D&D: You Have My Sword – Five Magical Swords Due For A Comeback
Magic weapons are an iconic part of the game, and today we’re cracking open the armories of the past to find five magic swords due for a comeback.
The Encyclopedia Magicka may be one of the greatest D&D sets of all time. This four volume, leather bound set is a wealth of treasures from throughout the greatest volumes of 2nd Edition D&D. In it you can find everything from magical hearts to enough magic spellbooks to fill its own separate volume. There’s even a magical sundial.
Technically, there are two of them
Today though, we’re honoring Aragorn and looking at five peculiar magical swords due for a 5th Edition comeback. Because there’s something iconic about a magic sword. Fantasy is just lousy with them. Whether they glow blue when orcs are near, consume the souls of foes, slowly drain away the life of a goth-y prince, or are just katanas, because designers back in the day went nuts for katanas.
And before you knock them, you have to understand, in those days you could go down to a mall kiosk and buy fifty different “katanas” none of which were actually any sharp, and were only good for letting people know that you studied the blade–but if you had one, you could fight off ninjas, which, if movies have taught me anything, and they have, was a huge worry in late 80s and early 90s America.
So with all that in mind, let’s look at five magical swords.
Adjatha, the Drinker
Everyone is thirsty these days, your magic sword might as well be too. Adjatha is a +2 sword of fine blue steel, hilted with steel single quillon and a plain, spherical, polished knob pommel. Set in the heart of the tang, where the quillons meet, just above the fine chain-wrapped grip, is a large cabochon-cut black sapphire.
If you read that in any voice other than Orlando Bloom as Will Turner out of Pirates of the Caribbean, you’re missing out.
Adjatha, the Drinker thirsts for magical energy, and whenever it touches any magical item, it glows with a pale green-white radiance until the item is drained of dweomer or the sword and item are separated. Adjatha is all about draining magical items. Just a touch is enough to nullify a magic item for 1-4 rounds, and it grants its bearer a protective buffer of hit points. It’s a cool concept that could even be used to absorb spells–and with a storied history in Faerun, it feels like a perfect fit for 5th Edition.
The Black Sword
The Black Sword is a lawful-neutral obsidian sword that defies your expectations–the black sword is, delightfully, not a weapon of evil, but rather one created at the height of the Imaskari empire to overthrow an emperor. It’s one of those old weapons with multiple plusses: +3/+6 against emperors.
You could obviously scale it back, maybe make it a +1 sword/+3 when fighting emperors/kings/rulers. It is a sword of rebellion and revolution, and has been wielded against the unjust throughout the years. With 17 Intelligence, the ability to cast dispel magic as a 15th level wizard, and darkness and silence at will, this weapon is powerful, and just the thing any good revolutionary needs.
The Chainsword
This one is exactly what you think it is. It’s just a chainsword from Warhammer 40K/any other sci-fi setting that uses them. This item is rife with puns. It was originally created to destroy Treants, and was famously used in a battle where its wielder killed a treant and many druids at a place where many forest paths meet in an incident called the Nexus Chainsword Massacre. It’s command word is Gettum.
Look you get the idea, it’s a chainsword. It’s exactly the kind of stupid humor that every game has whether it wants it or not, and whoever wields it is for sure going to make chainsaw mouth noises whenever they wield it.
Ilbratha, Mistress of Battle
Aside from having the coolest name for a sword, Ilbratha is a sword for fighters. She is a +1 sword until grasped by a fighter, at which points she telepathically communicates a suite of powers to the wielder, including granting the bearer access to the following spells:
- Jump 3/day
- Blink 1/day
- Mirror Image 1/day
Ilbratha also rings like chimes or tubular bells whenever touching magic items or spells, and is generally a great concept. A magic weapon that changes when a specific class grasps it–just what the party needed to help sort out the loot.
Sword of Shame
This sword magically impugns the honor of your opponent upon command. This has the effect of making someone come and attack you in melee, ignoring spells and ranged attacks and other opponents, if they fail a save vs. the Sword’s power.
This is exactly the kind of thing you’d expect to find, there’s a lot of fun to be had with it.
So the next time you’re thinking of creating a magical sword, consider one of these.
Happy Adventuring!
