Evil Sword, that is not a Sword

[Pinjata]

As my PCs will be camping for quite a few days in a forest, i intend to toss at them quite a few as-per-DMG encounters. In this case, undead encounters.

If PCs will be smart (my players are), they will explore the source of these attacks, which is a magical sword, stabbed in a massive rock, deep in a forest. Sword does not look nice (https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/008/511/418/large/chelsea-vera-final-week.jpg?1513234252). The idea behind is, that an evil Cult has centuries ago actually bound this sword in a remote location, since its evil aura was too strong even for them. (Imagine Prime evil from Diablo being bound in this weapon)

As sword poisons a limited region with Necromantic and Blood magic, it kills wood inhabitants and eventually sends them against whatever roams too close (in this case, PC and some NPCs).

Now, if players figure this location out, they will SURELY want to get this thing. Or use it. Or reverse-engineer it. Now, what I want is for this to not be a sword. It is something more. It is something different. It kills, it corrupts.

Heck, as far as I go, it may have Owlbear stats and perform Bite and Rake on anyone who touches it :D

Anyway, one thing I was thinking is this: 120 ft radious from the sword: DC 12 or lose 1 hp per round, hp can not be regained for 24 hours. 60 ft from the sword: DC 12 for level of exhaustion.

Whaddya guys think, what suggestions you may have?

I know I'm posting a lot these days, my players are roaming this and that way, burning down barns, etc, but with your help - they (and me) are also heaving a great time. Thanks to all! :)

[Anderlith]

Give it Roper stats. The “tentacles” are black iron chains like in your pic. The sword wants to drag a person in & force them to wield it as a marionette against the other party members. All while draining the life out of the enthralled victim (turning them into an undead, possibly something like a death knight)

[Sparky McDibben]

Maybe use it as a legendary creature with lair actions and regional effects, since that's what I'm getting from your description anyway.

Regional Effects

The Sword knows the location of any living creature within one mile, and can use telepathy to contact them without the creature knowing who is speaking to it.
Wildlife within a one mile radius of the Sword become supernaturally hostile, and predators eventually acquire fiendish traits.
Creatures who rest within one mile of the Sword must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or suffer hallucinations pertaining to their greatest fear, or greatest temptation.


Lair Actions

The Sword whispers blandishments eternal; each creature who can see the Sword within 60 feet of it must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects of a confusion spell.
The Sword's wickedness extends even through the ground; it targets one creature within 300 feet and forces that creature to succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained as necrotic veins snare them for 1 minute. At the start of their turn, the restrained creature takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage. The creature can be freed if it or another creature takes an action to make a DC 12 Dexterity or Strength (creature's choice) check. The veins melt into black mist when the Sword uses this lair action again.
Each creature within 120 feet of the Sword is engulfed in black mist. Each creature engulfed must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw; a creature may voluntarily fail this saving throw if it chooses to. Each creature that succeeded on their saving throw takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. Each creature that failed their saving throw is teleported to an unoccupied space the Sword can perceive within 120 feet of it.


Legendary Actions

The Sword forcibly overwhelms a creature's mind with horrific images; one creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
The Sword lashes out, snaring a creature within 30 feet of it with an inky black tendril; the Sword makes a ranged spell attack, dealing 10 (3d6) necrotic damage on a hit. The Sword recovers hit points equal to the damage dealt.
The Sword casts any spell it knows that does not require concentration.


DC was based on your initial example; adjust DC and damage to taste.

For more fun, give the Sword spells! Vampiric touch, harm, witch bolt, etc., are all good thematically-appropriate spells for this creature. For even more fun, cast dominate person. If you really want a party death, give it power word kill.

[Pinjata]

Balls o Balak, this is AMAZING!

[Lestrange]

Ok if you've got a sword in a stone, who put it there?
If the sword put itself there, what is it waiting for? Think about the classic story of a sword in a stone and how it could be twisted to evil purposes. Maybe this belongs to a villain the party will meet later and they'll recognize his weapon as the thing that almost killed them on its own...

[Lupine]

I personally really like the tendril idea. I’d give the sword 2d6-1 tendrils, which lie dormant around the sword (looking like mundane chains.)

