard gameplay. Because of this, use the level listed by each weapon property as guide for when characters should unlock a new property during a long-term campaign.

d10	Mighty Deed
1	The wielder must defend a stranger’s life in battle against a creature of a particular alignment.
2	The wielder must defeat an opponent of equal or greater skill in single combat.
3	The wielder must lead a group into battle against overwhelming odds and win.
4	The wielder must liberate or conquer a particular settlement or military stronghold.
5	The wielder must sacrifice something they hold dear to get justice for a stranger.
6	The wielder must protect their enemy should they beg for life, even against the wishes of the wielder’s allies.
7	The wielder must win rights or resources for a community.
8	The wielder must give their life for that of an innocent.
9	The wielder must train with a master warrior.
10	The wielder must complete a quest given to them by a god or other powerful extraplanar entity.

Mighty Deeds in Your Game

Once a player has a weapon of legacy, the GM must ensure that opportunities arise for the character to perform the mighty deeds needed to unlock said powers. The GM should start by familiarizing themselves with the weapon concept, then think of ways to provide opportunities to achieve thematically appropriate mighty deeds in the campaign.

To make incorporating mighty deeds easier, there are no rigid rules about what a mighty deed must be. There is room for creative flexibility in what constitutes a mighty deed and what types of mighty deeds a particular weapon finds acceptable. The GM has final say on whether a character has achieved a mighty deed worthy of unlocking a new weapon property.

Each example weapon presented later in this section has a list of suggested mighty deeds that the weapon might find acceptable. The Example Mighty Deeds table also provides a sample of potential deeds.

Example Weapons of Legacy

Several weapons of legacy are provided below, ready for use in your game. The weapons here could easily fit into most fantasy settings. Feel free to change details, including item names, to better fit into a particular campaign world or character history. If a player wishes to craft a weapon of legacy that better suits their character, use the structure of the provided weapons and the Example Mighty Deeds table as guides.

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Soul Reaver

Weapon (battleaxe), fabled (5th-Level and higher properties requires attunement)

A long haft carved from yellowed bone supports a single blade head perpetually stained crimson.

Weapons are tools of destruction. They are forged with the potential for great violence, regardless of their intended purpose. Some weapons take more easily to their violent potential than others, and such weapons crave the fulfillment of bloody possibility. In the hands of a skilled warrior, a bloodthirsty weapon can claim hundreds of lives, collecting a psychic imprint with each death delivered. As more souls are claimed, these weapons increase their supernatural affinity for spilling blood.

Suggested Mighty Deeds

Potential mighty deeds for this weapon:

• Claim the lives of seven noble champions.
• Strike a bargain with a celestial or fiend to empower the weapon with souls.
• Bathe the weapon in the blood of a legendary creature.

While holding the axe, you can use a bonus action to focus on one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. When you do so, you learn if the creature is weaker than you (its CR is at least 2 below your level), if you are evenly matched (its CR is equal to or within 1 of your level), or stronger than you (its CR is at least 2 higher than your level).

Grim Harvest (requires attunement). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while wielding this weapon.

• 5th level. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon. In addition, whenever a melee attack made with the axe reduces a creature of CR 1 or higher to 0 hit points, you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
• 9th level. While holding Soul Reaver, you can use an action to command the souls within the axe to defend you for 1 minute. When you do so, fiendish spirits come forth from the axe in a 5-foot radius centered on you. When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts their turn there, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equals 10 + your proficiency bonus) or take 3d8 necrotic damage. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.
• 13th level. You now gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +1. In addition, if damage dealt by Soul Reaver would reduce a creature’s hit points to 10 or less, it instead reduces the target’s hit points to 0.
• 17th level. You now gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +2. Additionally, whenever you score a critical hit against a creature with Soul Reaver, you can designate a number of creatures within 30 feet of the original target (including the target) equal to your proficiency bonus. Each designated creature takes a number of d8s of necrotic damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

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Second Chance

Weapon (greataxe), fabled (5th-Level and higher properties requires attunement)

Checkered patterns decorate this double-headed axe whose blades are carved like dragons?one grinning and the other grimacing. Only warriors of incredible skill have a chance to survive multiple years of their profession, and luck plays no small part in ensuring a soldier lives to see their golden years. Champions with seemingly endless luck often sit at the heart of legend, enchanting audiences with tales of ever-riskier exploits and thrilling narrow escapes. Weapons in the hands of such warriors often take on a measure of their wielder’s luck, becoming precious tools to keep their masters fighting in the rare moments their luck runs out.

