Need help creating a magical weapon

[J.0_e1]

Hi i'm more or less new to 5e and to being DM and I needed some help making a magical weapon for one of my PC. I would look in the Handbook or the DM guide but it doesn't have what i'm looking for. ANYWAY I was wondering how I would make a weapon that can change the form and stats of any weapon at will. Any help would be great.

Sorry is I left out any information that is needed

[JackPhoenix]

[Insert name]
Weapon (any), [insert rarity, propably uncommon unless it has other properties]

As an [insert desired type of action], you may change the form of this weapon into any simple or martial weapon.

[BoutsofInsanity]

I got you dawg!

"Weapon Name Here"

+0 Magical Weapon

This weapon has the ability with a bonus action to change it's form to better suit the wielder.

It's base form is a dagger. As a bonus action the wielder may change its form to that of either, a Longsword, Greatsword or scimitar. Using those stats out of the book.

Optional Upgrading Rule. As the wielder levels up the weapon grants the following abilities...

4th Level Wielder: May as a bonus action change the weapon like normal, but grants advantage on the first attack made during that round. The advantage ability may be used once per short rest, but the weapon may shift form as often as the wielder wants.

8th Level Wielder: Weapon gains a +1 Bonus

12 Level Wielder: Weapon gains the ability of brutal critical, as when it crits it changes it's form inside the creatures body dealing extensive damage. Roll an additional weapon die when this weapon crits another creature.

16 Level Wielder: +3 Bonus

20 Level Wielder: "Shoot to Kill": The Wielder as an Action may attack each creature in a 5 foot line extending 120 feet as the weapon rapidly extends to that length then reverts. It counts as a greatsword at this time, critical hitting on 17+

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

[Insert name]
Weapon (any), [insert rarity, propably uncommon unless it has other properties]

As an [insert desired type of action], you may change the form of this weapon into any simple or martial weapon.

I would model it on the pact of the blade option for warlocks.

Grand Marshall's spear, common (no attunement required)

As an action, you may change the form of this weapon into any simple or martial weapon. It is warm to the touch and is made of black iron.

[bc56]

Weapon name
Weapon (any) Rarity (probably common or uncommon)
Fluff text
As a bonus action, you may transform this weapon into any simple or martial weapon. It retains this property.

I'm not a fan of magic items scaling with level, especially because no item in the DMG does.

[Hudsonian]

You could also have it such that if the party gets it "identified" they also gain the knowledge that it may also transform into a shield, or a metal belt or bracelet so as to be undetectable except by magical means.

[J.0_e1]

Thanks for all the helpful info! You have no idea how much this really helps :)

[Unoriginal]

For the name, I suggest Gibbering Mouther Blade.

[BeefGood]

[Insert name]
Weapon (any), [insert rarity, propably uncommon unless it has other properties]

As an [insert desired type of action], you may change the form of this weapon into any simple or martial weapon.

I’ve been mulling over an idea that seems relevant here. It’s an additional sentence for the description above:
“This weapon grants proficiency in its use to its wielder.”
For example if your character lacks proficiency with martial weapons, your character would nonetheless have proficiency with this weapon if it took the form of a martial weapon.
How powerful is this ability? Prof bonus starts out at +2; would this be the equivalent of a +2 weapon for a 1st level character? That would be a very powerful weapon and/or a high magic campaign.

[bc56]

I’ve been mulling over an idea that seems relevant here. It’s an additional sentence for the description above:
“This weapon grants proficiency in its use to its wielder.”
For example if your character lacks proficiency with martial weapons, your character would nonetheless have proficiency with this weapon if it took the form of a martial weapon.
How powerful is this ability? Prof bonus starts out at +2; would this be the equivalent of a +2 weapon for a 1st level character? That would be a very powerful weapon and/or a high magic campaign.

No, it wouldn't be a +2 because you don't add proficiency to damage, and a nonmagical weapon you are proficient in would have the +2 bonus to hit as well. There's no increase in rarity from Proficiency.