Then, at DM choice, the tendrils become alive, each with its own ac, hp, etc. Creatures attacked are restrained. At the tendril’s turn, an ensnared creature must succeed on a dc__ strength save, or be pulled 10 feet closer to the sword. Creatures cannot free themselves, nor can they willingly do anything to damage the tendril which ensnares them. However, another creature may help another escape with either a dc__ strength (athletics) check, or by destroying the tendrils (it should take 2-3 turns to destroy a tendril, though this can be shrunk, it you have a weaker party

Sword itself has an action (only one)
Extend tendril (recharge 6): the sword extends another shadow tendril. Subtract the health of the new tendril from the sword.
Sword has a regen ability, so it shouldn’t die from tendrils (unless players damage it)

If a creature reaches the sword, it takes ridiculous amounts of damage (I’m talking two turns till death levels.)

How to introduce this?
Describe the tendrils lying on the ground. Describe the sword and its sheath (alter? Rock? Whichever) Be sure to add the copious amount of skeletons at the base. Describe how two of the tendrils reach around a tree. On the other side of said tree, there is a dead body (decomposing) it is bound by the tendril wrapping around the body’s waist and the tree. The other tendril is wrapped around its neck, clearly having choked it to death.

If you want your players to know for sure what happens if they get too close: a bird flies too close, and a tendril leaps up an grabs it, killing it instantly.

[Skrum]

I've always been a fan of evil places/items attacking the mind rather than physically. Continually spawning phantasmal forces or even killers could give you a chance to stretch your horror legs in describing a wretched army that rises to protect the sword.

In a situation like this though, I would always assume the players are eventually going to get to the sword. What's going to happen then? Is it an intelligent sword that attempt to corrupt the wielder? Or is it a foul fey just screwing with people?

[Lupine]

In a situation like this though, I would always assume the players are eventually going to get to the sword. What's going to happen then? Is it an intelligent sword that attempt to corrupt the wielder? Or is it a foul fey just screwing with people?

This is absolutely what players will do: they will do anything to get that item, if they think it's worth it.

[Sparky McDibben]

There's another way you can go with this. In the original Arthurian legend, Excalibur is an OK sword, but Excalibur's sheath makes you freaking invincible (fun fact: the Latin for "scabbard" or "sheath" is vagina; make whatever you want out of that). What if, in this instance, the sword is actually head-fake? What if the thing that is actually the source of evil and wickedness is the scabbard, and the sword is just a decoy? Well, they're going to need to chip away at the stone, inadvertently freeing the sword. Now you've got a badass necrotic animated sword flying around like rattlesnake on PCP while the scabbard just stands there, actually controlling stuff.

[Pinjata]

I'm taking the whole Roper approach. If one of the chain tendrils sucesfully pulls PC to the sword, PC gets three Will Saves(DC 12?). With each failing save, he is literally burning from Blood magic and Necromantic powers(loses 1/3 existing HP). On a third save, he is turned to dust (not being the lvl 20 badass, who could contain swords' power).

Any modifications of this are welcome.

What is the point of this encounter? So far, they are roflstomping encounters. I want to show, there ARE some places, too dangerous even for their swaggy lvl 4 asses. :D They do NOT need to engage in this and there are many warnings. If they fail all of this, well, at least some will roll up new characters.

[Anderlith]

snip

The Sword in the Stone was just a symbol of Rulership. It was not Excalibur the sword given to him by the Lady in the Lake
Excalibur would make you victorious in battle & the sheath made him invincible. He lost the sheath, yet retained the blade. This is why he dies to Mordred in his final battle

[Sparky McDibben]

The Sword in the Stone was just a symbol of Rulership. It was not Excalibur the sword given to him by the Lady in the Lake
Excalibur would make you victorious in battle & the sheath made him invincible. He lost the sheath, yet retained the blade. This is why he dies to Mordred in his final battle

Yes, I'm aware. I was taking an element from one sword and applying it here. I understand that was a somewhat nebulous reference, though. :smallsmile:

[Safety Sword]

Maybe when you pull the sword from the stone you find out the sword was a plug trapping something in the stone. It gets out. It's angry at being trapped.

