turning immovable rod into immovable great sword?

[CellerRat]

Are last session I received an immovable rod I would like to make it into a immovable great sword. Maybe by making it the sword cross guard or grip. I want to use it to pin creatures to the ground such as dragons or giants. I'm a oath of vengeance paladin. I think it would be a neat item. Is it possible to get a blacksmith or someone to add it to a sword?

[PotatoGolem]

That's a 100% "ask your DM" question. Reasonable DMs can and will differ. I'd personally say no, because an insta-win sword of pinning is a bit much, but I run a lower-magic campaign. Also, you're taking a cool-but-not-overly-useful item and turning it into a very strong combat tool, so the DM may be a bit wary, depending on how he does magic item distribution.

[Naanomi]

Not much different than just setting a rod on people and activating it, though the GM would have to decide a system about when the sword is actually through someone (after a critical hit?), and unless the greatsword is also magic it is probably much more breakable than the rod itself is. Using it also disarms you, which isn't entirely without drawback.

In 3.5 I had a rogue who had two of them as his primary weapons (as rods they could be used as light maces) and had lots of fun with them.

[Inevitability]

Just don't expect people to be instantly incapitated by your sword. Even if someone is pinned to the ground (a thing that should not happen after the first attack), he can still swing his own sword, cast spells, or shout commands.

In fact, I'd say by the time you are hitting someone in ways that will at least immobilize him if you activate the sword immediately after, you have almost won the battle.

[Mellack]

I am basically going to agree with Direstirge. If you are hitting so as to actually strike completely through an opponent, that would usually be a fatal wound, meaning they are are very near or at zero HP. Then there is also the fact that greatswords do slashing rather than piercing damage, so you also need to ignore that. Even if you do stab and go completely through without killing them, what are you pinning them to? Stabbing a standing target would not often hit anything else (maybe a convenient tree or wooden wall?) If they are prone would be better.

[Shining Wrath]

You are taking a magical item and modifying it by attaching it to something else. Unless the attachment is such that no alteration is made to the base magic item, I'd say you run some chance of ruining it.

[Susano-wo]

Love, the idea; very creative. Might have a hard time getting it past a DM. I think maybe allowing you to use your action if an opponent is prone might work. Probably requires teamwork, and the creature would still have attacks possibly, as well s being able to try to break the sword part, since it is not magical.

Incidentally, conceptually speaking, a sort of man-catcher polearm with the rod on it might be more effective. pin you to the ground, and....activate. :smallbiggrin:

[ImSAMazing]

Love, the idea; very creative. Might have a hard time getting it past a DM. I think maybe allowing you to use your action if an opponent is prone might work. Probably requires teamwork, and the creature would still have attacks possibly, as well s being able to try to break the sword part, since it is not magical.

Incidentally, conceptually speaking, a sort of man-catcher polearm with the rod on it might be more effective. pin you to the ground, and....activate. :smallbiggrin:

Totally agree.

[Draken]

It would seen that the intent here is to use the immovable rod as part of a grappling weapon. In that case, a greatsword is far from the best option. What you want is a Pincer Staff.

The Pincer Staff is a Kuo-toa weapon, not available to players by default, so even just that demands DM intervention. But it is otherwise a pretty tame weapon. An 1d10 Reach polearm that can be used for grappling.

You then set the immovable rod on the haft and activate it to simply let the rod handle the grappling. An interesting effect, I would say.

Personally, I would allow it.

[dragsvart]

as people have said it is totally up to your DM, however if it were me I would allow it but it would weaken the magic of the rod (and have a chance of destroying the rod if you don't find a good smith). the product would be something like this:

Immovable Greatsword: when you roll a crit with this weapon your target becomes impaled by your weapon which becomes immovable for 1d6 rounds. At the start of an impaled creatures turn it takes 1d4 damage from the sword and its movement becomes 0. An impaled creature may use its action to try to pull itself off the sword if it is not prone, the creature takes 1d4 damage and must make a 8 + your proficiency modifier + the damage it just took DC Constitution Save to become unimpaled and may move 5 feet to an unoccupied space. while this effect is activated you may not use the weapon and may end this effect at any time by touching the sword.

I have no idea if this is balanced or not (I just threw it together while writing this so don't blame me too much if it is) nor if you DM would allow it but it is something you are welcome to show him/her and everyone else is welcome to improve it (and I might add it to my campaign)

[Shaofoo]

I personally don't see how this could work well in normal circumstances, unless you pin a prone opponent or somehow push them against a wall.

Also even if you can somehow get the creature stuck to your weapon now you are lacking a weapon yourself. There are better ways to immobilize without having to disarm yourself

Also if you tried anything too funny your DM could potentially let creatures be able to destroy the weapon since it is unattended. An immovable rod is still an iron rod and nothing says that magic items are immune to damage or even has any special resistance so your shiny rod is basically AC 19 with 10 HP on average according to the DMG.

Basically I don't think you'll be able to instapin the BBEG