To you I bequeath...

[Boci]

So one way I like to connect one campaign to another, is to have the new campaign set in the same location as a previous one, but a generation later. This time skip allows for changes to the setting to consolidate, some of which the players may have had a hand in, and lends some distance for this to be appreciated. The PCs then have the option of playing the "heir" of their previous character, either a blood related child, and an adopted one / apprentice. This gives a sense continuity, without shackling the players to the same character, or even race. To enforce this relationship, I allow the players to have been gifted one of previous characters magical items. Obviously, if two players agree, one can play the descendant / hair of another. However, in a current game, one of them has found an artefact. Whilst most of the items are, equal enough that there are several choices for which one they could gift their heir-apparent, mostly coming down to play style and character build, the artefact offers enough raw power and versatility that it might be an obvious choice.

So, what do you thing? Should I:

a. Let the player pass the sword on to their new character, same as I would with other items
b. Say that only another character can receive the artefact, to give them a turn with it
c. Flat out exclude the artefact from the available options

The artefact is an intelligent item, so I have some leeway to organically explaining why it couldn't be passed on.

[nickl_2000]

So one way I like to connect one campaign to another, is to have the new campaign set in the same location as a previous one, but a generation later. This time skip allows for changes to the setting to consolidate, some of which the players may have had a hand in, and lends some distance for this to be appreciated. The PCs then have the option of playing the "heir" of their previous character, either a blood related child, and an adopted one / apprentice. This gives a sense continuity, without shackling the players to the same character, or even race. To enforce this relationship, I allow the players to have been gifted one of previous characters magical items. Obviously, if two players agree, one can play the descendant / hair of another. However, in a current game, one of them has found an artefact. Whilst most of the items are, equal enough that there are several choices for which one they could gift their heir-apparent, mostly coming down to play style and character build, the artefact offers enough raw power and versatility that it might be an obvious choice.

So, what do you thing? Should I:

a. Let the player pass the sword on to their new character, same as I would with other items
b. Say that only another character can receive the artefact, to give them a turn with it
c. Flat out exclude the artefact from the available options

The artefact is an intelligent item, so I have some leeway to organically explaining why it couldn't be passed on.

C

OOC: If the item is that powerful someone will end up feel left out or "ripped off"
IC: Any artifact, especially one that is intelligent will be sought after by many, many people. It could end up being an object of an entire war, it could be an object that helps the home kingdom of the PC expand territory or protect themselves from aggressors like the Red Wizards of Thay. An intelligent artifact will likely also not want to sit on a shelf until it is passed down to the next generation.

[returnToThePast]

The DMG mentions that artifacts are uniquely powerful and should thus have important narrative stakes. Once the story they were part of has resolved, it's best they find a way to exit stage left, perhaps being sealed away until the next time they're needed.

If you do want the item to be passed down, you could start with the item limiting access to its more powerful features until the new bearer has proven themselves to be worthy. Could make for some interesting RP.

[Psyren]

The DMG mentions that artifacts are uniquely powerful and should thus have important narrative stakes. Once the story they were part of has resolved, it's best they find a way to exit stage left, perhaps being sealed away until the next time they're needed.

If you do want the item to be passed down, you could start with the item limiting access to its more powerful features until the new bearer has proven themselves to be worthy. Could make for some interesting RP.

This. (a) preferably, but (b) if you want to keep it around for some reason.

The character in question may even never unlock its higher functions, and merely be its steward until a future campaign (or alternatively, abandon/lose it), using more common and lower-maintenance magic weapons in the meantime.

[da newt]

Assuming the Artifact weapon is OP for tier 1-2 play, I'd keep it unavailable to the PCs. It might make a good plot hook - go find / recover the lost / stolen weapon or whom ever completes this epic challenge will have proven themselves worthy of the sacred weapon - or something like that.

Along the same lines, if the kin of my lvl 13 PC could start their adventuring career with his coveted Belt of Fire Giant ST it would be a ridiculous boon - a game balance altering sort of thing and it's just a very rare item ...

[J-H]

I would put it up for discussion at the table. Maybe the current owner's heir will be a shy wizard, and it'll instead go to the child of a good friend (another player's character).