The magic could be leaking into the surrounding land, corrupting it and causing the dead to rise? Maybe the stone whispers into your mind and compels you to try and pull the sword out and those that fail are attacked with life draining magic (Finger of death, bonus raising you as a zombie).

You really have a lot of possibilities here!

[Talsin]

So you've created a neat obstacle and a good way to immerse the players in the setting, but to what end?
The characters (and their players) are going to be intrigued by this and want it, want to know more and whatnot. They're going to try to take it. Like, right away. How do they overcome this obstacle, and what happens if/when they do?

[Sparky McDibben]

So you've created a neat obstacle and a good way to immerse the players in the setting, but to what end?
The characters (and their players) are going to be intrigued by this and want it, want to know more and whatnot. They're going to try to take it. Like, right away. How do they overcome this obstacle, and what happens if/when they do?

It drains hit points on a per round basis, so unless they're rotating carriers in a 300 foot radius circle, I don't think that's an issue. If it becomes an issue, have the Sword increase the damage, or raise anyone it kills as a zombie.

[Talsin]

It drains hit points on a per round basis, so unless they're rotating carriers in a 300 foot radius circle, I don't think that's an issue. If it becomes an issue, have the Sword increase the damage, or raise anyone it kills as a zombie.

So, it's an unbeatable obstacle.

What's the point of it being there?
Is it just flavor? Characters are going to want this item. It's clearly a magical weapon, if not an artifact. They're going to do whatever they can to recover this object, even if it causes them serious harm. Even greed aside, if the players are "good" they're going to want to destroy this object to prevent its corruption of the land.

So again,
What does this obstacle bring to the story and gameplay?

[Lupine]

What does this obstacle bring to the story and gameplay?

This is the real question you have to ask. What I wrote earlier is going with my rule of telling how to do it when you ask how, and not whether to do it or not. A side note on my previous idea, don't make it the sword that does the necrotic, make it the alter holding the sword.
If you want this to be an interesting magic item that the players can get consider doing this:
First, make the item take on personality according to the last person to attune to it, so presumably, a necromancer, or some such evilness (note, do NOT make this based on alignment: under its current state, it is evil, and to have it play out this way any time an evil character attunes to it would be not fun.)
Then, the player retrieves the item, and attunes to it, the effects go away. Then, the players get an item.

Blade of control
Wondrous item, (probably rare), Requires attunement
As a bonus action, you may cause the sword to extend a shadowy tendril. The tendril has AC 15, and 3d6 HP. When you extend a tendril, you lose health equal to the health of the tendril. The tendril lasts for for 3 turns.
When you attune to this item, and each time you complete a long rest you may choose one of the following behaviors for the tendrils
Batter: As a bonus action, All creatures within 10 feet of you must make a strength saving throw, or take 2d6 necrotic damage per tendril you have extended, and be unable to take reactions until the end of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature takes only half damage, and suffers no other effects. When you use this ability, you gain one level of exhaustion
Entangle: As a bonus action, you may use a tendril to attempt to ensnare and restrain a creature within 10 feet. The creature must make a DC 15 dexterity saving throw or become restrained. The restrained creature may attempt to remove the tendril with a DC 15 strength (athletics) check. Using this ability reduces your hit points by 1d10
Pierce: As an action, you may use to tendril make a spell attack. On a hit, the creature takes 2d6 necrotic damage, and you gain half as much. Using this ability halves your speed for 1d4 turns.
If a tendril is reduced to zero health, it is severed from the sword, and evaporates in a shadowy smoke.

Cursed This item is cursed. Once you attune to the item, you cannot willingly let the sword more than five feet from you. While you are cursed this way, All rests take an hour more to complete, and while resting, you are completely incapacitated due to haunting visions, and terrible nightmares. Exiting this incapacitated state takes 1d4-1 turns.

[Sparky McDibben]

What does this obstacle bring to the story and gameplay?

OP already answered this - they think their players are having too easy of a time, and they want to show them something they need to retreat from and come back to at higher level. In other words, they want it to increase the illusion of reality, "Look, crazy **** happens in this forest y'all. If you run into something like that, run."

