Damaging Weapon
(weapon, rarity varies)

Last Updated: April 7, 2023
Campaign: TBD

This weapon emits raw power.

A "Damaging Weapon" is considered a magic weapon, but does not provide a bonus to hit or damage.
A "Damaging Weapon" provides a bonus damage of a certain damage type to any weapon.
Ranged weapons provide their bonus damage to their ammunition, although the ammunition is destroyed after use.
The amount of bonus damage depends on its rarity.

Rarity GP Value Bonus Damage Special Effect DC
Uncommon 100 gp +1d4 n/a
rare 500 gp +1d8 14
very rare 5,000 gp +1d12 16
legendary 50,000 gp +3d6 18

An option for a "Damaging Weapon" that is at least rare is to include a special effect, however, doing so will require using the bonus damage from the previous rarity instead (i.e. if rare, use uncommon bonus damage).
The duration of a condition or other effect only lasts until the start of your next turn, unless otherwise noted.
Damage types and associated special effects are listed in the table below:

Physical* Special Effect Saving Throw Energy Special Effect Saving Throw Supernatural Special Effect Saving Throw
Bludgeoning free shove = prone condition or push 5ft STR or DEX Acid - until use action to wipe away acid take 1d4 acid/turn - Force - use the bonus damage for its rarity
- weapon base damage is instead force		 -
- - - Cold - restrained condition CON Necrotic - gain temp hp equal to necrotic damage dealt
- lasts for 1 minute or until used 		-
Piercing - until use action to heal (WIS/medicine check) or heal by magic, target will out bleed for 1d4 damage/turn - Fire - until use action to put out fire take 1d4 fire/turn - Poison - poisoned condition CON
- - Lightning - advantage to hit vs metal armor - Psychic - frightened condition WIS
Slashing - target cannot use reactions DEX Thunder - deafened and prone condition CON Radiant - blind condition CON

*Note: Physical damage types have a limitation in that a weapon's bonus damage must deal the same damage type as the base weapon.

History:

  • Examples Include:

    Acid Whip

  • Rare weapon with special effect (500 gp).
  • The Acid Whip does 1d4 slashing damage plus an extra +1d4 acid damage with every hit.
  • In addition, until the target hit spends an action on its turn to wipe away the acid, they will take an additional 1d4 acid damage each turn.
  • This additional damage is not cumulative from multiple hits.

    Forcebow

  • Legendary weapon with special effect (50,000 gp).
  • The Forcebow is a shortbow that deals 4d6 force damage from every arrow that hits (1d6 base +3d6 bonus).
  • Any arrow used in the bow is transformed into a force missile and is automatically destroyed after use.

    Great Axe of Slashing

  • Very Rare weapon with no special effect (5,000 gp).
  • The Great Axe of Slashing does 2d12 slashing damage with every hit.
  • Base damage is 1d12 slashing plus another 1d12 bonus slashing damage.

    Maul of Bludgeoning

  • Rare weapon with special effect (500 gp).
  • The Maul of Bludgeoning does 2d6 bludgeoning damage plus an extra +1d4 bludgeoning damage per hit.
  • In addition, each succesful hit allows a free shove to knock your opponent prone or move them 5 feet.
  • The target can resist the shove by succeeding on a DC 14 saving throw using either STR or DEX.
  • If prone, successive attacks against the target are at advantage if within 5 feet, while the prone opponent attacks are at disadvantage.

    Poisoned Rapier

  • Very rare weapon with special effect (5,000 gp).
  • The Poisoned Rapier does 1d8 piercing plus an extra +1d8 poison damage per hit.
  • In addition, for each hit, the target must make a DC 16 CON saving throw or get the poisoned condition until the start of your next turn.
  • A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

    Design Notes:

    The value of the "Damaging Weapon" is based on its rarity as per the above table. Feel free to adjust the price based on your own campaigns.

    This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 ("SRD 5.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.
    The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

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