[Rashagar]

I like the ideas about making it a plot point. If an intelligent artifact can be expected to have some agency over it's own fate, then the character recognising it from their parent's stories when they comes upon it being wielded in the hands of another (or misidentifying a different weapon as it instead) could make for a really fun story beat.

[Boci]

Okay, so by my count this looks like 1 cote for a straight C, just have an explanation for why it isn't available. Two more votes for C, but let the new players encounter it later, wielded by someone else.

One vote for A, just let them pass it on as they want and trust them to behave responsible, and two more votes for letting it be passed on but with reduced power, either for the full campaign or until they prove themselves.

Certainly either could work. The sword wants revenge, and hopefully by the end the current campaign it will have had that, so there would be a narrative reason for it to be sleeping / powered down, either temporarily or perhaps forever is the spirit passes on after it feels it has been avenged, and leaves only its lingering essence in the weapon.


Assuming the Artifact weapon is OP for tier 1-2 play, I'd keep it unavailable to the PCs.

Define OP? Magic weapon, and most items in my games, tend not to be that powerful, so whilst still very good as its an artefact, its not adding +3 to hit and damage and advantage against all enemies. i do sort of future proof these artefacts by making some of their ability reliant on the skill of their wielder. Its only a +1 weapon, but it has a lot of other bonuses, boosting damage, giving AoE, as well as utility, for example the sword has a +11 modifer for arcana and nature checks, and can freely communicate with the wielder to share this. It grants some spells, including Hold Monster (with up to 3 targets), and an 8 hour duration Fly spell, both 1/long rest and the save DC is based of the wielder, so whilst useful, no doubt about that, its not "Stand back I got this," levels of powerful except maybe at levels 1-3.


Along the same lines, if the kin of my lvl 13 PC could start their adventuring career with his coveted Belt of Fire Giant ST it would be a ridiculous boon - a game balance altering sort of thing and it's just a very rare item ...

This should be fine because as mentioned my items tend to be custom, and not that powerful. Right not, not counting the artefact the most problematic item they could bequeath to their low level child / apprentice would be a suit of armour that would let a dex based character have 18 AC at level one (+1 breathplate that lets add up to 3 to AC from dex, as well as gives advantage on physical saves against magic, and 1/SR reduce a crit to a hit against you as a reaction). So, useful, especially if you then go sword and board fighting with defense style, but shouldn't be too upsetting in how it effects game balance.

[sithlordnergal]

Define OP? Magic weapon, and most items in my games, tend not to be that powerful, so whilst still very good as its an artefact, its not adding +3 to hit and damage and advantage against all enemies. i do sort of future proof these artefacts by making some of their ability reliant on the skill of their wielder. Its only a +1 weapon, but it has a lot of other bonuses, boosting damage, giving AoE, as well as utility, for example the sword has a +11 modifer for arcana and nature checks, and can freely communicate with the wielder to share this. It grants some spells, including Hold Monster (with up to 3 targets), and an 8 hour duration Fly spell, both 1/long rest and the save DC is based of the wielder, so whilst useful, no doubt about that, its not "Stand back I got this," levels of powerful except maybe at levels 1-3.


Its better to ask if you feel its an op item. Given what it does, its a powerful magic item, but I wouldn't consider it to be OP. To me, an OP item would be +3 plate armor that halves all Bludgeoning, Slashing, and Piercing damage from all sources. However, if you feel being able to cast an 8 hour Fly spell or the equivalent of a 7th level Hold Monster is OP, then it is an OP magic item.

Now Personally, I'd go with option A, let the player keep their artifact. If you wanna reel in it, have some of its power sealed away. Its an intelligent artifact, it doesn't have to grant its current wielder every benefit it has, it can choose to with hold a large amount of its power until it feels its new owner is worthy of it.

[Boci]

Its better to ask if you feel its an op item. Given what it does, its a powerful magic item, but I wouldn't consider it to be OP. To me, an OP item would be +3 plate armor that halves all Bludgeoning, Slashing, and Piercing damage from all sources. However, if you feel being able to cast an 8 hour Fly spell or the equivalent of a 7th level Hold Monster is OP, then it is an OP magic item.

I don't think its OP. 7th level Hold Monster is powerful, but 1/long rest it won't be broken even at level 1-3, especially since the DC is still based on the wielder's proficiency bonus and ability modifier. However, it is noticeably more powerful than the other options, as without being able to give on the sword, they likely give on some braces that gives protection from extreme environments, and the ability to cast invisibility, water breathing and tidal wave, each 1/long rest. So also useful, but noticeably falling short of Seneferu's Legacy.