It's not unbeatable, anymore than an ancient red dragon is unbeatable. It's just something that's way over their level. It's something that the PCs have to either get help dealing with (like a high-level cleric, and now it's an escort mission) or it's something they have to give up on for now, but will always sort of stick in their craw about, "What is that crazy sword doing there?"

Also, it's helpful for the DM to have these things in their world, because maybe later they roll a random event, and get a riot erupting in the city. What's causing it? Cult activity! You could say it's the Blood War, or a Great Old One, etc., or you could say this crazy Sword is influencing people's dreams! Like, not everything is there to be beaten.

I will say, OP, the trick is communicating to the players and the characters at the same time that this thing is not something they want to fight. I suggest using red shirts, dreams, or giving them a massive hint with the crumpled remains of an adult black dragon which died trying to flee from the Sword.

[Lupine]

OP already answered this - they think their players are having too easy of a time, and they want to show them something they need to retreat from and come back to at higher level. In other words, they want it to increase the illusion of reality, "Look, crazy **** happens in this forest y'all. If you run into something like that, run."

If this is indeed what OP wants, then it would be better accomplished by an ambush, or something. The way he's asking lets the players go "hm. Thats odd" and move on, in they're interested in plot over ideas.

If he wants to make the players run, he needs to drop something big on them. Perhaps the villain letting them know that they're annoying scum to him, but not worth the trouble.

[Reevh]

Maybe when you pull the sword from the stone you find out the sword was a plug trapping something in the stone. It gets out. It's angry at being trapped.

The magic could be leaking into the surrounding land, corrupting it and causing the dead to rise? Maybe the stone whispers into your mind and compels you to try and pull the sword out and those that fail are attacked with life draining magic (Finger of death, bonus raising you as a zombie).

You really have a lot of possibilities here!

I dig this, and I like that the theme of chains around the sword match the idea of a being imprisoned in the stone, and escaping once the blade is freed. In fact, I may steal this idea for a one shot.

[Pinjata]

Sparky McDibben summarized my idea perfectly. And then again ... Pretty much any DM setup can go wrong. I'll try with this and see what happebs.

[Lupine]

Sparky McDibben summarized my idea perfectly. And then again ... Pretty much any DM setup can go wrong. I'll try with this and see what happebs.

OK. I will again caution that you might be better served by making an encounter "fall on them" rather then them fall on the encounter.

The players will probably not appreciate having something that looks like they should interact with, but then get killed by, and will probably be more responsive if you instead have it be a "predator" type situation. (Ie, they keep seeing signs of large creatures around them, and are starting become worried. Then said creature lands on them, and they are forced to fight it or run. This type of foreshadowed screw over also introduces something new to the game, and will make them think, "wow, we should have known"
As they scatter, the others will get lost (probably.) They will then have to try to find each other sneakilly. If they don't scatter, then the monster keeps up at them, nipping at their heels (something like a speed 30 feet. It gets close, and gets oppertunity attacks. They can disengage, but they will not be able to run as far. If they dash, the monster does also, perpetuating the cycle.)
If they last a minute (10 turns) with this chase, then the monster gives up. Players get a level of exhaustion.

Doing a thing were they see potential loot is simply cruel. They have been conditioned that they will be able to fight, and --if they burn hard enough-- win. To break that, and deny them any loot for their trouble is simply toxic. If you don't like how easy they've had it, up the difficulty of your encounters, but please, for the sake of your players, don't run this simply to screw them. It might be satisfying for you, but it sucks for the rest of the players.

[Sparky McDibben]

I totally get your concerns here, Lupine, and they are valid. I've played through arcs like this - they don't work if the outleveled BBEG wipes the party. You want the party to realize there are things they should run away from; "remember," you want them to hear, "you are but mortal." You're saying that the players will see this as loot to be acquired, not a monster to be defeated, and get killed as a result of that misalignment.

But at least half the ideas I've given the OP here have been ways to flag to the PCs and the players that this is a monster not to be killed, but to be run from. That, I think, is the crux of the issue. How do we tell the players what to expect, even when their characters are seeing a really cool sword?

So, let's talk about that. What should the OP prepare for?