Whenever you must choose between two options (such as turning left or right) or engage in an activity where the odds are 50/50 (such as flipping a coin) while holding the axe, you get the most favorable possible outcome (as determined by the GM).

Suggested Mighty Deeds

Potential mighty deeds for this weapon:

• Emerge as the sole survivor of a battle or disastrous event.
• Miraculously win a dangerous wager with a powerful being like a god, ancient dragon, or other extraplanar being.
• Risk your life and the lives of others to turn the tides by pulling off a nigh-impossible stunt or gambit.

Good Fortune (requires attunement). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while wielding this weapon.

• 5th level. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon. Additionally, when you miss on a melee attack made with Second Chance, you can spend your reaction to successfully hit instead. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
• 9th level. If you would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage while the axe is within 30 feet of you, you instead drop to 1 hit point. Once this property has been used, it cannot be used again until the following dawn.
• 13th level. You now gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +1. In addition, once per turn when you roll a 1 on an attack or damage roll made with Second Chance, you can reroll the die. You must use the new result.
• 17th level. You now gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon, instead of +2. In addition, once per long rest when you fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead.

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Destiny

Weapon (greatsword), fabled (5th-Level and higher properties requires attunement)

Oddly familiar patterns are etched into this silver blade.

Warriors of legend are often marked by a unique trait or event that sets them on their remarkable path, and some are destined to walk the champion’s path even from the moment of their birth. Whether born to an ancient line of warrior monarchs or prophesied to be the last hope of a dying people, a weapon in the hand of such a wielder grows in power with each step toward fulfilling a destiny of leadership.

While you hold this sword, you have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks made to influence creatures who can see the weapon.

Suggested Mighty Deeds

Potential mighty deeds for this weapon:

• Uncover an important secret about your ancestry or origins.
• Lead a group to victory against astronomical odds.
• Sacrifice something you care about to live up to your responsibilities.

Birthright (requires attunement). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while wielding this weapon.

• 5th level. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon. In addition, when you are attacked by an enemy within 5 feet of a friendly creature who can see or hear you, you can expend your reaction to direct that ally to strike. That ally can immediately make one weapon attack against the enemy creature.
• 9th level. While you are attuned to this sword, your Charisma score changes to 21. The item has no effect on you if your Charisma without the sword is equal to or greater than 21.
• 13th level. You now gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +1. In addition, you can use a bonus action to end a condition affecting an ally you can see within 60 feet of you.
• 17th level. You now gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +2. Additionally, when an ally within 60 feet of you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to expend one of your Hit Dice. When you do so, the ally recovers hit points equal to the number rolled on your Hit Die plus your Charisma modifier. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest.

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Mankiller

Weapon (handaxe), fabled (5th-Level and higher properties requires attunement)

A blade of razor-edged bone sprouts from this axe’s living wood grip.

Becoming the fittest is the only way to guarantee a warrior’s survival, a trait that places them in sync with the laws of nature. Warriors who embrace their inherent connection to their primal instincts often become champions of the natural world. They sometimes receive magical weapons that grow in power as the warrior’s bond to the wild deepens.

While you hold this axe, you have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks.

Mankiller (requires attunement). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while wielding this weapon.

• 5th level. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon. Additionally, you deal an extra 1d6 magical slashing damage to any objects or constructs you hit with the axe.
• 9th level. Once per turn, when you successfully hit a creature with the axe, they must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 10 + your proficiency bonus) or have their speed reduced to 0 feet until the beginning of your next turn as they are covered by entangling plants.
• 13th level. You now gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +1. In addition, while the axe is within 30 feet of you, you can choose to expend one Hit Die to recover hit points at the beginning of each of your turns.
• 17th level. You now gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon instead of +2. Additionally, you can cast the animal shapes spell (see Basic Rules) once per long rest. Casting the spell in this way does not require a spell slot.

Suggested Mighty Deeds

Potential mighty deeds for this weapon:

• Successfully defend an endangered species or environment from destruction by encroaching civilization.
• Complete a quest that aids a nature spirit, god, or other powerful environmental guardian.
• Win a battle against an invasive or extraplanar force.