Now Personally, I'd go with option A, let the player keep their artifact. If you wanna reel in it, have some of its power sealed away. Its an intelligent artifact, it doesn't have to grant its current wielder every benefit it has, it can choose to with hold a large amount of its power until it feels its new owner is worthy of it.

Okay, another vote for A. Here's the full write up of the weapon currently:

Seneferu’s Legacy – Carved from the fang of an ancient blue dragon that knows the rage of a mother who saw her children slaughtered, this blade remembers it hatred for the jackal people of the desert. (Legendary, requires attunement)

Seneferu’s Legacy is a +1 longsword with the finessable quality when wielded in two hands in addition to the usual properties of such a weapon. Any hit with the weapon deals an additional 1d8 lightning damage. A 19 or 20 with Seneferu’s Legacy is a critical hit, and at the end of the struck creature’s next turn they suffer an additional 5d8 thunder damage.

Breath Weapon – The wielder of Seneferu’s Legacy can use an action to expel a 120ft line of lightning that deals 1d10 points of damage per character level. Half this damage is lightning, the other half is thunder. A successful dexterity save (DC: 8 + proficiency bonus + con modifiers).
Once the wielder has used this, they cannot use it again until they have taken a short or long rest.

Conjure Image – As a bonus action, the wielder of Seneferu’s Legacy can make an illusionary copy of themselves appear within 150ft range. This illusion is indistinguishable from themselves unless physically interacted with, and can move independent when directed to do so, and the wielder can choose whether they use their own senses or those of the duplicate. The wielder may also choose to use the illusion as the origin point of Seneferu’s breath weapon. If the illusion takes any damage it is immediately destroyed.
Maintaining this ability requires concentration. The duration is 1 minute, split as the wielder chooses between any number of activations. Once the full duration has been used, they cannot use this ability again until they have finished a long rest.

Draconic Magic: Once per long rest, the wielding of Seneferu’s Legacy can cast the following spells without need for any material components, each once:
Mirage Arcana, Hold Monster (up to 3 targets), Fly (duration 8 hours).
The DC is based off the wielder’s highest mental stat.

Draconic Knowledge: The soulshard of Seneferu remembers most of what she knew in life. She can relay memories to the wielder, and if she needs make a nature or arcane check her modifier is +11, and +4 for any other check that involves recalling information.

So Draconic Magic and Conjure Image could both be lost / suppressed. Breath weapon is already scaling, but maybe initially its 1/long rest rather than short, and Draconic Knolwedge could also be lost, if we're fluffing it as the spirit within the blade is sleeping. It would would also possibly make a wizard feel bad if the fighter had over twice the modifier for arcane.

Wizard: I'm not sure who this book belonged to...
Fighter: Its clearly the work of a graduate of the Silverpine Academy who specialized in transmutation and necromancery. Likely in their 4th or 5th year...
Wizard: yeah tell Seneferu I hate her

So, I don't think its OP, but I do wonder if the other players might be a bit bothered if the same players gets it again, from the start. Right now they obviously don't mind, the artefact is cool, it has narrative relevance, and obviously someone has to be its wielder, but they might not want to see the same player hog it. But that can be discussed between now and then OOC, and if the other two players feels its unfair they can say so, and I'm sure the current player wouldn't begrudge another one getting a turn with it.

[Keravath]

Honestly, that weapon is ridiculously overpowered in any campaign less than tier3 or even tier4 unless you play in high magic campaigns.

Even as a +1 weapon it does 2d8+stat damage in tier1 ... crits on a 19 or 20 and does an extra 5d8 when it crits. That by itself is way overpowered in tier 1 where a +1 weapon alone can be something special. Plus it is finesse when wielded with two hands.

Then you add breath weapon (1d10/level! - crazy levels of damage anywhere except level 1) AND it is short or long rest. Conjure image even lets you perfectly place the breath weapon and only costs a bonus action.

Add some spells - Fly, Mirage Arcane (7th level spell - OP at low level), and Hold Monster on up to 3 creatures at once - which coincidentally is also a 7th level casting of the spell.

