Ancestral Weapons for 5th Edition D&D

Ancestral Weapons

Ancestral Weapons is Adamantine Dmsguild best-selling weapon creation rules supplement for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons.

A noble blade wielded in the blood wars, an axe used to protect the great city of Mirabar from orc invasions, or a powerful staff passed down by great sorcerers through the eons. Ancestral Weapons are iconic within roleplaying. These weapons embody a character’s family, story, and history.

Ancestral Weapons are powerful heirlooms gifted through the generations that scale up in power as your adventurers perform heroic deeds. As these weapons grow, they unlock new and more powerful upgrades such as inflicting damage caused by the elemental energy trapped inside, causing a foe to flee in fear when struck, or allowing you to deflect even the fiercest of blows.

Due to the Spirit Point mechanic used within this system, you can also quickly develop new and thematic magic items to hand out to your players. Players can also use this system to let their heroes forge balanced and fun magic items with the included crafting rules.

We absolutely had a blast with this fantastic supplement. It really brings the story of the weapons to the forefront. It's almost like creating another character. Not only that, the sheer amount of customization really scratches that crunchy itch. This is a system that fits very well in a magic item light setting as the characters can work towards a perfect match they want, without the DM needing to drop loot regularly. Watch our YouTube video as we discuss some of our favorite mechanics in Ancestral Weapons.

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Character Concept:

The Reluctant Heir

The character is the 3rd son of a noble and ends up stealing the family sword and ends goes off adventuring at the death of his/her father.

His actions are the result of him/her discovering his elder brothers are not legitimate heirs, which even the father wasn’t aware of. He knew family sword can only be wielded properly by the bloodline of the family, so he took it, to preserve the family secret and the honor of his brothers, who he actually loves and respects, and wants to protect them. Additionally, he has no interest in becoming the head of the family.

Monster Variant:

Drow Hunter

Origin: Drow Elf

New Feature:

Hunter’s Watch

The drow may use its reaction to make an attack of opportunity against a creature moving within 30 feet of it. A creature hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or its movement is reduced to 0.

*This feature is especially dangerous due to the nature of the drow’s ranged weapon also inducing con saves that not only can poison the target, but can also potentially knock them unconscious.

Encounter:

Patron Joe:

Muddy Ambush

Up ahead you see a path split, one branch heading left around the bend, and the other heading right. Both disappear around a corner 40ft down. Between the paths a heavy dusting of chalk powder covers the cave floor. The patch extends 15ft down either path.

A DC 20 perception check reveals a thick clay-like mud beneath the chalk powder.

When a creature moves 5ft across the mud they must make a DC 12 Strength check to move in any direction. If the save is failed by 5 or more then that creature has disadvantage on the next save.

Once a creature gets stuck in the mud, a small group of kobolds (2-4) begins to attack with their slings from around the corner on both sides.

*tactics*

The kobolds will move out of cover up to half their movement, to get back around the corner.

The kobolds will target light sources first to take advantage of their dark vision.

As soon as a PC gets across the mud the kobolds will flee deeper into the caves, readying the next trap.

Magic Item: Infernal Thunder (WIP)

“Originally a tiefling weapon, handed down from 8 generations of wielders. All were fighters for whatever they had believed in. They created loud and powerful waves of history with each swing, or at least that's what they believed. It was wielded against a demigod, long forgotten now. Blessed by a god with thunderous power. Wielded in far, distant lands. And, one of the owners had given up love for this weapon, knowing its power.

Made from otherworldly origins, with its duskwood handle and platinum-bronze mixed blade, it has the initials SF74 engraved on the side of the blade, presumably its first wielder who has fallen in battle.

The number may have been the division or troop he or she had been a part of.”

Weapon (Two-handed sword), very rare, requires attunement

This bold weapon exudes power with its tinted platinum-bronze blade and duskwood handle. You can almost feel the might of thunder waiting to burst at any moment. You also feel oddly grounded, as if you can’t be toppled by any means.

Your weapon attacks from this weapon deal an additional 2d6 damage of thunder damage. You cannot be knocked prone, and have advantage on grapple checks.

Dungeon Master Tip:

Betraying the Ancestors (Ancestral Weapons)

Sometimes characters will perform actions that are disrespectful to the ancestors who wielded it. In this situation, at the DMs discretion, it is possible that the powers of the ancestral weapon will fail.

During this time the weapon will count as a mundane weapon of its normal type, until such a time as the ancestor’s respect has been renewed.

Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick

Martial Training: Barbarian Berserker - Frenzy

Patron Gabe Kleinert of Inter-party Conflict

Frenzy:

At 3rd level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

In a debate comparing the usefulness of Frenzy, when you have polearms master feat.

PAM gives you a bonus action to attack, which is less powerful than Frenzy but doesn’t give you exhaustion. I can understand that; however, the real benefit of Frenzy(in my opinion) is that the bonus action attack doesn’t require you to use the Attack action. So you can drink a potion, and attack a BA. Grapple someone, and then attack as a BA. If you’re raging, you need to be able to attack(or else you lose your rage if you don’t take damage) and the BA attack from Frenzy is invaluable for that.

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