One, they should prepare for a really pissed off table. Not at the DM, necessarily, but at the Sword. Players hate running away; they hate not feeling heroic. But if we let the players feel heroic all the time, that starts to feel cheap and unearned. Sometimes you have to let them down before you can build them back up.

That being said, this is designed as a no-win scenario. The best outcome is the PCs running away. What happens if they beat your design? It can happen; I've seen it happen. Suddenly the barbarian rolls three crits and your encounter is bleeding on the floor. My advice is to roll with it, OP. Do NOT get precious about this. Have a backup plan in place. Can the PCs cage the thing in a lead box (maybe there's one buried in the rockface, or the materials to build one) so they can safely carry but not wield it? What happens if they get in a fight later and the box gets damaged? Can they get help, or use protection from evil and good to slow the thing's effects for a time? Can they get it reforged, leading to a brand-new quest with a pretty cool magic item later on?

Finally, what happens if they're stubborn? What happens if they refuse to take the hint, refuse to turn and run, even after the DM has explicitly stated that this thing might wipe them all out? Well, you can either do a full TPK (some DMs will advocate for exactly this approach, stating that if you don't follow through, you'll lose the respect of the players), or you can fail-forward. Personally, if I'm going to put an overleveled encounter in the party's way, I have a fail-forward option. If it kills them all, do they all have a dream-quest? Does the Sword tempt each of them in turn into serving it, and possibly releasing it (another quest, presumably)? Do they instead wake up, 4 years later, cold, nude, and bereft of any equipment as an archmage has them resurrected? "You lot released the Sword of Damocles," she says grimly, eyeing each of them in turn, "and now you're going to put the damned thing back."

Lupine's concerns are totally valid - done the wrong way, this kind of encounter can seem like a DM screwjob, sort of like losing Minesweeper on the first click. But done right, this can set up some incredible adventures that hook the players and make them invested, because dammit, it's personal now. Just my two cents.

[Reevh]

So in the one shot I'm considering for this idea, the sword is there as a sort of seal on the prison of a Sibriex (which the players will not know). The prison has been weakening over the centuries, and now the locals in the area have begun to see strangely aggressive and malformed creatures in the vicinity, and hire the level 12 adventurers to check it out.

On the way into the forest, the adventurers will encounter a group of 5 Perytons, which they should be able to dispatch easily enough, but will hopefully drain a small amount of resources. Throughout the forest, they will feel a sense of oppressive foreboding. As they continue in, however, they'll start to see strange things. A deer with a third eye in its forehead feasting upon the corpse of a wolf. A crow with the tail of a snake coiled around a rodent.

When they reach the clearing where the sword is, I'll show them the picture, and then describe to them the fact that there doesn't appear to be any plant life within 60 feet of the sword. There are corpses of people and creatures piled up against the stone in which the sword is entombed. When the players begin to enter the clearing, the sense of foreboding will grow sharply stronger, they will have to make a DC 18 INT save, or take 1d4 psychic damage, the chains will stir to life, and it'll be time to roll initiative.

From there, the combat will run like a combination of a roper and a weaker version of a Sibriex. The sword itself will be invulnerable to damage, but when the 80 HP chains are destroyed, the players will see some of the darkness in the blade lessen. The sword will be able to make 3 chain attacks (1d10+7 bludgeoning) on its turn and will have 3 legendary actions per round. A chain attack will cost 1 action, and Warp Flesh (from the Sibriex block, but DC 18 CON save) will cost two actions. I'm especially looking forward to using the body modifications from Warp Flesh. When hit by a chain attack, characters will be grappled, and will discover there is no escape DC. However, this particular grapple only reduces their speed in half and doesn't allow them to move farther from the sword. This allows them to move to each other to heal or attack a chain or whatever if they decide to. If they also fail a STR save, they will be restrained, but can repeat the save on each of their turns. They have to destroy the chain in order to release the grapple. On its turn, the sword can pull the player 10 feet closer to it, with a DC18 STR save to avoid being pulled. For every 10 feet closer to the sword, the damaging psychic aura will grow stronger by 1d4 damage.

In addition, as a legendary action once per round, the sword can channel psychic energy through its chains to force a DC18 Int save to avoid taking 2d10+7 psychic damage.