[Requilac]

I made something similar to this not too long ago for a PbP campaign. It comes with a lot of extra features though. Perhaps this could be of use to you?


weapon (any simple or martial weapon), rare (requires attunement)

You can use a short or long rest to reshape this glob of goo into any weapon found in the table on page 149 of the PHB. Once it has been made you can spend any following short or long rest to reshape it into a new weapon. When you create this weapon, you decide exactly what it looks like. It can have any aesthetic qualities that you wish, so long as they don't offer a sort of mechanical benefit. You decide the damage type that the moldable weapon deals when you create it, so long as this damage type is not pyschic or thunder. In addition to deciding its appearance, you may also bestow the weapon with one of the following magical properties once you create it.

**1) Beacon:** you can use a bonus action to cause the item to shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet, or to extinguish the light.

**2) Compass:** you can use an action to determine which way is north.

**3) Delver:** while underground, you always knows the item’s depth below the surface and the direction to the nearest path leading upwards.

**4) Language:** you can speak and understand a language of your choice while the item is on your person

**5) Sentinel:** choose a type of creature that cannot be humanoid, or two races of humanoids of your choice. This item glows faintly when such creatures are within 120 feet of it.

**6) Temperate:** you suffer no harm from temperatures as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit or as warm as 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

**7) War leader:** you can use an action to cause your voice to carry clearly for up to 300 feet until the end of your current turn.

**8) Waterborne:** this item floats on water and other liquids. You have advantage on ability checks made to swim.

__

In addition to a magical property, you also decide another psychological effect from using the weapon from the list below. Each of these pyschological properties have an additonal feature which you will be unknown to you until it actually comes into play.

**1) Choleric:** while wielding this item, you can feel yourself become more aggressive and confident
- your strength or charisma ability score increases by 2 whenever you wield this weapon, to a maximum of 22.
- unknown feature

**2) Melancholic:** while wielding this item, you feel more anxious and paranoid about the events around you.
- your dexterity or wisdom ability score increases by 2 whenever you wield this weapon, to a maximum of 22.
- You gain a +2 bonus to investigation and perception checks.

**3) Phlegmatic:** while wielding this weapon, you feel more capable of clear thought in dire situations.
- your dexterity or intelligence ability score increases by 2 whenever you wield this weapon, to a maximum of 22.
- unknown feature

**4) Sanguine:** while wielding this weapon, you feel more optimistic about the future and hopeful that you will succeed.
- your constitution or charisma ability score increases by 2 whenever you wield this weapon, to a maximum of 22.
- When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

[BeefGood]

but the weapon may shift form as often as the wielder wants.

This seems like an important point and I think it should be explicit in the weapon description. Either "the weapon may shift form as often as the wielder wants" as is done above if that's the intent, or "the weapon shifts form one time" if that's the intent. Or "shifts form one time per attunement," or...
It's important because I'm guessing that this shape-changing ability will be powerful. For example, roll up a sling and put it in your pocket. You can get that by any but the most paranoid guards, and then once in the throne room--poof!--it's a greatsword. That's just one idea I thought of and I bet there will be many more. So if it has unlimited uses, that's pretty powerful.


No, it wouldn't be a +2 because you don't add proficiency to damage, and a nonmagical weapon you are proficient in would have the +2 bonus to hit as well. There's no increase in rarity from Proficiency.
I understand that reasoning, I think: the reasonable alternative to a proficiency-granting magic weapon is a nonmagical weapon with which the character is proficient. The character is proficient in either case. Therefore a weapon that grants proficiency does not change the to-hit situation. However, one could argue that it changes the damage situation. Assume that the character by class/race is proficient only in simple weapons, not martial. Simple melee weapons, one-handed, are at best 1d6 damage, and martial melee weapons, one-handed, are at best 1d8 damage.That's a difference of 1, average damage. If this character dumps his mace in favor of a magic proficiency-granting shape-changing weapon, and uses the weapon as a longsword, then that character has gained 1 damage. Conclusion: a magic proficiency-granting shape-changing weapon, for a character that does not have proficiency with martial weapons, is like a +1 damage magic weapon.