The Sting of Steel - Ten Magical Swords for your D&D Game!

Seeing as it’s apparently Swordtember this month, I thought I would make a contribution. I have no artistic skills, so I’m not contributing pictures, but I have home brewed a number of interesting swords that I will review here. 

When I design magic items for AD&D I try to plug them into existing game mechanics. As fun as it is to create swords with high magical “+”, they can get dull after a while. Instead, I try to find interesting game mechanics or spells and wed these to the sword in question. I also like to put in the occasional cursed weapon, but rather than having the curse take effect right away, I usually delay it for a time, creating a lot more drama!

I also like to homebrew items to keep things interesting, players can get a bit jaded after a while with predictability, new items add back some wonder to the game.

Here are 10 new magical swords that will be in my upcoming setting supplement.

1. Bissandrith’s Sword of Cleaving 

The sword of cleaving radiates magic upon detection, and has a +1 enchantment. However, the sword may hit any foe, no matter what variety of weapon is normally required, on a successful "to hit" roll. For example, a sword of magical cleaving could hit a creature that is normally only hit by silver weapons, blunt weapons, +3 weapons, or cold iron weapons, etc.  1000 xp, 6000 gp

The idea here is that AD&D has plenty of creatures that can only be hit by certain weapons, this one hits ANY of those creatures, but with only a +1 bonus.

2. Borghental’s Razor Sword 

The razor sword (bastard, long, short, two handed, roll d4 in this sequence) has a +2 enchantment, and is constructed of an unknown alloy that gives the sword a dark green color. A razor sword has the unique property of doing large victim damage against small to medium victims as well as large victims. 2000xp, 12,000 gp

This is another mechanic that only really works in AD&D, as 1e differentiates between S/M and L creature damage. Since the L creature damage is higher, the sword is just a bit better than regular versions. 

3. Burglar's Blade

A burglar's blade is a +1 magical weapon. In the hands of a thief two additional powers are evident. First, up to twice per day for 5 rounds maximum each time the wielder can invoke a protection from normal missiles spell. Additionally, they may use the sword one handed without penalty and without falling while climbing a wall. To determine the type of sword found roll d8: 1-3 short,4-6, broad, 7-8 long.   1% of these blades are cursed and will emit a piercing wail when mid-way up the 7th wall climbed with the sword. 2000xp/10,000gp

This one is geared to thieves, specifically those who break into locations by climbing walls. The protection from normal missiles spell keeps them safe from guards shooting at them, the ability to melee with the sword while climbing a wall is just pure flava.

4. Chinook Blade

A Chinook blade is a +1 falchion, +2 against water dwelling creatures. The sword can manifest a dry, warm wind that blows through a 2” square area, with the wielder at its base, centre or edge. The wind lasts for as long as the wielder concentrates (while concentrating the wielder cannot fight), or 1-3 rounds without concentration . For every round a being in the AOE is exposed to the wind it leeches off 1 hp (no save), which is stored in the blade, for up to the wielder’s level in targets each round. When the blade absorbs 50 hp the wielder may transform  into an invisible stalker for 1 hour any time thereafter. When the wielder transforms they will have 3-18hp regenerated. The blade then resets itself and new HP must be drained. Each time the first HP is drained after the blade resets, the wielder must make a save versus death or experience 2-4 rounds of severe pain, -3 to hit, 2 point AC penalty, no spellcasting allowed. 3000xp/18,000gp

The idea with this sword was that it’s abilities take time to manifest, rather than giving it a big “+”, the sword builds power over time and culminates in the ability to transform the user. I’ve placed this one in my current campaign and we’ll see if anyone finds it.

5. Corpse Blade

A corpse blade is a+1 magical weapon, +2 against undead, and is made of a dull, yellow metal covered with engravings of skulls and skeletons. Once a day for up to 1 turn it will make its wielder invisible to undead. To determine the type of sword found roll d8: 1-3 short, 4-6 broad, 7-8 long. 1% of these swords are cursed and when used to make the wielder invisible to undead for the 7th time the sword will thereafter draw all undead within a 8" radius to the sword wielder for one full 24 hour period.1800xp/8500gp

Here, rather than giving a huge bonus against undead, or some special purpose power that harms them, the blade protects the wielder from undead. 