In order to avoid the players cheesing the encounter by sitting outside the range of the chains and sniping, the woods around the edge of the clearing will be wreathed in dense fog. When the players enter the clearing, the sword will talk to them, and they'll begin to hear gibbering horrifying gnashing and laughing noises coming from the fog. If they enter the fog or start their turn inside it, they'll be in difficult terrain and have to make a DC18 Int save or dake 6d8 psychic damage (half on success) for each turn they try to work their way through the fog.

When all 7 chains are destroyed, the oppression will go away and the sword will be gleaming silver with purple and green runes on the blade. The players will almost certainly choose to pull the sword from the stone, at which point the sword will whisper to its holder, "Oh no, what have you done?" Green smoke will billow out of the stone and solidify into the Sibriex, who will then will have an argument with itself (seems to have multiple mouths) about whether or not to kill those who freed it. It'll spare the players assuming they don't attack it, and float off elsewhere to build its demon army.

Then if the players want to do another one shot at a later date, it can be to go after the Sibriex. Any thoughts?

[Pinjata]

Given that fluff is perfectly described in this thread, I've decided to do A LITTLE bit of thread necromancy. BUT! I bring gifts. After some work, I came with this. Whaddya all think of it? (actually my 1st attempt at bomebrewing a monster)

The point of monster is to have A LOT of "warning levels", but once creature is at the hilt, it's GG, unless it is of proper level.


Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword

Medium Aura, Neutral Evil
AC 16
HP 112(15d8+45)
Speed 0 ft. (attached to Evil Netherese Sword, until Evil Nethrese Sword is Bound)
STR 16(+3) DEX 12(+1) CON 17(+3) INT6(-2) WIS 11(+0) CHA 6 (-2)
Damage Resistance Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 120 Ft.(blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages Netherese
Challenge 9 (5000 XP)

Necrotic Aura. Any creature that starts its turn within 120 feet of the Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 8 (2d8) necrotic damage.


Necrotic Drain. At the start of each of Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword's turns, each creature within 60 ft of it must suceed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.

Etherealness. The Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It does so, whenever attacked from beyond 120 ft or uanble to detect source of attack. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.

Multiattack. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword makes one Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle attack and uses Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt.

Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. melee weapon attack: +7 to hit, reach 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 0 damage, and the target is grappled (Escape DC 15) if it is Large or smaller creature. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword has three Etheral Necrotic Tentacles and can grapple up to three creatures at once.

Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt. Each creature, grappled by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If creature fails this save, it is immediately dragged 30 ft. toward the sword by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. When creature is dragged into a square with Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt, creature's arm is attached to sword hilt. Creature is still grappled and must each turn make DC 21 Saving throw or take 32 (8d8) necrotic damage each turn. If Creature saves three consecutive times, Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword dissipates and reappears 12 hours later.

[Sparky McDibben]

Given that fluff is perfectly described in this thread, I've decided to do A LITTLE bit of thread necromancy. BUT! I bring gifts. After some work, I came with this. Whaddya all think of it? (actually my 1st attempt at bomebrewing a monster)

The point of monster is to have A LOT of "warning levels", but once creature is at the hilt, it's GG, unless it is of proper level.


Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword

Medium Aura, Neutral Evil
AC 16
HP 112(15d8+45)
Speed 0 ft. (attached to Evil Netherese Sword, until Evil Nethrese Sword is Bound)
STR 16(+3) DEX 12(+1) CON 17(+3) INT6(-2) WIS 11(+0) CHA 6 (-2)
Damage Resistance Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 120 Ft.(blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages Netherese
Challenge 9 (5000 XP)

Necrotic Aura. Any creature that starts its turn within 120 feet of the Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 8 (2d8) necrotic damage.


Necrotic Drain. At the start of each of Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword's turns, each creature within 60 ft of it must suceed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.

Etherealness. The Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It does so, whenever attacked from beyond 120 ft or uanble to detect source of attack. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.

Multiattack. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword makes one Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle attack and uses Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt.

Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. melee weapon attack: +7 to hit, reach 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 0 damage, and the target is grappled (Escape DC 15) if it is Large or smaller creature. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword has three Etheral Necrotic Tentacles and can grapple up to three creatures at once.

Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt. Each creature, grappled by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If creature fails this save, it is immediately dragged 30 ft. toward the sword by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. When creature is dragged into a square with Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt, creature's arm is attached to sword hilt. Creature is still grappled and must each turn make DC 21 Saving throw or take 32 (8d8) necrotic damage each turn. If Creature saves three consecutive times, Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword dissipates and reappears 12 hours later.


Most of this looks pretty good, but I have a couple suggestion.

1) Here's my CR calculations:

Defensive CR: Hp (112 x 2) = 224 (multiplier for damage immunities, per DMG p 277), which indicates CR 11. AC does not modify, so Defensive CR = 11.

Offensive CR: DPR (assuming 4 characters within range of both auras and one character touching the hilt each round) (9*4) + (10*4) + (36) = 112, which indicates CR 18. Attack modifier adjusts this down by 1, so Offensive CR = 17.

Average CR for this monster is therefore 14 (11,500 XP).

2) Average damage calculation for the Hilt should be 36 (8 * 4.5 = 36); not sure why the saving throws are set at 21 (this would imply that the controlling ability score would need to be: 21 - [8 (fixed) + 4 (proficiency bonus)] = +9)

3) I recommend not making the auras dependent on a saving throw - that many dice being rolled slows down your game. I would reduce the damage to maybe 5 in the outer zone, increased to 10 for the inner zone, taken at the start of the PCs turns. Maybe also give it retribution damage: "When struck by a melee attack, the creature who attacked the Sword takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage." I would ditch the non-physical resistances and increase hp to compensate (easier for you to keep track of at the table if you don't have to remember what kinds of damage it's resistant vs immune to). I would also remove the Ethereal plane abilities. I see where you're going; you don't want the ranger to stand off outside its auras and just pepper it with arrows. However, the way you've described it to me raises questions for me, which is going to raise a lot of questions from your PCs: "Wait, it's in the Ethereal Plane? Then how's it grappling me? And if I'm on the Ethereal Plane, can't I hit it?" And so on.

4) Here's what I would maybe try instead: give it a lair, and minions. If someone tries to stand off, either awakened trees or treants activate and move to engage on Round 2 or 3 of combat, requiring no action from the Sword. Instead of phasing in and out, the glade (the 120 foot radius) around the Sword is difficult terrain (useful to keep the PCs from closing too quickly, also useful tactically to keep them taking damage), but the 60 foot radius is subject to a Wisdom saving throw or they act under the effects of a confusion spell. I would pump Charisma to 18 or 20 (which would also be useful just in case they start talking to it) and key the saving throws of its effects off Charisma (8 + 4 + 5 = DC 17). I would give it a reaction to cast shield (Recharge 5 - 6), preferably with accompanying telepathic menacing laugh.

5) From a purely RP standpoint, I would remove the languages spoken and give it telepathy (1 mile radius).

Be aware that you don't actually have to do any of this; I use XP at my table and plenty of homebrew, so I've learned a few things the hard way. Players seem to feel like any DC over 20 feels unfair except at high levels, and you don't really need to go that high to challenge them. Hell, with this setup, you don't really need to do much. The Sword will just sort of passively melt them, preferably while taunting the party that they could never draw it out, and to send the Sword "real heroes" whenever they change their soiled trousers.

[Yakk]

Necro necro who wants a necro.

I'd have the sword be completely physically immobile. No tendrils, chains stay put, etc.

The danger comes from 3 things. 1: Psychic danger. It is warping everyone's mind and perception. 2. Necrotic danger. The land around it is warped into a shadow-fell like hellscape and life leaks out of everyone. 3. Minion danger. Creatures that wander in get their life drained out and turned into monsters.

Now some layers.

In the outer radius (10 miles), you lose 1 max HP per hour, cannot take a rest, and keep on ... hearing and seeing things. You have disadvantage on all ability checks, saving throws and attack rolls.

In the medium radius (1 mile), you lose 1 max HP per minute. You suffer the effects of the Bane spell. Every minute you must make a DC 15 wisdom save or become frightened for 1 hour. Every 10 minutes creatures unaligned with the sword suffer a Dispel Magic at 3rd level (attribute +5) and then Confusion (save DC 19) for 1d4 rounds.

