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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next The Lost Weapon of Keraptis: Frostrazor - PEACH



Shadow_in_the_Mist
2017-03-08, 08:12 PM
So, we all know the White Plume Mountain Weapons: Blackrazor, Wave and Whelm. These three weapons have been in literally every single edition of the game so far, and I would know, as I spent a couple of days tracking down their stats. They're some of the most iconic magical weapons to come out of D&D.

But, what few people remember is that, in their 2nd edition appearance, "Return to White Plume Mountain", they gained a sibling. Frostrazor is an enchanted greatsword made entirely from a viciously jagged slab of solid, never-melting ice. Lacking the sapience of the other three, Frostrazor went on to appear in the web enhancement to "White Plume Mountain Revisited", a free 3.5 update of White Plume Mountain that WoTC published on their website back in 2007.

What I'm curious to know is, do people think that Frostrazor could likewise be updated to 5e? The others appear in the DMG, but Frostrazor has gone unmentioned since the aforementioned web enhancement.

The issue with Frostrazor is how to handle it. Traditionally, despite being made of ice, Frostrazor has had no ice-related powers, beyond its ability to cast Ice Storm 1/day in 3.5. Rather, its focus has been on its ability to embed life-draining shards of ice in its victims. In AD&D, depending on what number you rolled, this could transfer 1 hp per round for 10 rounds, 3 hp per round for 10 rounds, 1 Strength point per 2 rounds for 10 rounds, or 1 level. In 3.5, in an attempt to simplify this, the shard did 1 hit point (and, at a high enough level, 1 Constitution point) of damage each round until the victim was cured or killed and the shard's victim could be targeted by innate Rays of Enfeeblement, Enervation and Fingers of Death spells from the sword itself.

So, how might a 5e version of the blade look? I have to admit, the first thing to come to mind is to make it a +3 greatsword with bonus Cold damage and the ability, 3/short rest, to make a strike that leaves a soul-sapping shard embedded in the target, causing Necrotic damage for 10 rounds. But, if you think the weapon is possible to convert to 5e, how would you do it?

For comparison's sake, in 5e, Blackrazor:

Is a +3 Greatsword.
Gives you temp HP equal to the victim's maximum HP when you kill a non-construct with it.
Said temp HP lasts for 24 hours.
Whilst you have that temp HP, you have Advantage on all attack rolls, all saving throws, and all ability/skill checks.
Whenever you kill a new victim, the clock on this countdown essentially resets itself.
Can give you 10 rounds of "free" Hasting each day.
Gives you the "Soul Hunter" trait so long as you have it in hand.
"Soul Hunter" amounts to "automatically sense all Tiny or larger non-construct, non-undead creatures within 60 feet".
Grants you Immunity to Charm and Fear whilst you have it in hand.
Inflicts 1d10 Necrotic damage and heals the target by 1d10 hit points if you hit an undead creature with it.
Renders any creature killed by it (including you) impossible to resurrect with anything less than a Wish.


So, with all of this for Blackrazor, you can see why I feel Frostrazor as a +3 Greatsword that deals damage that counts as both Slashing and Cold for damage resistances/vulnerabilities/immunities and can be used to deliver a life-sapping shard 3/short rest, with the victim of a shard taking 3d6 Necrotic damage per round for 10 rounds, is at least within clutching distance of fair by comparison, yes?