Lets add +11 to nature and arcana skills - making anyone else in the party with these superfluous.

If you want to scale it reasonably (just my opinion) - it starts as a +1 sword only for most of tier 1 and unlocks abilities or partial abilities as the character becomes strong enough to face the spirit of the dragon.

Otherwise - just get rid of it. Consider this, if ANY other creature of significant power is aware of the weapon and there are several ways that could happen - Legend Lore, Divination etc - then other spells might be able to help locate it and some other creature - a dragon, a creature from the outer planes, or a level 20 adventurer might come around and just take it away from the character. Presumably, the world is aware that the relative of the character possessed the weapon - anyone looking for it would logically look at anyone related.

So ... if the character is going to retain the weapon in any form, you need to figure out how it could possibly have happened. :)

However, its your game, do what is fun, but anything more than a +1 weapon is likely to overshadow the entire party. A 3 target hold monster might well end some low level encounters - since even if the DC is a bit low the targets usually have lower saves too.

Edit:
P.S. I was thinking about ways to make it work narratively. The sword could have belonged to a grandfather, who realized that the weapon was too dangerous for him to retain as he aged. Inevitably someone would come, take the sword, and likely kill him and his family. Faced with this quandry, the grandfather took the sword on a quest with witnesses (both his party members and powerful independent witnesses) where he cast the sword into an active volcano destroying it completely. However, one member of his party had prepared a substitute magical sword with a temporary property to enable a spell effect replicating the breath weapon. The character used this effect one last time before casting the sword into the volcano (or portal or any other way that would destroy the sword) destroying it utterly. He did this because he knew that one day the sword would be needed again but that it would need to be forgotten first. He hid the sword on his estate and told no one of the secret. Over the years, the sword grew dormant and quiet. When first picked up it appears as a well crafted longsword that detects as magical. As the sword awakes and as the bearer becomes more powerful the sword may acquire additional properties. However, the character that "inherited" the sword does not realize it is in fact the artifact because everyone believes it to be destroyed.

This lets you keep the item in the game if you really want it while avoiding a game breaking item at tier 1 and allows the character with the sword to role play the growing realization that the sword may be more than it appears. On the other hand, if you don't want the item in the game, the grandfather could have destroyed the sword or it could have otherwise disappeared. Something like that might have been given to kings or other great heroes when the grandfather could no longer use it.

[tKUUNK]

Honestly, that weapon is ridiculously overpowered in any campaign less than tier3 or even tier4 unless you play in high magic campaigns.

Even as a +1 weapon it does 2d8+stat damage in tier1 ... crits on a 19 or 20 and does an extra 5d8 when it crits. That by itself is way overpowered in tier 1 where a +1 weapon alone can be something special. Plus it is finesse when wielded with two hands.

Then you add breath weapon (1d10/level! - crazy levels of damage anywhere except level 1) AND it is short or long rest. Conjure image even lets you perfectly place the breath weapon and only costs a bonus action.

Add some spells - Fly, Mirage Arcane (7th level spell - OP at low level), and Hold Monster on up to 3 creatures at once - which coincidentally is also a 7th level casting of the spell.

Lets add +11 to nature and arcana skills - making anyone else in the party with these superfluous.

If you want to scale it reasonably (just my opinion) - it starts as a +1 sword only for most of tier 1 and unlocks abilities or partial abilities as the character becomes strong enough to face the spirit of the dragon.

Otherwise - just get rid of it. Consider this, if ANY other creature of significant power is aware of the weapon and there are several ways that could happen - Legend Lore, Divination etc - then other spells might be able to help locate it and some other creature - a dragon, a creature from the outer planes, or a level 20 adventurer might come around and just take it away from the character. Presumably, the world is aware that the relative of the character possessed the weapon - anyone looking for it would logically look at anyone related.

So ... if the character is going to retain the weapon in any form, you need to figure out how it could possibly have happened. :)

However, its your game, do what is fun, but anything more than a +1 weapon is likely to overshadow the entire party. A 3 target hold monster might well end some low level encounters - since even if the DC is a bit low the targets usually have lower saves too.