In the close radius (500'), you lose 1d6 max HP per round. Every round you must succeed at a DC 20 wisdom save of become frightened for 1 day. Every minute a Dispel Magic (attribute +5) hits everyone not aligned with the sword (at level 3), increasing in level by 1 every minute, and then Confusion (save DC 19) for 1d4 rounds.

Now throw in some increasingly nasty undead (random encounters).

The sword itself should be nasty, creating shadow beings, messing with the PC's head, possessing PCs, etc.

If you actually pick up the sword, it should start to possess the PC that draws it (a saving throw every round). Creatures who see it (not in the stone) have to make a save or covet it and seek to possess it for themselves, unless the wielder is sufficiently powerful, then instead they must make a save or swear fealty.

---

The layers are intended to make the PCs gradually more and more likely to run. A high level party could probably penetrate that, but a low level party is going to be so screwed. Preparation gives you a chance.

If you do penetrate to the middle, and "win", you end up with someone picking up the sword. And then they turn into an evil dude. And one of that evil dude's powers should be plane shift to the plane of shadow, so they pop away, and you tell the PC to roll a new character.

[Pinjata]

Fixed it a bit. Really thanks for all the comments.

Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword

Medium Aura, Neutral Evil
AC 16
HP 224(15d8+45)
Speed 0 ft. (attached to Evil Netherese Sword, until Evil Nethrese Sword is Bound)
STR 16(+3) DEX 12(+1) CON 17(+3) INT6(-2) WIS 11(+0) CHA 6 (-2)
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 120 Ft.(blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages None
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Necrotic Aura. Any creature that starts its turn within 240 feet of the Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword takes 5 necrotic damage. Any creature that starts its turn within 120 feet of the Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword takes 15 necrotic damage.


Etherealness. The Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It does so, whenever attacked from beyond 120 ft or unable to detect source of attack. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. Any creature the Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword is grappling at the moment, is transferred to Etheral Plane with The Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword. The Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword returns to Material Plane as a Bonus Action, if any creature is ending its turn within 120 ft. of Evil Nethrese Sword.

Multiattack. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword makes two Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle attacks and uses Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt on one target.

Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. melee weapon attack: +7 to hit, reach 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 0 damage, and the target is grappled (Escape DC 15) if it is Large or smaller creature. Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword has three Etheral Necrotic Tentacles and can grapple up to three creatures at once.

Attach to Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt. Each creature, grappled by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If creature fails this save, it is immediately dragged 30 ft. toward the sword by the Etheral Necrotic Chain Tentacle. When creature is dragged into a square with Evil Nethrese Sword Hilt, creature's arm is attached to sword hilt. Creature is still grappled and must each turn make DC 21 Saving throw or take 36 (8d8) necrotic damage each turn. If Creature saves three consecutive times, Living Aura of Evil Nethrese Sword dissipates and reappears 12 hours later.

[Sparky McDibben]

Looks nice! Let us know how it goes at the table!!

[Reevh]

My one shot encounter design:

https://i.imgur.com/3kdb8KP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cVRnUjF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/miCCUBb.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KLJqUDJ.jpg

Sorry for the links, I'm having trouble getting the images to display.

The Warp Flesh ability also has the variant body modifications from the table in the Sibriex stat block, which I think could be a lot of fun.

There are 7 chains, each with a health pool of 80 HP. Each time a chain is destroyed, the sword looks somewhat less corrupted. When the final chain is defeated, the sword is cleansed and gleaming. Of course the players will pull it from the stone, the sword will say, "Oh no, what have you done," and a cloud will billow out of the hole where the sword was, solidifying into a Sibriex, who will give a short speech and then float away, so long as the players don't attack it, which would be a stupid decision. End of encounter.

There will be other shenanigans in the woods leading up to that encounter, but this will be the main thrust of the evening. According to the DMG, it's CR21, which seems appropriate for a party of 4 level 12 adventurers, at least at my table. My players are likely to be a Gunslinger fighter with Sharpshooter, a Ghostslayer Blood Hunter archer, also with Sharpshooter, a Rune Knight fighter, and a Fighter/Druid. Lots of action surges.

Any thoughts?