6. Cutpurse's Cleaver

A cutpurse’s cleaver is a finely wrought broadsword with a +1 magical enchantment. Its grip and hilt are made of cold iron wrapped in platinum weave wire, its blade is made of steel polished to liquid silver in sheen, not glowing, but highly reflective. It comes in a scabbard plated with obsidian. For a normal wielder it is a +1 weapon. In the hands of a thief it is +1, +2 vrs large sized creatures. In addition, it has the damage and weapon vrs AC profile of a two handed sword.  Rangers of chaotic alignment have found it to work for them as well. 2000xp/8000gp

This one was one of those ideas that just seems obvious when you think about it, why not give a weapon that does minor damage the weapon profile of a weapon that does major damage. Simple but effective. 

7. Hydra Blade 

A hydra blade is a +2 sword made of a dark green metal. When the wielder is confronted by multiple foes the hydra blade gives the wielder one extra attack for every foe they face beyond the first. The blade will not give multiple attacks against the same foe, and can give a maximum of 4 attacks in any given round. If desired, the extra attacks can be used to parry incoming attacks (dropping the weilder’s AC by 4 points) but again, only one from each foe, not multiple attacks from the same foe. Roll to determine what kind of sword is found: d6: 1-3 short, 4-5 broad, 6 long. 1% of these blades are cursed and when they are used to defend against 4 opponents for the first time the user must save versus death magic or be permanently polymorphed into a 8 headed hydra. 2500xp/10,000gp

I like swords whose abilities are only triggered when something specific happens, in this case when the wielder is “mobbed” by opponents. 

8. Inferno Sword

An inferno sword is a +1 blade, made of a coppery-orange metal, roll d6 to determine type: 1 short, 2-3 broad and 4-6 long. When the sword is placed in an existing fire, torch sized or larger, it becomes covered with flame. That flame may be used in one of two ways:

- The flame may be kept on the sword for 1-4 rounds, giving the sword an additional +1 to damage, +2 to damage versus cold using creatures. In addition, the flame will cause anything flammable it strikes to start to burn for 1-3 additional rounds (doing 1 hp damage per round and objects to save versus regular fire or be destroyed). 

- The flame may be “thrown” once up to 2”. A successful “to hit” will set flammable targets on fire for 1-3 rounds, doing 1 hp of damage per round and causing any flammable  objects to save versus regular fire or be destroyed.

These swords save as hard metal with a +2 against cold attacks. 1500xp/7000gp 

The benefits of this sword are situational, which makes it more interesting and makes it necessary for the wielder to think tactically to get the most benefit out of the weapon. 

9. The Sword of Minerva

The sword of Minerva (aka an “owl sword”) is a +1 sword, +2 against magic using creatures. In the hands of a thief however, its true power is known. Roll a d6 to see what kind of sword is found: 1-2 short, 3-4 broad, 5-6 long. It has two primary functions. 

First, the thief has an improved ability to read languages. The thief’s RL percentage is doubled, and the ability to speak and write the language is added. This ability can be activated for a maximum of 1 hour per day total, if the wielder attempts to extend the power beyond this there is a 5% cumulative chance per additional turn that they will go permanently insane. 

Second, the thief’s chance to misunderstand a scroll spell (for a 10th level thief) is reduced to 10% from 25%. It does not, however, allow a lower level thief to read scroll spells. 2000xp/8000gp

I like thieves, and jazzing up their abilities with a sword is one of the most fun ways to give them an edge. In this case I tied it to a specific pair of abilities, but not combat abilities, to make it a bit different.

10. Moon Blade

A moon blade shimmers a sparkling silver and is a +2 magical weapon. In the hands of a thief it can be used, whenever under moonlight, to transform them into a wererat for up to 1 hour. All the wielder's gear will remain on them after the transformation. 1% of these blades are cursed and if used on any night other than a full moon for a transformation, instead the blade will summon 1-10 wererats that will seek to slay the wielder and secure the blade. 4000xp/20,000gp

Magic items with abilities tied to specific circumstances can also add a lot of flavor to the game, and give the ref a reason to track things like whether or not the moon is full!

Feel free to introduce any of these badass blades to your campaign, and watch the players try to figure out what you have done!