Edit:
P.S. I was thinking about ways to make it work narratively. The sword could have belonged to a grandfather, who realized that the weapon was too dangerous for him to retain as he aged. Inevitably someone would come, take the sword, and likely kill him and his family. Faced with this quandry, the grandfather took the sword on a quest with witnesses (both his party members and powerful independent witnesses) where he cast the sword into an active volcano destroying it completely. However, one member of his party had prepared a substitute magical sword with a temporary property to enable a spell effect replicating the breath weapon. The character used this effect one last time before casting the sword into the volcano (or portal or any other way that would destroy the sword) destroying it utterly. He did this because he knew that one day the sword would be needed again but that it would need to be forgotten first. He hid the sword on his estate and told no one of the secret. Over the years, the sword grew dormant and quiet. When first picked up it appears as a well crafted longsword that detects as magical. As the sword awakes and as the bearer becomes more powerful the sword may acquire additional properties. However, the character that "inherited" the sword does not realize it is in fact the artifact because everyone believes it to be destroyed.

This lets you keep the item in the game if you really want it while avoiding a game breaking item at tier 1 and allows the character with the sword to role play the growing realization that the sword may be more than it appears. On the other hand, if you don't want the item in the game, the grandfather could have destroyed the sword or it could have otherwise disappeared. Something like that might have been given to kings or other great heroes when the grandfather could no longer use it.

The edit on Keravath's post here is absolute gold. I was going to offer something like, "the players eventually go on a quest to find this sword because it went missing years ago"...but Keravath's idea is freakishly good, imo. You could even require side-quests to help the sword regain or "remember" its old powers.

Cool item, btw. Powerful, but thematic.

[Bundin]

Of course, this is a highly personal opinion, with me having next-to-zero information about your campaigns and dm style.

I'd go for "its quest fulfilled, the spirit in the sword departs this plane". Time for another source of narrativium and time for new loot to be awesome, instead of nice-but-not-as-nice-as...

And of course, it doesn't have to mean that the spirit is never encountered again. It may show up in the future, as cameo or as (temporary?) presence to reinforce the feeling of continuity. Maybe in a different form, maybe only in a time of great need, maybe summoned/called/shackled by a new BBEG, maybe in a completely different item. Plenty of options.

Carrying it over may add rails to a fresh story that go beyond seeing the long term results of the actions in a previous campaign, because the effect is still ongoing: the artefact is likely to be a defining force again. The intelligence might lead to party banter continuing as before, making the new campaign feel less fresh and pushing players into previously established behaviour, or it might push the story in artefact-centered directions. Or that may not happen at all, I don't know your group :)

[Pildion]

So one way I like to connect one campaign to another, is to have the new campaign set in the same location as a previous one, but a generation later. This time skip allows for changes to the setting to consolidate, some of which the players may have had a hand in, and lends some distance for this to be appreciated. The PCs then have the option of playing the "heir" of their previous character, either a blood related child, and an adopted one / apprentice. This gives a sense continuity, without shackling the players to the same character, or even race. To enforce this relationship, I allow the players to have been gifted one of previous characters magical items. Obviously, if two players agree, one can play the descendant / hair of another. However, in a current game, one of them has found an artifact. Whilst most of the items are, equal enough that there are several choices for which one they could gift their heir-apparent, mostly coming down to play style and character build, the artifact offers enough raw power and versatility that it might be an obvious choice.

So, what do you thing? Should I:

a. Let the player pass the sword on to their new character, same as I would with other items
b. Say that only another character can receive the artifact, to give them a turn with it
c. Flat out exclude the artifact from the available options

The artifact is an intelligent item, so I have some leeway to organically explaining why it couldn't be passed on.

I would roll with it as "dormant" so to speak, just a sword when they first get it. Then as they play you can give them quests to unlock its power. This way they get to keep their cool sword but its not OP and the other players wont get mad.

[Boci]

Sorry, busy weekend, didn't mean to ignore the replies.


Otherwise - just get rid of it. Consider this, if ANY other creature of significant power is aware of the weapon and there are several ways that could happen - Legend Lore, Divination etc - then other spells might be able to help locate it and some other creature - a dragon, a creature from the outer planes, or a level 20 adventurer might come around and just take it away from the character. Presumably, the world is aware that the relative of the character possessed the weapon - anyone looking for it would logically look at anyone related.

So ... if the character is going to retain the weapon in any form, you need to figure out how it could possibly have happened. :)

I don't think this is difficult to justify. The game would likely open with sword being passed over, so up until then it would be in the hands of a powerful adventurer who forged a bond with it. Afterwards it would be more vulnerable, but it will take a while for word to spread of this, they presumably aren't checking Legend Lore on the artefact every week after its been kept by the now-NPC hero for years, and its an intelligent artefact. So anyone using divination to know about it, might also realize that stealing an intelligent artefact might be a bad idea, since in addition to risking good heroes hunting you down for the theft, the artefact itself may hate you.

So, yeah, I don't think figuring out how it could possibly have happened is any real challenge.


However, its your game, do what is fun, but anything more than a +1 weapon is likely to overshadow the entire party. A 3 target hold monster might well end some low level encounters - since even if the DC is a bit low the targets usually have lower saves too.

I'm not sure I agree. Obviously Seneferu's Legacy is powerful, its an artefact, if it isn't powerful I didn't design it well, but I don't think it can overshadow the rest of the party, especially since this is at least partially psychological and depends on the players perspective. Certainly the damage boost will allow the player to bunch above their weight class, but no one tallies damage dealt per party member, and its not like the boost is enough to render the rest of the party's damage contributions as unimportant.

The breath weapon is good, but even with conjure image, its still a line, you're unlikely to get more than 2 monsters with it, and that's taking your action and bonus action. The player with the sword also has some vembraces that let them, among others, cast Tidal Wave 1/long rest. They sometimes use that over the breath weapon, because tidal wave is 30ft by 10ft, and that extra 5ft of width can counts for a lot. Plus this way they keep their bonus action, which they often have uses for.

+11 to arcane and nature is great, and yes the rest of the party member don't need to bother with those skills, but that can be liberating, especially for nature. Sure, a wizard might feel bad, but they will know making the character the party member will have that and can avoid redundancy if it bothers them. And hey, even a +11 can fail.

As for the spells, yes they're useful, but mirage arcana is more of a creative out of combat one, fly is still concentration and so can be a liability (plus is you're built to use Seneferu then you're built for melee combat), and hold monsters whilst good, won't really be ending the combat. Okay, it sort of will. But each creature gets a save, and even if they fail, they're still "just" paralyzed, which they get a new save against at the end of their turn. The sword wielder just used their action to paralyze them, so the other party members are in a way better position to take advantage of that. Would they enjoy regularly mopping up monsters made helpless by the artefact's wielder? Probably
not, but once a day, I don't think they're mind. Plus Hold Monster is also concentration, so if someone passes the save and manages to damage the wielder, which the sword offers no defence against, then they have to make a contraction save or the spell will end. So between not being guaranteed to work and only 1/long rest, I don't think its powerful enough to make the other two players feel over shadowed.

So I'm not too worried about this sword unbalancing the game. I'd likely power through the lower levels 1-3 with the sword, but once they get to 4th I think it should be fine, especially since there's also the self correcting aspect of the other players without an artefact likely getting first dibs on magical items found. So I'm not worried about it being inherently a feels bad item, but I do feel the other two players might be bothered if the same players gets it twice. Or:


Carrying it over may add rails to a fresh story that go beyond seeing the long term results of the actions in a previous campaign, because the effect is still ongoing: the artefact is likely to be a defining force again. The intelligence might lead to party banter continuing as before, making the new campaign feel less fresh and pushing players into previously established behaviour, or it might push the story in artefact-centered directions. Or that may not happen at all, I don't know your group :)

I am worried about this possibility, which is why I'm considering removing, more than any belief it would unbalance things. I also feel the character may feel they have to choose the artefact if that's an option, even if they don't want to make a sword wielder, and could have more fun with a different item being passed down, even if its the weaker option.



P.S. I was thinking about ways to make it work narratively. The sword could have belonged to a grandfather, who realized that the weapon was too dangerous for him to retain as he aged. Inevitably someone would come, take the sword, and likely kill him and his family. Faced with this quandry, the grandfather took the sword on a quest with witnesses (both his party members and powerful independent witnesses) where he cast the sword into an active volcano destroying it completely. However, one member of his party had prepared a substitute magical sword with a temporary property to enable a spell effect replicating the breath weapon. The character used this effect one last time before casting the sword into the volcano (or portal or any other way that would destroy the sword) destroying it utterly. He did this because he knew that one day the sword would be needed again but that it would need to be forgotten first. He hid the sword on his estate and told no one of the secret. Over the years, the sword grew dormant and quiet. When first picked up it appears as a well crafted longsword that detects as magical. As the sword awakes and as the bearer becomes more powerful the sword may acquire additional properties. However, the character that "inherited" the sword does not realize it is in fact the artifact because everyone believes it to be destroyed.

This lets you keep the item in the game if you really want it while avoiding a game breaking item at tier 1 and allows the character with the sword to role play the growing realization that the sword may be more than it appears. On the other hand, if you don't want the item in the game, the grandfather could have destroyed the sword or it could have otherwise disappeared. Something like that might have been given to kings or other great heroes when the grandfather could no longer use it.

This is an interesting solution, but runs afoul of the problem of requiring a player to roleplay not knowing something they do, which I always like to avoid if possible. It also requires a time skip longer than I would have wanted, from next generation to at least two down. This is however a fun storyline, so certainly something worth keeping in the bag, but probably works better for a weapon less recognisable, since Seneferu's legacty is carved from a tooth its a bit less likely it wouldn't be recognised by the player at least the moment they picked it up, and even the character would have IC justification to at least suspect what this sword might be.


The edit on Keravath's post here is absolute gold. I was going to offer something like, "the players eventually go on a quest to find this sword because it went missing years ago"...but Keravath's idea is freakishly good, imo. You could even require side-quests to help the sword regain or "remember" its old powers.

Yeah, the "stages" as outlined below could be based on time, level, side quests, or a combination of those factors.


Cool item, btw. Powerful, but thematic.

Thank you, glad you like it :smallsmile:


I would roll with it as "dormant" so to speak, just a sword when they first get it. Then as they play you can give them quests to unlock its power. This way they get to keep their cool sword but its not OP and the other players wont get mad.

If I were to make it dormant, I could go for something like this:

Seneferu sleeps - The sword is +1 magic weapon that crits on a 19 or 20.

Seneferu Awakens - The spirit in the sword awakens and is an intelligent item again. +1d8 lightning damage and Draconic Knowledge.

Seneferu Roars - +5d8 thunder damage on crits and Breath Weapon.

Seneferu Remembers - Conjure Image and Draconic Magic.

Alternatively, another idea I had was the soul of Seneferu moves on, and be replaced by her last surviving child, which would weaken the sword considerable. Likely:
Remove the the thunder damage on crit and conjure image
Reduce the breath weapon damage to 1d10 per 2 levels (minimum 1d10), lightning only, and also half its range to a 60ft line
Make the spells to charm person (2 creatures), phantasmal force and jump (10 minute duration)
Remove the modifier for recalling information to a flat +2 across the board, and give the wielder the Sound Mimicry special ability
Give the ability to cast create or destroy water 1/short rest

+1 weapon, crits on a 19-20, finessable in two hands, +1d8 lightning damage would remain unchanged

[ImproperJustice]

This happens all the time in our games since we use a persistent world!!

In our world, a magic weapon draws some if it’s power from those who wield it. So a low level PC can inherit a powerful artifact, but it’s power is locked behind player advancement.

A good rule of thumb is a weapon has it’s pluses reduced to half proficiency level round up.

Spell based abilities come online at the level that full casters in the party would gain them,

Ribbon abilities appear at GM fiat.


Other options is if a player has an ancestral family sword that is a plot point, there are Enchanter NPCs who can perform ceremonies to transfer magical properties from a found item to an heirloom item, replacing whatever was in the heirloom item for a fee based upon the rarity of magics involved.

Example: Calidor the Paladin carries his father’s shield onto battle, who died heroically at the battle of Bayden Hill.

Upon discovering a +1 shield, he seeks out an enchanter whom he pays to place the +1 bonus into the family shield.

Later he finds a Sentinel shield and holds another ceremony, losing the +1 bonus and gaining the Sentinel Shield Property instead.

Meanwhile, Laura the Bard inherited the short sword : Swift Resolution, a +3 sword that grants advantage on initiative, insight and persuasion checks.

The GM rules that as she advances in level, the weapon’s enhancement bonus increases at half prof bonus and at each tier starting at 5, she gains advantage on 1 check of the three.